Riverfront Times 9.30.15 by Riverfront Times

SEPTEMBER 30–OCTOBER 6, 2015 I VOLUME 39 I NUMBER 40

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Monday, Oct. 12, Friday, Nov. 6 & Saturday, Dec. 5 Whether you are currently in high school or planning to transfer to Webster University, there's no better way to learn about all that Webster has to offer than to attend a Webster Preview Day. At each event you'll have the chance to speak with current students and faculty, as well as ask your questions about financial aid, scholarships and the admissions process. Plus, you can tour the campus and lunch is on us! Discover more and register: webster.edu/preview

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SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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Bowling the way it is now– FUN!

Unique Spaces We are more than a 24 hour restaurant. Besides our late night food, we serve up some awesome spaces to celebrate in.

24/7 PeacockLoopDiner.com

6191 Delmar · 314-727-5555 PinUpBowl.com

6261 Delmar in The Loop

“St. Louis pioneers of craft beer and live music”

FREE EVENTS B CICERO’S WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 TH

Geeks Who Drink trivia - 8:30pm - FREE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1 ST

BAR STAGE: Grateful Gary- Dead & Classic Rock - 8:30pm - FREE

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2 ND

BAR STAGE: Eric Ketzer- PopRock - 8:30pm - FREE

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3 RD

IN THE VENUE

BAR STAGE: Ryan Hoffman - PopRock - 8:30pm - FREE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 TH

Count It!- Punk Rock Social Hour - 9pm - FREE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1 ST

Fresh!- Hip Hop - 9pm - $5 - (Ladies Free until 10pm)

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2 ND

Jake’s Leg- Dead Tribute - 8:30pm - $7

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3 RD

Nite Owl, DJ Stan the Man, Superslag, Ray Dean, and more - Hip Hop - 8pm - $10

EVERY Beer of the month: Free glass with every TUESDAY TWO BROTHER’S Two Brother’s purchase.

6691 Delmar

In the University City Loop

314.862.0009 • www.ciceros-stl.com 4

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ON SALE 10.02

Delmar Loop TUESday 12/1

ON SALE 10.02

monday 12/7

ON SALE 10.02

THURSday 2/4

ON SALE 10.09

Saint Louis

WEdnESday 12/2

ON SALE 10.02

FRIday 12/4

ON SALE 10.02

THURSday 12/10

ON SALE 10.02

TUESday 12/15

ON SALE 10.02

WEdnESday 9/30

FRIday 10/2

UPCOMING SHOWS

10.6 GHOST 10.7 FATHER JOHN MISTY 10.8 BEN RECTOR 10.9 TORI KELLY 10.12 BRING ME THE HORIZON 10.13 CHANCE THE RAPPER 10.14 COHEED AND CAMBRIA 10.15 FLUX PAVILION 10.16 LETTUCE 10.17 GRACE POTTER 10.19 PASSION PIT 10.20 MAC MILLER 10.21 LYLE LOVETT & JOHN HIATT 10.23 YELAWOLF/MEG MYERS

10.24 DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS 10.27 GORGON CITY 10.28 ANDREW MCMAHON IN THE WILDERNESS / NEW POLITICS 10.29 SLIGHTLY STOOPID 10.30 MAT KEARNEY 10.31 SOMO 11.5 THE MAVERICKS 11.6 TIMEFLIES 11.7 JOHNNY RIVERS 11.8 NEW FOUND GLORY/YELLOWCARD 11.11 GOGOL BORDELLO 11.13 BIG FREEDIA 11.14 THE WONDER YEARS/MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK 11.17 BEN FOLDS

visit us online for complete show information facebook.com/ThePageantSTL

@ThePageantSTL

thepageantstl.tumblr.com

thepageant.com // 6161 delmar blvd. / St. Louis, MO 63112 // 314.726.6161

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SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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2015 Across 7th Street from Soulard Market

October 9,10,11 Bier, Brats, Bands & Big Carnival!!! Our Partners

For the Best Deal Check out the VIP on the Website

www.soulardoktoberfest.com

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FUNNY BONE COMEDY CLUB St. Louis’ most well-known comedy club.

DRUNKEN FISH Voted “Best Sushi” in St. Louis – this “hot spot” has an inventive cocktail list.

ONE-STOP DESTINATION FOR THE BEST ST. LOUIS HAS TO OFFER Dining | Entertainment | Lodging

JIVE & WAIL Dueling Piano Bar for guests to sing-along, clap-along, eat and drink along!

FUZZY’S TACO SHOP Fast-casual restaurant serving Baja-style Mexican food.

111 Westport Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63146 (Located at Interstate 270 and Page Avenue) | 314.576.7100 | westportstl.com riverfronttimes.com

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11 T:10.75 in

SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015 B:10.75 in

riverfronttimes.com S:10.25 in

© 2015 Goose Island Beer Company, Chicago, IL. Enjoy responsibly. Great American Beer Festival® Awards (Category: English Style India Pale Ale): 2012 Gold (India Pale Ale), 2009 Silver (IPA), 2007 Silver (India Pale Ale), 2004 Silver (Goose Island India Pale Ale), 2001 Bronze (India Pale Ale), 2000 Gold (Goose Island IPA).

B:9.72 in

S:9.22 in

T:9.72 in

DC CHICKEN SAYS

“LET’S GO

VOLUME 39 NUMBER 40 SEPTEMBER 30-OCTOBER 6, 2015

BIRDS!!”

BUDWEISER FAMILY $

8.99 18PK CANS

CAPTAIN MORGAN $

20.99 1.75L

WILD TURKEY

AMERICAN HONEY $

17.99 750 ML

EDGEFIELD, CHEROKEE, OR EXETER $

21.99 PER CARTON

WHEN YOU BUY 2

17.99 30PK CANS

18.99 1.75 L

39.99 1.75L

P R O D U C T I O N Production Manager Robert Westerholt Production Designer Randy Lutz M U LT I M E D I A A D V E R T I S I N G Associate Publisher Terry O’Neill Marketing Director Lucas Pate Promotions Manager Erin Deterding Sales Director Colin Bell Senior Account Executive Cathleen Criswell Multimedia Account Executives Matt Bartosz, Mikala Cannon, Christopher Guilbault, Erica Kenney, Kanita Pisutewongse, Nicole Starzyk Account Managers Emily Fear, Jennifer Samuel

19.99 750 ML

NEW! CHAMPION HERBAL CIGARETTES

18.69 750 ML

C I R C U L A T I O N Circulation Manager Kevin G. Powers

19.99 PER CARTON

E U C L I D M E D I A G RO U P Chief Executive Officer Andrew Zelman Chief Operating Officers Chris Keating, Michael Wagner Chief Financial Officer Brian Painley Human Resources Director Lisa Beilstein www.euclidmediagroup.com

VAPORX OR VAPOR123 LIQUID

AMERICAN SPIRITS $

A R T Art Director Kelly Glueck Contributing Photographers Jarred Gastreich, Abby Gillardi, Shelby Kardell, Alex Kendall, Robert Rohe, Jennifer Silverberg, Mabel Suen, Steve Truesdell, Micah Usher, Theo Welling, Corey Woodruff

TANQUERAY

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16.99 30PK CANS

JACK DANIEL’S

7.99 6PK BOTTLES

SMIRNOFF VODKA

E D I T O R I A L Associate Editor Kristie McClanahan Arts & Culture Editor Paul Friswold Music Editor Daniel Hill Staff Writers Doyle Murphy, Danny Wicentowski Restaurant Critic Cheryl Baehr Editorial Interns Joshua Connelly, Aaron Davidoff Contributing Writers Drew Ailes, Mike Appelstein, Allison Babka, Nicole Beckert, Mark Fischer, Sara Graham, Joseph Hess, Patrick J. Hurley, Roy Kasten, Dan LeRoy, Jaime Lees, Todd McKenzie, Bob McMahon, Nicholas Phillips, Tef Poe, Christian Schaeffer, Alison Sieloff, Mabel Suen, Ryan Wasoba, Alex Weir

BUSCH FAMILY

STELLA CIDER, STELLA, HOEGAARDEN OR LEFFE

PABST OR STAG $

Publisher Chris Keating Editor in Chief Sarah Fenske

MILLER OR COORS FAMILY

13.99 20PK BOTTLES

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·HUGE WALK-IN BEER CAVE COOLERS

·HUMIDORS ·VAPORS/E-CIGS ·PART Y GEAR ·KEGS ·SPECIAL ORDERS!

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16 ARE A LOC ATI ON S!

BEST OF

ST. LOUIS READERS’ CHOICE ........... 1 4 PEOPLE & PLACES .......................... 1 9 GOODS & SERVICES ...................... 3 3 SPORTS & RECREATION ................5 5 FOOD & DRINK ................. 6 1 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ..... 1 0 5

The Riverfront Times is published weekly by Euclid Media Group Verified Audit Member Riverfront Times 6358 Delmar Boulevard, Suite 200, St. Louis, MO 63130-4719 www.riverfronttimes.com General information: 314-754-5966 Fax administrative: 314-754-5955 Fax editorial: 314-754-6416 Founded by Ray Hartmann in 1977

Night & Day® ......................................................... 127 Concerts ................................................................... 130 Out Every Night....................................................131 Savage Love ........................................................... 133 Classified ................................................................. 134

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FORGET THE RED BULL, MIXERS & ICE! DON’T ON THE COVER ILLUSTRATION BY MIKE HIRSHON Riverfront Times is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. Additional copies of the current issue may be purchased for $1.00 plus postage, payable in advance at the Riverfront Times office. Riverfront Times may be distributed only by Riverfront Times authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of Riverfront Times, take more than one copy of each Riverfront Times weekly issue. The entire contents of Riverfront Times are copyright 2015 by Riverfront Times, LLC. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the expressed written permission of the Publisher, Riverfront Times, 6358 Delmar Blvd., Ste. 200, St. Louis, MO 63130. Please call the Riverfront Times office for back-issue information, 314-754-5966.

SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risk To Your Health.

C O N T E N T S

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Amtrak速 and Enjoy the journey are registered service marks of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation.

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THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN. THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF THEM! AND AFTER TALLYING MORE THAN 13,000 VOTES, WE’RE PROUD TO PRESENT YOUR PICKS FOR THE VERY BEST THINGS IN ST. LOUIS. IF YOU’RE NOT INTO DEMOCRACY AND WOULD PREFER TO START WITH OUR STAFF PICKS, THERE’S A SOLUTION TO THAT, TOO. TURN TO PAGE 19 AND DIVE RIGHT IN TO THE LIST OF WINNERS CHOSEN BY OUR WRITERS AND EDITORS.

BEST LOCAL ARTIST BEST ALL-AGES VENUE

BEST DANCE EVENTS

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THE PAGEANT www.thepageant.com

BEST BAND NAME

THE FUCK OFF AND DIES fuckoffanddies.bandcamp.com ◆◆◆

BEST BAND TO DIE IN THE PAST YEAR KENTUCKY KNIFE FIGHT

BEST BLUES CLUB

BB’S JAZZ, BLUES AND SOUPS bbsjazzbluessoups.com ◆◆◆

BEST BURLESQUE TROUPE SEVEN ZERO EIGHT www.708stl.com

BEST CONCERT OF THE PAST YEAR

FLEETWOOD MAC AT SCOTTRADE CENTER ◆◆◆

BEST DANCE COMPANY

MISSOURI BALLET THEATRE missouriballettheatre.org/wordpress RIVERFRONT TIMES

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BEST MOVIE THEATER ◆◆◆

BEST FILM SERIES

BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL

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BEST HIP-HOP CLUB

BEST RADIO SHOW

ST. LOUIS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL www.cinemastlouis.org

HORNY GOAT

BEST JAZZ CLUB

JAZZ AT THE BISTRO www.jazzstl.org/jazz-at-the-bistro ◆◆◆

BEST LIVE-MUSIC VENUE THE PAGEANT www.thepageant.com ◆◆◆

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MCARTHUR’S BAKERY www.mcarthurs.com

THE TIVOLI THEATRE www.landmarktheatres.com/st-louis/tivolitheatre

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DANCE ST. LOUIS www.dancestlouis.org

LOUFEST www.loufest.com

RADIO RICH DALTON, OUR MUSICAL ROOTS www.ourmusicalroots.com ◆◆◆

BEST RADIO STATION OUR MUSICAL ROOTS www.ourmusicalroots.com ◆◆◆

BEST RECORDING STUDIO NATIVE SOUND RECORDING nativesoundrecording.com ◆◆◆

BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE TO DIE IN THE PAST YEAR

BEST ROCK CLUB

PLUSH

THE FIREBIRD www.firebirdstl.com

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BEST LOCAL ALBUM

BEST 3 A.M. BAR

DEAR LIVER, BY THE FUCK OFF AND DIES fuckoffanddies.bandcamp.com

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BEST BAKERY

POKEY LAFARGE www.pokeylafarge.net

MANGIA ITALIANO dineatmangia.net

BEST BAR

THREE KINGS PUBLIC HOUSE threekingspub.com ◆◆◆

BEST BARBECUE

SUGARFIRE SMOKE HOUSE www.sugarfiresmokehouse.com ◆◆◆

BEST BARTENDER SETH WAHLMAN, ECLIPSE www.eclipsestlouis.com ◆◆◆

BEST BRUNCH THE BEVO MILL thebevomill.com ◆◆◆

BEST BURGER

DAVE & TONY’S www.daveandtonys.com ◆◆◆

BEST BURGER (NON-BEEF DIVISION) BAILEYS’ RANGE baileysrange.com ◆◆◆

BEST CHAIN RESTAURANT ST. LOUIS BREAD COMPANY www.panerabread.com

BOBBY TESSLER, ST. LOUIS WING CO. stlwingco.com

BEST CHEF

JUST JOHNS www.justjohnclub.com

BEST NEW BAR

THE TICK TOCK TAVERN www.theticktock.com

BEST ANTIQUE STORE

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BEST CHICKEN WINGS

BEST GREEK RESTAURANT

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

BEST BRIDAL STORE

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ST. LOUIS WING CO. stlwingco.com

BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT CHINESE NOODLE CAFE www.peggyhou.com ◆◆◆

BEST COCKTAILS THE ROYALE www.theroyale.com ◆◆◆

BEST COFFEEHOUSE KALDI’S kaldiscoffee.com ◆◆◆

BEST COMFORT FOOD GROVE EAST PROVISIONS ◆◆◆

BEST DELI/SANDWICH SHOP BLUES CITY DELI www.bluescitydeli.com ◆◆◆

BEST DESSERTS CYRANO’S CAFE cyranos.com ◆◆◆

BEST DINER

BEST GAY BAR

OLYMPIA KEBOB HOUSE AND TAVERNA olympiakebobandtavern.com

BEST ICE CREAM

ICES PLAIN & FANCY www.icesplainandfancy.com ◆◆◆

BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT HOUSE OF INDIA www.hoistl.com ◆◆◆

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT ANTHONINO’S TAVERNA anthoninos.com ◆◆◆

BEST KOREAN RESTAURANT SEOUL TACO www.seoultaco.com

ST. LOUIS PRETZEL BOY’S www.stlpretzelboys.com ◆◆◆

BEST FOOD TRUCK SEOUL TACO www.seoultaco.com ◆◆◆

BEST FRIED CHICKEN

GALLAGHER’S RESTAURANT www.gallagherswaterloo.com

IMO’S imospizza.com ◆◆◆

BEST NON-ST. LOUIS-STYLE PIZZA JJ TWIGS www.jjtwigsstl.com/jjtwigs-stl ◆◆◆

BEST PLACE FOR DAY DRINKING

BEST LOCAL BREWERY

BEST RESTAURANT TO DIE IN THE PAST YEAR

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BEST MARTINI PIN-UP BOWL pinupbowl.com ◆◆◆

BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT CHAVA’S www.chavasmexican.com ◆◆◆

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT THE PAT CONNOLLY TAVERN www.patconnollytavern.com

RELIANCE AUTOMOTIVE relianceautomotive.com ◆◆◆

BEST CLOTHING BOUTIQUE PAPER DOLLS www.paperdolls.boutique ◆◆◆

BEST FLEA MARKET

SAINT LOUIS SWAP MEET AT THE LEMP BREWERY stlswapmeet.com ◆◆◆

BEST FLORIST

WALTER KNOLL FLORIST www.wkf.com

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FLAMINGO BOWL www.flamingobowl.com

BEST CAR REPAIR

THE ROYALE www.theroyale.com

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BEST MARGARITA

BEST FAST-CASUAL RESTAURANT

BEST ST. LOUIS-STYLE PIZZA

TREE HOUSE treehousestl.com

URBAN CHESTNUT BREWING CO. urbanchestnut.com/home

MAIDEN VOYAGE BRIDAL maidenvoyagebridal.com

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THE GRAMOPHONE www.gramophonestl.com

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VIN DE SET vindeset.com

BEST LATE-NIGHT DINING

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STRANGE DONUTS strangedonuts.com

BEST OUTDOOR DINING

BEST RESTAURANT FOR VEGETARIANS

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CITY DINER

BEST DOUGHNUTS

PIZZINO www.pizzinostl.com

EMPORIUM ST. LOUIS emporium-stlouis.com

MISS LEON’S ◆◆◆

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BEST GARDEN CENTER BAYER’S GARDEN SHOP www.bayergardenshops.com ◆◆◆

BEST GIFT SHOP

THE LOFT GIFT SHOP AT SAPPINGTON HOUSE sappingtonhouse.org ◆◆◆

BEST RESTAURANT WHEN SOMEONE ELSE PAYS

BEST GROCERY SCHNUCKS www.schnucks.com

SIDNEY STREET CAFE sidneystreetcafe.com ◆◆◆

BEST SPORTS BAR

THE POST SPORTS BAR AND GRILL thepostsportsbar.com ◆◆◆

BEST STEAK HOUSE

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BEST HARDWARE STORE ACE www.acehardware.com ◆◆◆

BEST HOME DECOR THE REFIND ROOM therefindroom.com

TUCKER’S PLACE tuckersplacestl.com ◆◆◆

BEST THAI RESTAURANT ZEN THAI & JAPANESE CUISINE www.zenstl.com

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BEST JEWELRY STORE PARAMOUNT JEWELERS www.paramountjewelers.com

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BEST MALL

THANK YOU

BILL MCCLELLAN, ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

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BEST PLACE FOR A FIRST DATE

BEST PET GROOMERS PETROPOLIS www.petropolis.com

Thank you for your reporting on Jeff Mizanskey, the man sentenced to die in prison for cannabis. Your stories were instrumental in securing his release. It was an honor to fight alongside you to win Justice for Jeff!

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BEST PLACE TO BUY FURNITURE DAU NEU dauneu.com ◆◆◆

BEST PLACE TO GET A MANI/PEDI

BEAUTIFUL NAILS www.beautifulnailsstl.com ◆◆◆

BEST RECORD STORE VINTAGE VINYL www.vintagevinyl.com ◆◆◆

BEST SALON V VEGAZ

YOUR FRIENDS @ SHOW-ME CANNABIS

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BEST SEX SHOP

BOX boxstl.squarespace.com ◆◆◆

BEST SMOKE SHOP TNT GLASS DESIGNS ◆◆◆

BEST VAPOR STORE

Help us win in 2016!

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BEST ACTIVIST

BEST BLUES PLAYER

Learn more & signup for email updates:

BEST CARDINALS PLAYER

Show-MeCannabis.com

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Text ‘RFT’ to 420420 now!

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FLAMINGO BOWL www.flamingobowl.com ◆◆◆

BEST PLACE FOR A LAST DATE TALAYNA’S JUKE BOX RESTAURANT ◆◆◆

BEST PLACE TO LIVE WEBSTER GROVES ◆◆◆

BEST POLITICIAN

ST. LOUIS MAYOR FRANCIS SLAY ◆◆◆

BEST RAMS PLAYER CHRIS LONG ◆◆◆

BEST VILLAIN STAN KROENKE ◆◆◆

BEST BIKE PATH

KATY TRAIL www.bikekatytrail.com ◆◆◆

BEST BIKE SHOP BIG SHARK bigshark.com ◆◆◆

BEST GYM

CLUB FITNESS www.clubfitness.us ◆◆◆

BEST PLACE TO HIKE

CASTLEWOOD STATE PARK mostateparks.com/park/castlewood-state-park ◆◆◆

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BEST PUBLIC PARK

VLADIMIR TARASENKO ◆◆◆

YADIER MOLINA

BEST CHEAP THRILL TRIKKE STL www.trikkestl.com

BEST HAIR ON A LOCAL TV PERSONALITY JASMINE HUDA, KMOV (CHANNEL 4)

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STEPHEN HOULDSWORTH

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Paid for by New Approach Missouri, Brad Ketcher, Treasurer, through an in-kind contribution by Show-Me Cannabis 16

VAPOR EXCHANGE vaporexchangeecigs.com

We are preparing an initiative campaign for the November 2016 ballot to implement a comprehensive medical cannabis program in Missouri.

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BEST JOURNALIST

WEST COUNTY CENTER www.shopwestcountycenter.com

FOREST PARK www.forestparkforever.org ◆◆◆

BEST PUBLIC POOL MARQUETTE PARK www.stlouis-mo.gov ◆◆◆

BEST RUNNING TRAIL GRANT’S TRAIL www.bikegrantstrail.com ◆◆◆

BEST YOGA STUDIO

PRACTICING YOGA STUDIO www.practicingyogastudio.com

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F o r a d a y, a n i g h t , a we e k e n d . . .

Up c o m i n g e v e nt s : Frog Leg Festival/ Harbor Hop - Oct 10th, Halloween Costume Party - Oct 31st, Fall Crawl - November 7th, Thanksgiving Buffet - November 26th N e w Ye a r s â&#x20AC;&#x2122; E v e p a r t y - D e c e m b e r 3 1 s t

CamdenOnTheLake.com

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What do Stan Kroenke and a Nile hippopotamus have in common? They’re both winners in this year’s issue — although only the hippo should be happy with his selection. Read on for our staff choices for everything from Best Villain to Best Zoo Animal — and don’t miss 2015’s staff pick in the hotly contested Best Hair on a Local TV Personality category.

riverfronttimes.com XE X–X riverfronttimes.com S E P T E M B E R 3M 0O - ONCTTHO B R 6X, , 2200105X RRI IVVEERRFFRROONNTT TTI IMMEESS 191

MABEL SUEN

People & Places

Best Use of a Former Car Lot* Franz Park Community Garden 6947 Manchester Avenue St. Louis, 63143 314-588-9600 www.franzpark.org www.gatewaygreening.org Something’s happening in downtown Maplewood. Once a dystopia of pawn shops, Florida repo car lots and antiquated office-equipment clutter, the city’s stretch of Manchester Road now boasts posh restaurants, Mexican tiendas, a good dive bar and coffee shops, as well as a seedling nursery (where a body shop once stood) and, on the northeast corner of McCausland and Manchester avenues, one delightfully overgrown patch of green. The Franz Park Community Garden was previously another depressing lineup of bad-credit-no-credit clunkers, and it could easily have turned into an even more depressing CVS. Instead, for six years, the garden — part of the Gateway Greening initiative — has flourished. Plots of purple bell peppers, sweet potatoes and sunflowers stand tall; wild, native blossoms surge around a yield sign; and tiger lilies and wildflowers spill out over the sidewalks. It’s like the plants are taking over the neighborhood with a “Big Yellow Taxi” in reverse: unpaving the parking lots and putting up paradise where you’d least expect it.

Best Place for a First Date 52 Maryland Plaza St. Louis, 63108 314-367-2200 crepesstl.com

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Selecting a spot for a first date is agonizing. It should be well known, but not too well known. Impressive, but not too impressive. Worldly, but not too worldly. And for the love of all that is holy, it should have some interesting aspects that the two of you can discuss while filling the inevitable awkward silence that comes after you’ve blabbed too much about your ex. Crêpes Etc. has all of that, and delicious food to boot. Slip into the Parisianstyle cafe around 1 p.m. (late enough for the lunch rush to die down, but early enough to have the 3 p.m. closing time as a built-in exit) to enjoy fruity crêpes and savory quiches at a table along the back wall. There, you’ll be granted just enough privacy to unload all of your relationship expectations onto each other. If, after that, you decide that you’re not soulmates, it’s no big deal — spicy hot chocolate and a few colorful macarons are right there to help soothe the pain.

Best Place for a Last Date Colony Theater & Cocktails 4500 Forest Boulevard East St. Louis, Illinois, 62204 618-874-9621 With its stiff drinks and open-minded clientele, Colony Theater offers the perfect environment to extinguish an old flame before immediately spraying gasoline onto another. This is not your typical bar, even by debaucherous East St. Louis standards, and you will definitely not be sinking into leather recliners to catch the new billion-dollar superhero movie in IMAX 3-D. Neither the cocktail lounge nor the movies have seen an update in at least 30 years: The three screening rooms project legends like a young and handsome Ron Jeremy in action, alongside many other ghosts of porno past. The incredibly friendly bar staff can offer a nice sedative for your relationship’s execution, while those faded blue movies can let you both see just how wonderful and exciting sex could be...if only it weren’t with each other.

Crêpes Etc.

Doesn’t look much like a used-car lot now, does it?

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SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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People & Places

Best Place for a Kid’s Birthday Party Rollercade Roller Skate Center

C O U R T E SY O F T H O M A S S A N F I L L I P P O

11703 Baptist Church Road Sappington, 63128 314- 842-3845 rollercadeskating.com

Thomas SanFillippo (right) with client Cornell McKay.

Bob Ramsey, James Dowd, Thomas SanFillippo, Joe Yeckel If Cornell McKay didn’t have better lawyers, he’d still be in jail today. His protests of innocence — that he never robbed a woman in the Central West End — would have been ignored. He would be spending the next decade with the thousands of other young black men locked up in Missouri’s prisons. McKay was arrested in 2012 during the frenzied search for the person who murdered Megan Boken. Despite his airtight alibi for the killing, St. Louis police fingered McKay for a cell-phone robbery; McKay countered that the police had their wires crossed, that the robbery was actually committed by Boken’s killer, to no avail. In 2013, McKay was convicted on robbery charges and sentenced to twelve years. Into this confounding legal fray entered attorneys Bob Ramsey, James Dowd, Thomas SanFillippo and Joe Yeckel. Drawn by their belief in McKay’s innocence, the lawyers went about unraveling the case against him. They eventually convinced an appellate judge to vacate the conviction, and when the state’s key witness balked at a new trial, the state had no choice but to release McKay. His first act of freedom was taking a selfie with SanFillippo, a fitting tribute to the team of lawyers who believed in him, fought the law — and won.

