StreetScape Magazine Winter 2013 by TPH Media

Winter 2013

In the Shark Tank: Daymond John

Beating the winter blues :

Moonshine Blues Bar

On Base:

with STL Cardinals President

Bill DeWitt III + 2013 Beyond the Best Winners

Give Something FABULOUS This Holiday

Early Gift - See a Show at The Fox

December 5-8

Gift Idea - Fox Theatre Tickets

January 3-5

February 7-9

February 19 - March 2

March 18-30

v ve April 8-20

April 29 - May 11 Show Tickets and Gift Certificates Make Fabulous Gifts!

The Broadway Musical

December 17-29

Fox Theatre

May 13-18

StreetscapeWinter13d_Layout 1 10/11/13 11:32 AM Page • 1314-534-1111

With more than 500 retailers right here in St. Peters, why do your shopping anywhere else?

•

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8th Annual Show & Sale Friday, December 6 4:00pm - 8:00pm Saturday, December 7 10:00am - 5:00pm a juried exhibition of toy-themed artwork. In Gallery I, II & III through January 17, 2014.

FREE & Open to the Public

Figurative Works

a juried exhibition of artwork focused on the human figure.

January 24 – March 7, 2014 FREE & Open to the Public Opening Reception: Jan 24, 6-8pm M: closed | TU - TH: 10AM - 8PM | FR-SA: 10AM - 5PM | SU: 12 - 4PM

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The Foundry Art Centre is a dynamic, interactive center dedicated to the creation and presentation of contemporary visual and performing arts.

foundryartcentre.org 520 n. main center St. charles, mo 63301 636-255-0270

Table of Contents

Department Pages

6. Publisher 10. a la carte: R.T. Weilers 16. Missouri ballet theater 18. moonshine blues bar 26. beyond the best 2013

28. Bill dewitt iii 36. winter’s tale 42. Finding your thrift 48. relighting the past 52. sparrow’s nest 56. The party bus 60. Let’s Face it

62. FIT IN FITNESS 64. swimming with the shark

Cover image credits: Bill DeWitt III Photography & Direction: Michael Schlueter

42 4 StreetScape Magazine

Layout Design: Grace Pettit

Explore New Dining Options Now Leasing Luxury Apartments

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Winter 2013 5

Publishers Note News from THE Publisher Tom Hannegan Community Heroes, Community Spirit “Heroes didn’t leap tall buildings or stop bullets with an outstretched hand; they didn’t wear boots and capes. They bled, and they bruised, and their superpowers were as simple as listening, or loving. Heroes were ordinary people who knew that even if their own lives were impossibly knotted, they could untangle someone else’s. And maybe that one act could lead someone to rescue you right back.” Jodi Picoult

I’m continually blessed by knowing, and in awe of the incredible heroes in our community. Part of StreetScape’s Mission is to highlight these heroes that believe themselves to be ordinary citizens. With community spirit at heart, one way we support them is by producing exciting events. It would be wonderful for you to join us as we support Wish Upon A Wedding at Happily Ever After: A Bridal Event, February 16th, Connections to Success with rEvolution on March 29th and Unlimited Play with Aquatica, July 26th. Enjoy this issue, I look forward to seeing you at our events! Sincerely, Thomas P. Hannegan

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commercebank.com / 636.949.8443 6 StreetScape Magazine

• Achievement test scores two to four years above national norms • Graduates accepted to top public and private schools (John Burroughs, Mary Institute/Country Day School, Priory, Chaminade, Barat, Westminster)

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Open House Jan 26th 1-3pm Lake Saint Louis For a tour of the school please contact: Ms. Kim Rybak, Assistant to the Headmaster 636-561-7709 – krybak@andrewsacademy.com 1701 Feise Road – Lake Saint Louis, MO 63368

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• Four St. Charles County Science Fair Blue Ribbon Winners 2012, 2013 • Technology enriched environment (on-line mathematics, reading, social studies programs, e-readers, tablets, and desktop computers) • Academic Resource Specialist on staff to address diverse learning styles • Full complement of after school classes (Martial Arts, Soccer, Basketball, Dance, Science and Math Clubs, Little Medics, Drama, etc.) • 22% student body diversity. Students from around the world… and down the street

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Winter 2013 7

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1. Tom Hannegan Publisher & Founder Tom@StreetScapeMag.com 2. Robin Seaton Jefferson Senior Correspondent

Behind the scenes 3. Mary Ellen Renaud PR Director | Event Planner (314) 660-1975 Renaud7207@CenturyTel.net 4. Michael Schlueter Contributing Photographer (314) 580.7105 SchlueterPhoto.com 5. Lance Tilford Contributing Photographer lancetilfordphotography.com Lance@LTphoto.us 6. Judy Peters Director of Sales (636) 448-2074 Judy@StreetScapeMag.com 8 StreetScape Magazine