Best Journalist Jason Rosenbaum, St. Louis Public Radio Jason Rosenbaum’s mind is an omnivorous thing, so we’re lucky he has an appetite for state and local politics. After spending four years in Jefferson City covering the capitol’s power structure, he moved to St. Louis in 2010, working first at The Beacon, and now at St. Louis Public Radio (90.7 FM). Rosenbaum has proven himself a versatile reporter, shifting comfortably from radio and podcasting to print and photography — yes, he even takes his own pictures. But he’s most prolific on Twitter, where he breaks news, gets into enlightening policy debates with insiders, and throws in nerdy asides on subjects like hip-hop and professional wrestling — that’s what we mean by “omnivorous.” He claims to have “legendary karaoke skills” as well, but that could not be confirmed as of press time.

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SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

Best Place for a Grown-Up’s Birthday Party The Gypsy Rose Landship 314-541-7394 www.gypsyrosepirateship.com

Best Lawyers*

If you’re a parent who wants your kid to know and appreciate every incredible thing from your youth, Rollercade is your jam. With its colorful, blacklight-approved carpeting, its designation of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” as a “couples skate” and its restrooms’ half-doors that won’t stay shut while you’re trying to pee with skates on, Rollercade is perfect for showing your mini-me the kind of fun people had way back in 1986. It’s pretty cheap, too — a birthday party with twelve admissions, skate rental and sodas will set you back just $90. At that price, you’ll have plenty of cash left over for the claw machine. Party on!

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Commercialism, man. It’s no good. It has ruined so many days that should be fun and festive — Valentine’s Day? Forget it. Christmas is a mess. Even birthdays are fraught with anxiety, and God help you if you’re throwing a bash and need to find a venue to host it. But for now, anyway, Talk Like a Pirate Day (September 19) has retained its innocent, non-commercialized nature, and that’s reason enough to hop aboard the Gypsy Rose Landship. Another reason? It’s a hell of a place to throw a grown-up’s birthday party. Once that Hummer rolls up to your house pulling a big-ass pirate ship (some 40 feet long, counting the Hummer), it’s an instant celebration. The ten-foot-wide ship has masts that stretch some twenty feet into the air, and unlike a boat that takes to the water, this one will hold as many buds as you can cram on there — no life jackets are required, and there’s virtually no chance of motion sickness. Let the cannon balls fly, have a sword fight, drink all of the grog: You landlubbers get an hour and a half ($400) on the Landship to live out all ye pirate-y dreams with ye best mateys — and you’re never too old for that.

Best Cheap Thrill Tweet Seats Only a fool would underestimate the power of social media in 2015. With a few taps on the keyboard or mobile device, we can engineer major cultural shifts, hold politicians accountable for their words and directly ask a rock star why he cries every time he dedicates a song to Aunt Sherry. But in addition to being incredibly powerful, social media — and Twitter in particular — also indulges our basic need for free shit. If you’re a tweetmaster, you can snag tickets to coveted, expensive shows at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (@OTSL), the Fox Theatre (@FoxTheatreSTL), the St. Louis Symphony (@SLSO) and more. Seriously, these places are giving away dozens of free seats for certain shows; to grab them, all you’ve got to do is pay attention when the entertainment giants tweet out the call. You don’t need to boast 5,000 followers to be chosen, either. We’ve seen them take the first twenty people to respond, or ask for some brief biographical info. It’s all very friendly and informal. If you’re chosen, the luxury is gratis as long as you use a special hashtag while livetweeting the proceedings — everything from the crazy costumes to your favorite musical numbers to the way an actor recovers after tripping over a prop. For one night, you could be Twitter’s eyes and ears of a performance — a rush of power that will invigorate even the most mild-mannered arts lover.

People & Places

October 16, 2015–March 19, 2016 Opening Reception: Friday, October 16; 6–9pm

J E N N I F E R S I LV E R B E R G

Co-curated by an African art specialist and a computer engineer, and featuring a residency by local software developers, this exhibition explores Central African guardian figures through art, data, and interactive technology.

Jeff Roorda, police apologist.

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Best Local Boy Gone Bad* Jeff Roorda When did St. Louis police union spokesman Jeff Roorda become a bad joke? Perhaps the final straw came in March, when Roorda appeared on CNN and told a visibly cringing Anderson Cooper that evidence of racial bias within Ferguson’s police department was actually a “flimsy tortilla” intended to conceal the “meat” of Darren Wilson’s innocence in Michael Brown’s death. Say what? Although Roorda advocates blind trust in police, he himself has a strange history with law enforcement: In 2001, after serving as a cop in Arnold for more than a decade, Roorda was fired for making false statements and reports. He went on to build a reputation as a police apologist, opposing dash cameras, body cameras and civilian oversight boards. In the wake of Ferguson, Roorda became the face of a system that many St. Louisans want changed. With reforms on the horizon (like that civilian oversight board), we’ve got to ask: How’s that flimsy tortilla tasting now, Roorda?

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Best Local Girl Gone Bad

3716 Washington Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63108 pulitzerarts.org | @pulitzerarts

Sharon Carpenter

Wed–Sat, 10am–5pm Thu & Fri, late hours until 8pm Free Admission

Sharon Carpenter knows how to squeeze an elected city job for all it’s worth. After 37 years heading St. Louis’ Office of Recorder of Deeds, she was forced to resign last summer when city prosecutors discovered she had hired a great-nephew as an intern — a violation of the laws barring public officials from nepotism. But Carpenter refused to go quietly. In the very next election, she beat the interim recorder by a landslide, reclaiming her place in St. Louis City Hall in January. The grumbles started soon after. Because Carpenter technically “retired” when she was booted from office, she now pulls in a monthly pension of $4,200 in addition to her roughly $100,000 salary as recorder of deeds. She further rankled critics in May by asking the city to buy her a new car, but the resulting outcry forced her to withdraw the request. All in all, Carpenter is the best example of how a toxic culture of patronage and entitlement still thrives at city hall. Sigh.

Photo: Reliquary guardian figure, pre-19th century, Obamba, Gabon. Collection Simonis. Photograph by Jorg Schanze

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SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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R O B E R TO R O D R I G U E Z / M C T / N E W S C O M

People & Places

Carlos Martinez: Utterly dominant.

Best St. Louis Cardinal* Carlos Martinez When top Cardinals prospect Oscar Taveras tragically died in a car accident in the Dominican Republic last October, Cardinal Nation was devastated. Nobody was more rattled, however, than Taveras’ long-time friend, teammate and fellow Dominican Carlos Martinez. The 22-yearold right-handed phenom known as Little Pedro entered into the 2015 season as the biggest question mark among a proven starting rotation featuring Adam Wainwright, John Lackey, Lance Lynn and Michael Wacha. Anyone with an even minor gambling addiction would’ve laid their money on Martinez as the one most likely to fizzle among those studs. But lo and behold: In his first season as a starting MLB pitcher, Little Pedro has been dominant. With a newfound sinking heater and a nasty slider, the kid’s stuff is filthy. Earning a spot on the 2015 All-Star team, Martinez has managed to front some phenomenal numbers in his first season as a starter. He pitched eleven consecutive quality starts — a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since Chris Carpenter in 2010 and only matched this season by the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw. Not bad for a dude who’s barely old enough to drink.

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SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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R AU L M A R K KO R T U M / F L I C K R

People & Places

A hungry hippo, ready for his close-up.

Best Zoo Animal* Nile Hippopotamus On land, the Nile hippopotamus appears massive and ungainly — and that’s not surprising, considering these beasts can weigh up to 6,000 pounds, have eyes that seem to swivel on stalks and boast gaping mouths that expose curved canine teeth. But under the water, these behemoths become one of nature’s most graceful creatures. Found in the Anheuser-Busch Hippo Harbor in the River’s Edge zone, the Saint Louis Zoo’s hippos can be found tracing balletic circles on the bottom of a 55,000-gallon aquarium. Behind a glass partition, they push across the floor with stubby legs and let loose jets of water from their nostrils as they break the surface. If you watch closely, you might be lucky enough to see the hippo’s propeller-like tail spraying its poop underwater — thus feeding and nurturing an entire ecosystem. Ah, nature, you’re so wonderfully gross.

Best Rams Player Aaron Donald The Rams’ offense exists, in theory. But who wants talk about our new injury-prone quarterback (Nick Foles, anyone?) when the defense features the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, Aaron Donald? Not us, that’s for sure. And if we were an NFL quarterback, we’d sure as hell be worried about Donald’s terrifying speed. A defensive tackle listed at six-one and 285 pounds, Donald moves like a quick-footed wrecking ball, blowing past offensive linemen and surprising QBs in the backfield. Considering the season Donald put together last year (nine sacks — a Rams rookie record), there’s no telling what we’ll see from this 24-year-old in 2015. That should make the rest of the league very, very nervous.

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SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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MABEL SUEN

People & Places

James Clemens House isn’t past the point of no return — yet.

Best Old Building* James Clemens House 1849 Cass Avenue St. Louis, 63106 James Clemens House is crumbling. That’s a shame, because this stately landmark in the city’s near north side has a rich pedigree. Mark Twain’s cousin James Clemens Jr., who was one of the area’s first millionaires, built the brick-and-cast-iron structure in 1860 after his wife Eliza died of cholera — which explains why the exterior window lintels are adorned with likenesses of her face. In later years it became a convent, then a homeless shelter. According to Michael Allen, founder of the Preservation Research Office, the mansion’s roof is steadily caving in, endangering the ornate parlor rooms on the ground floor. Developer Paul McKee owns the property, and he hasn’t done much to slow the decay. Still, Allen remains hopeful: “It’s not yet past the point of no return.”

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SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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The Arcade Building

When the Arcade Building was erected downtown in 1919, this sixteen-story giant of Gothic Revival contained a novelty: one of the area’s first “malls,” a double-decker row of shops under a rib-vaulted arcade. By 1978 the structure had emptied out. But in 2003 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and now, thanks to federal and state assistance, Minneapolis-based Dominium is breathing new life into it. Webster University has already reserved several lower-level floors. The next eleven will have about 200 affordable housing units for artists, plus 11,000 square feet of studio and rehearsal space for their use. There will also be bike storage, a gym and a rooftop terrace with views of the Arch and the Mississippi River. Dominium estimates it will open by the end of 2015.

Opens October 3! Free admission

of offee

THE WORLD IN YOUR CUP & ST. LOUIS IN YOUR CUP

Missouri History Museum Forest Park | 314.746.4599 | mohistory.org

Coffee: The World in Your Cup has been organized by the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle. Major sponsorship has been provided by The Boeing Company, Microsoft Corporation, Starbucks Coffee Company, and the University of Washington.

Join us for opening weekend events! Sunday, OCTOBER 4 | FREE St. Louis Percolates to the Top: A Peek at Historic Advertising Collectibles | 1pm Randy Huetsch looks at the history of coffee in St. Louis and shares some rare coffee collectibles and ads from the 1800s.

From Seed to Cup: A Coffee Journey | 2:30pm

Scott Carey, owner of Sump Coffee, draws on his recent voyage to Nicaragua.

The Late Great: A Poetry Reading | 3:30pm Michael Castro,, St. Louis poet laureate, co-hosts a poetry reading with East St. Louis poet laureate Eugene B. Redmond.

Support for this exhibition in St. Louis provided by

The Dana Brown Charitable Trust, U.S. Bank, Trustee riverfronttimes.com

SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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People & Places

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Farrah Fazal: A serious coif for a serious journalist.

Best Hair on a Local TV Personality* Farrah Fazal No poof, no crimp, no bangs, no flowing, follicular bombast — with KSDK (Channel 5) Farrah Fazal’s hair, you get right to the point. Fitting snugly over her head like a black combat helmet, Fazal’s swept-back style can be seen on the streets of Ferguson, inside a police ballistics lab or on the trail of the city’s most heinous crimes. And this isn’t some gelled-to-the-max diving cap, oh no: This is hair with backbone and feeling, a companion to Fazal’s ascent as one of St. Louis’ best investigative journalists, an authoritative ’do that takes the news just as seriously as she does.

Best Place to Live Old North St. Louis www.onsl.org Folks who assume “north side” equals “vacant wasteland” haven’t visited Old North St. Louis lately. Perched just above downtown on the map, the place is flourishing, thanks in part to a $35 million overhaul of its main drag, Crown Square Mall on North 14th Street. It was completed in 2010, and since then, merchants have claimed about 80 percent of its commercial space, while the residences above it are full. Total crime in the neighborhood has fallen by almost half, and the weekly summer farmers’ market even offers yoga. This renewal comes just in time: The neighborhood, which is overlapped by three districts on the National Register of Historic Places, will celebrate its 200th birthday next year. Old Northers are a tight-knit bunch, evident at a recent happy hour at the local restoration group’s gallery. “Everything we do is potluck,” says resident Travis Sheridan, who loves sampling the food. He also likes strolling to Crown Candy Kitchen for a malt — and quite often, it seems: “I live 162 paces away.”

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SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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FREE FILM SCREENING

Wednesday

From the director of the Oscar-nominated Winter’s Bone comes this portrait of a motorcycle-riding Vietnam veteran in the Missouri Ozarks. There’s more to Ronnie “Stray Dog” Hall than meets the eye. Behind the tattoos and leather vest is a man who is dedicated to helping his fellow vets and immigrant family as he also comes to terms with his combat experience.

OCTOBER 7

6pm: Informational tables 7pm: Screening

Indie Lens Pop-Up presented by the Missouri History Museum and

Missouri History Museum Lindell and DeBaliviere in Forest Park

(314) 746-4599 | mohistory.org riverfronttimes.com

SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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People & Places

Best Place to Meet Women Yoga Buzz www.yogabuzz.org OK, so you don’t go to Yoga Buzz to meet women. That would be tacky. You go to perfect your upward plank, to get your workout on and then to mingle over beer or food. Founder Elle Porter is unparalleled at setting up events that combine yoga classes with opportunities to sample the city’s best food and drink purveyors, often in interesting spaces (Peabody Opera House, Moulin Events’ Centennial Ballroom) that you might not otherwise get to visit. But a happy byproduct of Yoga Buzz’s sold-out events is that you do meet people — and most of them are women. Women who are in great shape, and women who love trying new things…you see where this is going. Just don’t think of Yoga Buzz as a meat market, because it isn’t: It’s a gathering of some of the coolest women in the city. Come for the mindful exercise; stay for the awesome St. Louisans you’re bound to meet.

Best Politician Eric Schmitt

STEVE TRUEDELL

Last year, the unrest in Ferguson drew attention to a stark injustice: taxation by citation. Ferguson and other tiny municipalities in north St. Louis County were funding their fiefdoms largely through tickets and fines for petty offenses — and all too often, the people being targeted were poor and black. Once revealed, these schemes elicited howls of outrage. Someone in power had to act. Improbably, that someone turned out to be a white Republican from Glendale: State Senator Eric Schmitt. Risking conservative friendships, Schmitt teamed up with left-leaning adversaries to pass Senate Bill 5 in July. It lowered the allowable ticket revenue in the county and set up an ingenious enforcement mechanism: A muni could keep writing a slew of tickets, but if it did, its very existence would be put to a vote by its residents. Schmitt recently penned an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal in which he said that while violence and vandalism are “inexcusable,” so is a “burdensome and exploitative government.” Amen.

Bruce Franks, an activist who bridges two distrustful worlds.

Powell Hall 718 N. Grand Boulevard St. Louis, 63103 314-533 -2500 www.stlsymphony.org

www.28tolife.org

Best Villain

Sure, a man who appreciates music is a catch, but a man who cosplays as a sword-swinging elf during a symphonic performance of beloved video-game themes is a downright gift. Since the introduction of its “Live at Powell Hall” series several years ago, the St. Louis Symphony is attracting a more diverse audience than ever, and many men who spew Star Wars trivia or know the Konami code are among them, thanks to concerts such as “The Music of John Williams” and “The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses.” These well-rounded heroes tend to possess the boyfriend qualities most of us can only hope for: passion, deep intellect, humor and attention to detail, not to mention excellent way-finding abilities, thanks to years of navigating 8-bit maps. The best part: These men often attend with their friends, not their lovers, so you can fill up your heart container without fear.

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Bruce Franks

As a battle rapper, Bruce “Ooops” Franks adopts a cocky persona — “Ooops in da building!” is his tagline. But day to day, this 31-year-old native south-sider spends a great deal of time trying to defuse violence in the city. Spurred to activism by the events of Ferguson, Franks first joined the Peacekeepers, a group that acts as a buffer between cops and protesters. Now he runs 28 to Life, a grassroots organization that — without much fanfare — is opening dialogue between African American teens and well-meaning officers and prosecutors. “If 28 to Life doesn’t get any recognition, I don’t give a damn,” he says. “As long as my community gets fixed.”

Best Place to Meet Men

Best Activist*

SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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Stan Kroenke Obscenely wealthy, diabolically secretive and possessing a sense of ambition to match his bank account, Rams owner Stan Kroenke continues to torment St. Louis over the future of its football team. But the greatest ploy from this toupée-wearing billionaire isn’t that he’s juggling two different billion-dollar stadium proposals (in St. Louis and Inglewood, California) — but that he’s getting local officials in both cities to do his dirty work. Back in February, the Inglewood City Council passed Kroenke’s stadium plan without a public vote, and in August a St. Louis judge ruled that the city doesn’t need voter approval before spending tax dollars on a riverfront stadium. Basically, Kroenke’s got St. Louis by the giblets, and he’s going to shake the city coffers and see what falls out. The worst part? We’re letting him do it. ■

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SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING:

Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risk To Your Health.

Best Antique Store? Check. Best Bike Shop? Check. Best Sex Shop? Never fear — we’ve got that covered too. If you’re itching to drop a few dollars on a new vibrator or an old handbag, our staff picks for the best goods and services in town will keep you from squandering your money at second-tier retail outlets. Shopped till you’ve dropped? We’ve also got a winner for Best Mani/Pedi.

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SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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MABEL SUEN

goods & services

Josh Davis, lead floral designer at Botanicals, works his magic.

Best Florist*

Best Thrift Store

Botanicals Design Studio 3014 South Grand Avenue St. Louis, 63118 314-772-7674 www.botanicalsdesignstudio.com

Revive Thrift Shop

If you’re going to the trouble of sending flowers to your beloved, you’d be a fool to drop your hard-earned pesos on a boring old vase of roses with baby’s breath. But it’s not like you’re a floral expert — how creative can you get when you barely know an orchid from an iris? Enter Keith McConnell and Dean Riebeling, the creative geniuses behind nine-year-old Botanicals Design Studio in the Tower Grove neighborhood. They’ll draw out what you want — from a vague “something stylish and romantic” to a more specific color scheme/size/price point/ occasion — and use it to craft a custom display that will strike you as exactly what you desire, even if you could have never figured it out for yourself. Best of all, they work quickly. We called one recent Saturday around 10 a.m., and by noon, the perfect arrangement for our friend’s baby shower was ready for pickup. There’s a reason Botanicals has thrived for almost a decade; these guys can turn any window-shopper into a devoted repeat customer.

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SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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2202 South Vandeventer Avenue St. Louis, 63110 314-776-7520 revivethrift.org If shopping is what helps St. Louis neighborhoods thrive, then we are more than happy to pull out our charge cards. Revive Thrift Shop combines a pleasurable experience for shoppers — stylish, modern clothes both secondhand and new; curated housewares such as turquoise candy dishes and reworked china hutches; plenty of sunlight and space — with the opportunity for at-risk or post-prison men to learn retail and carpentry skills that can benefit their communities. Working with Mission: St. Louis and the in-store upcycling-furniture business Anew Nature, the nonprofit shop brings its calling to life through job training and customer interaction. So if you need one more reason to buy that gorgeous green-and-orange armoire, just think of the piece as an investment in the neighborhood.

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SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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MABEL SUEN

goods & services

Jewelry by Craft Alliance won’t break the bank.

Best Clothing Boutique Paperdolls Three area locations, including: 110 East Jefferson Avenue Kirkwood, 63122 314-965-3655 www.paperdolls.boutique Paperdolls is the boutique to find a trendy outfit or staple item that doesn’t break the bank. The shop buys its skirts, blouses, dresses, shoes, jewelry and handbags directly from New York and Los Angeles, so it’s always on-trend. Unlike other retailers, Paperdolls doesn’t overwhelm with clothes that are strewn all over the place. Plus, it accommodates a wide range of price points. Designer lines are represented, but cheaper items are on offer as well — which can be dangerous, because you just may want to snatch up everything in there. Thankfully, the staff is friendly and willing to help you narrow your options. And with locations in Kirkwood, Town & Country and University City, a Paperdolls is never far away.

Best Jewelry Store* Craft Alliance Center of Art & Design 6640 Delmar Boulevard University City, 63130 314-725-1177 www.craftalliance.org Beautiful, statement-making jewelry doesn’t have to max out your credit cards to speak volumes, as shoppers at the Craft Alliance Center of Art & Design could attest. With a focus on contemporary craft, the gallery shop at the Craft Alliance features both local and national artists who skillfully create wearable pieces that are beyond lovely enough to spruce up any ensemble. Expect to find an ever-changing selection of distinctive bracelets, necklaces, rings and more, with looks that range from elegant to quirky, understated to bold. And the best part? If you find yourself inspired, the Craft Alliance offers classes that teach you how to make your own adornments.

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Kids White Polos

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9261 Halls Ferry Road

(At Jennings Station Rd. Behind Walgreens) riverfronttimes.com

Mon - Fri 7:30am - 5:30pm Saturday 9am - 5pm

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DID YOU KNOW: 1.3M PEOPLE READ

PAINLESS TATTOO REMOVAL

MABEL SUEN

EACH MONTH? Sarah Michelson and Willow Rosen at Box.

Best Sex Shop* Box 3350 Ohio Avenue St. Louis, 63118 314-312-2213 boxstl.squarespace.com Located just off Cherokee Street, Box adds an interesting retail and meeting space to the bustling restaurant and bar district. It doesn’t immediately come off as a sex shop; gauzy white curtains cover the windows of the entrance, and the main room is so minimally decorated, it takes a moment to realize that the gold milk crates affixed to the walls display an assortment of sex toys. In fact, many of them would look at home in a Sharper Image catalog. More economically priced and familiar items are also for sale, including beautifully crafted glass dildos, condoms and whips. But Box is much more than a place to get a fancy vibrator: The shop has a feminist, community-driven, sex-positive mission. Co-owners Willow Rosen and Sarah Michaelson are experienced and helpful beyond their knowledge of pleasure devices — both are practicing doulas, and in the interest of providing a safe space to talk about sexuality and motherhood, they have devoted an entire room, with nary a phallus in sight, to their regularly scheduled lectures and discussions that range in topic from consent, masculinity and menstruation to recovering from sexual trauma and the benefits of breastfeeding. Box is like no other sex shop, and it’s worth a visit — even if cock rings aren’t your thing.

Best Hardware Store Marx Hardware & Paint Co. Inc. 2501 North 14th Street St. Louis, 63106 314-231-8435 Soon after the Civil War, the Marx family began selling essential goods in the city of St. Louis. Incredibly, 140 years later, Marx Hardware & Paint Co. is still in business. The shop in Old North is now run by brothers Andy and Steve Marx, who encourage calling ahead to ask about selection — they’re not Home Depot and don’t pretend to be. That’s part of the charm — that, and the giant harmonica hanging from the ceiling, along with the wood-burning stove that warms the shop come winter. Marx offers a bit of everything, from tools and paint to rat traps, shovels, garden hoses and glue. The brothers even stock laundry detergent and toilet paper for neighbors who don’t want to trek to the grocery store.

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MABEL SUEN

goods & services

Riverside Antiques specializes in architectural items.

Best Antique Store* Riverside Antiques 1947 Cherokee Street St. Louis, 63118 314-772-9177

www.riversideantiquesstl.com Every shop on Cherokee’s Antique Row is unique. Riverside Antiques happens to specialize in architectural items: vintage doors and windows of all sizes, metal register covers, wooden balusters, tin ceiling tiles, old light fixtures. When last we checked, it had even salvaged bricks engraved with “ST LOUIS.” Owners Don and Barb Moore have been here since 1979, and they cull their inventory from rehabbers and estate sales. The couple lives above the shop, which is open practically every day (even in the dark of winter, when some shoppers duck in just to rub their hands over their vintage wood stove). “I love this place,” Barb says. “I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.”

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goods & services

The Hill Cigar Company has a selection of boutique cigars.

Best Smoke Shop* The Hill Cigar Company 5360 Southwest Avenue St. Louis, 63139 314-776-4455 www.hillcigarco.com Walking through the front door of the Hill Cigar Company is like discovering a home you never knew you had the keys to. In the front room there’s a ring of comfortable chairs occupied, usually, by a harrumphing collection of good-natured smokers. The walk-in humidor is a veritable Cigar Library of Congress: Aficionados will thrill at the selection of boutique cigars and new releases, while novices will get the hand-holding they need to find their flavor. The highlight, however, is the lounge, which is laid out with blocky leather armchairs, continent-sized couches and a full kitchen. Grab a chilled glass from the fridge, pull out a bottle or flask (it’s BYOB) and do what comes naturally. Cut and spark that cigar. Offer your neighbor a drink. Turn on the game. Do whatever you want to make yourself at home — because you are.

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LEVIN’S

Majestic Replica Molina & Alternate Saturday Ivory jersey’s and Track jacket size 3X-6X

CLOTHING FROM NEW BORN TO 86" IN PANTS Cargo Shorts in assorted colors to size 68 Denim Shorts in assorted colors to size 60 Men’s Dress Slack Sets up to 8X Men’s Dress Shirts up to 8X Men’s Suits to Size 72 Men’s Polo Style Shirts to 8X Short Sleeve Shirts to 8X Dickies Pants to Size 72 Dickies Shorts to Size 60 Dickies Boots to Size 14 T-Shirts up to 10X

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NEW Merchandise Arriving Daily! HOURS: MON-FRI 9-5

SAT 9:30-3 SUN 11-3

1401 WASHINGTON • 314-436-0999

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goods & services

Best Garden Center Colors of Spring 3298 Watson Road St. Louis, 63139 314-781-0765

Buy a Bargain, Build a Home

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC featuring new & gently used home improvement products.