7. Jeanne Strickland Advertising | Marketing | Special Events (314) 605.7193 Jeanne@StreetScapeMag.com 8. Tamara Tungate Style Consultant 9. Donna Costellia Event Planner (314) 341-2790 Donna@StreetScapemag.com 10. Grace Pettit Creative Director Grace.StreetScapeMag@gmail.com

distributed to Chesterfield, Cottleville, Dardenne Prairie, Maryland Heights, Lake St. Louis, St. Charles, St. Louis, St. Peters, New Town, O’Fallon, Weldon Spring, Wentzville, Wright City and Warrenton. Advisory Board Deborah Alessi Susan Berthold Nadine Boon Dianne Burkemper Jody Cox Ann Dempsey Barbara Drant Timothy Duffett Cindy Eisenbeis Sally Faith Lorna Frahm Bill Goellner Sheryl Guffey Mary Lou Hannegan Grace Harmon Mike Haverstick Ann Hazelwood Chris Hoffman Jason Hughes Jan Kast Mike Klinghammer Martha Kooyumjian Caryn Lloyd Watson Jeremy Malensky Nancy Matheny

Denice McKeown Bob Millstone Sandy Mohrmann Maurice Newberry Craig Norden Grace Nichols Kim Paris Erica Powers Toekie Purler Marc Rousseau Rocco Russo Richard Sacks Keith Schneider Bob Schuette Teri Seiler Joyce Shaw Kelley Scheidegger-Barbee Jackie Sprague Karen Vehlewald Aleece Vogt Brian Watkins Brian Wies Mary West Gail Zumwalt

Meet your future with confidence. Take the first step toward having peace of mind in retirement with our proprietary Confident Retirement® approach. I’ll work with you to address the four basic principles of retirement. Call me today to get started. Michael Haverstick, CRPC® Financial Advisor An Ameriprise Platinum Financial Services® practice300 First Executive Ave. Ste. D St Peters, MO 63376

Will your money retire before you do? The sooner you start investing, the more likely you are to reach your long-term goals. Ask us about State Farm Mutual Funds®. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.® CONTACT AN AGENT FOR MORE INFORMATION OR VISIT US ONLINE TODAY.

Volume 8, Issue 4 Winter 2013 TPH Media 223 North Main Street, St. Charles, Missouri 63301 (636) 448-2074 Fax 1 (866) 231-6159 www.StreetScapeMagazine.com Judy@StreetScapeMag.com Any reproduction of StreetScape magazine or its contents requires publishers written consent. StreetScape magazine aims to ensure that information is accurate and correct at all times but cannot accept responsibility for mistakes. StreetScape magazine reserves the right to refuse an advertisement and assumes no responsibility for submitted materials. Unsolicited material must include a self-addressed stamped envelope. © 2013 TPH Media. All rights reserved.

Jeff Strickland Registered Representative Bus: 636-947-6226 Toll Free: 800-783-6261

Emily J Swift-Wise Registered Representative Bus: 636-946-6927

statefarm.com® Before investing, consider the funds’ investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. Contact State Farm VP Management Corp (1-800-447-4930) for a prospectus or summary prospectus containing this and other information. Read it carefully. Securities are not FDIC insured, are not bank guaranteed and are subject to investment risk, including possible loss of principal. AP2013/03/0939 State Farm VP Management Corp. One State Farm Plaza, Bloomington, Illinois 61710-0001. Neither State Farm nor its agents provide investment, tax, or legal advice. 1101414.4

Winter 2013 9

In House Smoked Pork Steak, loaded baked potato, fresh brussel sprouts, RT famous dinner roll

R.T. Weiler’s

SIT, STAY and enjoy signature meals from St. Charles’ finest Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photos by Michael Schlueter The management requests that its patrons, “Sit, stay and let our staff treat you to some of the best home cooking in the St. Charles area.” They claim, “You may beg to have your belly rubbed when we get done with you.” And they ask regulars, “Bring us a “The biggest misconception is that we picture of your favorite slipper fetcher so we serve bar food,” said owner Marc Rous- can add it to our walls.” seau. “Other than the parking garage behind us, we’re the best kept secret in Rousseau purchased the restaurant from his St. Charles.” uncle in 2004, after almost three decades in the restaurant business himself. Since Known for its framed photos of hunthen, he has donated over $100,000 in dreds of area canines, feeding the kids gift certificates to good causes around St. Charles County. A devoted supporter of his out of dog bowls and giving to just community, he’s a board member of both about every good cause in the community, R.T. Weiler’s is celebrating its the Historic Downtown District (HDD) and the Special Business District (SBD). R.T. tenth anniversary in 2014 and a menu that even mom would love. Pork steaks in the winter? That’s right. They’re smoked on the premises, and they’re not the only secret R.T. Weiler’s is keeping. Just about everything on the menu is homemade.

10 StreetScape Magazine

Weiler’s participates in “Christmas Traditions,” organized “Dog Days of Summer” and has held numerous fund-raising events within its walls. But most days, Rousseau said he is just, “dog paddling to keep afloat.” Now that his two children are getting older, he’s cut back on many of his events, so he can focus more on their activities. A graduate of Missouri State University, Rousseau had held every position in the food industry from dishwasher to regional manager before buying R.T. Weiler’s. And that’s basically what he’s still doing. Chances are regulars have never seen Rousseau sitting down. He works six days a week

and does all of the jobs he asks of his staff, because he said he never wants one of his customers to receive any less than his best. His best is the food he serves. “We are one place that’s a bar/restaurant that doesn’t have bar food. A lot of our items are made from scratch. We bread our own chicken tenders. Our chicken and burgers are never frozen. We patty our own burgers. We smoke our meat in-house, and we hold awards for our white chicken chili, our red chili, hamburgers and chicken wings.” Among many of its awards, R.T. Weiler’s was voted the “Best Burger on Main Street” in 2011 and one of the “Top 42 Bars in St. Louis” in 2007 by “St. Louis Magazine.” Rousseau was recently awarded the very first “Henry J. Elmendorf Award” by the St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau for his service to the community. A self-described “foodie,” Rousseau said he loves to develop new foods and experiment with new spirits. “I’m a cook not a baker,” he said. “Cooking you can do with the heart. It’s a passion and mingling of flavors. Baking is a science. It takes precision. I enjoy the freestyle.” His personal favorite lunch entree is the Irish Setter Reuben, open-faced with homemade jalapeño cheese sauce on a St. Louis Companion Bakery pretzel. For dinner, he prefers the pork steak, Chicken Marsalis and butternut squash, and ravioli with salmon

topped with made-to-order Alfredo sauce. Happy hour favorites are his award-winning chicken wings and homemade salmon wraps. Customers also have a choice of five types of burgers at R.T. Weiler’s: beef, bison, garden, turkey and Salsiccia. Hundreds of pictures of dog-owners have heeded the call over the years to bring in their canine pics, and their dogs’ photos line the walls of R.T. Weiler’s. Though a

little begrudgingly, Rousseau didn’t leave out cat owners. “I have a cat wall. I was asked so of course we put it next to the bathroom.” Rousseau said he will be changing up the menu in the new year to celebrate the restaurant’s 10-year anniversary. He said he hopes to have another 10 years at R.T. Weiler’s but has visions of opening another restaurant at some point. “It would probably be more upscale. I inherited this concept “(His uncle’s now ex-son-in-law had a Rottweiler named Precious). “I’d like to try a different one when time and opportunity allows.” R.T. Weiler’s offers birthday, anniversary and other parties in its banquet room, and caters to groups of 10-200 including offices, seminars and other gatherings. “We cater to sometimes 250 people before we even open for lunch,” Rousseau said. R.T. Weiler’s is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit www.rtweilers.com.

Marc Russo , owner

Winter 2013 11

When the Streets of St. Charles is finished, the development will encompass over a million square feet of space, with some 250,000 square feet of restaurants and shops anchoring the project, and 250,000 square feet of office space above and around the retail. With some of the trendiest restaurants on either side of the river, a hotel, health club, entertainment and multi-family residential components, Streets will be a far cry from Noah’s Ark Restaurant and its accompanying hotel, which for more than thirty years was a sanctuary to St. Charles County residents, hungry travelers and fiberglass animals. The restaurant, opened by David Flavan in 1968, closed in 2000. That’s not to say Noah’s Ark didn’t have its day. For many years, it drew people from throughout the St. Louis area of all income levels and was considered a somewhat high class restaurant in its time.But then the culture has changed as much as the landscape. Rob Wetherald, VP of the Streets of St. Charles project said St. Charles County community can indeed support the higher end restaurants and other offerings of Streets of St. Charles both through population and income. “Our research shows that St. Charles County has demonstrated strong population growth of 23% from 2000 – 2010,” Wetherald said. “The gradual emergence of relatively high household income in St. Charles County has been going on for years. In fact, St. Charles County is home to five of the ten wealthiest St. Louis-area zip codes, based on median household.”

Streets of St. Charlesl

Streets of St. Charles Live, Work, Shop, Dine Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo by Michael Schlueter

12 StreetScape Magazine

In fact, St. Charles is ranked fifth in affluence out of 183 zip codes in metro-St. Louis, Wetherald said. “With 473,000 residents projected by 2016 within 10 miles of the mixed-use project, the sheer density of the population is compelling for new retail and office development. Economic development and building construction is driving a multi-year demographic shift to a more affluent population. Over the last eight years, 11 new businesses per month and 12 jobs per day have been created in St. Charles County. This community has already demonstrated their support of the project based on the results our current

Streets of St. Charles Loftsl

tenants have experienced.” Cullinan Properties, Ltd. of Peoria, IL, purchased the Streets property from Whittaker Homes in January 2007, but the recession delayed the project. As building has resumed, several unique businesses have opened in the project’s first completed building, Block 1000, which has been open since May 2012. In its 100,000 square feet of office and commercial space resides restaurants prasino and Tucanos, the Art Institute of St. Louis, Streets of St. Charles Dental, MassageLuXe, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Wamhoff Financial Planning, Cole and Associates Engineering and Brown Smith Wallace accounting firm. Since the medical field is one of the largest employers in the St. Louis market, Cullinan anticipates several medical office tenants. David Hofmann, Campus Director of The Art Institute of St. Louis, has reported that the school’s fall enrollment is at 412 students. Wamhoff Financial, Cole & Associates and Brown Smith Wallace have each reported strong results since moving to their locations, Wetherald said. The five-story, 400,000-square-foot residential and commercial building, known as Block 4000, is under construction and expected to open in multiple phases from fall 2013 to summer 2014. This building will include ground floor retail and entertainment, in addition to luxury apartment units on floors two through five. Letters of Intent

have been signed or are in final negotiation for about 45,000 square feet of the building, Wetherald said.