Home Decor - Appliances - Kitchen - Bath - Cabinets - & Much More! DES PERES STORE: 2117 Sams Dr. (behind Sam’s Club) • Open Wed-Fri 10-6, Sat-Sun 9-5 FOREST PARK STORE: 3763 Forest Park Ave. (across from IKEA) • Open Tues-Sat 9-5 www.habitatstl.org/restore

Best Mall St. Louis Premium Outlets

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Studies have suggested that plants respond to sound, which might explain what we saw a few months back at Colors of Spring: an employee crouched over a tray of violets, gently pouring some water into one corner, coaxing, “Come on, now!” to a droopy bloom. Though it’s unlikely that each plant, tree, flower and shrub gets talked to daily, the exquisite level of care given to living things at Colors of Spring is evident at every turn. Cascading blooms spill out of hanging planters (nary a dead head in the bunch), cheerful vincas perk up the gloomiest day, and the gorgeous prearranged mixed baskets will make you look like a container-gardening genius. If your lawn and garden needs are beyond what a few hanging plants can remedy, the Lindenwood Park shop will draw up a landscaping plan for your yard for free — provided that you purchase from the nursery, of course. The staff is knowledgeable and easy to work with: After all, if they pay that much attention to a single wilted flower, imagine how lush and beautiful an entire yard would be!

0915RFT

18521 Outlet Boulevard Chesterfield, 63005 314-399-8163 www.premiumoutlets.com/stlouis Head east on Highway 40, cross the new (significantly less scary) Daniel Boone Bridge and look to the right: St. Louis Premium Outlets’ 90 stores spread out like a gleaming city on a hill... er, in the valley. This was the second of two outlet malls to open in Chesterfield back in 2013, and people were skeptical of that plan, given the proliferation of dead malls. (We’re looking at you, Belz Factory Outlet.) But not only is St. Louis Premium Outlets thriving — it’s growing. It anchors the Blue Valley development, where construction is under way for retail giants Gander Mountain and Burlington Coat Factory, both slated to take up more than 50,000 square feet of space. And it’s pretty! Cheery planters overflow with flowers, and plentiful tables and chairs with umbrellas give the concourses an almost bistro-like atmosphere. Stores such as DNKY, J. Crew, Kate Spade New York and Michael Kors give the “premium” in the outlet’s name some heft, but more affordable options exist here too, including Payless ShoeSource, rue21 and Claire’s. Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th is especially noteworthy: There are bags by Valentino and Badgley Mischka, Calvin Klein dresses, Coach flip-flops. Here, not only can you hold luxury in your hands — you can walk it right up to the register.

Best Hair Salon Philip Johnson Salon/Spa 4581 Laclede Avenue St. Louis, 63108 314-361-8003 www.philipjohnsonsalon.com How excellent is Philip Shipman’s 23-year-old Aveda salon in the Central West End? Let’s just say that when we left Missouri for California four years ago, the haircuts and highlights from Philip Johnson Salon/Spa were among the things we missed most about St. Louis. And when we later moved back to the Midwest, naturally, the first appointment we made was with our Philip Johnson stylist. Even after three years of anticipation, the service didn’t disappoint — we’re convinced that the cuts and color at this sun-drenched storefront on Laclede Avenue are as good as anything you’ll find in Los Angeles or New York, with far more affordable pricing. Best of all, the staff is friendly and as accommodating as can be. Now that’s something you won’t find on the coasts.

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goods & services

Best Grocery Culinaria 315 North Ninth Street St. Louis, 63101 314-436-7694 www.culinariaschnucks.com It has already been in business six years, but Culinaria still seems as shiny and new as the day it opened its doors at Ninth and Olive streets. And it’s just as packed — making it a true rarity for downtown businesses, which have had a mixed track record, to say the least. We suspect the Schnucks-owned shop’s success has come in part because it’s not just a novelty for office drones, or a place to get takeout at lunch — although it does a huge (and surprisingly efficient) business most weekdays for just that reason. It’s also an actual grocery store, with prices that match most of Schnucks’ suburban shops and a vast selection of everything from dry-good staples to fresh meats, cheeses and produce. Yes, you might come for the salad bar, but you’d be foolish not to grab a half-pound of asparagus or a pork steak while you’re at it. Lucky you. Lucky downtown!

Best Specialty Shop An Olive Ovation

Y R T D N A IN E M O C E D A M Y L L A C O L R U O FOGGED UP E-LIQUID U CITY

6604 DELMAR BLVD ST. LOUIS, MO 63130 314.696.8466 46

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OVERLAND 10098 PAGE AVENUE ST. LOUIS, MO 63130 314.736.5090

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8829 Ladue Road Ladue, 63124 314-727-6464 extravirginoo.com Sure, even the least fancy Schnucks sells a variety of olive oil these days, but heaven forbid you’re actually looking for insight into the merits of one brand over another. At most groceries, you can buy the expensive kind or a giant plastic container’s worth — who knows which is actually worth the price point. Or you can go to An Olive Ovation. The specialty shop opened in 2007 when Marianne Prey saw a need for a good olive-oil store in St. Louis. “There’s strong health connections. There’s also a strong historical connection — olive oil goes back 5,000 years,” Prey says. After moving from Carondelet Plaza to Ladue’s Colonial Marketplace, An Olive Ovation’s business has been steady. The store offers dozens of different kinds of olive oils, both imported and locally produced, with extra virgin, flavored, and even nut and seed oils. Prey also stocks many balsamic vinegars, wine vinegars, fruit vinegars, Italian imported pastas, sauces, pestos, sea salts, spice blends, wines, kitchen accessories, Italian pottery and crackers. Ask the knowledgeable staff for help and prepare to buy something that will blow your mind.

Best Car Repair JAMCO (Japanese Auto Maintenance Co.) 5601 Southwest Avenue St. Louis, 63139 314-781-1781 If you rate getting your car repaired right up there with seeing the dentist, you haven’t yet been to this old-school garage on the Hill. A visit to Japanese Auto Maintenance Co., or JAMCO, is actually fun. Situated at this spot since 1980 (the company originated in a south-side, back-alley garage in 1975), JAMCO exclusively services Toyotas and Hondas. The three mechanics (Don Mascare, Sau Tran and Kent Thai) use only original factory parts, really know their vehicles and are scrupulously honest. They’ll actually send you home with zero due on your bill if the part you thought was faulty turns out to be driveable for a while. How great is that? How rare is that? But the fun quotient kicks in via co-owner Micki Monig, who works the service desk in this tiny shop. Monig’s a marvel of deep automotive knowledge and direct, wisecracking likeability. The lady is a mensch; talk to her five minutes and you’ll fall in love with her, just like thousands of loyal customers before you. You and your car will be back to this character-rich grease boutique, promise.

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Thank you to our loyal customers! YOU are the BEST in St. Louis!

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MABEL SUEN

$10 OFF Spoked owner Matt Hartman at work.

Best Bike Shop* Spoked Bikes & Stuff

University City: 7700 Delmar Blvd., 63130 | 314-899-0446 Kirkwood: 110 E. Jefferson Ave., 63122 | 314-965-3655 Ballwin: 14418 Clayton Rd., 63011 | 636-527-3655

paperdolls.boutique

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2716 Cherokee Street St. Louis, 63118 314-875-0368 www.spokedbikes.com As St. Louis becomes more bike friendly (save for that small population of psychopaths in autos who violently refuse to share the road), the bike retail/repair industry has developed in a casual way. Spoked, nestled in the heart of the thriving Cherokee Street corridor, has proven to be the perfect place for all of the city’s bike needs. Whether it’s a tune-up, a repair, biking attire or accessories, a new set of wheels altogether, or, hell, just a cup of coffee, Spoked is ready to serve. The hours are great — the shop is open Tuesday through Sunday — and the qualified staff does thorough work with a quick turnaround. Spoked’s bike inventory may not be as well-stocked as other St. Louis shops, but we suspect that will be changing soon.

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Best Gun Shop Mid America Arms

DC CHICKEN SAYS

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8205 Gravois Road Affton, 63123 314-631-3130 www.midamericaarms.com

@ PARTY PRICES!”

CAPTAIN MORGAN

Many young, single women buy handguns for self-defense at Mid America Arms, says co-owner Mark Campbell. “They don’t feel intimidated here because it’s bright and clean.” That’s true — although the shop also offers far more than wholesome good looks. Hunters can buy rifles and shotguns. Second Amendment enthusiasts can buy paramilitary firearms. There’s also a range of ammo, holsters, targets and suppressors, not to mention a formidable collection of knives. Campbell says sales spiked last year in the wake of Ferguson and the murder of a Bosnian city resident. “We don’t like people buying guns out of fear,” he says, “but the reality is that it’s impossible for the police, as good as they are, to protect every citizen.”

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Best Gift Shop

CANADIAN MIST

Phoenix Rising LIKE US ON FACEBOOK & RECEIVE IN STORE SPECIALS!

6331 Delmar Boulevard University City, 63130 314-862-0609 www.shopphoenixrising.com

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PETCONNECTIONSTLOUIS.COM • 314-773-7387 2214 S. VANDEVENTER ST. LOUIS, MO 63110 MON-FRI 10AM-6PM SAT-SUN 10AM-4PM

Call us selfish, but there’s nothing we hate quite so much as shopping for other people. What do they want? What do they not already have? What seems like a generous price point — without being so generous as to make things awkward? It’s almost impossible to buy a great gift — yet the occasions for which we need to do so are seemingly endless. Which is one reason Phoenix Rising has become our go-to shop for birthdays, anniversaries, even bridal showers. The selection is quirkily clever without being wildly impractical, with curation that takes the guesswork out of purchases. We’ve hit a homerun with just about everything we’ve bought here, from jewelry to wallets to coffee-table books. The card selection is also spot-on, which saves the dreaded second stop at a Hallmark shop. You’ll be covered in no time, freeing you up to shop for a much easier-to-please recipient: yourself.

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Best Place to get a Mani/Pedi* Ladue Crossing Shopping Center 8853 Ladue Road Ladue, 63124 314-727-1119 laduenails.com

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AMELIA RHEA / FLICKR

Ladue Nails

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If you’ve been frustrated by manicures that chip in two short days, fret no more and get to Ladue Nails. Here, manis start at $26, which is a little pricey but worth it: The impeccably clean shop offers every color imaginable, and the staff is efficient but pleasant. Large plasma televisions give you something to watch while you get top-notch treatment; pedicures, waxes, massages, facials and more are also available. You’ll never get hassled into services you don’t want, and the ones you do will be flawless, every time.

R’S MARK MAKER’S BUFFALO TRACE MCCALLAN’S 12 AND 18 YEAR HOLIDAY GIFT SETS ON ARE THEIR WAY! NEED SOMETHING UNIQUE? WE SPECIAL ORDER!

Prices subject to change. Prices may vary by location.

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FIRST GROOM

16830 CHESTERFIELD AIRPORT RD, CHESTERFIELD, MO 63005 (636) 537-2322 • www.petropolis.com

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Groomer Crystal Rolfe attends to French bulldog Collette at Four Muddy Paws.

BEER PONG CLASSIC KIT

Best Antique Mall

Warson Woods Antique Gallery

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10091 Manchester Road Warson Woods, 63122 314-909-0123 www.missouriantiquemalls.com/warson-woods-antique-gallery The long building with a green roof has lived near the intersection of Manchester and Sappington roads for the last 21 years, housing more than 150 vendors. Inside the Warson Woods Antique Gallery, customers can find anything from golf clubs to original paintings, decorative antlers to dining-room tables — home décor for every style. Unlike other local antique galleries, the vendor cubes aren’t cluttered with worthless crap, and all the items for sale are in reliably good condition. The catch? The goods here are so good, they can sometimes be quite pricey. But if you’re looking for quality, this is where it’s at. As a bonus, the gallery is clean and easy to maneuver, with a helpful, welcoming staff.

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Four Muddy Paws

You can get just about anything your dog could ever desire at Four Muddy Paws, the surprisingly large storefront boutique that has flourished on Lafayette Square since 2007. (There’s also a second location in Edwardsville, Illinois.) There are toys and games, tasty raw foods, even stylish clothes if your mutt is into that sort of thing. But the reason we’ve become regulars here has nothing to do with what our dog wants — and everything to do with the thing he’d most like to avoid in life: grooming. The staffers at Four Muddy Paws are gentle with even the most troubled dogs, soothing them with soft voices as they clip away at the most sensitive areas. They even handle puppies. Is your dog into spa days? You can also bathe him yourself; prices start at just $12. ■

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IN-STORE BEER, LIQUOR OR WINE TASTINGS EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.

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We are a St. Louis yoga studio that offers the highest quality of yoga instruction for all levels in a safe and comfortable setting. We are an extended family here and present each member of our community an experience that will relieve stress, improve health, and tap into oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s innate inner Awesome. 5755 Chippewa, St. Louis, MO, 63109 314.399.0491 practicingyogastudio.com

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Once you’ve partied till dawn at the city’s most thrilling live shows and tasted the best barbecue in town several times over, there’s nothing left to do but get outdoors and start detoxing. Our staff choices for everything from Best Running Trail to Best Yoga Instructor will take away all your excuses — and get you moving again.

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COREY WOODRUFF

Sports & recreation

Climb Bell Mountain. It’s the second-highest peak in the state, as well as our pick for Best Day Hike.

Best Place to Hike Huzzah Conservation Area on.mo.gov/1JPPBio Be forewarned: The Huzzah Conservation Area is not for the delicate. This state-owned, 6,225acre woodland, which sits about an hour and half southwest of St. Louis in Crawford County, has only a pair of outhouses and no water service. But don’t let that keep you from exploring its isolated corners. A scenic seven-mile section of the Ozark Trail winds through the hills here, and it includes a spot called the Narrows, where bluffs drop steeply into the Courtois Creek bottom. There are two caves in the area to explore — though they’re occasionally closed to protect the resident bats. You can also visit the former site of the Scotia Furnace and Iron Works, which operated from 1870 to 1880, and if it’s between September 15 and May 15, you can even pitch a tent and camp under the stars.

Best Day Hike*

bikegrantstrail.com

Highway A, seven miles west and five miles south of Highway 32 Belleview, 63623 573-364-4621 Sometimes, an urge for serious nature overtakes even the most committedly urban among us, resulting in an itch that Tower Grove Park just can’t scratch. Luckily, we live in Missouri, which is directly adjacent to Missourah. And Missourah is home to

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Best Running Trail Grant’s Trail

Bell Mountain Wilderness and Trail

some stunningly beautiful parklands, such as the Bell Mountain Wilderness and Trail, a rigorous and beautiful day-long tromp through the St. Francois Mountains in Iron County. The trail wends its way through the Mark Twain National Forest, and the ascent up Bell Mountain provides the kind of breathtaking view that makes scraping your carcass out of bed at 7 a.m. on a weekend seem totally worth it. Shut-In Creek and Joe’s Creek crisscross the landscape, with boulder formations and a variety of tree types providing homes for plenty of critters. You might go the whole twelve miles without seeing another human. Be warned — this isn’t a stroll. You need hiking boots and lots of water, and probably an energy bar or two. It takes two hours just to get there from the city, so plan on it being the kind of all-day excursion you cap off with pizza and Netflix.

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Stretching for eight miles through south St. Louis County, Grant’s Trail offers the perfect route for runners of all abilities. The paved path is easy on the feet, and without the hustle of traffic, it is easy to fall into a deep trance on the relatively flat terrain. It is a quiet path, winding through scattered woods and open fields, though plenty of welcome distractions exist along the way. In fact, five and a half miles from the trail’s western starting point, the path crosses through Grantwood Village, and runners can sneak a peek at the Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales as they make their way past Grant’s Farm. The trail is exquisitely clean and well maintained, and large maps and mile markers are posted at regular intervals.

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MABEL SUEN

Sports & recreation

Neighbors celebrated when Marquette Public Pool reopened this summer.

Best Public Pool*

acres of untamed trees, tall native grasses, wildflowers, wetlands and water bugs. In here, there’s no sound of the just-purchased Aston Martins from the nearby luxury-car dealership, no sight of newly sculpted noses from the neighboring St. Louis Cosmetic Surgery center, no shopping bags from the outlet mall, and there’s no hunting — bargain or otherwise. The two-plus miles of crushed limestone trails ring a 38-acre lake (bring your kayak and a picnic!), and they hook up with the Great Rivers Greenway. It’s a glimpse of how beautiful the suburbs can be when nature is allowed to do its thing, wild and free.

Marquette Park Pool 4025 Minnesota Avenue St. Louis, 63118 314-353-1250 Summers are sweltering in the red-brick homes of Gravois Park and Dutchtown, so the L in the L-shaped Marquette Park Pool might as well stand for “lifesaver.” Owing to a faulty pipe and funding issues, the pool was shuttered last year. But cool waters are flowing once again, thanks to a joint effort by 20th Ward alderwoman Cara Spencer and the city’s parks department. Marquette is the city’s largest swimming hole, and it’s now five feet deep throughout — the deep end has been raised to make more room for the 200 swimmers who come on an average weekday. The setup is bare bones: The only chairs are fold-outs, the only shade is under a pair of sycamore trees and the only concessions come from vending machines. But entry is absolutely free — you don’t even need proof of residency — and the lifeguards bring their own speakers to pump out old jams.

Best Public Park River’s Edge Park 17017 North Outer 40 Road Chesterfield, 63005 Chesterfield has all the accoutrements of a well-to-do suburb: sprawling subdivisions, meticulous landscaping, strip malls for days. Out here, surprises are hard to come by — that’s how these ’burbs are designed, after all — and so when you find them, like at River’s Edge Park, it’s especially wonderous. The park opened this spring in an unlikely location — directly behind Taubman Prestige Outlets (you have to park in Taubman’s lot to access it). Walk up a small hill, cross the perfectly smooth bike path and in no time you’re surrounded by nearly 200

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Best Yoga Teacher Roxanne Krummenacher Practicing Yoga Studio 5755 Chippewa Street St. Louis, 63109 314-399-0491 www.practicingyogastudio.com Roxanne Krummenacher is a human ray of sunshine, which is a pretty useful attribute for a yoga instructor. She’s got the kind of relentless positivity that makes you certain that, despite your Ben & Jerry’s habit or years of indolence, you can in fact go upsidedown and sideways if you only give it a shot. And if you try and fail despite her safe and straightforward guidance, she’s a big proponent of laughing big about hitting your ass. Krummenacher came into the bendy arts in 1999, after having her first kid. Two years ago in July, she opened her own studio, Practicing Yoga. It’s got a devoted community of yogis and classes that suit all levels of fitness and experience. Her “Fundamentals” classes for newbies are a hot ticket, and the studio is routinely filled mat-to-mat. One class a week is donation-based, and the proceeds support a local charity. If you make it through an entire class of Krummenacher’s without hearing the words “love” or “awesome” (which you won’t), you should probably ask her if she’s OK. She’d do the same for you.

Sports & recreation

CATALYST STRENGTH AND FUNCTIONAL NUTRITION

Best Yoga Studio Yoga Six 5724 Oakland Avenue St. Louis, 63110 314-802-7447 www.stlouis.yogasix.com When practicing yoga, you’re supposed to look to your inner strengths and limitations, and let those serve as your guide. That’s much easier to do when you’re in a calming space with a knowledgeable instructor. Yoga Six provides the great vibes you need — and much more. With excellent deals for newcomers, along with comfortable matted floors and natural light, this studio makes your inner yogi feel welcome and supported. Classes include both not-hot and hot options (along with locker rooms with showers, should your practice leave you drenched in sweat), as well as advanced sessions and opportunities for yoga novices to grow their practice. Not into yoga? Class options range from boot camp to meditation.

Best Gym Orangetheory Fitness 9434 Manchester Road Rock Hill, 63119 314-736-1170 www.orangetheoryfitness.com With origins in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Orangetheory Fitness now has its first St. Louis location in Rock Hill. At just 2,500 square feet, the studio may seem smaller than its supersized competitors. But while all the usual equipment is offered (rower, bike, treadmill, weights), Orangetheory has a philosophy all its own, with a regimen based on interval training and heart-rate monitoring. Everyone wears a monitor while working out, tracking their heart rate by looking at the two large screens on the wall. This is not a workout for lone wolves: Members exercise together in hour-long classes, although they work toward individual goals. An instructor conducting the class explains each exercise and its modifications for injuries and fitness level, providing ample motivation. Memberships range from four classes per month to unlimited access, depending on what you’re willing to pay. Is Rock Hill inconvenient? Not to worry. It won’t be St. Louis’ only Orangetheory option for long — a second gym is already slated to open in Chesterfield.

Best Urban Bike Ride Jefferson Barracks 533 Grant Road St. Louis, 63125 314-615-5000 www.stlouisco.com/ParksandRecreation/Trails/JeffersonBarracksTrails Jefferson Barracks’ 4.2 miles of paved bike trails carve a figure eight through the center of the park, with no shortage of scenery along the way: The Dennis A. Shick Trail is flanked by native woods, meadows, a Frisbee golf course, ballparks, an archery range and historical markers from the Civil War. The path has moderate rolling hills that keep your body and mind alternately challenged and rewarded as each incline is conquered. The main trail filters into the Mississippi River Greenway, which runs parallel to the river, cuts between a flower-filled meadow and ends behind River City Casino. The breeze from the water is a welcome relief on a hot day, and the flat surface — save for the hill on the way down — makes it easy for a family of cyclists with varying skill levels to enjoy the beautiful Missouri landscape. ■

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Our staff ate dozens of burgers, visited hundreds of diners and spilled whiskey at what feels like 1,000 bars -- all with the aim of identifying the very best things in St. Louis to eat and drink. From the Best Breakfast to the Best 3 a.m. Bar, you’d better be hungry, because these choices will keep you stuffing your face — and having just “one more for the road” — until next year’s issue hits the streets. riverfronttimes.com

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MABEL SUEN

food $ Drink

An array of dishes at this year’s best new restaurant, Público.

Best New Restaurant*

Best Barbecue

Público 6679 Delmar Boulevard University City, 63130 314-833-5780 www.facebook.com/publicostl

Salt + Smoke

Is there any culinary concept Mile Randolph can’t nail — Half & Half for breakfast, the Good Pie for pizza, Little Country Gentleman for tasting menus? Add to that list Público, his pan-Latin American restaurant that has been St. Louis’ clear dining highlight of 2015. Público elevates Central and South American cooking to levels far beyond anything we’ve seen in this town — or perhaps in any other town, save for something on the level of Rick Bayless’ revered Topolobampo in Chicago. Randolph’s menu is ambitious — baby octopus served swimming in a caper- and paprika-spiked tomato sauce, sweetbreads simmered with pineapple and habanero, rice pudding topped with shaved foie gras torchon — though dishes like the grilled whole fish or the perfectly cooked bone-in pork chop prove he is equally comfortable with less-showy preparations. It’s not just the food that makes Público so special. The bar program here is second to none, and the renovated storefront’s good looks (designed by SPACE Architecture + Design) are as stylish as it gets in this city. This place is a winner in every regard.

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6525 Delmar Boulevard University City, 63130 314-727-0200 www.saltandsmokestl.com Tom Schmidt admits that opening Salt + Smoke was somewhat insane. His wife was pregnant; his previous restaurant at the location in question, Nico, had failed; and just about every food publication in town was lamenting St. Louis’ saturated barbecue scene. Yet Schmidt’s leap of faith paid off in the form of throngs of hungry patrons lined up for a taste of the Loop restaurant’s signature dish: the beef brisket. Servers give you a choice on the type of cut you’d like — lean, fatty or the burnt end — but there’s no question. The fatty portion, simply rubbed with coarse salt and black pepper, is the richest, most succulent piece of brisket you’ll ever have the pleasure of eating. One bite of this glorious meat proves that the only insane thing about Salt + Smoke would be not finishing your plate.

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Best Coffeehouse Restituo 4100 Shenandoah Avenue St. Louis, 63110 www.facebook.com/pages/Restituo/700472879966107 Close your eyes and picture a coffeehouse. A real-deal, Seattle-inspired, ’90s-style sort of spot — the kind of place Winona and Ethan would go to chain-smoke cigarettes and blather on about The Man. This is Restituo, a bohemian jewel in the Shaw neighborhood. Restituo looks like it was decorated by a vintage-obsessed gypsy: Old velvet couches, mismatched tables and chairs, and eclectic tchotchkes give the space a warm, quirky vibe. You won’t find exotic pour-overs here — just pots of smooth, easy-drinking joe meant for sipping on all day. There’s WiFi available, but time here is much more appropriately spent reading de Beauvoir and plotting the revolution. It’s about as quintessential as coffeehouses get.

Best Bar The Famous Bar 5213 Chippewa Street St. Louis, 63109 314-832-2211 www.thefamousbar.com

Best Brunch*

Best Burger

Three Flags Tavern

The “Diner Burger” at the Libertine

4940 Southwest Avenue St. Louis, 63110 314-669-9222 www.threeflagstavern.com

7927 Forsyth Boulevard Clayton, 63105 314-862-2999 www.libertinestl.com

Look at the packed dining room at Three Flags Tavern on a weekend morning, and it’s shocking to realize that the restaurant sits smack-dab in the middle of the traffic hellhole created by the Kingshighway bridge construction. After all, there are few reasons to drive through this mess. It just so happens that many of them are on Three Flags’ brunch menu, served on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The “Dutch Baby,” a deep-dish pancake-soufflé hybrid, is filled with Serrano ham for just about the best sweet and salty breakfast combination St. Louis has to offer, and the mammoth homemade buttermilk biscuit is a flaky mechanism for shoveling down mounds of fresh Devonshire cream and seasonal fruit. But really, how do you order anything at Three Flags Tavern other than the brisket burger? It’s available at brunch too, and the only thing that could make it any tastier is pairing it with the restaurant’s spicy bloody mary. You’ll think the construction detour has taken you to the end of the rainbow.

This year, the Libertine has experienced about as many changes as a restaurant can without becoming an entirely new place. There’s a new chef, a completely new menu and a revamped concept. In the midst of all these culinary changes, one thing has remained constant: the “Diner Burger.” Perhaps this is because the burger is emblematic of how the restaurant hopes to redefine itself: as a low-key, accessible neighborhood joint. Or maybe it’s because owners Nick and Audra Luedde know they’d have a revolt on their hands if they took it off the menu. The patty of local grass-fed beef is topped with thick slices of molasses-glazed bacon and served on a bun griddled with bacon fat. As if that weren’t enough, the masterminds at the Libertine have figured out a way to make homemade Cheez Whiz. Yes, really. They slather this rich, gooey concoction over the burger — straight from a nitrous-charged whipped-cream dispenser. No wonder this item has withstood the test of time.

MABEL SUEN

The hash at Three Flags Tavern: A good reason to get up for brunch.

Real bars are places grownups go to do grown-up things, like drink Manhattans out of appropriate stemware and buy cigars out of humidors. Real bars have handsome pool tables, stacks of matchbooks and ashtrays at the ready, and Jameson...on tap. Real bars don’t serve food — you’re a grownup, shoulda planned ahead — but a few cigarettes and the olives from your perfect dirty martini ought to hold you over. That bottle of Buffalo Trace you might otherwise buy on sale at Schnucks tastes better at a real bar, and the baseball game’s more entertaining too. It’s on, but it’s not the center of attention. Your Scotch (served to you by a guy called Lucky who thoughtfully asks if you’d like a water back), however, is. Famous Bar is a real bar. With a deep lineup of classic and signature cocktails (try the bloody mary with quail egg), plenty of wines by the glass, and beers foreign and domestic, rest assured: You won’t leave thirsty. St. Louis has plenty of places to get a drink but very few real bars. Famous Bar is one, and it’s the best there is.

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MABEL SUEN

Beer, Wine, & Full Bar Now Available! Breakfast Served All Day! CHEAPEST DRINK PRICES IN TOWN! St. Louis’ New Cajun-Creole Restaurant

Old Standard’s fried chicken: Yum.

Best Sweet Potato Fries 255 U n i o n B l v d . St. L o u i s , MO 6 3 1 0 8 314.454.1 5 5 1

Do w n t o w n L o c at io n C om i ng S umme r 2015!

NICARAGUAN CUISINE

Lime Margaritas only $3 All Day Tuesday - Thursday! Private room now available! Voted Best

Central/South American Restaurant 4

Best Fried Chicken* Old Standard 1621 Tower Grove Avenue St. Louis, 63110 314-899-9000 www.oldstandard.com Ben Poremba was sitting in the dining room of his restaurant Olio one day when he had a revelation: “I think I’m going to open a fried-chicken restaurant.” His employees laughed, taking the idea as nothing more than the musings of an eccentric chef. Yet the next thing they knew, Poremba, an Israeli expat, was off traveling the country to learn everything he could about this classic American comfort food before opening Old Standard last autumn. Fast-forward two years, and his idea is less novel — fried chicken is 2015’s “it” dish, and barely a week passes without a new restaurant springing up that’s devoted to the deep-fried bird. Granted, others preceded Poremba, but there’s no question that he was the visionary behind this new crop of nouveau chicken joints. And unlike those who came before him, Poremba uses ethically raised birds. He brines the chicken and cooks it in a pressure fryer, resulting in juicy, succulent meat, and crispy skin and breading. It may be a crowded field, but this trendsetter leads the flock.

–Restaurants 2014

2208 S. JEFFERSON AVE

(1/4 mile south of I-44)

314.664.7777

www.fritangastl.net

Best Chicken Wings EdgeWild Restaurant & Winery 550 Chesterfield Center Chesterfield, 63017 636-532-0550 www.edgewildwinery.com

, Fun Food, Happy People Great Drinks!

106 main st. • edwardsville, il 618.307.4830 www.clevelandheath.com 66

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An urban winery in the middle of Chesterfield Valley may not be where you’d expect to find the town’s best wings. But tucked amid the chardonnay scallops and tuna poke, EdgeWild’s dry-rubbed beauties stand as an example of how great food can come from unexpected places. The award-winning wings (they took the crown at the 2013 UCP Wing Ding) are triple-rubbed: dry rubbed, smoked, rubbed again, fried and finished with a final coating. The result is a sauce-free masterpiece — a mingling of brown-sugar sweetness and a deep, savory Worcestershire punch. There’s a little bit of heat to please the spice lovers, but not so much as to scare off those who love a milder version. And the chicken itself? Plump, juicy and falling off the bone. Dig into these delectable treats and you might think you’ve stepped into a smokehouse.

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Downtown

Serving Breakfast 701 Olive St. St. Louis, MO 63101 (314) 241-2255 Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-3pm Closed Saturday & Sunday

PICKLESDELISTL.COM

An Original and Authentic Deli...

Voted By RFT Readers: #1 Delicatessen 7 years in a row 2009-2015 in Restaurant Guide Also Voted: #1 Sandwiches 3 Times and #1 Soups RFT Editor’s Choice: Best Roast Beef “In The Beautiful Central West End” 22 N. Euclid • Suite 105 St. Louis, MO 63108 314.361.DELI (3354) Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-7pm Sat 10am-3pm Closed Sunday

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Best Frozen Treat Clementine’s Naughty and Nice Creamery 1637 South 18th Street St. Louis, 63104 314-858-6100 www.clementinescreamery.com Since last summer Tamara Keefe has offered her wares at some of the town’s top restaurants (Elaia, Cleveland-Heath, Pappy’s Smokehouse), but this May she finally struck out on her own to open the decadent Lafayette Square microcreamery Clementine’s Naughty and Nice Creamery. Her flavors could be courses on a chef’s tasting menu — Manchego cheese with truffles and honey; strawberry with white balsamic and pepper — or something you’d find at a craft-cocktail bar. Her exotic concoctions are not just flash, though. Keefe builds her ice creams on a solid foundation by using only local, hormone-free milk from grass-fed cows, and she makes every last item that goes into her ice creams in-house. And if eating 16 to 18 percent butterfat ice cream weren’t naughty enough, Keefe ups the ante by infusing some of the selections with booze. There’s no better place to indulge when the devil on your shoulder wins out — or when the angel wants to cut loose too.

Best Martini Café Eau 212 Kingshighway Boulevard St. Louis, 63108 314-633-3000 www.chaseparkplaza.com Don’t be fooled by the bartenders’ and servers’ new uniforms — apparently purchased at a Carnival Cruise yard sale — or the downsized cocktail menu. The martinis at the venerable Café Eau, the main bar at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel, are consistently satisfying, from the prodigal pours to the crunchy olives to the precisely chilled glasses to the way the just-right essence of vermouth clings to the rim. This is a bar that knows mixology transcends trends — even as no bar in St. Louis has as many settings in which to savor your favorite medicine. Order a “Blueberry Smash” out on Café Eau’s poolside patio in the summer, get a gibson with your old man at the ample bar inside, or knock back a half-dozen juicy French martinis when an ’80s cover band takes the stage on the weekend. You’ll never have to wait long or spend hard to get just the right sipping (or slugging) remedy.

Best Margarita BARcelona Tapas Restaurant 34 North Central Avenue Clayton, 63105 314-863-9909 www.barcelonatapas.com BARcelona’s chef Peio Aramburu was raised in the Basque region of Spain and has tasted his way through the cocktails of Europe and the Americas. Building on the universal appeal of the traditional Mexican margarita, he crafted a Spanish margarita for the downtown Clayton hot spot. The recipe is built around Licor 43, a Spanish cordial made with Mediterranean citrus that’s infused with herbs and spices, delivering layered flavors of vanilla, caramel and honey. The cordial is then paired with Hussong’s reposado tequila, with its hint of lemon and warmth of caramel, then mixed with citrus juice and topped with a Grand Marnier float. ¡Que delicioso!

INCREDIBLE

SERVED DAILY™

INCREDIBLE IS

WOOD–GRILLED FISH WITH AN OVER-THE-TOP TOPPING Celebrate and treat yourself to a dinner that is expertly prepared, just the way you like it.

8780 Eager Road, Brentwood, MO 63144 • 314-918-1649 WE ALSO OFFER GROUP + EVENT DINING. VISIT BONEFISHGRILL.COM/GROUP-DINING FOR MORE INFORMATION. 15-bfgMKTG-1536 - Fall Arts & Best of St Louis Ad - Brentwood.indd 1

8/6/15 11:55 AM

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food $ Drink

Fort Taco’s Housemade chicken tamales.

Best Fast Food* Fort Taco 8106 Manchester Road Brentwood, 63144 314-647-2391 www.forttaco.com The line of cars in Fort Taco’s drive-through can spill out onto Manchester Road. Although the workers move as fast as they can, impatient diners can still get a little heated. But don’t be the jerk who stands between a hungry customer and his taco. Just pull up to the intercom and order one of everything. The menu at this Tex-Mex spot is small, and regardless of what you get, it’s bound to be fantastic. The tiny spot (it used to be a Rally’s) is known for its mammoth puffy tacos filled with seasoned beef or pulled chicken. There are also handmade tamales and enchiladas covered in molten cheese and a rich ancho-chile sauce. They are so transcendent you might consider hopping back in line to order a second round. So what are you waiting for? Order already, and keep the line moving — and challenge yourself to make it out of the lot without devouring the entire contents of your to-go bag.

Best Meat Market Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions 2810 Sutton Boulevard Maplewood, 63143 314-647-2567 www.bolyardsmeat.com Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions is less a meat market and more an homage to the animals who have become dinner. Owners Chris and Abby Bolyard personally visit and inspect every farm they do business with, ensuring that it meets their rigorous standards for animal welfare and quality products. Chris Bolyard and his team apply that same care to butchering the meat, skillfully cutting it to order and making sure to utilize the whole animal. (They even sell body products made from tallow.) This translates to the freshest, most delicious meat you’ll ever taste — beautifully marbled rib eyes, melt-in-your-mouth pork chops — and it will make you feel good about the entire process. This little corner of Maplewood is hog heaven.

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SmOkIn’ MABEL SUEN

GoOd TiMe (314) 621-3107 Q

#1 RATED BAR B QUE RESTAURANT ZAGAT, 2013 & 2014

1627 S. 9th Street St. Louis, MO 63104 bogartssmokehouse.com

sMoKiNg uP tHiS jOiNt sInCe FeBrUaRy 18, 2011

FOR ALL YOUR CATERING NEEDS

Billy Goat chips are the star of the Gramophone’s “Mississippi Nights Club.”

Best Approximation of St. Louis in a Sandwich* The Gramophone’s “Mississippi Nights Club” 4243 Manchester Avenue St. Louis, 63110 314-531-5700 www.gramophonestl.com Back in February, the Gramophone began its second life as a “tavern, deli and bottle shop.” The owners hired chef Brian Hardesty as a consultant and, with his assistance, doubled the size of the sandwich menu. New knockouts include a bánh mi and the “Grove Gerber,” but the most St. Louis sandwich is even more St. Louis than that, and it resides on the “Originals” menu. The “Mississippi Nights Club” has everything (except Provel, which is fine): nostalgia in its name. The preferred Midwest minimum of three meats: turkey, bacon and roast beef. There’s also pepper cheese, spicy red-pepper spread, pepper mayo and — why the hell not? — a crushed bag of Billy Goat chips on top of the whole deal. You’ve got to order it up at the bar, and we suggest eating it right there too, while those chips still pack a crunch. Refresh your drink and then order one more. The “Mississippi Nights Club” ain’t healthy, it ain’t fancy and it’s kind of a glorious mess. Much like a certain city we happen to love.

Best Indian Restaurant Saffron Indian Cuisine 2137 Barrett Station Road Des Peres, 63131 314-965-3822 saffronstl.net You can smell the heat as soon as your server deposits your dish onto the table — and by “heat,” we mean not the temperature, but the spices emanating from within the creamy gravy that circles bits of meat or cheese. Perhaps to you, “heat” means you’ll want a Pepcid Complete later, or perhaps “heat” simply indicates “make me taste it, but not too much.” No worries. The chefs at Saffron have perfected tailoring the spice level to your needs, no matter if it’s in chicken korma, goat curry or the most flavorful paneer makhani in all of St. Louis. Regardless, make sure you inhale deeply before scarfing down your entrée. They say aromatherapy has healing properties, and the spices at Saffron are some of the most potent around.

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meat me at

pappy’s ALL NEW BANQUET FACILITY

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE PARTIES!

DINE IN OR CARRY OUT

HOURS:

3106 Olive Street St. Louis, MO 63103 pappyssmokehouse.com 314.535.4340

Mon. – Sat. 11 am – 8 pm* Sun. 11 am – 4 pm*

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*May close earlier if we sell out of food.

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Best Neighborhood Restaurant Russell’s on Macklind 5400 Murdoch Avenue St. Louis, 63109 314-553-9994 www.macklind.russellscafe.com The neighborhood known as SoHa, or South Hampton, has been abuzz lately, as one restaurant after another pops up in this little corner of south city. It’s a charming, neighborly part of town, and nowhere embodies its spirit better than Russell’s on Macklind. This is chef Russell Ping’s second restaurant. Trained as a pastry chef, Ping first opened a location in Fenton, which is more of a bakery, while the Macklind spot reads as a coffeehouse, wine bar and bistro. The interior is impossibly cozy — exposed brick, low ceilings, mismatched wood furniture and a vintage fireplace — making you feel as though you’ve stepped into someone’s well-appointed home. In the evening it’s lit by votive candles, making it an intimate spot to nosh on Russell’s signature upscale comfort food. On a nice weekend morning or afternoon, the large, tree-covered patio is the place to be, as neighbors pop in and out to grab a coffee and pastry and just say hello. It’s a true neighborhood gathering place.

Best Power Lunch Panorama One Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park St. Louis, 63110 314-655-5490 www.slam.org/dining As French economist Thomas Piketty recently wrote, we are living in a new Gilded Age. Sure, we can all feel momentarily rich by maxing out our credit cards and driving leased BMWs, but real wealth is concentrated at the apex of the economic food chain. Want to know where these powerbrokers go to eat when they’re not devouring the fruits of your labor? Chances are it’s Panorama. Under chef Ivy Magruder’s watch, the Saint Louis Art Museum’s restaurant has finally grown into what it was always supposed to be: a posh bistro for museumgoers, but most importantly, for museum patrons. He has done an excellent job at capturing the spirit of a museum café with classic lunchtime fare and specials that are inspired by the season’s exhibits. On any given weekday lunch, you can smell the wealth in the air as well-heeled philanthropists nosh and sip Pinot Grigio while they hand over checks for a new installation. It’s not often you can get a glimpse of their inner sanctum, but Panorama affords us commoners precisely that luxury.

Best Restaurant to Die in the Past Year Home Wine Kitchen When chef Cassy Vires and her husband, Josh Renbarger, announced they were closing their beloved Home Wine Kitchen last December, the St. Louis food community was thrown into a state of shock. In its not-quite-five years of business, Home defined upscale comfort food for this town — no one does the genre better than Vires — and offered one of the area’s most ambitious weekly dining events: No Menu Mondays. It was a successful, respected restaurant — and that, ironically, led to its downfall. Vires and Renbarger tried to parlay their good fortune with Home into a second restaurant, the critically acclaimed Table in Benton Park, but its communal style of dining proved too much for patrons. The final nail in Home’s coffin came in the form of a lawsuit, filed by two employees over unconventional tip-pooling procedures. Vires and Renbarger closed Home on December 31, and Vires went on to briefly run the kitchen at Juniper. She has since parted, leaving us without a place to enjoy her cooking — though someone this talented won’t be out of the game for long.

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Best New Bar Tiny Bar 1008 Locust St. Louis, 63101 314-800-7218, www.tinybarstl.com Good bars come in small packages — and Tiny Bar, which opened this spring in the 250-square-foot lobby of the marketing/PR firm Elasticity, is both smaller, and better, than most. For one thing, there are the drinks, which were invented by no less than Ted Kilgore. For another, there’s the sense of scale. At many high-end mixology bars, complicated drinks such as these mean you’ll be waiting a ridiculous amount of time just to get served. But when there are only ten seats, it’s hard to get too backed up — and Tiny Bar’s intimate nature means the riffraff is also likely to stay away. The bar pays tribute to all manner of small but marvelous things, with drinks honoring both Eddie Gaedel (subject of our August 12 cover story) and the munchkins who danced along the Yellow Brick Road. Cozy, stylish and clever — now that’s our kind of watering hole.

Best Doughnuts O’Fashion Donuts 5120 Southwest Avenue St. Louis, 63110 314-772-0398 www.facebook.com/pages/Ofashion-Donuts-Inc/115642005125831 A year or two ago, someone decided it was OK to cut a doughnut in half, stuff it with a hamburger and cover it in pimento cheese. Gross. Take the antithesis of that, house it in a white brick shack the size of a walk-in closet and you have O’Fashion Donuts. This unassuming spot just off the Hill is the embodiment of St. Louis’ classic doughnut dives. The counter is usually manned by a woman who looks like she’s been there since 1953; she’ll serve you hot-plate coffee in a Styrofoam cup and furrow her brow if you take too long with your order. Not that there’s much confusion over what to get. The offerings are few — classic glazed, chocolate and vanilla long johns, and cinnamon and sugar, though the real showstopper is the buttermilk cake doughnut. This pudgy, deep-fried pillow of dough coated with a sugary glaze makes you wonder why anyone attempts improving on simple perfection.

Best Mexican Restaurant La Tejana 3149 North Lindbergh Boulevard Bridgeton, 63074 314-291-8500 www.latejanataqueria.com Think of Mexican food in St. Louis, and various eateries on Cherokee Street will likely come to mind. But for truly authentic Mexican cuisine, head several miles northwest to a strip mall in Bridgeton. There you’ll find La Tejana, a combination grocery store, liquor store, butcher shop and casual restaurant that provides the city’s best Mexican experience. La Tejana’s taqueria goes far beyond the “chicken” or “beef” peddled at mediocre restaurants, and instead offers tacos filled with what you’d find if you took a motorcycle trip through Mexico and stopped at roadside cafés along the way. Barbacoa, cow head, tongue, goat — the selections are seemingly endless. La Tejana is much more than a taqueria, though. The restaurant also serves everything from menudo to tortas to fajitas, all handmade in house by the Garcia family. This is as real as it gets north of the border.

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Best Service in a Restaurant Giovanni’s Kitchen 8831 Ladue Road Ladue, 63124 314-721-4100 www.giovanniskitchenstl.com The Giovanni clan opened Giovanni’s Kitchen to be a more casual, contemporary version of their fine-dining Hill neighborhood flagship. But don’t let the lack of tuxes and tableside flambé fool you: The service at Giovanni’s Kitchen is every bit as accommodating as at a four-star restaurant. From the minute you walk in the door, servers, bussers and hosts stand at attention, waiting to whisk you off to your table as if you were a celebrated regular. Did your napkin fall out of your lap? Chances are someone is there with a replacement before it has hit the ground. Your water glass will never be more than a quarter empty, and if you try to pour your own wine, your server may take it as an affront. The style is polished and professional but never stuffy. And though it isn’t a family restaurant per se, the staff will go out of its way to accommodate your little bambino. It may be the newest member of the Giovanni restaurant family, but this service is decidedly old-school.

Best Wine List Balaban’s Wine Bar

J E N N I F E R S I LV E R B E R G

1772 Clarkson Road Chesterfield, 63017 636-449-6700 A lot has changed since Balaban’s first opened its doors in 1972. Over the years it has been sold, moved to Chesterfield and expanded to include an on-site wine shop. Amid the flux, however, one thing has remained constant: its shockingly impressive wine list. And it’s not just St. Louis oenophiles who have taken notice. This year, Balaban’s was named a “World’s Best Wine List” by British quarterly The World of Fine Wine. The restaurant was awarded three out of three stars by the publication, which called it “the absolute authority on wine in St. Louis.” It’s a prestigious award, shared by only one other restaurant in town and a mere 300 worldwide. What makes Balaban’s even more special is that the accolades don’t necessarily translate to sticker shock. Bottles purchased at the restaurant’s retail store are charged a mere $8 corkage fee when enjoyed in the dining room — truly an affordable luxury.

Olio’s bar is a perfect place to enjoy a solo snack.

Best Place to Dine Alone*

Best Use of Pork

Olio

Pork Burger at Taste

1634 Tower Grove Avenue St. Louis, 63110 314-932-1088 www.oliostl.com

4584 Laclede Avenue St. Louis, 63108 314-361-1200 www.tastebarstl.com

Maybe you want to sit at the bar and talk to the sommelier about esoteric Hungarian wine. Perhaps you are still ticked that you let your significant other eat more than his fair share of the house’s signature egg salad, and now you need to get your fix. Then again, you could be there to chat up chef Ben Poremba on German philosophy. Whatever your reason for heading to Olio as a party of one, it’s bound to be a good one. The Botanical Heights hot spot is a cozy place for an intimate date with yourself. The small plates of Poremba’s delicious Mediterranean cuisine may be good for two, but they’re even better for a solo diner. And let’s be honest: You don’t really want to share. Add a world-class selection of wines by the glass and some fantastic people-watching, and there’s no better place to get some relaxing, much-needed you time.

Somehow, somewhere, beef beat out all others as the ground meat of choice to place between a Kaiser roll. Bite into the gloriously succulent pork burger at Taste, let its juices drip down your hands and onto the plate, and you’ll ask yourself why this is so. Taste uses eight ounces of 100 percent ground pork for its burger, then wraps it in caul fat to lock in all of the juices. The succulent patty gets topped with thick-cut bacon from Burgers’ Smokehouse and melted cheddar cheese before being placed on buttery brioche bun. There’s no lettuce, tomato, onion or any other condiments to speak of. It’s just meat, cheese and bread — the only garnish you’ll need is one of the restaurant’s topnotch cocktails.

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Best Chain Restaurant Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburger 1365 Jungermann Road St. Peters, 63376 636-447-2496 www.freddysusa.com If you close your eyes and wish with all your heart, the California-style double steakburger from Freddy’s can — almost, maybe, sort of — pass for something on the menu at In-N-Out Burger. So until the beloved West Coast chain makes it way to Missouri (oh God, please), the offerings at Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburger are more than sufficient to satisfy your craving for a weighty, sauce-dripping stack of meat on butter-toasted buns. Freddy’s patties are smashed flat to maximize their crispiness, and a helping of the mayoheavy “Freddy’s Sauce” means your burger will never be over-dry. The Kansas-based chain affects the hometown décor of a ’50s diner, a curious touch considering the franchise was founded in 2004. But faux-corporate tradition can be forgiven when it’s accompanied by such a timelessly good burger.

Best Coffee Stringbean Coffee Company 1322 West Lark Industrial Drive Fenton, 63026 314-472-3267 www.stringbeancoffee.com Peter Cohen’s small, independent coffee roaster in Fenton is about as far away from his prior career as he could get. A former commercial banker, Cohen knew he needed to get out of the rat race but wasn’t sure how until he began roasting coffee at home. After six months of honing his craft (and emboldened with accolades from his friends), Cohen quit his job to found Stringbean Coffee. The name is a nod to Cohen’s love of music — he originally thought he would sell vintage guitars as well as coffee, but the java side of the business won out. Cohen and his business partner, David Pocost, source only fair-trade and sustainably cultivated beans, and they’re supporters of the Cafe Femenino Foundation, a nonprofit group that provides grants to women in coffee-producing regions. The result is a cup of the most ethically minded joe in town that also just so happens to taste outstanding.

Best Food Truck Seoul Taco 314-863-1148 www.seoultaco.com Ever since the Seoul Taco food truck took to the streets in 2011, its Korean-Mexican fusion cuisine has been on a roll — outgrowing its tiny original University City location and expanding to larger Delmar Loop digs in a space shared with a conjoined concept, Seoul Q. Since spring, mid-Missourians can even find Seoul Taco in a downtown Columbia storefront shared with fellow St. Louisans, Strange Donuts. While business is booming at each of the various entities that make up David Choi’s wildly popular empire, at its core, the brand still gets its drive from mobile roots. Panels representing the food truck that started it all hang proudly in both brick-and-mortar restaurants. Meanwhile, the actual curbside concession still makes its rounds throughout the week, peddling its sublime sustenance to hungry lunchtime crowds. Even with its exponential growth over the years, Seoul Taco continues to do what it always has: cook up honest-to-goodness street food spiked with Seoul sauce and kimichi. To that, we raise a soju glass and leave the Seoul Taco crew with just a few words of eternal encouragement: Keep on truckin’.

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J E N N I F E R S I LV E R B E R G

food $ Drink

Sammies from Pint Size Bakery are a perfect hand-held treat.

Best Bakery* Pint Size Bakery 3825 Watson Road St. Louis, 63109 314-645-7142 www.pintsizebakery.com

Sunset Hills Location Coming Soon! 84

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The line wrapped around Pint Size Bakery on any given Saturday morning may give the uninitiated pause: Is the salted-caramel croissant really worth it? That depends. Were you planning on finding a cure for cancer that morning? Solving world hunger? If not, there probably is no better use of the day than stuffing your face with one of Christy Augustin’s signature butter-drenched treats. And don’t worry if they sell out before you make it to the front of the line. Augustin has plenty more to choose from — buttercream-topped cupcakes, sweet and savory scones, or “Brown Shuga” crumb cakes filled with seasonal fruit. If there’s any reason to get out of your pajamas on a Saturday morning, Pint Size is it.

Served in St. Louis Finest Restaurants & Coffeehouses

WHEN ONLY THE BEST WILL DO. Chauvin Coffee Company 314.772.0700 chauvincoffee.com riverfronttimes.com

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MICAH USHER

food $ Drink

Tony Saputo works his magic on a mai tai.

Best Cocktails

Best Bartender

The Gin Room 3200 South Grand Boulevard St. Louis, 63232 314-771-3411 www.natashasginroom.com

Tony Saputo Layla 4317 Manchester Avenue St. Louis, 63110 314-553-9252 www.laylastl.com With an intuitive ability to know what you want to drink before you do, Tony Saputo is part bartender, part psychic palate reader. You may not understand exactly what’s in your drink, how it is made, or even what that garnish on the rim is, but that mystery is all part of the fun of exploring new worlds through alcohol. After stints as a Stag slinger at humble venues, Saputo began to hone his craft by studying cocktails and technique alongside his friend Seth Wahlman. Eventually the pair took the reins of the bar program at Eclipse Restaurant. After seven years with Wahlman, Saputo went on to create a drink menu all his own at Layla in the Grove. Saputo guides patrons toward a deeper appreciation for cocktails as art, and advises people to “stop passively consuming and start actually tasting.” Come for one of Saputo’s signature drinks; stay for one of his signature bear hugs.