tanning bed, and dog grooming parlor is also available. A 1,250-space, multi-story parking garage was opened this past October. What’s next for Streets of St. Charles? In the Wetherald said the deck is designed spring of 2014, visitors will be able to enjoy to mitigate traffic congestion with another exciting option with the addition of multiple access points into the multithe 6,500-square-foot Bar Louie Restaurant story structure, including three differ& Bar. The eclectic urban bar has finalized ent levels of entry that match up to the its lease to join the mixed-used development surrounding topography. The parking in the spring of 2014 as the first entertainstructure opened the first week of ment venue in the development, occupying October. a prominent ground floor space, Wetherald said. The establishment will have a large Work is expected to be completed on outdoor dining area at the base of the fiveblocks 2000 and 5000 in 2014. Culstory luxury residential building. As well a linan expects the final building, Block 40,000 sq ft, state-of-the-art 8-screen AMC 3000, to be finished in mid-2015. theatre. Visitors can expect the latest innovation in theatre technology, enhanced food “When it’s finished, Streets will offer a and beverage options, and the most comfort- town square environment with all the able seats. latest amenities for shopping, luxury living, modern offices, hotels, enter“The first residents moved into phase one of taining, and casual and elegant dining the 309 upscale residential units on Novem- on 26 acres, where active pedestrians ber 1. The units include nine floor plans can visit sidewalk cafes and outdoor with walk-in closets, in-unit washer and gatherings just a few footsteps from dryers, fully appointed kitchens with staintheir jobs and homes,” Wetherald said. less steel appliances and imported granite counter tops, and private balconies.”. The excitement is already being felt before the final bricks are laid. “When A terrace surrounds the heated infinity you visit Streets of St. Charles, you feel pool, hot tub and fire pit. There are also two the excitement, particularly from those barbecue stations accompanied by a large enjoying the patio dining options and outdoor kitchen. A clubhouse features a from the Art Institute students enjoying community room with beverage bar, game the fresh air between classes,” he said. room and business center with complimenFor more information, visit tary Wi-Fi. A private 24-hour fitness center, www.streetsofstcharles.com. Winter 2013 13

Konstantin Kublanov 2nd Annual Riverfront Paint Off Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photos by Michael Schlueter

Konstantin Kublanov

A life-long artist and art teacher at Block Yeshiva High School in Olivette was The Best of Show at the 2nd Annual Riverfront Paint Off in St. Charles. Konstantin Kublanov won over $180 in cash and prizes from Robin’s Nest on the Katy Trail and St. Charles businesses. He is also automatically juried into the 2014 Spring Artwalk, sponsored by the St. Charles Riverfront Arts Council.

The Russian-born artist said he was most influenced by his favorite painters, Post-Impressionists Vincent Van Gogh, Henri Rousseau, Paul Gaugin, and Paul Cezanne. Kublanov’s said his landscapes are everyday scenes painted with simplicity to reflect his mood, and what is happening in his life. “I started attending art studios at age five,” he said. “At age 17, I enrolled at St. Petersburg Art Pedagogical University.” The professors there paid a lot of attention to the combination of literature and descriptive foundations in his work, he said. “After graduating, I became a professional artist. In 1992, I joined the Union of Russian Artists. To this day I practice art.” Kublanov’s work was displayed at Framations Art Gallery, Remington’s and Picasso’s Coffee House in St. Charles in September. This Paint Off was hosted by Rebecca of Dog-Eared Books, LLC. For more information on plein air events, visit www.riverfrontpaintoff.blogspot.com. Kublanov sells his paintings and can be commissioned for additional work. For more information on his work, visit www.kublanov.com.

Congratulations to Letitia Young, winner of the Missouri Fashion Week Stylist Challenge. Letitia is the owner of Honey’s Child Boutique, a swank plus-size store on Washington Ave in downtown St. Louis. Photos by ProPhotostl.com.

Letitia Young, MOFW Stylist Challenge Winner

14 StreetScape Magazine

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Winter 2013 15

The Missouri Ballet Theatre (MBT) has found a home in St. Charles County, a testament to the area’s supportive posture toward the arts. St. Charles County’s first professional ballet, MBT, was founded in May of 2009 by Adam Sage, the company’s artistic director. “There are several professional ballet companies and dance companies in St. Louis,” said MBT Board Member Melissa Forck. “St. Charles County has never had a professional ballet company. That’s what’s so exciting.” Since its inception, MBT has brought such notable ballets to life as “The Nutcracker,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Cinderella,” “New Beginnings,” “Concepts,” “Concepts 2” and “Concepts 3.” Based in St. Peters, MBT has held educational performances for over 2,000 young people in an effort to continue enlightening young audiences about dance and the arts in general. Forck said the company’s annual production of The Nutcracker has afforded more than 300 local children the opportunity to perform side by side with professional dancers. The company is made up of 16 dancers, two from St. Charles County and the rest from other parts of the country. The dancers range in age from 20 to 30. One dancer serves as an apprentice with the company. The dancers work two, sometimes three jobs when they aren’t dancing, Forck said. But it’s the love of the ballet that keeps them going, and St. Charles County has welcomed the opportunity to further that affection.