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Natasha Bahrami was working in Washington, D.C., as a Middle East scholar when her mom sat her down for a much needed heart-to-heart. “She said to me, ‘Look, I know that you seem to feel the need to have all of these day jobs, but you should feel free to do what you actually want to do,’” Bahrami recalls. She kept her day jobs but spent her evenings working at the best bars in the District, learning as much as she could. Upon her return to St. Louis, Bahrami converted the bar area at Café Natasha into the Gin Room, an homage to the botanical spirit that captured her heart. Her gin collection is unrivaled in this town — or just about anywhere — and her exotic housemade tonics, made from ingredients such as turmeric, apricot and coriander, are perfect complements to the spirit. But it’s not just gin that Bahrami serves up at the Gin Room. The bar is a tasting room for bourbons, ryes, aperitifs and craft beers, and Bahrami is always on hand to share her vast knowledge. It may have taken her some time to realize it, but Bahrami has always been the Gin Girl.

WE MOVED! 50 feet away from old location

IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW,

21 Tap Lines 90% local Brewers • Local Food purveyors

HAPPY HOUR M-F 4pm to 6pm BUY ANY PITCHER, & GET ANY PIZZA 50% OFF TUESDAY Trivia night at 8pm WEDNESDAY 6pm $1 off all drafts THURSDAY 10pm to Close $4 Three Olive Bombs SUNDAY open at 3pm Bloody Mary Bar

6401 CLAYTON AVE • ST. LOUIS, MO 63139 3 1 4 • 6 4 5 • 6 5 6 5 • felixspizzapub.com

DINNER HOURS: Tuesday - Sunday 5 PM Conveniently located in Kirkwood 113 West Clinton Place St. Louis, Missouri 63122

Gift Certificates make the perfect gift!

www.citizenkanes.com

Reader’s Choice for Best Steak in 2014 RFT Best of St. Louis

314-965-9005

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“Please stop in for Lunch or Dinner. My diners are all like family and friends!” -Peggy Hou, Owner

$10 OFF

PER PERSON WITH THIS AD THROUGH 11/28/15

Interactive Murder Mysteries Served With a 4-Course Meal to DIE For!

J E N N I F E R S I LV E R B E R G

6138 Delmar • 314-725-9889 Across from The Pageant in The Loop www.peggyhou.com

Housemade dumplings are how Lona Luo got her start.

Best Chinese Restaurant* Lona’s Lil Eats 2199 California Avenue St. Louis, 63104 213-925-1888 www.lonaslileats.com Perhaps it’s not fair to name Lona’s Lil Eats the best Chinese spot in town. After all, the key to its mouth-watering food is the culinary diversity found in chef Lona Luo’s native village. She grew up in a corner of southwestern China that has more in common with Thailand and Myanmar than Beijing. Add in her town’s barbecue and pickling culture, and it’s a recipe for some of the most unique flavors you’ll experience. Luo and her husband, Pierce Powers, got their start serving handmade dumplings out of a stall in Soulard Market. It’s no wonder they put her on the map: Filled with beef, mushrooms and housemade pickles, they are second to none. But those are only the beginning of the story. Luo and Powers make wonderful ricepaper sandwich wraps, vegetable salads, noodle stir-fries and grilled meats. Use them as a canvas for one of Luo’s fantastic sauces, such as lemongrass pesto or fruit-peel-smoked vinaigrette. The flavors are so complex, you won’t know quite how to categorize the place — though you’ll be so enraptured by the taste that you won’t care.

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modeled Come See Our Newly Re Dining Room!

Homemade Authentic Lebanese Food

Kafta Kabab

2010 & 2012 Best of St. Louis Winner Best Middle Eastern Restaurant 2013 Best French Fry

Chicken Shawarma 2015

WINNER

2013 Favorite Lebanese RFT Restaurants

3171 South Grand

thevinestl.com â&#x20AC;˘ (314) 776-0991 riverfronttimes.com

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MAKE YOUR MAKE YOUR

Since 1995

NEXT MEAL ANYOUR NEXT MEAL AN MAKE

ADVENTURE ADVENTURE

Since 1995

NEXT MEAL www.hoistl.com AN ADVENTURE

www.hoistl.com

Flavorful spices. Reasonable prices.

House of India

(314) 567-6850

LUNCH BUFFET

Mon/Sun: 11:30LUNCH am to BUFFET 2:30 pm

DINNER

Mon/Sun: 11:30 am

Mon/Thur: 5 pm to 9:45 pm 8501 Delmar Blvd. Fri/Sat: 5 pm to 10to pm2:30 pm St. Louis, MO 63124 Sun: 5 pm to 9 pm

(314) 567-6850 DINNER CARRY OUT & CATERING AVAILABLE 8501 Delmar Blvd.

House of India (314) 567-6850

Mon/Thur: St. Louis, MO 63124 5pm to 9:45pm Fri/Sat: 5pm to 10pm Sun: 5pm to 9pm LUNCH BUFFET CATERING AVAILABLE Mon/Sun: CARRYOUT 11:30 &am to 2:30 pm

DINNER

Mon/Thur: 5 pm to 9:45 pm 8501 Delmar Blvd. Fri/Sat: 5 pm to 10 pm St. Louis, MO 63124 Sun: 5 pm to 9 pm CARRY OUT & CATERING AVAILABLE

food $ Drink

Best Cornbread Egg 2200 Gravois Avenue, #101 St. Louis, 63104 314-202-8244 www.breakfastcamefirst.com During the week the barbecue/taco eatery Spare No Rib inhabits the ground floor of 2200 Gravois Avenue. On Sundays, however, a pop-up brunch place called Egg is in residence. One of Egg’s menu offerings is alone worth the trip: the “Sweet Topped Cornbread.” The kitchen prepares the cornbread with just the right balance of sticky and crumbly, then smothers it in a rich, savory gravy of either shiitake mushrooms or fennel pork sausage. This combination amply fills the void felt in the gut of any hung-over person — and the mimosas and bloody marys don’t hurt, either.

Best Italian Acero 7266 Manchester Road Maplewood, 63143 314-644-1790 www.fialafood.com/acero Ask anyone in town where to go for Italian food and they’ll likely say the Hill. It’s a good choice if you’re looking for food that can be as classically Italian as Taco Bell is Mexican. Yes, there’s something to be said for cheesy-baked rigatoni in tomato sauce and Provel-covered salads. But if you’re looking for something a little more authentic, head to Maplewood and grab a table at Acero. Jim Fiala’s quaint little restaurant is about as Italian as it gets. White anchovies with pea shoots and lemon zest, slow-cooked porchetta dripping in jus, and prosciutto-wrapped pastries will make you forget the word “manicotti.” But if you only try one thing at Acero, it has got to be the egg raviolo. This house specialty is the embodiment of decadence: delicate, housemade pasta stuffed with cheese and egg yolk and topped with brown butter. One taste of this dish and going anywhere else for Italian will be unthinkable.

Best Chef Gerard Craft, Niche 7734 Forsyth Boulevard Clayton, 63105 314-773-7755 www.nichestlouis.com In 2005 a young, unknown chef rolled into town and lit the spark that set the St. Louis culinary scene on fire. It has now been ten years since Gerard Craft took a chance in an unfamiliar city and opened Niche in Benton Park, and much has changed since he served his first diners out of that tiny storefront. Craft is no longer an unknown; he’s now the head of a small culinary empire (Taste, Brasserie, Pastaria and the soon-to-open Porano) and is recognized as one of the country’s top chefs. Niche has moved from its original digs to a new spot in Clayton and has converted itself into a test kitchen for pushing the boundaries on what it means to eat in Missouri. We’ve come to expect his greatness, perhaps even take it for granted, but this year, we got a reminder of what we have in Craft: After going home empty-handed in his first six nominations, he finally received the James Beard Foundation’s award for Best Chef Midwest, giving us all the chance to beam with pride and celebrate all he has done for this city’s food and beverage scene. The award was Craft’s, certainly, but — as he pointed out in his acceptance speech — it also belonged to his adopted home. It was his way of thanking St. Louis for welcoming him with open arms and giving him the opportunity to realize all that he is capable of doing. The sentiment is mutual.

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Best Mocktails Planter’s House 1000 Mississippi Avenue St. Louis, 63104 314-696-2603 www.plantershousestl.com St. Louis is a drinker’s city, which makes it damn hard to be a teetotaler here. If you’re pregnant, making your way along the twelve steps at Alcoholics Anonymous or just giving your liver a break, your choices are basically to watch other people have fun drinking — or to stay home. Neither is ideal. Which is why we were so thrilled to learn about a third option: Entrust yourself to the city’s best bartenders, and let them whip up a mocktail so delicious, you’ll practically be drunk with excitement. And that’s exactly what non-drinkers can do at Planter’s House, the Ted Kilgore-owned bar in Lafayette Square. Tell the bartenders what you like, what you don’t like, and perhaps even what you’d be drinking if you were still into that sort of thing, and they’ll mix up something so delicious and subtly interesting, you’d swear it had booze in it. No sticky-sweet Shirley Temples here; these are drinks for adults, even if they’d also be legal in the hands of a pre-teen. Trust yourself to the barkeeps’ brilliance, and prepare to enjoy a sober night out on the town. Really.

Best Burger (Non-Meat Division) 4140 Manchester Avenue St. Louis, 63110 314-775-0775 atomiccowboystl.com Lately, Atomic Cowboy has been getting heaps of recognition for its new outdoor stage. Though it is indeed a beauty, let’s not forget what made us fall in love with the joint in the first place: the food. Atomic has plenty of delights for meat-eaters, but it’s also a surprisingly safe haven for vegetarians. Among the myriad veg-friendly options on the menu, the veggie burger stands out as essential grub. It’s handmade with zucchini, squash, peppers, cabbage and breadcrumbs, and it boasts just the right amount of char. Top it off with some cheese and chipotle mayo, and you’ll have plenty of sustenance to get you through that three- hour concert outside.

Best-Kept Secret

North Lindbergh Boulevard in Hazelwood doesn’t exactly seem like a hotbed of international cuisine. Yet tucked amid the chain restaurants and strip malls, Kaslik seeks to convince diners otherwise. Chef and co-owner Wesam Hamed, whose résumé includes such notable spots as Ranoush and Layla, has been cooking his delicious Middle Eastern fare in this part of north St. Louis County since 2013. This year the restaurant moved into a new, expanded location, but those already in the know shouldn’t fret: Hamed’s signature shawarma remains excellent as always. Likewise, the lamb chops, falafel and hummus are so authentic, you might be convinced you’re sitting on the eastern Mediterranean rather than in the middle of north county. It’s well worth the trip off the beaten path.

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Best Restaurant When Someone Else Pays* 7734 Forsyth Boulevard Clayton, 63105 314-773-7755 www.nichestlouis.com

7847 North Lindbergh Boulevard Hazelwood, 63042 314-972-8282 www.facebook.com/pages/Kaslik-Restaurant/332965810154709

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At Niche, the rib eye is a thing of beauty.

Niche

Kaslik Mediterranean Cuisine

J E N N I F E R S I LV E R B E R G

Atomic Cowboy

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Over the past few years, Gerard Craft and chef de cuisine Nate Hereford have gradually transformed Niche from an acclaimed New American restaurant into an edible love poem to Missouri. Niche stands as the embodiment of what it means to truly eat locally — all ingredients are sourced from within 300 miles of St. Louis — making the restaurant the most complete way to experience our state’s bounty. For Missourians, Niche is a chance to explore our heritage — the culinary equivalent of researching a family tree — and its chef ’s tasting menu is a crash course in all the region has to offer. It will put you back a little, especially when you add the beverage pairings to the tab (which, yes, you must). But if Niche is good enough to earn Craft a James Beard Award — the first time a St. Louis chef has done so — then it is well worth the cash. Or at least someone else’s.

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MABEL SUEN

food $ Drink

Pizzeoli’s oven heats to 900 degrees, resulting in perfectly charred crusts.

OCT 1 OCT 1 OCT 2 OCT 2 OCT 2 OCT 3 OCT 4 OCT 4 OCT 5 OCT 6 OCT 7

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7PM PAPER ANTHEM (FAYETTEVILLE, AR) 9PM WOOD CHICKENS (MADISON, WI) 7PM TOM HALL 8:30PM HILARY SCOTT/BELLTOWN RECORDS 10PM LAURA JOY (CHICAGO, IL) 7PM AMY HART (NASHVILLE, TN) 11AM MISS JUBILEE & THE HUMDINGERS - BRUNCH 7PM SCOTCH HOLLOW (CHICAGO, IL) 8PM CLAUDE BOURDON (ENGLAND) 9PM THE PLEASE PLEASE ME (AUSTIN, TX) 8:30PM THE SATURDAY GIANT (COLUMBUS, OH)

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Best Pizza (non-St. Louis-style)* Pizzeoli 1928 South 12th Street St. Louis, 63104 314-449-1111 www.pizzeoli.com Casually ask Scott Sandler about how he makes his pizzas, and you are likely to get a 30-minute dissertation on crust. That’s how serious the Pizzeoli owner and pizza-cook-in-chief takes his authentic Neapolitan pies. The former real estate broker had been a home baker for years, obsessing over the perfect pizza crust. When his day job hit a rough patch, he decided to open a pizzeria and enrolled in California’s Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana to learn how to make classic Italian pies. His unyielding pursuit of perfection results in the city’s purest expression of pizza. The crust is yeasty and chewy yet yielding and speckled with dots of delicious char. His margherita is simple, topped with crushed tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil — a classic rendering of the famous dish. His “Bianca,” a white pizza consisting of bechamel, garlic, rosemary and mozzarella, is like a cross between pizza and the most delicious cheese garlic bread you could ever ask for. Neapolitan pizza is certainly having its moment, but for Sandler, it’s more than a passing fad — it’s an obsession.

TRUE PERFECTION COMES WHEN EVERYTHING IS MADE IN-HOUSE. 314.367.7788

310 Debaliviere Dine in / Carry out Delivery

HAPPY HOUR ALL THE TIME WITH $8 DOMESTIC BUCKETS

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Best St. Louis-Style Pizza BJ’s Bar & Restaurant 184 Washington Street Florissant, 63031 314-837-7783 www.facebook.com/pages/Bjs-Bar-Restaurant/116033021754383 From the outside, BJ’s looks like a boarded-up biker bar. OK, it looks like that from the inside, too. The windows are covered, the front door is blocked, and the space seems like it hasn’t had a facelift since, well, ever. But don’t let the rough-and-tumble appearance fool you. BJ’s has been serving its signature thin-crust pizza before Imo was a glimmer in his mom and pop’s eyes. The crust, while thin, is a touch heftier and flakier than what is typically served in the Gateway City. That allows it to stand up to more toppings, such as the hamburger or sausage the staff at BJ’s makes in house. Boldly risking the ire of St. Louis-style pizza purists, BJ’s uses mozzarella cheese to cover its rectangular slices of heaven. And don’t worry if you burn the roof of your mouth: The friendly bartenders are always ready with a Mason jar cocktail that’s about as stiff and cheap as they come.

Best Fast Casual Guerrilla Street Food 3559 Arsenal Street St. Louis, 63110 314-529-1328 www.guerrillastreetfood.com Brian Hardesty and Joel Crespo are quite the culinary odd couple. Hardesty is an acclaimed chef whose résumé includes stints at some of the town’s top restaurants; Crespo has no professional culinary background and came to the restaurant industry from the funeral business. Hardesty is the instigator, Crespo the cautious “are you sure we can serve blood stew?” type. However, their shared love of food and a willingness to take a chance on a long-shot idea has proven to be a winning formula. In the four years since it opened as a food truck, Guerrilla Street Food has garnered a reputation as one of the city’s most innovative food offerings. This July, Hardesty and Crespo opened a fast-casual, brick-and-mortar restaurant, expanding on the Filipino street food they’ve become known for. They’ve kept favorites, like the pork belly and fish-sauce extravaganza “Belly of the Beast,” but the permanent space gives them room to play around with new ideas and even tasting menus. Opposites? Maybe, but Hardesty and Crespo are in perfect accord when it comes to their fantastic food.

Best Place for Day Drinking The Saint Louis Zoo 1 Government Drive, Forest Park St. Louis, 63110 314-781-0900 www.stlzoo.org The penguins have their air-conditioned habitat. Kali the polar bear gets to take a dip in his refreshing plunge pool. You and the billion other people who’ve decided to visit the Saint Louis Zoo for a ten-second glimpse of these too-cute creatures, however, have parking nightmares, a third-degree sunburn and an overheated toddler who will only stop screaming when stuffed with Dippin Dots. You are about to throw yourself into the lions’ den when a glorious oasis appears before you like a beacon of hope: the beer cart. Perhaps the zoo isn’t the most relaxing place for day drinking, but it is certainly the most necessary. Thank you, Saint Louis Zoo, for recognizing this. Budweiser has never tasted so sweet.

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LOCALLY PRODUCED BEERS. HOUSE SMOKED MEAT. NATIONALLY TELEVISED SPORTS.

LOCATED AT 4TH AND CHESTNUT STREET INSIDE HYATT REGENCY ST. LOUIS AT THE ARCH 314.259.3270 follow us:

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Best Throwback Bar The Tick Tock Tavern 3459 Magnolia Avenue St. Louis, 63118 www.theticktock.com If “The Heat Is On” makes your throat catch a little, if you’re convinced that Vince Schoemehl was the city’s last great mayor, if “owling” to you means decorating with birds and not perching on a fire hydrant like a jackass, welcome home to the Tick Tock Tavern. Belly up with some cash and order a Schlitz or a Stag or whatever your old man’s drink of choice was back in the early 1980s. There’s a good selection of liquor, and local beers are also well represented. Join Tick Tock from “Bored Game Sundays,” or geek out on your own at the Centipede/Millipede/ Mission Command console. Tick Tock reopened in 2014 after a twenty-year absence in Tower Grove East, and by pairing with local artists and businesses for special events, it has once again proven itself to be an excellent neighbor. It also proves that you can, in fact, go home again. To approximately 1982.

Best Bread Focaccia at Pizzino 7600 Wydown Boulevard Clayton, 63105 314-240-5134 www.pizzinostl.com It’s no surprise that Jim Zimmerman knows his bread. The chef and owner of Pizzino comes from a long line of bakers that dates back three centuries to his family’s ancestral homeland of Lithuania. His grandfather emigrated to the United States in the late 1800s and peddled flour out of a pushcart. Under the younger Zimmerman’s watch, the business would become Cahokia Flour Company, a major player in the artisanal bread movement that began in the 1990s. When Zimmerman decided to get out of the flour business and into the kitchen, he chose pizza as his medium because it would allow him to showcase his baking prowess. He was right — Pizzino’s pies succeed, in large part, because of their excellent crusts. But they’re not the only thing worth sampling on the menu. Zimmerman’s fresh-made, pillow-soft focaccia could make you forget you’re in a pizzeria and not an Italian bakery. Dusted with sea salt and drizzled with a little olive oil, it’s a warm, fresh-from-the-oven meal in itself, leaving little doubt that Zimmerman has baking in his blood.

Best Food Trend Boozy Ice Cream Could anything be tastier than ice cream in the summer? What about ice cream with alcohol mixed right into it? That’s the glorious trend we saw take off in St. Louis this past year. In Shaw, Ices Plain & Fancy premiered a boozy line of treats, even as Clementine’s Naughty & Nice Creamery opened its first storefront in Lafayette Square — and if you didn’t know that “naughty” was a code word for “intensely alcoholic,” clearly, you’re overdue for a visit. I Scream Cakes over on Cherokee also launched a successful IndieGoGo to add booze to its line of offerings; as of press time, we were still anxiously awaiting the rollout. What do we love best about these adult treats? You don’t have to visit a bar to indulge. Take the kids in for a virgin scoop while you indulge in a Jameson-flavored “Johnny Jump Up” (at Ices) or a banana rum with salted butterscotch caramel (at Clementine’s). What the kids don’t know, surely, will never hurt them.

4144 S. Grand

St. Louis, MO 63118

(314) 875-9653

Tuesday-Sunday

11am-9pm

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NOW OPEN IN MARYLAND HEIGHTS

12322 DORSETT ROAD MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO 63043 S TA N D A R D B R E W I N G S T L . C O M Standard tandard Brewing Company

@StandardBrewingSTL

PRIME STEAKS. LEGENDARY SERVICE.

Clayton | 7822 Bonhomme Ave | (314) 725 -4008 | mortons.com/stlouis

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food $ Drink

J E N N I F E R S I LV E R B E R G

IN THE LOOP

Al-Tarboush Deli

MEDITERRANEAN FOOD

Lebanese Food at it's Finest!

A sweet-potato black bean burger at Lulu’s, just one of many dishes to sate vegetarians.

The Best Falafal, Gyros, Chicken, Beef, Baklava & So Much More Mediterranian Food!

Best Restaurant for Vegetarians*

Choose From Many Entrees In Our Deli Case To Dine-In or Carry-Out.

Lulu’s Local Eatery

We Sell & Rent Hookahs, Tobacco & Equipment! 602 WESTGATE • 314-725-1944

HOUSE OF NOUR

Bathani Beauty House & Salon

2928 S. Brentwood Blvd

(JUST SOUTH OF MANCHESTER)

(314)962-6687 100

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3201 South Grand Boulevard St. Louis, 63118 314-300-8215 luluslocaleatery.com Vegetarian living in St. Louis used to be difficult; after all, this is a city raised on pork butt. That’s been changing in recent years, as more and more restaurants offer a smorgasbord of vegetarian options or serve up nothing but plant food. But with its inspired, locally sourced meals, Lulu’s Local Eatery leads them all. Originally just a food truck, Lulu’s brickand-mortar storefront has proven that it can create mouthwatering deliciousness out of nothing more than some cauliflower and hot sauce. It doesn’t stop there, with plant-based meals including a sweet-potato black-bean burger, a spring-roll burrito and a barbecued jackfruit sandwich that will make you swear on your mama’s life that you’re eating pulled pork. This isn’t just food that vegetarians can eat; this is culinary genius that vegetarians and meat-eaters alike can savor.

Bottle Cellars

Patrick Ahearn opened Bottle Cellars in Oakville back in 2010 with the idea of bringing worldly yet accessible wine to those who might otherwise be wary of the whole wine-buying process – one he concedes can be complicated and confusing. “My hope is that people can learn a little something. An educated customer is a good customer,” he says. With a laid-back approach and thoughtful touches – such as organizing the nearly 300 wines from light to full-bodied, complete with food pairings and detailed tasting notes for each – Ahearn and his friendly staff have succeeded mightily. He particularly enjoys carrying lesser-known wines that are hidden gems in their own right; he estimates that 75 percent of the wines he sells are under $25. In May, he opened the adjacent Cellar House, a sleek yet inviting wine bar. For a $10 corkage fee, patrons can enjoy their just-purchased bottle, as well as small plates (think cheese and charcuterie boards, flatbreads and sliders) from head chef Scott Monteith. But the best way to explore the constantly rotating selection is through wine flights: Build your own by choosing from among several three-ounce pours, and you’ll find a new favorite in no time. If wine’s not your thing, delve into Cellar House’s classic and house cocktails (sixteen in total) developed by bar manager Shawn Sullivan: The “Leo’s Lair,” with Lion’s Tooth dandelion liqueur and Rally Point rye that’s been infused with dried apricot and vanilla bean, is a popular one. There’s also a full spirits list, five beers on tap and another couple dozen in cans and bottles. Ahearn is fond of quoting vintner Charles Smith — “It’s just booze. Drink it!” — and Bottle Cellars and Cellar House are charming places to do just that. And, yes, maybe even learn a little something.

6039 Telegraph road • 314-846-5100 • boTTlecellars.com

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The humble hot dog is just one of many rotating meat cylinders you can pick from at QuikTrip.

Best 3 a.m. Bar Sandrina’s 5098 Arsenal Street St. Louis, 63139 314-601-3456 www.sandrinasstl.com When today turns into tomorrow and the weak-hearted head home to call it quits, the late-night boozers turn to Sandrina’s. With its vintage wooden bar and simple, elegant décor, it has an old-timey charm, making it the perfect destination for one last beer. Murals of St. Louis legends adorn the dining room, so grab a seat at one of the cozy booths and enjoy the silent company of William S. Burroughs and Miles Davis. If you’re looking for a bite to eat, the kitchen stays open until 2 a.m. daily and serves up some of the finest drunk food in the city. Whether you’re trying to keep a long night of boozing alive — or you’re just not ready to go home — Sandrina’s is the place.

Best Gas Station Food QuikTrip Multiple area locations, including: 2633 South Big Bend Boulevard Maplewood, 63143 314-647-7114 www.quiktrip.com The humble American gas station grants welcome refuge amid the bustling insanity of modern life. No longer just a few pumps and a surly attendant, these testaments to convenience are often stocked with a full liquor section, a bank of fountain drinks and enough candy to give diabetes to every third-grader in the state. But those seeking something more substantial are often disappointed when they’re faced with a shelf of garbage sandwiches sealed in sad plastic pouches. Not so at QuikTrip, where hungry travelers are greeted by slowly rotating hot dogs, egg rolls and even taquitos. Crunchy, cheesy and glistening with unlabeled calories, these rotating meat cylinders will sate even the most savage road hunger, while the on-site kitchen will crank out a fresh sandwich, pizza or wrap in minutes, just for you.

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Best Outdoor Dining Scape 48 Maryland Plaza St. Louis, 63108 314-361-7227 www.scapestl.com St. Louis loves its sports almost as much as it loves eating and drinking outside. But every once in awhile The Big Game falls on what was supposed to be Date Night, and you can’t be carried away by the nuances of your amuse bouche when you’re checking the score on your phone every six minutes. That night is the perfect one to head to Scape’s back patio. The space is dominated by a wall lush with enough greenery and columns to make a university blush (never mind it’s actually concealing a parking garage). Cozy chairs and loveseats provide an intimate experience, while white lights zig-zag overhead and are woven through topiaries. Better still, the game’s always within eyeshot: There are three large flat-screen televisions on that sprawling green wall and a fourth behind the outdoor bar. Scape’s excellent food is upscale and seasonal, but it’s not all kale and crab cakes: Pork ribs, a filet burger and mac & cheese also reside on the menu.

Best Dining Destination Firefly Grill

After losing friends in the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Boston-based equities trader Kristie Campbell needed to take a break. The Effingham, Illinois, native found herself in Puerto Rico where she met and fell in love with chef Niall Campbell. The pair planned on moving to San Francisco after marrying, but a detour to a wedding in Kristie’s hometown changed their minds. Why, they asked, should they move out West when everything they wanted in a restaurant of their own could be found in Effingham? When they received an email from a developer letting them know he had a property that would work for them, they jumped on it and opened Firefly Grill. This was back in 2006, and since then, Firefly has garnered national recognition not only for its excellent food and idyllic setting, but also for its commitment to sustainability. Firefly is roughly 100 miles from St. Louis — close enough for a leisurely day trip but far enough away that you’ll feel like you have escaped from the hustle and bustle of the city. Once there, you’ll feast on chemical- and pesticide-free food fresh from the Campbells’ garden or sourced from small producers. It’s worth the trip to see a place where farm-to-table is more than just a buzzword.

J E N N I F E R S I LV E R B E R G

1810 Avenue of Mid-America Effingham, Illinois, 62401 217-342-2002 www.ffgrill.com

Grove East Provisions’ chicken noodle soup — an excellent choice on a chilly day.

Best Deli/Sandwich Shop* Grove East Provisions

Best Comfort Food

3101 Arsenal Street St. Louis, 63118 314-802-7090 www.facebook.com/pages/Grove-East-Provisions/670238153049198

Amy’s Corner Bakeshop 4476 Chouteau Avenue St. Louis, 63110 314-371-2253 amysbakerystlouis.com Stop! Put down the plasticky Kraft American singles and boring Wonder slices. Don’t you realize that a grilled-cheese sandwich from Amy’s Corner Bakeshop could do so much more to heal your pain? Think about the joy homemade sourdough could bring to your tastebuds. Imagine flecks of garden-fresh jalapeños dancing throughout that carby goodness. Consider several local cheeses — perhaps sweet chevre, perhaps sharp cheddar, perhaps a tart bleu — welcoming a few slices of backyard tomato into their choir of flavor. A sandwich of such delicious items grilled with just enough heat to melt the cheese and lightly char the bread has the power to help you overcome nearly all of life’s troubles, even if only for the fifteen minutes it remains on your plate. Time to start your therapy.

When Barry Kinder was living in Europe, he loved popping into his neighborhood corner market to pick up a bottle of wine and some simple provisions. When he moved back to St. Louis, he noticed these types of places were missing from the local food and beverage scene, so he decided to open one himself. Armed with a knack for rehabbing buildings, he turned the one on the corner of Arsenal and Minnesota into Grove East Provisions, a small bodega and sandwich counter. Here, Kinder prepares classic pressed sandwiches — ham and cheese, say, or a turkey, bacon and ham club — to order, and offers daily soups and specials based on whatever he’s growing out back in his garden. His chicken-noodle soup alone is worth a visit. At night, Kinder plays around with dinner specials, inspired by his time cooking at an upscale restaurant in London (George Michael was a regular). Add to this his partnership with Red Fox Baking, which shares the kitchen and provides bread for the sandwiches, and it’s no wonder Grove East Provisions has quickly become a neighborhood hangout. ■

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This wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just the year that Ferguson burned and the national media camped out in town. For St. Louis, this was a year of provocative art and thrilling performances. Still, the unrest at our doorstep galvanized local artists. Read on as our staff celebrates the best in dance, theater, film, music and fine arts â&#x20AC;&#x201D; some controversial, some confrontational, but all of it worth revisiting. riverfronttimes.com

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MICAH USHER

Arts & Entertainment

Killer Mike (foreground) with El-P in one of the year’s most thrilling concerts.

Best Concert*

Best Live Music Venue

Run the Jewels at the Ready Room The most critically lauded hip-hop duo of 2014 almost didn’t make it to St. Louis for its scheduled November stop at the Ready Room. The bus that held Run the Jewels, a.k.a. Atlanta’s Killer Mike and New York’s El-P, stalled on the side of the road in the middle of Illinois on the way to the show. Compounding matters? A long-awaited announcement from St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch ended up being scheduled for that very evening. This wasn’t just any politico’s press conference. The date was November 24 — and the grand jury investigating the death of Ferguson teenager Michael Brown was about to release its verdict. The city braced for unrest, and many shops shut their doors. The owners of the Ready Room, however, chose to stay open. Just before Run the Jewels’ engine finally restarted, El-P remarked on Twitter that the performers were likely “some of the only people trying to get in to St. Louis right now.” Upon arrival, Run the Jewels performed with an intensity rarely seen in any musical act. Even as Ferguson burned and tear gas filled St. Louis streets, the duo performed a stunning, emotional set that served as an outlet for a city crying out in pain. Killer Mike, who opened the show with a tearful speech about racism and police brutality, put it best: “There’s an old saying in the South: ‘You got to shout to get it out.’ And I’m so happy to be here in St. Louis.”

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The Ready Room 4195 Manchester Avenue St. Louis, 63110 314-833-3929 www.thereadyroom.com The Ready Room came flying out of the gate in April of last year with an inaugural show featuring revered Georgia-based indie rockers Of Montreal — an auspicious start for any venue. The next three months saw similarly impressive bookings gracing the stage: Mates of State, the Faint, the Dandy Warhols, Hoodie Allen and Swans were among the Ready Room’s earliest shows. The 800-capacity venue owes its considerable talent-buying power to its status as a big brother of sorts to the Firebird, which has long been celebrated for its ability to draw top acts. Between the Ready Room, Music Record Shop and the Demo — three establishments located side-by-side-by-side — the 4100 block of Manchester Avenue in the Grove has quickly become one of the most vital locations for music in all of St. Louis.

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MABEL SUEN

Arts & Entertainment

A patron checks out work by Marilyn Minter at Supplementary Galleries.

Best Art Gallery*

Feast Your Eyes

Supplementary Galleries at Saint Louis Art Museum Forest Park St. Louis, 63110 314-721-0072 www.slam.org The Saint Louis Art Museum in Forest Park is a treasure trove of world-famous art, but it does more than serve as a storehouse for agreed-upon classics. Using its supplemental galleries (234 through 236, as well as 301 and 321), the museum presents the work of contemporary artists in a variety of media. This past year saw the installation of all 40 of Nicholas Nixon’s The Brown Sisters photographs, an exhibit that permitted you to see the passage of time in the faces of four sisters. There was also a selection of prints created after the phantasmagorical style of Hieronymus Bosch, and a stark collection drawings and prints of the night sky by “intense realist” Vija Celmins. Mariam Ghani’s Currents 110 exhibition The City showcased her film inspired by the psychogeography of St. Louis, particularly the once-populous areas of Kinloch and the riverfront. With its fictional narrative and beautifully framed shots of these now-empty spaces, Ghani showed the old St. Louis that still haunts the modern St. Louis. She gave us a new way to see our hometown in a building that simultaneously represents its past and its present.

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Best Art Event

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Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis 3750 Washington Boulevard St. Louis, 63108 314-535-4660 www.camstl.org Food is the new rock, or so you’ll hear culinary snobs declare. Whereas our leading cultural critics once swooned over Keith Richards’ riffs and Bob Dylan’s lyrics, they now thrill to a perfectly foraged plate of local carrots drizzled with balsamic reduction — or an expertly cured torchon of foie gras. We see their point, but after taking part in the Contemporary Art Museum’s Feast Your Eyes dinner series, we found ourselves struck by a better analogy: Really, food is the new art. At this monthly event, the city’s top chefs find inspiration in the museum’s exhibits, serving a tasting menu that pairs brilliantly with the pieces on display. Museum curators mingle with guests and explain the back-story on the art, while the chefs address the table before each course, detailing how the food they are serving was informed by the artists’ work. It’s a brilliant combo, and while the evening could easily be stuffy in less skilled hands, this is the ohso-modern Contemporary Art Museum — it’s an intimate gathering in which the conversation is as sparkling as the cocktails. If only more art events were this dazzling, museums could start charging Madonna-level prices for admission.

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MABEL SUEN

Arts & Entertainment

Joe Klueh works concessions at the Hi-Pointe.

Best Movie Theater* The Hi-Pointe Theatre 1005 McCausland Avenue Richmond Heights, 63117 314-995 -6273 www.hipointetheatre.com Forget those sprawling megaplexes. Movies are best enjoyed in a small neighborhood theater that embraces its history while looking toward the future. The Hi-Pointe has been around since 1922, just before “talkies” went mainstream. Known as Missouri’s oldest single-screen movie house, the theater has upgraded its sound and flagship movie screen over the decades, and, this spring, added a second screen known as the Backlot. Proud of its legacy near the giant Amoco sign at Skinker and McCausland, the Hi-Pointe also celebrates local film milestones, recently hosting fifth-anniversary festivities for Late Nite Grindhouse, a monthly midnight film series that focuses on horror and exploitation flicks. Combining such niche entertainment with traditional touches such as velvet curtains and real butter popcorn, the Hi-Pointe makes what’s old new again — in the best possible way.

Best Theatrical Ensemble The Mystery of Edwin Drood Stray Dog Theatre Tower Grove Abbey 2336 Tennessee Avenue St. Louis, 63104 314-865-1995 www.straydogtheatre.org The gimmick in Rupert Holmes’ murder-mystery musical is that every cast member is the potential killer. An audience vote determines who did the deed, so there’s an ending ready to go for every character. Director Justin Been made sure that no one would leave disappointed in the outcome by assembling a perfect cast of killers. The actors stopped songs to soak up applause, argued about the length and quality of their introductions, and shot dirty looks at one another when someone had the audacity to get a bigger hand. Even the dance troupe got in on the act, badgering the actors and refusing to dance with players they felt were beneath their talents. Drood is funny enough on its own, but this cast elevated Stray Dog’s production into a memorable performance — or, rather, a continuous series of memorable performances from everyone involved.

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suggested donation at the door

featuring

SAINT MOTEL CHALI 2NA and

plus

Kim Massie • Blank Generation • Black James • Stone Sugar Shakedown • Little Big Bangs • More…

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Arts & Entertainment

Best Dance Company Big Muddy Dance Company 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive St. Louis, 63103 314-338-4058 www.thebigmuddydanceco.org Do you know how difficult it is to express an emotion purely through dance? Think about that, and maybe even imagine how ridiculous you’d look if you tried your hardest — and were 100 percent serious — about conveying a feeling to an audience by busting a move. The fleet-footed dancers at Big Muddy essentially do what a painter does with a canvas, or a songwriter does with an instrument and voice. Only they do it by dancing. Though there’s an experimental visual experience involved, at the end of the day, it’s pure expression vis-à-vis body contortion. Since 2010, Big Muddy has etched its mark into the respected ranks of the St. Louis arts community by showcasing the region’s most talented dancers. And exciting times abound at Big Muddy: 2015 will mark its first year at the Marcelle, a new theater space in Grand Center. There it will surely thrive among its arts-oriented neighbors. And in turn, our city will too.

Best Local Artists Paint for Peace STL www.paintforpeacestl.org After it became clear last November that prosecutors wouldn’t be charging Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, peaceful protest gave way to anger — and among the innocent victims were business owners in Ferguson and on St. Louis’ Grand Boulevard. While a community seethed, glass storefronts were shattered. But by the very next morning, a loosely affiliated group of local artists was already making plans to turn tragedy into artistic opportunity, setting out to cover boarded-up glass with plywood art. The cheerful designs didn’t just provide a message of resilience — they became a draw, bringing much-needed foot traffic to South Grand during a difficult time. Nearly one year after glass was smashed and Ferguson burned, the art has inspired a book and has been chosen for inclusion at a Ferguson-related archive at the Missouri History Museum, a fitting tribute to the important role these local artists played in keeping spirits hopeful during some very dark days.

Best Hip-Hop Club Blank Space 2847 Cherokee Street St. Louis, 63118 314-300-8831 www.facebook.com/lugarenblanco It does Blank Space a disservice to call it a “hip-hop club”: It is so much more to so many people. Nevertheless, the Cherokee Street venue has become the St. Louis hip-hop scene’s premier spot. For years Blank Space has played host to regular DJ nights — including the all-vinyl monthly event Bump & Hustle, which celebrated its three-year anniversary in July — and innumerable underground hip-hop events. St. Louis’ DJ MAKossa and DJ Needles (the founders of B&H) are among the many local stalwarts who host shows here: Tef Poe, Nick Menn, the MME collective, Mathias and the Pirates, Thelonious Kryptonite and many others regularly perform. Blank Space was founded as an open-ended experiment deliberately lacking curatorial oversight — a mission that remains firmly in place — but over the years it has morphed into a venue the St. Louis underground hip-hop community can proudly call home.

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Arts & Entertainment

2321 Arsenal at Jefferson in Benton Park

LillysHouseSTL.com

314-312-6398 BRIAN HEFFERNAN

LillysSTL

Miss Jubilee & The Humdingers perform at Blues City Deli.

Best Radio Station KZQZ 1430 AM kzqz1430am.com These days, it’s hard to find golden oldies on terrestrial radio. As time marches on, FM stations have shifted their definition of “old” to mean the 1970s and 1980s, making REO Speedwagon and Billy Joel the “oldies” du jour. There’s another world on the AM dial, though. One where Elvis Presley, the Supremes and the Everly Brothers still lead a bevy of ’50s and ’60s superstars through your radio waves. With DJs Jukebox Jackie and Foxman, 1430 AM has become the region’s sole station that not only plays songs that put the bomp in the bomp babomp babomp, but also serves up fun oldies trivia and vintage commercials. We dare you to listen without getting the urge to hula-hoop.

Best Blues Club* Blues City Deli 2438 McNair Avenue St. Louis, 63104 314-773-8225 www.bluescitydeli.com Opened in 2004, the Blues City Deli — a Benton Park sandwich shop on the corner of Victor and McNair avenues, with walls crammed with music memorabilia and a window-front stage barely big enough to hold a couple of guitar amps let alone a full band — kicked off its twice-weekly, always-free music series with veteran guitarist Brian Curran. Curran still performs regularly at the deli, as do other local blues and roots artists such as Miss Jubilee, Mat Wilson, Sins of the Pioneers, and touring artists including Felix Reyes and the Joe Moss Band. Owner Vinnie Valenza still books the acts (and works the counter) and still makes every show special, whether that means letting patrons set up lawn chairs on the sidewalk (the venue gets crowded and lines often stretch out the door) or giving up-and-coming talents like Nikki Hill their first place to call a blues home. And Valenza isn’t done yet: This fall he plans to open an adjacent pizza parlor with a patio that might bring even more music. Join in the fun Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays 1 to 3:30 p.m.

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Arts & Entertainment

ARTISTS FOR A CAUSE PRESENTS THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER

Best Music Festival Acid Kat Fest acidkatzine.tumblr.com Acid Kat Fest, which wrapped up its third year in early August, has quickly become St. Louis’ go-to destination for music that’s off the beaten path. Punk lives next to noise and experimental sounds, which take up residence adjacent to garage-rock offerings and even a smattering of hip-hop. The entire ecosystem is located underground, in the sludge and slime of the sewers, mutating and gestating and getting stranger every day before emerging to perform at the festival. And that’s just how founder Austin Nitsua likes it. “We’re all freaks and weirdos, and we all have the same ideas,” he told Riverfront Times in advance of Acid Kat III. “We’re all pretty much the same — we just like different forms of music.”

Best All-Ages Venue Off Broadway 3509 Lemp Avenue St. Louis, 63118 314-773-3363 www.offbroadwaystl.com

SOME OF ST. LOUIS’ MOST GIFTED UP-AND-COMING TALENTS...

FRIDAY

8PM9 OCT.

SHELDON CONCERT HALL

3648 Washington Blvd, St. Louis, MO

For Tickets: SheldonConcertHall.org or 314.533.9900 More Information: TerryBarber.com & a4ac.org PRODUCED BY

All-ages: It is a distinction that often goes unconsidered by those of us with driver’s licenses that tick off the years since we turned 21. But for music lovers too young to pony up to the bar, they can be the two most important words on a show’s flier. And what venue in town does “all-ages” better than Off Broadway? If you were to ask music fan Lucas Hanner, he would tell you there is none. Spotted at the space with his elevenyear-old son, Logan, at a recent performance by Chicago-based rock & rollers the Ike Reilly Assassination, Hanner heaped praise on the south-city spot. “This is the most child-friendly place in St. Louis,” he said. “Most shows here are not 21-and-older. It brings me an opportunity to bring him here, but with earphones.” Logan was one of several youngsters spending time with their parents at the show, proving that, if Off Broadway has anything to say about it, kids can rock just hard as as their elders.

Best Jazz Club Ferring Jazz Bistro 3536 Washington Avenue St. Louis, 63103 314-571-6000 www.jazzstl.org/jazz-at-the-bistro There’s no question that jazz is best experienced in person, and the newly renovated Jazz at the Bistro — now officially known as the Ferring Jazz Bistro — is still the best place in town to witness the distinctly American art form at its best. Celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year, the Bistro is better than ever, thanks to its recent multimillion-dollar update and expansion, as well as a calendar that’s increasingly inclusive of younger and more progressive-minded acts such as Christian Scott, the Robert Glasper Experiment and the Bad Plus. As if the great lineup and sweet new digs weren’t enough, the Ferring Jazz Bistro — because it’s operated by the nonprofit Jazz St. Louis — is also able to offer tickets to its world-class performances at prices significantly cheaper than its peers in other cities. Add to all that a great new menu from Catering St. Louis to enjoy before the show, and it’s not only the best jazz club in town, it’s one of the best in the nation.

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Best Rock Club Fubar 3108 Locust Street St. Louis, 63103 314-289-9050 www.fubarstl.com Fubar’s commitment to punk, hardcore and metal shows — genres that other local rock venues often hesitate to touch — sets it apart from the other establishments. Dan Vapid and the Cheats, Shai Hulud, Mutoid Man, Christian Mistress, the Turbo A.C.’s, D.R.I. and Nile are just some of the acts Fubar has booked in the last year, showcasing a range from pogo-punk to melodic hardcore to blistering thrash to NWOBHM-style metal. The venue’s two stages make it ideal for many applications: The smaller lounge side is a good home for lesser-known bands and DIY shows, while the stage on the venue side is perfect for artists with a bit more drawing power. The club has more to offer, too: Recently, it even began selling accessories for fans of the sweet leaf, proving that “Fubar” is not just a clever name. Rock on.

Best Recording Studio Bird Cloud Recording 144A North Main Street Edwardsville, Illinois 314-518-5345 birdcloudrecording.tumblr.com Located 30 minutes east of St. Louis in Edwardsville, Bird Cloud Recording can be a bit of a trek for visitors. But with 2,000 square feet of studio space and an impressive collection of top-of-the-line equipment, it is well worth the trip. For competitive rates, clients receive access to a 1,500-square-foot tracking area, two isolation booths, a control room filled with couches and natural light, and all of the instruments, mics, amps and effects they could possibly need. Of course, the studio’s greatest asset is its operator, Ryan Wasoba, who has been producing under the name Bird Cloud Recording since 2007. Wasoba (an occasional RFT contributor) will stop at nothing to make sure his clients leave with a product they can be proud of, and he’ll even play on a track if circumstances call for it. It’s no coincidence that eight of Wasoba’s clients were nominated for RFT Music Awards this year, including LifeWithout and Hands and Feet, who took home awards for Post Hardcore and Electronic (Eclectic), respectively.

Best Local Album Trauma Harness, Tried My Hardest On Tried My Hardest, the members of Trauma Harness push their trademark post-punk gloom to new heights. Each of the twelve tracks that make up the LP shoots into radically different tonal landscapes. While the album’s opener, “Flag Smasher,” overflows with booming, in-your-face guitar madness and manic vocals, tracks such as “Hawk Ledge / Carbonless” are filled with simple new-wave-style synth lines and clean, processed melodies. The record circles around themes of destruction and decay, but rather than mourning what has been lost, Josh Jenkins seems to be celebrating our collective demise. On “Spear Hell” he repeatedly sings, “The skies rain spears and arrows” over uplifting, anthemic guitar riffs. Perhaps the best summary of the record’s themes are in the spoken intro that kicks off the seventh track, “Accounting.” “You know, living a long life is a mixed blessing,” it goes. “You spend your youth trying to build something for yourself and your family and your community, to watch it all taken away from you at your old age. Still, I’m not ready to die just yet.” If we’re all going to die, we may as well go out screaming.

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Best Local Single Tef Poe, “War Cry” soundcloud.com/tef-poe/war-cry-produced-by-dj-smitty-jay-nixon-diss-record A number of people would angrily disagree with our naming Tef Poe’s “War Cry” as the best single of the last year. Let’s go down the list: St. Louis Metropolitan Police Chief Sam Dotson, Mayor Francis Slay, Missouri Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson, State Representative Jeff Roorda, former Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, President Barack Obama and, of course, Governor Jay Nixon. But why would these public officials be so against the track? Put simply, because this song so clearly and emphatically opposes them. Billed as a “Jay Nixon diss record” and released just two weeks before a grand jury declined to press charges against Wilson for the death of Ferguson teen Michael Brown, “War Cry” pulls no punches in laying into the officers and politicians whom Tef sees as responsible for the area’s discord. “The system full of snakes, the governor can’t fix it,” Tef raps on the track’s chorus. “With every breath of my body, it’s fuck Jay Nixon.” To date, the governor has yet to respond with a diss track of his own.

Best Theatrical Comedy Or, Slightly Askew Theater Ensemble www.slightlyoff.org Director Ellie Schwetye and a three-person cast presented Liz Duffy Adams’ Or, as a feminist comedy with one foot in the Restoration and the other in the contemporary world of hip-hop. That’s a big stretch for any show, but it paid huge dividends here. Rachel Tibbetts, John Wolbers and Nicole Angeli played multiple roles and presented a multitude of ideas about gender politics, the creative process, the power of lust and the beauty of art, all while flickering through bons mots and sly asides — and while all of them were wearing heels, no less. Tibbetts’ Aphra Behn was the closest thing to a straightman — what poet could be otherwise? — which generously allowed Wolbers and Angeli to pounce on the zingers. Whether it was Wolbers as King Charles II archly suggesting a name for the New World (“Exactly not where I want to live”) or Angeli as Nell Gwynne defining the political tenor of the era (“All men have to be cocksuckers in these slippery times”), Or, was riotously funny even as it made you think about how little the world has changed since the seventeenth century.

Best Performance by an Actress Kari Ely Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? St. Louis Actors’ Studio www.stlas.org Kari Ely brought everything she had to the role of Martha, the viperous wife in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Braying insults, cackling her way through another drink, slitting her eyes to a razor’s edge, slinging one-liners — she did it all, and all in service to the play. As a disappointed and bitter woman who has retreated into the glass, Martha can easily push an incautious actor into histrionics, but Ely hewed to the truth of the character. She was vicious and lascivious in the role, but there was also the faint impression of the pain that festered inside her. Her Martha was not a one-dimensional she-demon, but rather a fully developed person, one who slashed her way through other people’s psyches, yes, but one for whom you ultimately felt a deep sadness. It was a stunning performance that grew richer over the course of the show. By the end of the night, the monster was a person — a sad, lonely, disappointed person whom you pitied more than feared.

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MAINSTAGE

Sept. 9 – Oct. 4

Dec. 2 – 27

P R O P H OTO S T L

Oct. 14 – Nov. 8

SAINT LOUIS ORCHESTRA

Jan. 6 – 31

2015-2016 CONCERT SERIES

ROBERT HART BAKER Conductor

Opening Night with Patti Wolf Friday, October 16, 2015, 8:00 p.m.

Feb. 10 – Mar. 6

PURSER AUDITOR IUM (Campus of Logan University) With the Van Cliburn and Kosciuzko Chopin Competitions among her credits, Patti Wolf will be the soloist in Grieg’s romantic Piano Concerto, followed by Shostakovich’s powerful Fifth Symphony. Academic Festival Overture, op. 80 Brahms Piano Concerto in A minor, op. 16 Grieg Patti Wolf, piano Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47 Shostakovich

Mar. 16 – Apr. 10

STUDIO

The French Connection Friday, November 20, 2015, 8:00 p.m. PURSER AUDITOR IUM (Campus of Logan University) The melodies flow in this program of music that was all the rage in Paris at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries—a symphonic tour de force! Orchestral excerpts from “Carmen” Bizet Rapsodie espagnole Ravel Symphony No. 1 in G minor Kalinnikov

Oct. 28 – Nov. 15

First Impressions Friday, March 4, 2016, 8:00 p.m.

Jerry Vogel as the ancient seaman in an inspired production.

Best Performance by an Actor* Jerry Vogel Rime of the Ancient Mariner Upstream Theater www.upstreamtheater.org Is playing a no-name sailor really the sort of role that drives audiences wild with delight? When it’s the titular mariner in Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner and the actor in question is Jerry Vogel, the answer is an unqualified yes. Vogel recited the whole of the poem during the production, but he also lived it. More than that, he brought the audience with him. His eyes wild, his face shining with ecstasy, Vogel’s mariner carried us from a wedding on dry land to the wastes of the briny deep and safely back to shore. But the greater journey was metaphysical. Somewhere out there on that terrifying sea, we faced something dreadful that exists in all of us. Vogel was our psychopomp, guiding us out of the madness and darkness and back into the light of the living world. It was a stunning, mesmerizing show that displayed both Vogel’s great gifts as a performer and his generosity of spirit in sharing them with us.

J. SCHEIDEGGER AUDITORIUM CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Mar. 9 – 27

After years of perfecting their craft, these great composers created true masterpieces on their first attempt in each genre. Featuring the combined choirs from Lindenwood University and St. Louis Community College Meramec (Pamela Grooms and Gerald Myers, directors) Symphony No.1 in C minor, op. 68 Brahms Cuban Overture Gershwin Solemn Vespers, K.339 (Vesperae solennes de confessor) Mozart

IMAGINARY THEATRE COMPANY

Theatrical Tales Friday, April 29, 2016, 8:00 p.m.

Jan. 20 – Feb. 7

Dec. 19 – 23

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SKIP VIR AGH CENTER

(Campus of Chaminade High School) The orchestra is the star of the show when it takes the stage for stories of drama and comedy. King Lear Overture, op. 4 Berlioz Our Town Copland Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, op. 28 Strauss Symphony No. 6 in D major, op. 60 Dvorak

FOR TICKETS OR INFORMATION

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Best Drama* Rime of the Ancient Mariner Upstream Theater www.upstreamtheater.org This adaptation of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s epic poem was written and helmed by Patrick Siler, who masterfully combined the might and majesty of the text with music, art and theatricality to create something new and compelling. Popular local band Sleepy Kitty (Evan Sult and Paige Brubeck) wrote and performed the music, which was entirely in service to the poetry. The result was a fascinating and passionate retelling of Taylor’s work, with all the madness, despair and wonder of the original still intact. It was an all-consuming experience inside the Kranzberg Art Center’s black-box theater, and audiences were cheek-to-jowl in their eagerness to be part of it. And yet rather than being claustrophobic in nature, Rime seemingly stretched from horizon to horizon. That sea was wide, and it encompassed us all.