The Nutcracker

The Missouri Ballet On pointe for the Christmas season Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Courtesy Photo of The Missouri Ballet Theatre

16 StreetScape Magazine

“In recognition of our community’s rich tradition of arts innovation and virtuosity, Missouri Ballet Theatre seeks to inspire and cultivate excellence in classical and contemporary dance,” Forck said. “We know St. Charles County is very supportive of the arts community as a whole.” Originally from Fenton, MO, MBT, like other ballets across America, has seen its share of struggles as the art form has lost some appeal with wider audiences. Forck said she hopes the MBT will change that sentiment, at least in St. Charles County. “St. Charles has an amazing symphony and an amazing choir. I hope we will be embraced as part of this community as a ballet company. Ballet

is an art that can’t be lost. It is struggling as a whole across the country.” Forck said business owners have stepped up to encourage the love of the art and have been generous since the MBT settled in St. Peters in July 2012, beginning with the St. Charles County Arts Council introducing the company to the community. “I can’t believe the kindness of the people who have stepped up,” Forck said. “Pirate Pictures on Main Street in St. Charles did a promotional video for us for essentially nothing.” Steve and Kathy Martinez gave the company a home in the couple’s business at St. Peters Academy of Dance. And Marcia Rodriguez, who owns Rick’s Roadside Market in Cottleville, has hosted the MBT on several occasions. “I asked Marcia, ‘What’s the catch.’ She said, ‘I do not want to lose this art form.’” The “Red Shoes Gala” in September raised almost $7,000 for six pairs of point shoes for each girl in the company. Forck said through distinctive collaborations with area arts organizations, performers and musicians, MBT explores the fusion of movement with other forms of artistic expression; provides a platform for well-trained and focused professional dancers to flourish in a stimulating and creative environment; and espouses artistic enrichment through educational outreach, youth participation and charitable partnerships.

The Nutcracker

Artistic Director Adam Sage founded Missouri Ballet Theatre after enjoying a nearly three-decade performing, teaching, coaching and choreographic career that spanned four continents. He has served as artistic director of Virginia School of the Arts, school director and ballet master for Nashville Ballet and interim artistic director of the National Dance Company of Bophuthatswana in Southern Africa. Sage has performed principal roles in all the great classics, including “Romeo & Juliet,” “Swan Lake,” “Giselle,” “Nutcracker,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Coppelia,” “La Bayadere,” and “Cinderella.” He has danced at some of the most prestigious theatres in the world including the Opera House at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., The Hong Kong Cultural

Center and in command performances at the Cultural Center of the Philippines for President Ferdinand Marcos & First Lady Imelda Marcos. While Forck too has a background in dance, she concedes that it is “not of the caliber of these dancers.” Both of her children, however, are professional dancers and have performed with professional ballet companies across the country. “I know the struggles of the ballet world,” she said. “But I also know the beauty of this world and the importance of it.” Forck said she still has one more dream to achieve. “My little fantasy dream is that we would be performing ‘The Nutcracker’ at (Lindenwood’s J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts) with the professional ballet of St. Charles County, MO, with the St. Charles County Symphony, with the St. Charles County Children’s Choir, with local actors from the community and with dance majors from Lindenwood University.” The MBT will be performing “The Nutcracker” at the Edison Theatre at Washington University in St. Louis December 20, 21 and 22. For more information on the MBT or to purchase tickets for a performance, call 314-397-7897, or visit www.missouriballettheatre.org, or the studio at 93 Vantage Dr. St. Peters, MO. 63376.

The Nutcracker

Winter 2013 17

Moonshine bartender creating special cocktail

Beating the winter blues Blues, booze and BBQ at Hendrick’s Moonshine Blues Bar Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo by Michael Schlueter The making and selling of whiskey has A new cable television show, Discovery a long, varied and fascinating history in Channel’s “Moonshiners,” points to the this country and around the world. interest in America about a tradition dating back hundreds of years. The show tells the Bartenders at the new Moonshine stories of the men and women keeping that Blues Bar at Hendricks BBQ can attest tradition alive, and making a fortune in the to some of it. Located under Hendricks process, distilling illegal whiskey in the back BBQ in the old St. Charles waterworks woods of Appalachia, and as far south as building at 1200 South Main Street,, Mississippi. they say Moonshine Blues Bar is not your typical bar or lounge; they’re out History shows kings and governments have to educate their customers on the finer tried to overtax it. They’ve tried to outlaw points of booze and Blues consumpit. When England and Scotland merged in tion. 1707, taxes on whiskey rose dramatically. By 1725, the English Malt Tax shut down It’s been called Rotgut, white lightning, much of the distillation. People responded bathtub gin, popskull, panther’s breath by going underground, manufacturing their and corn liquor. And moonshine, or elixir with homemade stills at night, thus homemade whiskey, holds a history all giving rise to the name moonshine. They hid its own. their Scotch whiskey in coffins, under altars and anywhere they could to avoid govern18 StreetScape Magazine

mental excisement. In America, whiskey was used as currency during the American Revolution. All alcohol sales were banned in the United States during Prohibition, which lasted from 1920 to 1933. The federal government allowed whiskey to be prescribed by doctors and sold by licensed pharmacists. Bootleggers were known to hold fake funerals, filling coffins with illegal alcohol for undetected transportation. Legend has it that the charred oak barrel in which whiskey is aged came about by accident. One story is that as the American frontier expanded, whiskey was shipped longer and longer distances down the Mississippi River and out by wagon. Since barrels were reused, whiskey makers charred them, or burned them on the inside, to clean and sterilize them of the tastes of pickles or fish

or whatever had been stored in them previously.

lot of people will say, ‘I don’t think I like gin or bourbon,’” Nichols said. “I just say, ‘You’ve probably never had a proper cocktail made with gin. You’ve probably never had a proper cocktail made with bourbon.’ I tell them, ‘If you don’t like it, when I’m done, I’ll get you a rum and Coke.’”

Because of the longer trips to its selling destination, the whiskey had spent a good deal more time in the charred wood than it would have had it been consumed in local markets. The added time and churning inside the barrel had turned the drink amber in color and given it a smoother, richer taste than un-aged whiskey. Bar Manager Jeff Winer said bartenders at Moonshine Blues Bar welcome a chance to educate their patrons about their signature drink. “We’re not just sliding a vodka and soda at someone here,” he said. “Let’s make a drink for someone. We want to encourage people to try something new. You can go anywhere to get a rum and coke.” Winer said Moonshine Blues Bar favorites like Sittin’ Purdy, Warsh Board and Big Bad Larceny Brown, as well as hundreds of other drinks, are made with fresh ingredients that are locally sourced. With more than 10 years cooking “in the back of the house,” Winer said he brings “what’s happening in the kitchen to the bar,” including mixology.

Nichols said he wants people to be interested in the Moonshine Blues Bar, either for the music or the alcohol. “To me it’s a craft,” he said. “In this industry we have too many yes men. At some point someone needs to come in and say, “No, we don’t have that. But what I do have is this.’” Don Kelly said he’s stayed in St. Charles a lot more since Moonshine opened. “I love Soulard but it’s too far to go. I want to see the good blues bands, but I don’t want to drive that far. If you like blues music, you’ll like it.”

Moonshine Blues Bar has hosted Miss Jubilee, Marquise Knox, Nate Boff and Soulard Blues Band, among others in the last year. Adorned with cigar box and bed pan guitars Bartender and Booking Manager Brian and images of various periods of St. Louis Nichols said patrons would have to go history, as depicted by a New Orleans artist, into the city to get anything close to what the atmosphere screams “try something Moonshine Blues Bar offers the St. Charles new”. At the same time barn wood and area, including the national acts that he book antique chairs hearken back to the 1940’s, in the place. Moonshine Blue Bar offers the age of booze and blues. live acts from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Choices do throw some people though. “A

Dawn Weber & the Electric Funk Band

Bridgit Scheibler contends she doesn’t like whiskey, but she said she likes Moonshine Blues Bar. “They’re great bartenders,” she said. “I don’t like whiskey. I thought I was going to hate this place. I just told (Nichols) what I liked and he said, ‘Gimme a second,’ and he made something that I liked.” Winer said, like cooks, bartenders should “layer” their drinks, using syrups and bitters and fruit juices, along with water and soda. One of his favorites is peppercorn syrup, made by dry-roasting peppercorns in a pan, then adding equal parts of water and sugar. “One of the main ingredients in whiskey is sugar, and sugar goes with sugar. But there is a lot more to sugar than just white sugar. There is raw sugar, palm sugar and coconut sugar, among others.” Patrons can choose from over 120 whiskeys from high end $30-an-ounce brands to well whiskeys and everything in between. And they’ll serve up the history along with the drink. They don’t just offer Old Forester. They offer Old Forester originated by a medic in the Civil War to be used to cure the shakes and as anesthetic when a limb had to be amputated. They don’t just serve Templeton Rye. They serve Al Capone’s favorite drinking whiskey during Prohibition. For more information on Moonshine Blues Bar, visit moonshinebluesbar.com or hendricksbbq.com, or call 636-7248600.