OCTOBER 3, 2015

SOMO.org/Edge

“The best musical since The Lion King.” TIME

Fabulous Fox Theatre October 21 - November 1 314-534-1111 • MetroTix.com

DAVID ROBERTSON

MUSIC DIRECTOR

W H I TA K E R F O U N D AT I O N

NOV 20

JAN 22

APR 29

RESERVE YOUR SEATS TODAY! Packages start at $90

A new casual 3-concert series featuring familiar favorites. SUPPORTED BY UNIVERSITY COLLEGE AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

314-534-1700 stlsymphony.org/myk

MEDIA SUPPORT PROVIDED BY RIVERFRONT TIMES AND KLOU

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JILL RITTER LINDBERG

Arts & Entertainment

Macheath’s gang celebrates his marriage in The Threepenny Opera.

Best Musical* The Threepenny Opera New Line Theatre www.newlinetheatre.com Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s The Threepenny Opera has everything you could want from a musical: a jazzy score, a diverse cast of shady characters and a ruthless compunction for wallowing in vice, sin and corruption. New Line Theatre mounted a savage production of the show that rubbed our faces in society’s filth and failings, and made us enjoy it despite the horrors on display. Threepenny is a sharp, cynical work that subverts your expectations at every turn, and the New Line cast embraced this ethos thoroughly. Scenic designer Rob Lippert built a grimy nocturne for them to play in, and the cast gleefully cheated and backstabbed their way through it. Familiar tunes such as “Army Song” and “Jealousy Duet” sounded fresh and intoxicating — so fresh that Brecht’s mordant lyrics were shocking all over again. Consistently surprising, eminently rewarding and endlessly fascinating, New Line’s Threepenny Opera was the show that set a new standard for St. Louis musical theater.

Best Radio Station Get KSHE 95’s Sammy Hagar’s Top Rock Countdown On January 30 the unthinkable happened to St. Louis radio: The long-time classic-rock station KIHT (96.3 FM) switched formats. Instead of the brothers Doobie and their ilk, that spot on the dial now cranks out “All the Hits,” which to us sounds an awful lot like Meghan Trainor’s “Lips Are Movin’” on a near constant loop. And we were blue. But then in April, fiery-haired savior — and all-time St. Louis favorite — Sammy Hagar swooped in and gave us a kick-ass happy-hour soundtrack for Sunday evenings with his Top Rock Countdown. From 4 to 6 p.m. each week, Hagar picks a theme, such as “Sammy’s Favorite Songs with One-Word Titles.” This recent playlist included the Stones’ “Shattered.” Soundgarden’s “Spoonman.” David Bowie’s “Fame.” (And of course his own “Dreams” and “Red.”) All twenty or so songs are reliably choice and interspersed with anecdotes and pearls of wisdom from the Red Rocker. Just try to listen for an hour without cracking a beer; it’s damn near impossible. And Hagar wouldn’t want it any other way.

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DAVID ROBERTSON

MUSIC DIRECTOR

NOT-TO-BE-MISSED PERFORMANCES OCTOBER 9-11

OCTOBER 16-18

BEETHOVEN 9

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

Fri & Sat at 8:00pm, Sun at 3:00pm PRESENTED BY THE

THOMAS A. KOOYUMJIAN FAMILY FOUNDATION

Fri at 10:30am*, Sat at 8:00pm, Sun at 3:00pm

*COFFEE AND DONUTS PROVIDED BY

2015/16 PRESENTING SPONSOR

314-534-1700 stlsymphony.org

Alan Ox: “Songs of Great American Crooners” Coffee Concert

October 7 at 10 a.m. Peter Martin CD Release Party

with special guests Erin Bode & Brian Owens

October 10 at 8 p.m.

Part of the American Arts Experience-St. Louis

Jake Shimabukuro

with special guest Jim Boggia

October 16 at 8 p.m.

Part of the American Arts Experience-St. Louis Jim Boggia’s appearance made possible by Michael Manchisi Welcomed by KDHX

Call MetroTix at 314.534.1111. or visit THESHELDON.ORG. Visit the Sheldon Art Galleries one hour before each concert!

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savaged our complacency in the face of ongoing, widespread corruption in our government institutions. What’s most impressive is Miller’s habit of pulling back the curtain on his process at his blog, newlinetheatre.blogspot.com, where you can see him think through the show from the first rehearsal through tech nights, on to opening night and right through the final performance. Miller always has his mind on what each show is about and what it says, and how he can bring that message to the people. He lives and breathes musical theater, and every New Line production demonstrates the value in his dedication.

Best Film Series Strange Brew

STEVE TRUESDELL

Schlafly Bottleworks 7260 Southwest Boulevard Maplewood, 63143 314-968-7487 www.webster.edu/film-series

Scott Miller, a modern maestro.

Best Musical Director

Best Theatrical Director*

Jeffrey Richard Carter New Line Theatre jeffreycarter.wordpress.com

Scott Miller New Line Theatre www.newlinetheatre.com Some directors strive to entertain, some seek to tell a coherent story. Very few directors believe it is their calling to channel the playwright’s work as a shaman would summon spirits from the other world. Scott Miller falls into this last camp. Mining the fertile fields of the musical, Miller goes into the dark to bring back insights about character, mise en scène and authorial intention — and then presents them to audiences in a different darkened space. His productions are indeed entertaining and coherent, but they also tell us something about who we are as a culture right now. Miller’s staging of Jerry Springer: The Opera confronted us with our love for spectacle and the grotesque, while skewering our long-held belief that we as a nation always hold the moral high ground. His production of The Threepenny Opera

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If the Webster Film Series represents the cinephile’s ego, what with its fondness for great directors, culturally significant pictures and foreign films, the Strange Brew series is that same film buff ’s raging id. Strange Brew, which is technically an offshoot of the WFS, dives deep into Hollywood’s backwaters to find the cult classics and near-misses of the past. How do you explain the subtle mysteries of distinguished actor Frank Langella playing Skeletor in a live-action He-Man movie to the uninitiated? What madness led to Leonard Nimoy taking on the role of psychic, racecar-driving detective Tom Kovack in Baffled!? Why the hell did George Lucas crap all over Howard the Duck in his big-budget flop Howard the Duck? Strange Brew allows you to examine the evidence firsthand with cheap ($5) screenings on the first Wednesday of the month at Schlafly Bottleworks. There is beer, there is food and there are even occasional gems in the pop-culture detritus of our forefathers. Walter Hill’s Depression-era, bare-knuckle-boxing flick Hard Times, starring manly man Charles Bronson, was a notable exception this year, as was Martin Villeneuve’s odd sci-fi romance Mars et Avril. And that’s what makes Strange Brew so much fun. When the films are bad they’re good, and when they’re good they’re great.

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Jeffrey Richard Carter could have earned this award solely for his nimble work in Jerry Springer: The Opera at New Line Theatre. Richard Thomas’ score incorporates a variety of musical styles, from big Broadway show tunes to molto allegro classical music. Carter sweated and rocked his way through that show, but the music never sounded strained or hurried; it was beautiful and at times sublime. Carter also deserved to be recognized for his stewardship of Kurt Weill’s prewar jazz songs in New Line’s The Threepenny Opera. “Mack the Knife” is a tune that everyone knows even if they don’t care for musicals (the fools!), but Carter and his small ensemble made its rickety rhythms sound brand-new. The director set a decidedly jaunty tempo, which offset Brecht’s cynical lyrics and underlined the topsy-turvy themes of the show. The fact that he’s behind two such singular performances this year would lead one to argue for two individual awards. Judges? No? Well, all right. One dual-purpose award will have to do the trick.

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Alex Cunningham, artist.

Best Concert Poster Designer* Alex Cunningham alexcunninghamstl.tumblr.com Alex Cunningham creates collage flyers, touting the coolest experimental and noise shows in town, using vintage, thrift-store-found images of people who look as though they’ve wandered off the set of Pleasantville. He then juxtaposes them with disturbing arrangements of text, shredded comic books and torn-up pictures of ’60s Americana. Despite the chaos, the information is always clear and well presented, and while his choices hint at larger social messages, their ambiguity leaves that open to interpretation. Cunningham’s artwork is not limited to poster design; his piece Keepings can be spotted at bus stops around town as part of Metro’s MetroScapes art exhibit. His work is instantly recognizable, strange and slightly jarring — much like the music he promotes.

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Best Band Name Black Fast blackfast.bandcamp.com Rarely does a band’s name so neatly reflect its sound as in the case of St. Louis metal monsters Black Fast. Playing technical, light-speed metal with a bleak outlook and a dark bent, the band does service to a literal translation of both halves of its moniker. But the fun doesn’t stop there. In the Catholic and Pentecostal traditions, a “black fast” is an extreme form of fasting, sometimes involving complete abstinence from food or drink of any kind. Starving oneself in the name of religion? Yeah, that is metal as fuck. Bonus: Black Fast and legendary Norwegian rockers Turbonegro, when you think about it, essentially have the exact same names. What’s not to like?

Best Band To Die in the Past 12 Months Shaved Women This past April, Shaved Women hit the road for one last tour. For two weeks, the hardcore band wound its way through the country, making stops through the South and the East Coast as it geared up for its grand finale. On April 25, it all came to an end with a gut-wrenching set at Melt. Shaved Women will be missed by fans around the nation, but here in St. Louis, the band’s absence leaves a particularly deep void. The city feels a little bit quieter without Ben Salyers’ screams echoing through our basements. Thankfully, Shaved Women left behind five years’ worth of recordings, including its latest LP, Just Death, which was released last August.

Best Live-Music Venue to Die Plush St. Louis Plush St. Louis, we hardly knew ye. And though our time spent together was brief — from December 2011 to December 2014 — those three scant years have ruined us for less ambitious music establishments. Upon introduction to these inferior venues we’re only left wondering, “Where are the other two floors of this place? Where are the Ping-Pong tables? And the limbless mannequins? Where is the heart?” To have one of your mac & cheese burgers again — oh, just a taste — would be sublime. Remember that Weezer concert in October? Remember how packed your halls were? Would that we could experience just one minute of that show together again — the joy! But alas, ’tis not to be. Good night, sweet Plush. And may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

Best Bar Trend Live Music, Early Why do so many shows start at 10 p.m. — or, even worse, say they’re starting at 10 p.m. when the band doesn’t actually go on until closer to midnight? Maybe we sound ready for our AARP card, but it’s not like our love of music ceases when we take an office job, and staying up until the wee hours of the morning can get old fast when you have to clock in at 8 a.m. Fortunately, a new group of south-city bars hopes to cater to music lovers who can’t necessarily party all night. The proprietors of Howards in Soulard, the Blue Pearl on Cherokee, and Lilly’s Music & Social House all make a point of starting the tunes while the night is still young — and even, sometimes, during the day. Explains Julie Sommer, owner of the Blue Pearl, “Basically, I still love to hear live music, but I am older and work a lot, so I don’t want to go out to see a band that doesn’t even start until 11 p.m. or midnight.... I think a lot of ‘non-traditional’ folks in the Cherokee neighborhood and St. Louis generally might welcome the idea of early live music.” Believe us, Julie, we do! ■

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Join RFT for speciality vodka-based cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and dancing at our first annual Vodka 2 - a vodka sampling event.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 | 7-11 PM | ATOMIC COWBOY ADMISSION - $25 | LIMITED AVAILABILITY | GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

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NIGHT + DAY ®

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 30—OCTOBER 6

F R I D AY |10.02

[ART EXHIBIT]

PIBAL, CHILTON AND KUHARIC

Back from summer break at last, the Philip Slein Gallery presents a new show highlighting three painters: Ann Pibal, Todd Chilton and Katharine Kuharic. Pibal and Chilton both work in the geometric abstraction style, but each hews an individual path. Pibal favors precise lines and blocks atop deep colorfields, while Chilton draws patterns on his canvas, upon which he layers thick gouts of paint. Kuharic is realist, and she presents new work that revel in the solace offered by nature. The show opens with a free reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, October 2, at Philip Slein Gallery (4735 McPherson Avenue; 314361-2617 or www.philipsleingallery.com). Ann Pibal, Todd Chilton and Katharine Kuharic remains up through Saturday, October 31, and the gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. — PAUL FRISWOLD [DANCE]

WUNDERLAND

When Alice first slipped down the rabbit hole 150 years ago, she wasn’t sure what would happen minute to minute, let alone how things would turn out years into the future. Yet, here we are, still transfixed by her adventures with the white rabbit, the Cheshire cat, the Queen of Hearts and all the rest. As if there weren’t enough twists and turns and surprises in Alice’s tale, the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) presents a fresh new take, thanks to Anthony “Redd” Williams, the artistic director of the COCA Hip-Hop Crew. wUNDERland promises a modern adventure with hip-hop dance, cool music, spectacular costumes and plenty of energy — better not be late. The show takes the COCA stage (524 Trinity Avenue, University City; 314-725-6555 or www.cocastl.org) at 7 p.m. Friday, 5 p.m. Saturday, and 1 and 4 p.m. Sunday (October 2 through 11); tickets cost $16 to $20. — ALISON SIELOFF [ART EXHIBIT]

What do you get when you combine high-concept art with needlepoint pieces found in the aisles of thrift stores? If you’re New York-based, St. Louis-born artist Larry Krone, you get the marvelous creations on display in Larry Krone: The Best, Best Everything. Eschewing the idea that artists occupy some vaunted space above the rest of us, Krone brilliantly splices his own work with that of lesser-known artisans. The results have made him a darling of the New York scene and the object of national acclaim; Krone’s Look Book, featuring the photography of designer Todd Oldham, comes out at the beginning of December. The Best, Best Everything opens with a free reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, October 2, at the Sheldon art galleries (3648 Washington Boulevard; 314-533-9900 or www.thesheldon.org). The show remains up through Saturday, January 9, 2016, and the gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free. — BROOKE FOSTER continued on page 128

K AT H A R I N E K U H A R I C

LARRY KRONE: THE BEST, BEST EVERYTHING

Blue-bird, one of Katharine Kuharic’s pieces at Philip Slein Gallery. riverfronttimes.com H BXEX–X , 02 1050 X R IRVI EVRE FRRF OR NO TN TT ITMI M 1 riverfronttimes.com S E P T E M B E R 3 0M- O N C TO R 6 ,X 2 E SE S 127

continued from page 127

S AT U R D AY |10.03

[HISTORY]

COFFEE: ST. LOUIS IN YOUR CUP

We’ve known a few people who don’t like coffee; they prefer soda, inexplicably, or they just don’t like/need any sort of caffeinated drink, period. All a mystery to us — we can’t imagine a viable existence minus the invigorating buzz of a cuppa joe. Coffee is king. If you feel the same way, get to the Missouri History Museum (Lindell Boulevard and DeBaliviere Avenue; 314-746-4599 or www.mohistory.org) for a joint new exhibit, Coffee: the World in Your Cup and St. Louis in Your Cup. Coffee: the World in Your Cup was conceived by the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle; it’s a traveling exhibition that delves into coffee’s decisive international impact on trade, environment, culinary patterns and culture. The St. Louis portion of the exhibit assumes the majority of the show space and illuminates our city’s prominent (but little-known) role as both a coffee-loving mecca and a key producer of the bracing beverage. Both exhibits remain on display daily through Sunday, January 3, 2016. Admission is free. — ALEX WEIR [DANCE]

Dance St. Louis celebrates its 50th anniversary with two performances from the prestigious Paul Taylor Dance Company, a sixteen-member group founded in 1954 by one of the icons of American dance. The program includes three works choreographed by Taylor: The mythologically inspired Mercuric Tidings; an exploration of recollection, Three Dubious Memories; and the tango-flavored Piazzolla Caldera. The inspirations for Taylor’s creative works are drawn from America’s cultural history, and through them he addresses our complex relationship with war, spirituality and sexuality — often in unexpected, comical ways. The Paul Taylor Dance Company performs at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday (October 2 and 3) at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus (1 University Drive at Natural Bridge Road; 314-516-4949 or www. touhill.org). Admission is $30 to $50. — ROB LEVY

S U N D AY |10.04

[LITERARY EVENT]

LIT IN THE LOU

Calling all bibliophiles: Lit in the Lou returns for another large-scale celebration of reading (in general) and literary life in St. Louis (in particular). Partake in author-led panel discussions about books that address income inequality and race issues, among other important topics. Throughout the day, hear live music, enjoy tasty food, and join with other literary-minded St. Louisans who seek to understand the human condition through the written word. Confirmed attending authors include DuEwa Frazier, Jane Ellen Ibur and Aaron Williams. Lit in the Lou takes place at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday (October 3 and 4) at the Julia Goldstein Early Childhood Education Center (737 Kingsland Avenue, University City; 314-363-4546 or stllit.blogspot. com). Admission is free. — BROOKE FOSTER 128

RIVERFRONT TIMES

SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

P R O P H OTO S T L

PAUL TAYLOR DANCE COMPANY

The cast of wUNDERland at COCA. [ART]

OPEN STUDIOS STL

To visit an artist’s studio is to see into the soul of his or her work. The studio is a highly personal space, where concepts are explored, divulged, rejected, laid bare and fulfilled; it tells you a lot about an artist and the creative process, giving invaluable perspective and a fair amount of insight into his or her artistic point of view. To get a whole heap-load of insight, take part in Open Studios STL, a unique opportunity organized by the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (3750 Washington Boulevard; 314-535-4660 or www. camstl.org). During this weekend-long event, you can explore the vast amount of work being created in our fair city, and have a free look-see at the creative compounds of more than 200 local artists — east of Grand Boulevard on Saturday and west of Grand Boulevard on Sunday (October 3 and 4). Tours may be self-guided from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, but there are options for guided group tours as well. — ALISON SIELOFF

riverfronttimes.com

T U E S D AY |10.06

[ C U LT C L A S S I C ]

RIFFTRAX LIVE: MIAMI CONNECTION

1987’s ninja-sploitation stinker Miami Connection made enough of an impression during its three-week, blink-and-you’d-miss-it run across Florida cinemas to be dubbed the worst film of the year by the Orlando Sentinel. Slant Magazine later lamented that the film was so unintentionally hilarious it should have been lambasted on Mystery Science Theater 3000. Now, more than a quarter of a century after its release, the RiffTrax team right that wrong by adding comic commentary to Miami Connection. The plot is as simple as it is improbable: Dragon Sound, a hard-rocking synth band bonded by friendship and a love of the martial arts, take on a dangerous ring of cocaine trafficking motorcycle ninjas. RiffTrax: Miami Connection screens at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the AMC Chesterfield 14 (3000 Chesterfield Mall, Chesterfield; www.fathomevents.com). Tickets are $12.50. — MARK FISCHER

riverfronttimes.com

SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

RIVERFRONT TIMES

129

FROM THE DIRECTOR OF

HERO

AND

concerts

RAISE THE RED LANTERN

HHHH (HIGHEST RATING)

“A MASTERPIECE. A CAUSE FOR REJOICING.” -Rex Reed, NEW YORK OBSERVER

GONG LI

Coming Home A F I L M BY Z H A N G Y I M O U

WWW.SONYCLASSICS.COM

STARTS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2

ST. LOUIS LANDMARK PLAZA FRONTENAC CINEMA 210 Plaza Frontenac (314) 994-3733

VIEW THE TRAILER AT WWW.COMINGHOMEMOVIE.COM

4.7767" X 2" WED 9/30 ST T LOUIS RIVERFRONT TIMES DUE MON 12PM

Artist: (circle one:) Emmett Heather Ronnie

Steve

AE: (circle one:) Carrie Jane Maria

ART APPROVED Josh AE APPROVED Tim CLIENT APPROVED

Confirmation #:

Twangfest presents n -nOOr m a 0 ay 1 obe

d t aturarly oc ion s y vil ever y–e

pa k ma mid- t pOOl ve par wes er gro

tow

9/19 Old Salt Union 9/26 MiSS TeSS & the Talkbacks 10/3 Amy LaVere and WiLL Sexton

130

RIVERFRONT TIMES

SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

THIS JUST IN Acid Kat Halloween Show: Sat., Oct. 31, 7 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-7722100, foamvenue.com. Alex & the XO’s: W/ Cara Louise Band, Sun., Oct. 11, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. Alex G: W/ the George Twins, Fri., Oct. 9, 8 p.m., $10-$12. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-773-3363, offbroadwaystl.com. Amy LaVere: Tue., Nov. 10, 8 p.m., $10-$12. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-773-3363, offbroadwaystl. com. Arms Aloft: W/ Guerilla Poubelle, Sat., Oct. 24, 8 p.m., $10. The Demo, 4191 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-5532, thedemostl.com. Army of Infants: W/ Holy Doldrums, Kenshiro’s, Sole Loan, Sun., Oct. 4, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. Arson for Candy: W/ Fat Tramp Food Stamp, Tortuga, Fri., Oct. 16, 9 p.m., free. Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-241-2337, schlafly.com. Baroness: Tue., Dec. 1, 8 p.m., $20-$25. The Demo, 4191 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-5532, thedemostl.com. Billy & the Jets: W/ the Potomac Accord, Bagheera, Fri., Oct. 23, 9 p.m., free. Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-241-2337, schlafly.com. The Bottle Rockets: Sat., Nov. 28, 8 p.m., $20. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-773-3363, offbroadwaystl.com. Bruxism #12: Sat., Nov. 28, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue. com. Caroline Glaser: Thu., Dec. 3, 8 p.m., $10-$15. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-773-3363, offbroadwaystl.com. CATL Danceparty: W/ the Maness Brothers, Brother Lee & the Leather Jackals, Zak Marmalfelsky, Sat., Oct. 10, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. The Charflies: W/ Nick Barbieri, the Deciders, Sat., Oct. 10, 9 p.m., free. Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-241-2337, schlafly.com. Crab Legs: W/ Koff, Antithought, C is for Cadaver, Mon., Oct. 19, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. The Cult of Lip: W/ Brilliant Beast, the Brainstems, Bridled Spells, Mon., Oct. 12, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue. com. Death Cab for Cutie: W/ Wolf Alice, Wed., Dec. 2, 8 p.m., $40-$45. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314726-6161, thepageant.com. Dollys: W/ Moon Glampers, Heel Turn, Tue., Oct. 6, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314772-2100, foamvenue.com. Eli Young Band: W/ Locash, Sat., Dec. 5, 8 p.m., $22.50$25. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-7266161, thepageant.com. Family Medicine: Thu., Oct. 29, 10 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. Free Pizza: Fri., Nov. 13, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue. com. Freezer Bum: W/ Barbecue Boys, Dracla, Gigantic, Thu., Oct. 29, 9 p.m., free. Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-241-2337, schlafly.com. The Fuck Off and Dies: W/ the Haddonfields, Ashes and Iron, Sidelined, Thu., Oct. 22, 8 p.m., $4. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353, firebirdstl.com. Fumer: W/ Twingiant, Damned Holy Rollers, Van Buren, Fri., Oct. 23, 9 p.m., $8. The Demo, 4191 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-5532, thedemostl.com. Go!Zilla: W/ Stone Hen, Thu., Oct. 22, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. Greek Fire: W/ the Struts, Highly Suspect, Mon., Dec. 7, 8 p.m., $20-$25. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161, thepageant.com. Green Harper: W/ Stank Thunder, Bear Cub, Sat., Oct. 31, 9 p.m., free. Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-241-2337, schlafly.com. Hallow-WEEN 2015: A Tribute to Ween: Sat., Oct. 31, 8 p.m., $10. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314773-3363, offbroadwaystl.com. Hardcore Halloween 2015: W/ Cross Me, Stone, Cross

riverfronttimes.com

Examination, Out of Time, Freak Out, Fri., Oct. 30, 7 p.m., $10. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. Hello Ocho: W/ Teddy Bomber, Wed., Oct. 14, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314772-2100, foamvenue.com. Hylidae Tape Release Show: W/ Rip Rap, Sat., Oct. 24, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. JC Brooks: Sat., Nov. 14, 9 p.m., $15-$28. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., 314-773-3363, offbroadwaystl.com. Jim Lauderdale: Sun., Dec. 6, 8 p.m., $20-$25. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-773-3363, offbroadwaystl.com. MAMA: Sun., Oct. 25, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. Midnight ReRuns: W/ Holy Doldrums, Bastard & the Crows, Sleepy & the Bedtimes, Fri., Oct. 23, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. Mr. Nasti: W / Mike Coykendall, Bobby Stevens, Carondelet Guy, Trent Dickerson, Thu., Oct. 8, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats: Sun., Dec. 6, 8 p.m., $18-$20. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929, thereadyroom.com. The Neighbourhood: Thu., Dec. 10, 8 p.m., $30-$35. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161, thepageant.com. Of Monsters and Men: Thu., Dec. 17, 8 p.m., TBA. Peabody Opera House, 1400 Market St, St. Louis, 314-241-1888, peabodyoperahouse.com. Pagiins: W/ Slimey Member, Sat., Oct. 17, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-7722100, foamvenue.com. Patrick Cain: W/ Dave Stone, Mon., Oct. 26, 10 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314772-2100, foamvenue.com. Peelander-Z: W/ Ultraviolents, Thu., Oct. 29, 8 p.m., $12. The Demo, 4191 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-5532, thedemostl.com. Phantom Head: W/ Lumpy & the Dumpers, Veil, Tue., Nov. 24, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. Prude Boys: W/ Babe Lords, Sun., Oct. 18, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-7722100, foamvenue.com. Psychic Heat: W/ Christopher the Conquered, Irene Allen, Wed., Oct. 7, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. Punch Brothers: W/ Gabriel Kahane, Fri., Dec. 4, 8 p.m., $25-$30. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314726-6161, thepageant.com. Sean Danielsen: Thu., Nov. 19, 8 p.m., $10-$12. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353, firebirdstl. com. Shitstorm: W/ Mouth Reader, Outside World, Maximum Effort, Sun., Nov. 8, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. Stevie Stone: W/ Yak Boy Fresh, Bing, Rapmosphere, Superhero Villains, GGM, Uno Joven, Wed., Nov. 25, 7 p.m., $12-$15. Pop's Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720, popsrocks.com. Sydney Street Shakers: Wed., Oct. 21, 8 p.m., $5. Wed., Nov. 18, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. Thelma & the Sleaze: W/ Miss Molly Simms Band, Sugar Rags, Mon., Oct. 5, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. Thunder/Dreamer: W/ Ish, Hands & Feet, Angelhead, Sat., Nov. 14, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. The Tory Starbuck Project: W/ Kevin Harris, Dan of Earth, Fri., Oct. 23, 9 p.m., free. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. Town Cars: W/ the Fervor, Ellen the Felon, Thu., Nov. 5, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. The Van Allen Belt: W/ Kid Scientist, Little Falcon, Hands & Feet, Tue., Oct. 13, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. Vanilla Beans: W/ Ish, Kenshiro's, Fri., Oct. 30, 9 p.m., free. Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-2412337, schlafly.com. Video: W/ Black Panties, Cal & the Calories, Thu., Nov. 12, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100, foamvenue.com. Voivod: W/ Vektor, Eight Bells, Sun., Feb. 28, 8 p.m., $22$25. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353, firebirdstl.com. We Are a Happy Family: W/ the Apemen, Fri., Oct. 16, 9 p.m., free. Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-241-2337, schlafly.com. Weezer: W/ Wavves, Tue., Dec. 8, 8 p.m., $29.50. Peabody Opera House, 1400 Market St, St. Louis, 314-241-1888, peabodyoperahouse.com. Woolen Men: W/ Lame Drivers, Thu., Oct. 15, 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314772-2100, foamvenue.com. X Ambassadors: W/ Saint Motel, Tue., Dec. 1, 8 p.m., $20$25. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-7266161, thepageant.com.

“DAZZLING”

out every night

A.O. Scott, THE NEW YORK TIMES

“IT DOES WHAT ‘GRAVITY’ DID FOR OUTER SPACE.” John Powers, VOGUE

“Out Every Night” is a free listing open to all bars and bands in the St. Louis and Metro East areas. However, we reserve the right to refuse any entry. Listings are to be submitted by mail, fax or e-mail. Deadline is 5 p.m. Monday, ten days before Thursday publication. Please include bar’s name, address with ZIP code, phone number and geographic location; nights and dates of entertainment; and act name. Mail: Riverfront Times, attn: “Clubs,” 6358 Delmar Blvd., Suite 200, St. Louis, MO 63130-4719; fax: 314-754-6416; e-mail: clubs@ riverfronttimes.com. Schedules are not accepted over the phone. Because of last-minute cancellations and changes, please call ahead to verify listings.

T H U R S DAY 1 0 / 1 The 442’s: 7:30 & 9:30 p.m., $15. Ferring Jazz Bistro, 3536 Washington Ave, St. Louis, 314-571-6000. Adair: w/ New Lives 8 p.m., $10. The Demo, 4191 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-5532. Chris Robinson Brotherhood: 8 p.m., $22-$25. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.: 8 p.m., $15. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. Fister: w/ Grand Inquisitor, Bastard, Bill Clinton 7 p.m., $8. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. Joe Metzka Band: 10 p.m., $5. BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. Kevin Harris / Alex Cunningham Duo: w/ Visuals by Chizmo.TV 8 p.m., free. Tavern of Fine Arts, 313 Belt Ave, St. Louis, 314-367-7549. Rick Springfield: 8 p.m., $45-$75. River City Casino & Hotel, 777 River City Casino Blvd., St. Louis, 314-388-7777. Turquoise Jeep: w/ Death and Taxes, Billy Brown 9 p.m., $12-$15. The Bootleg, 4140 Manchester Ave., St. Louis.

F R I DAY 1 0 / 2 Big George Brock Jr.: 10 p.m., $5. BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. Funk Volume 2015 Tour: w/ Hopsin, Dizzy Wright, Jarren Benton, DJ Hoppa 8 p.m., $27.50/$30. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. Horseshoes & Hand Grenades: 9 p.m., $10. The Bootleg, 4140 Manchester Ave., St. Louis. Joywave: w/ Alpine 8 p.m., $12-$15. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. Lincoln Durham: 8 p.m., $12-$14. The Demo, 4191 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-5532. Phil Dunlap Quintet CD Release: 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.; Oct. 3, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m., $20. Ferring Jazz Bistro, 3536 Washington Ave, St. Louis, 314-571-6000. Popular Mechanics Album Release Show: w/ Tok, Brother Lee and the Leather Jackals 9 p.m., free. Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314-241-2337. The Saville Band: w/ Chad Randall Band, J Martinez 9 p.m., $10. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. The Glorious Sons: 8 p.m., $12. Blueberry Hill, 6504 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314-727-4444.

Three Merry Widows: 8 p.m., $15. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-773-3363. Through the Scope CD Release: w/ Discrepanices, Noesis, Post Primal 6:30 p.m., $5-$7. Pop's Nightclub, 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 618-274-6720.

“BE WARNED… IT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND” François Grelet, PREMIERE

«««««”

“

S U N DAY 1 0 / 4

THE TELEGRAPH

Agents Of Dissent: w/ A Beginnings End, Torn at the Seams, Fall Beneath The Crowd, We Are Descendents, Macrobliss 6:30 p.m., $10. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-2899050. Ariana Grande: 7:30 p.m., TBA. Scottrade Center, 1401 Clark Ave., St. Louis, 314-241-1888. Army of Infants: w/ Holy Doldrums, Kenshiro’s, Sole Loan 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. Lil' G. Weevil Band: 10 p.m., $10. BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. Gemini Syndrome: w/ 9Electric 7 p.m., $13-$15. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. Good for the Soul: 6 p.m., $10. BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. Musical Tribute to Jazz Legend Willie Akins: 2 p.m., $10. BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. Seryn: 8 p.m., $12-$15. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. Shapist: w/ Outline In Color, Victory Heights, Darkness Divided, Lo And Behold, Formations, Me the Monster 5 p.m., $12-$15. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050.

M O N DAY 1 0 / 5 Algiers: 7:30 p.m., $10. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. Down By Law: w/ The Dead Pollys 8 p.m., $14. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. Royal Blood: w/ Bass Drum Of Death 8 p.m., $20. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929. Sick of Sarah: w/ the Ruthless, Moon Thief 7 p.m., $10. The Demo, 4191 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-5532. Soulard Blues Band: 9 p.m., $5. Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-8811. Tellavision: w/ Invisible Circle 9:30 p.m., $5. Los Punk, 2709 Cherokee St, St. Louis, 314-932-5411. Thelma & the Sleaze: w/ Miss Molly Simms Band, Sugar Rags 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. Tom Byrne & Erika Johnson: 8 p.m., $5. BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.

T U E S DAY 1 0 / 6 Dollys: w/ Moon Glampers, Heel Turn 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. Ghost: w/ Purson 8:30 p.m., $27.60-$32.60. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. The Icarus Line: w/ Church Key, Alternate Outcome 8 p.m., $10. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. Mikaela Davis: w/ Lauren Shera 7 p.m., $10-$12. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-773-3363. Red Fang: w/ Whores, Wild Throne 8 p.m., $16. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353.

S AT U R DAY 1 0 / 3

W E D N E S DAY 1 0 / 7

Boo Boo Davis & the Bumblebee Trio: 10 p.m., $5. BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-4365222. Bobbing for Dogs: A Tribute to Bob Dylan: w/ the Fog Lights, Cassie Morgan, Sarah Jane & the Blue Notes, Beth Bombara 8 p.m., $15. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-773-3363. Brian Curran: 7 p.m., $5. BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. Dillinger Four: w/ Night Birds, the Brokedowns 9 p.m., $15. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353. Jonny Craig: w/ Travis Garland 7 p.m., $15-$17. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. Mariner: w/ Stella, CaveofswordS 10 p.m., $8. The Demo, 4191 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-5532. Phil Dunlap Quintet CD Release: Oct. 2, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.; 7:30 & 9:30 p.m., $20. Ferring Jazz Bistro, 3536 Washington Ave, St. Louis, 314-571-6000. The Renfields: w/ Eaten Back to Life, Horror Section, The Kuhlies, Dead to Begin With 8 p.m., $10-$13. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050.

Big Rich & the Rhythm Renegades: 7 p.m., $5. BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. Bob "Bumble Bee" Kamoske: 8 p.m. Beale on Broadway, 701 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-7880. Bully: 7:30 p.m., $10-$12. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-773-3363. Burn Halo: w/ Heartist, Courage My Love, Against Himself 6 p.m., $15. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050. Father John Misty: 8 p.m., $25-$27.50. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161. Joey Cape: 8 p.m., $15. The Demo, 4191 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-5532. Psychic Heat: w/ Christopher the Conquered, Irene Allen 8 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100. Third Sight Band: 10 p.m., $10. BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222. Yellowjackets: 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.; Oct. 8, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.; Oct. 9, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.; Oct. 10, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m., $35. Ferring Jazz Bistro, 3536 Washington Ave, St. Louis, 314571-6000.

EXCLUSIVE

AND PREMIUM LARGE SCREEN ENGAGEMENTS NOW PLAYING

IN THEATERS EVERYWHERE OCTOBER 9

CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES

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UPCOMING EVENTS:

Saturday, 10.3.15 What: GroveFest When: 2-10PM Where: Manchester between Kingshighway and Vandeventer

Saturday, 10.3.15 What: Chalk the Loop Art Festival When: 8:30AM-4PM Where: Delmar Loop

St. Charles Oktoberfest 9.27.15

Saturday, 10.10.15 What: Strut Your Mutt When: 9AM-2PM Where: Carondelet Park

Saturday, 10.10.15 What: Pumpkins for a Purpose When: 11AM-11PM Where: 4204 Mainstreet Brewing Co. Belleville, IL St. Charles Oktoberfest 9.25.15

St. Charles Oktoberfest 9.25.15 For more photos go to the Street Team Boogaloo 10 Year Anniversary 9.26.15

website at www.riverfronttimes.com.

Q in the Lou 9.25.15

Q in the Lou 9.25.15 132

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Q in the Lou 9.26.15

SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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St. Charles Oktoberfest 9.25.15

DID YOU KNOW: 1.3M PEOPLE READ

savage love Asshole Moves Hey, Dan: I am a 23-year-old straight male who has a pattern of getting into long-distance relationships that become semi-long-term relationships before I get depressed by the monotony of it all and wind up breaking up with the person. I resolved that in the relationship I’m currently in — nine months and counting — I would keep it casual, which resulted in it turning into an open mono/poly relationship, meaning I’m poly and she’s monogamous. She is great, cute, and intelligent, and there is nothing destructive or disBY honest about our relationship. I just find myself not wanting DAN to talk to her every day, and the weekly Skype calls feel like S AVA G E a chore. We have a great time when we visit each other, but I only feel like catching up when I see her in person. Is this the price I have to pay to keep her happy? Not An Asshole

I’ve read that young people don’t make phone calls anymore — talking on the phone is for olds (full disclosure: We olds hardly speak to each other on the phone anymore, either) — so I’m surprised your young-and-mono GF wants to hear your young-and-poly voice on a daily basis. I think you should propose a young-and-fun compromise: texting instead of phoning during the week and a Skype/ masturbation session on the weekend. Hey, Dan: I’m a straight 28-year-old female in a relationship with my boyfriend for two years. We live together, and on the weekends we care for his kid. We are very much in love and have a supportive, happy relationship. I’ve always had a hard time being monogamous. In every relationship, I tend to get a wandering eye around the two-year mark. Recently I went by myself to see a friend’s band and ended up meeting a man I had an insane chemistry with. We spent the whole evening together and wound up making out before I literally ran away. The next day, stone cold sober, I called him, drove to his house and we fucked like crazy. It was animalistic and intense, and I felt like a fucking porn star. It was awesome. My boyfriend and I have sex that I truly enjoy, and I usually get off, but he struggles to be dominant, rough or talk dirty, which are things I really get off on. He says he’s too selfconscious to be dominant in bed. This stranger did all the things I wish my boyfriend would do. To test the waters, I casually mentioned an arrangement where we could sleep with other people, and he said he wasn’t into it. If I’m happy in my relationship, and the sex we have is consistently good, sometimes amazing,

is that enough? Am I giving up on an aspect of my sexuality if I stay with him, or am I just looking for excuses to fuck other people?

EACH MONTH?

Likes It All Rough

A loving and supportive partner, a happy relationship and good sex that occasionally tips into the amazing column — yeah, most people would tell you that’s not only enough, LIAR, it’s a better relationship than the one they’re currently in, recently left or ever hope to find. But the fact that most people would like to trade places with you isn’t relevant, LIAR, because what you have with your boyfriend isn’t enough for you. You want love, happiness, stability and the freedom to fuck other guys — and you would want that freedom even if your boyfriend was capable of dominating you in the sack just the way you like. Seeing as you know this about yourself — seeing as you know that monogamy isn’t for you (see: the wandering eye at 24 months, the fucking that other guy at his place) — making a monogamous commitment you know you can’t keep is an asshole move. So here’s what you’re gonna do: Tell your lovely, loving boyfriend that nonmonogamy is a non-negotiable. You are willing, of course, to negotiate with him about the form your open relationship might take, but you must make it clear to him that a closed relationship is a recipe for disaster — because sooner or later, you will cheat on him. If he fights on that point, LIAR, if he tells you that he’s sure you’re capable of being monogamous, then you can tell him that by “sooner or later” you meant “last week, with this dude I met in a bar.” Hey, Dan: I think your answer to BFF last week missed an essential piece of information. She refers to herself as engaging in “drunken” threesomes and hookups. I think she needs to examine her own behavior, not that of her roommate and FWB, and the fact that her relationships seem to be fueled by the effects of her alcohol consumption. I’m guessing her letter was fuzzy for a reason. It was probably written in a drunken haze. Nothing you say will get through to her unless you address her use of alcohol. Alcohol Not The Solution

Full disclosure: I was drinking when I wrote my response to BFF. So just as it’s possible that alcohol played a role in the drama BFF described, it’s possible I neglected to point that fact out because I was a little drunky myself. On the Lovecast, Dan chats with trans pioneer luminary Kate Bornstein: listen at savagelovecast.com. mail@savagelove.net @fakedansavage on Twitter riverfronttimes.com M-OONC TT H 0 X R IRVI V E FR RF O RN OT N TT ITM IM E S 133 1 riverfronttimes.com SEPTEMBER 30 O BXEX–X R 6X, ,2 2 0 01 5 ER ES

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100 Employment 105 Career/Training/Schools THE OCEAN CORP. 10840 Rockley Road, Houston, Texas 77099. Train for a new career. *Underwater Welder. Commercial Diver. *NDT/Weld Inspector. Job Placement Assistance. Financial Aid avail for those who qualify 1.800.321.0298

120 Drivers/Delivery/Courier ! Drivers Needed ASAP ! Requires Class E, B or A License. S Endorsement Helpful. Must be 25 yrs or older. Will Train. ABC/Checker Cab Co CALL NOW 314-725-9550

155 Medical Research Studies Washington University study seeks women 1449! Available services include birth control, GYN exams, & STI tests. 314-747-0800

190 Business Opportunities Avon Full Time/Part Time, $15 Fee. Call Carla: 314-665-4585 For Appointment or Details Independent Avon Rep.

193 Employment Information CDL- A DRIVERS and Owner Operators: $1,000.00 sign on, Company/ Safety Bonuses. Home daily/ weekly. Regional runs. Great Benefits. 1-888-300-9935 FREE TRAVEL: $200 Hiring Bonus, To Florida, California, Hawaii, Come travel with Advanage Wonder Cleaner. Must Be 18 All Can Apply. No experience, Earn $300-$1,000 Per Week. Return Transportation Guaranteed Call Mr. Davis (877) 252-8168/ (877) 720-3274 ww

120 Drivers/Delivery/Courier ! Drivers Needed ASAP ! Requires Class E, B or A License. S Endorsement Helpful. Must be 25 yrs or older. Will Train. ABC/Checker Cab Co CALL NOW 314-725-9550

155 Medical Research Studies Washington University study seeks women 1449! Available services include birth control, GYN exams, & STI tests. 314-747-0800

190 Business Opportunities Avon Full Time/Part Time, $15 Fee. Call Carla: 314-665-4585 For Appointment or Details Independent Avon Rep.

500 Services 525 Legal Services DWI/BANKRUPTCY HOTLINE: R.O.C. LAW , A Debt Relief Agency, Helping People File For Bankruptcy Relief Under the New Bankruptcy Code. 314-843-0220 The choice of a lawyer is an important decision & shouldn’t be based solely upon advertisements.

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Mark Helfers, 314-862-6666 Choice of a lawyer is an important decision & should not be based solely on advertising

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Call Angela Jansen 314-645-5900 Bankruptcyshopstl.com The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertising.

Personal Injury, Workers Comp, DWI, Traffic 314-621-0500

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The choice of a lawyer is an important decision & should not be based solely on advertising. DWI/BANKRUPTCY HOTLINE: R.O.C. LAW , A Debt Relief Agency, Helping People File For Bankruptcy Relief Under the New Bankruptcy Code. 314-843-0220 The choice of a lawyer is an important decision & shouldn’t be based solely upon advertisements.

530 Misc. Services WANTS TO purchase minerals and other oil & gas interests. Send details to P.O. Box 13557, Denver, Co 80201

400 Buy-Sell-Trade 420 Auto-Truck

BUYING JUNK CARS, TRUCKS & VANS 314-968-6555

800 Health & Wellness 805 Registered Massage

HHHHH Simply Marvelous

Call Cynthia today for your massage. M-F 7-5, Sat. 9-1. 314-265-9625 - Eureka Area #2001007078

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Flexible Appointments

ST. CHARLES COUNTY 314-579-1201 or 636-939-3808 1 & 2 BR apts for rent. www.eatonproperties.com. Sec. 8 welcome

385 Room for Rent MIDTOWN $125-$135/Wk 314-306-3716 Fully furn, all utils inc.+extras, near Metro. Singles. Leave message

ST.

JOHN $495-$595 314-423-3106 Special! 1BR.$495 & 2BR.$595. Near 170 & St.Charles Rock Rd

SOUTH-CITY $130/wk+$130-security 314-277-8117 Room for rent. Everything furnished. Internet Access.

TOWER-GROVE-EAST $525 314-223-8067 Move in Special! Spacious 1BRs, Oak Floors, Stove & Refrigerator, A/C, W/D Hook-Up, Nice area

315 Condos/Townhomes/Duplexes for Rent

TOWER-GROVE-PARK! $395 314-309-2043 Classy apartment, newly updated with kitchen appliances, frosty a/c, on-site laundry and utilities paid, pets ok! rs-stl.com RGX2U

SOUTH-CITY $695 314-223-8067 Spacious 2BR, 2BA townhouse, spiral staircase, ceiling fans, D/W, disposal, fridge & stove , full bsmnt, W/D hkups, off st prkg

WESTPORT/LINDBERGH/PAGE $525-$575 314-995-1912 1 mo FREE! 1BR ($525) & 2BR ($575 specials) Clean, safe, quiet. Patio, laundry, great landlord! Nice Area near I-64, 270, 170, 70 or Clayton

317 Apartments for Rent

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Monday Thru Sunday (Walk-ins welcome) 320 Brooke’s Drive, 63042 Call Cheryl. 314-895-1616 or 314-258-2860 LET#200101083 Now Hiring...Therapists

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JENNINGS $550 (314) 395-8800 6040 Goodfellow: Move in Special! $250 Moves You In!

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LAFAYETTE-SQUARE $685 314-968-5035 2030 Lafayette: 2BR/1BA, appls, C/A, Hdwd Fl

MARYLAND-HEIGHTS $1100 314-443-4478 1557 Redcoat: All elec. 3 bdrm, 2 bath house. Parkway Schools.

MAPLEWOOD $405 314-443-4478 Cambridge Apts-studio, all electric, appl, laundry room.

NORTH ST. LOUIS COUNTY 314-579-1201 or 636-939-3808 2, 3 & 4BR homes for rent. eatonproperties.com. Sec. 8 welcome

MAPLEWOOD! $475 314-309-2043 All Utilities Paid! Newly updated 1 bedroom, all kitchen appliances including dishwasher, cold a/c, plenty of storage, low deposit! rs-stl. com RGX2W

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Make Every Day Special with a Luxurious Asian Massage at Spa Chi Massage & Day Spa 109 Long Rd Chesterfield MO 636-633-2929 www.spa-chi.com

810 Health & Wellness General ARE YOU ADDICTED TO PAIN MEDICATIONS OR HEROIN? Suboxone can help. Covered by most insurance. Free & confidential assessments. Outpatient Services. Center Pointe Hospital 314-292-7323 or 800-345-5407 763 S. New Ballas Rd, Ste. 310

600 Music

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610 Musicians Services

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SOUTHWEST-CITY! $550 314-309-2043 Dale ave! Nice 2 br, central air, hardwood floors, basement storage, all appliances, pets welcome, w/d hookups, ready to rent! rs-stl. com RGX2Z

300 Rentals

P.O. Box 545 • Malden, MO 63863 • 1.888.276.3860 • www.smtds.com

320 Houses for Rent

SOUTH-CITY! $650 314-309-2043 Private House, central air, single carport, kitchen appliances, washer/dryer included, carpet & tile, pets allowed, available now! rs-stl.com RGX23 SOUTH-COUNTY! $675 314-309-2043 Save money in this 3 bed house, full basement, central air, fenced yard, appliances, single carport, washer/dryer included! rs-stl.com RGX25 ST-LOUIS-CITY! $1200 314-309-2043 Mini Mansion! Huge 6-7 bedroom house, full basement, central air, toasty fireplace, great hardwood floors, large fenced yard! rs-stl. com RGX3O THE-CIRCLE! $450 314-309-2043 No Lease! 2 bed house, frosty a/c, pets allowed, newer carpet, plenty of off street parking, ready to rent! rs-stl.com RGX21 UNIVERSITY-CITY! $700 314-309-2043 Charming 2 bed house, full basement, central air, great hardwood floors, all kitchen appliances, plenty of storage! rs-stl.com RGX26

SOUTH ST. LOUIS CITY 314-579-1201 or 636-939-3808 1, 2 & 3 BR apts for rent. www.eatonproperties.com. Sec. 8 welcome SOUTH-CITY

$435

314-277-0204

1st Mo Rent FREE! 3841 Gustine 1BR; $40 Per Adult App Fee. SOUTH-CITY $575 314-968-5035 Newly Renovated, 1BR 1BA, 3850 Park Ave Located directly behind Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. Less than 1 mile from SLU. New Kit. Appls & Cabinets, C/A, Coin Lndry, Off-St. Pkg, CATV wired & carpet. Park Property Developers LLC SOUTH-CITY $625 618-610-4357 Furnished 1 br Apt in Pvt. Mansion. Near Grand/44 SOUTH-CITY 314-504-6797 37XX Chippewa: 3 rms, 1BR. all elec exc. heat. C/A, appls, at bus stop SOUTH-CITY! $550 314-309-2043 Flexible Lease! Large 2-3 bedroom, kitchen appliances, central air, hardwoods, pets, w/d hookups, basement storage, ready to rent! rs-stl.com RGX2Y

•Covered by most insurance

•Free & confidential assessments Suboxone Can Help.

575

OUTPATIENT SERVICES

Outpatient - Confidential - Convenient 763 S. NEW BALLAS RD. STE. 310  Covered byLOUIS, most insurance SAINT MO 63141  Free & confidential assessments

314-292-7323

or SERVICES OUTPATIENT

5000 CEDAR PLAZA PKWY., STE. 380 763SAINT S. NEWLOUIS, BALLASMO RD.,63128 STE. 310 ST LOUIS, MO 63141 314-842-4463 After hours 314-292-7323 or weekends 800-345-5407 or 5000 CEDAR PLAZA PKWY., STE. 380 ST LOUIS, MO 63128 314-842-4463

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IF YOU DESIRE TO MAKE MORE MONEY AND NEED A NEW JOB EARNING $45-$50 thousand the 1st year, great benefits, call SMTDS, Financial assistance available if you qualify. Free living quarters. 6 students max per class. 4 wks. 192 hours. • More driving time than any other school in the state •

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SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

RIVERFRONT TIMES

135

Are You Addicted to Pain Medications or Heroin ?

314-754-5966

Want to find a good Happy Hour? Download the RFT’s Free Happy Hour Phone app - search “Happy Hour”

Suboxone Can Help. Outpatient • Confidential • Convenient •Covered by most insurance •Free & confidential assessments

OUTPATIENT SERVICES

763 S. NEW BALLAS RD. STE. 310 SAINT LOUIS, MO 63141

314-292-7323 or

5000 CEDAR PLAZA PKWY., STE. 380 SAINT LOUIS, MO 63128

314-842-4463

After hours or weekends 800-345-5407

MUSIC RECORD SHOP

Looking to sell or trade your metal, punk, rap or rock LP collection. Call us.

BUYING JUNK CARS, TRUCKS & VANS 314-968-6555

Are You Addicted to Pain Medications or Heroin?

Suboxone Can Help.

CAMPS, WINERIES, SPORTING EVENTS, WEDDINGS, PARTIES, GROUP OUTINGS

Call First Student to pick you up! Charter & School Bus Rental. 866.514.TRIP or www.firstcharterbus.com

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DWI/BANKRUPTCY HOTLINE:

R.O.C. LAW , A Debt Relief Agency, Helping People File For Bankruptcy Relief Under the New Bankruptcy Code. 314-843-0220 The choice of a lawyer is an important decision & shouldn’t be based solely upon advertisements.

DWI/Traf $50+/Personal InjuryMark Helfers, 314-862-6666- CRIMINAL former Asst US Attorney, 32 years exp

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EarthCircleRecycling.com - 314-664-1450 Earth Circle’s mission is to creatively assist businesses and residents with their recycling efforts while providing the friendliest and most reliable service in the area. Call Today!

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OUTPATIENT SERVICES

763 S. NEW BALLAS RD., STE. 310 ST LOUIS, MO 63141 314-292-7323 or 5000 CEDAR PLAZA PKWY., STE. 380 ST LOUIS, MO 63128 314-842-4463

After hours or weekends: 800-345-5407

Personal Injury, Workers Comp, DWI, Traffic 314-621-0500

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The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertising.

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McGuire Furniture Sells Mattresses! Visit our showroom to find out why McGuire is St. Louis’ best kept secret. 314.997.4500 McGuireFurnitureSTL.com 650 Fee Fee Rd., St. Louis, MO 63043

SEPTEMBER 30 -OCTOBER 6, 2015

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