Winter 2013 19

Ben, Mike and Matt Conoyer

Three is a magic number Midwest ENT Centre, St. Charles County’s premier ENT practice Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo by Michael Schlueter

Three’s a charm.

also come on board. (Michael Conoyer’s daughter, Ellie, is a St. Louis University Dr. J. Michael Conoyer certainly thinks information technology graduate.) so. The long-time otolaryngologist welcomed his second son into the fold But what’s more fascinating than three of Midwest ENT Centre in August. For doctors from the same family, of the same anyone doing the math, that’s three Dr. specialty, in the same practice, is the uniqueConoyers in practice in St. Peters in one ness of the specialty itself. Michael said less of the most limited specialties in the than 300 candidates are accepted to otolarcountry. yngology residencies each year in the whole country. St. Louis University, where Matthew The most senior Conoyer has been in Conoyer and Benjamin Conoyer completed practice for more than three decades. their residencies, takes only two. His oldest son, Dr. John Matthew Conoyer joined the practice in 2008. So no matter that the senior Conoyer is one of And now in 2013, Dr. Benjamin Conoy- the top head and neck surgeons in the United er, the second and last Conoyer son has States—he is the recipient of the prestigious

20 StreetScape Magazine

National Practitioner Excellence Award of the American Academy of Otolaryngology awarded to only one ear, nose and throat surgeon in the America—his sons were on their own. “They have to qualify on every level on their own,” Michael said. “It truly is one of the most highly sought after residencies in the country.” Not bad for the son and grandsons of a share-cropper, who moved his family into a barn on a farm in St. Peters many years ago. But even that Conoyer, who taught students in a one-room schoolhouse in St. Peters, ended up as a department chair at St. Louis University.

Benjamin is married to Rachel Conoyer, a nurse director at SSM Cardinal Glennon Medical Center. Ironically, Matthew also married a nurse. Along with his residency, Benjamin received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from St. Louis University. He said his father never pushed his sons to follow in his footsteps. He said he was always drawn to medicine. C

For him the prospect of a career in otolaryngology fascinated him. “We grew up around the dinner table with dad telling stories about his work day,” he said. “I was always like, ‘Matt, how cool is that?’ It was obvious dad loved what he did. Many times kids of doctors grew up where there father wasn’t there. Not true of our dad. He loved his job and he remained excited about it and he told us about it.” Y

CMY

Benjamin said the best part of ENT work is the “little things that you can do—like putting tubes in a kid’s ears—that make all the difference in their lives with relatively straight-forward techniques. Otolaryngology is also the perfect mix. You get to sit down with patients, and you also get to do surgery. There is a lot of variety.” Matthew said the specialty is all about symptom improvement. Otolaryngologists handle ear complaints such as hearing problems or ringing in the ears, throat pain and chronic cough, allergies, congestion, thyroid concerns and head and neck cancers. Another thing Benjamin loves about his job might be working with his dad and his brother. “We help each other out. Our offices are right next to each other,” he said. “It’s nice to have a couple of people who are as interested in your success as you are.” So far, so good. Matthew said his biggest complaint with Benjamin is that “he plays crappy music in the ER. I don’t like anything before the 1990s and Ben is Mr. K-Hits.” So how will patients identify their doctors when they call the office? Michael had an answer for that. “They’re Dr. Matt or Dr. Ben. I’m dad or the old guy.”

Winter 2013 21

Congratulations! Richard Duree John Hammond Dr. Patricia Leitsch Dr. Jann Weitzel for being named a “Beyond the Best” in the St. Charles County

Congratulations! Michael Haverstick for being named a “Beyond the Best” Business leader in the St. Charles County

Beaudoin, Haverstick & Associates A financial advisor y practice of Ameriprise F inancial Ser vices, Inc.

22 StreetScape Magazine

Cong ratulations to

Janet Pestle

Vice President, Nursing/CNO SSM St. Joseph Hospital West

Aaron Robinson

Vice President, Operations SSM St. Joseph Health Center

for being named a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Beyond the Bestâ&#x20AC;? Business Leader by StreetScape Magazine!

Winter 2013 23

24 StreetScape Magazine

TOP 50 IN BUSINESS AWARDS October 17, StreetScape Magazine reconginized and honored 50 of the top business leaders in the St. Charles County by awarding each with a “Beyond the Best” award. St. Louis Cardinal’s President, Bill Dewitt III severed as keynote speaker for the event held at The Columns Banquet Center in St. Charles, MO.

2013 Beyond the Best Winners

Winter 2013 25

2013 Beyond the Best Winners

Wemdy Allen

Stephanie Ashford St. Charles County Ambulance

MOsaic Missouri Festival

St. Charles Riverfront Arts

First Capital Dermatology

John Hammond

Grace Harmon

Michael Haverstick

Linda Hayden

Gretchen Jameson

Instant Imprints

Lindenwood University, Board of Directors

Scott A. Lewis City of Cottleville

Eric Pitman

Pitman Funeral Homes

Philanthropist

Mike Lissner

Acropolis Investment Management, LLC

Anne Ritter

Brown Smith Wallace, LLC

Richard Baum

Amerprise Financial

Louis Cariffe

St. Luke’s Hospitial

Dr. Hank Clever

purePR, LLC

Timothy A. Lohmar

Miriam Mahan St. Joachim & Ann Care Service

Angie Maue

St. Charles Prosecuting Attorney

Aaron Robinson

Rachel Sarino

Mayor Ralph Sidebottom

SSM St. Joseph Health Care

Cat and A Basket

Luke’s Legacy

Lake St. Louis

Jessie Toler

Cary O’Brien Design & Color Spa

Chad Treacy UMB Bank

Tyler Trenary

Jim Trenary Chevrolet

Craig Uttendorf

Gingham’s Homestyle Restaurant

Dr. Jann Weitzel Lindenwood University

Beaudoin, Haverstick & Associates A financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.

Bonnie Define

Richard Duree

Jeff Gilbert

Denise Gould

Steven J. Hall

Dr. Olivia Joseph

Carla Klaskin

Lauren Kolbe

Dr. Patricia Leitsch

Craig Leavell

Dr. Paul B. Mills

Roger Montgomery

Rick Oloteo

Janet Pestle

St. Louisc Crisis Nursery

Wellness Connection

Renaissance Plastic Surgery

Amanda Sizemore St. Charles Community College

Erin Williams O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce

Book Exchange

MERCY

Frontenac Bank

KolbeCo

Terry A. Ohlms

F.A.C.T

Lindenwood University

Ameristar Casino Resort & Spa

T.A. Ohlms and Co., PCe

St. Peters Rec-Plex

Jill Skyles

Michelle Stiens

Mary Szpatoski

Richard Winter

Rose Duchesne Thro Wells

Kim Scheidegger York

Barnes Progress West Hospital

Garden View Care Center

Urban Future

Thro’s and Michelle’s

Community Council

Corporate Group, Inc

Thrivent Financial

Boys & Girls Club

SSM St. Joseph Hospital West

Scott Tate

St. Charles Chamber of Commerce

Building a

Dream District

Ballpark Village hits a home run with new business ventures

28 StreetScape Magazine

t. Louis Cardinal President Bill DeWitt III opened the floor for questions following his keynote speech at Streetscape’s “Beyond the Best Top 50 in Business Awards,” the first query he received was whether he had tickets to the following night’s game. “I do, yeah,” he quipped, stressing the “I.”

Bill DeWitt III Winter 2013 29

The $100 million first phase of Ballpark It was October 17, the night before Village on two blocks along Clark Street the Cardinals would win the National League Pennant for the nineteenth time. next to Busch Stadium (blocks 200 & 300) will include the development of a new venue sponsored by Anheuser-Busch that celEach year, Streetscape Magazine ebrates the brewer’s history in St. Louis and recognizes 50 St. Charles County its global reach, as well as the construction business executives, owners, of a three-story building housing a worldemployees, board members or volunclass Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum and teers who are “Beyond the Best” at Cardinals-themed restaurant that will feature what they do. seating decks with views directly into Busch Stadium. These destination venues will be DeWitt spent most of his speech connected by public event space known as updating the audience on the $100 the Live Plaza that will be a gathering space million first phase of mixed-use retail, all year long. entertainment, office and residential district known as Ballpark Village, The A-B venue will feature authentic slated to open in the Spring of 2014. German-inspired cuisine, more than 100 national and international beers on tap, live Developed in partnership by the St. music, an outdoor beer garden and a rooftop Louis Cardinals and the Cordish deck with prime views into Busch Stadium. Companies, Ballpark Village will, when finished, spans seven city blocks The first phase of Ballpark Village will also be anchored by a first-of-its-kind Cardinals on a 10-acre site just north of Busch venue to be called Cardinals Nation. TotalStadium and will be the country’s first ing over 30,000 square feet and spanning fully-integrated mixed-use three levels, Cardinals Nation will include development designed to deliver the a two-story restaurant, an 8,000-square-foot excitement and energy of the game day experience to a new neighborhood Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum, and a 300-plus-seat rooftop deck with views of the outside the stadium walls. game across Clark Street. The Cardinals announced the The Cardinals Nation restaurant will feature project—that would sit upon the footprint created by old Busch Stadium—in three separate patios, two large bars, and large flat screen televisions and other multiNovember 2004. The new Busch media features. Stadium opened in 2006 and the economy more or less closed in 2007, DeWitt said the Cardinals Nation rooftop leaving the project at a near stand-still seating deck will feature ticketed seats lookfor years. The Cardinals went on to win two World Series championships in the new stadium while waiting on financing to build the village.

At the heart of Ballpark Village will be a central gathering place and plaza known as the Ballpark Village - Live! Marketplace Entertainment Plaza and will feature a world class audio-video presentation including a 40-foot diagonal LED screen above a stage, providing St. Louis sports fans with the best sports viewing experiences in the country and enhancing live events with immersive audio and video, DeWitt said. A cowboy bar—PBR St. Louis—is slated to opens its doors when the first phase of Ballpark Village debuts on Opening Day 2014. The Cardinal’s website describes the venue as an eclectic combination of “cowboy cool” meets “urban chic,” spanning 8,000 square feet. The venue will host live performance by country music stars throughout the year. Laid out along the same lines as the old ballpark’s diamond, the Busch 2 Infield in Ballpark Village will give fans a chance to walk the sacred ground once tread upon by legends. Complemented by food booths and a video board, the site will offer a prime gathering space for pregame ceremonies and activities, as well as movie nights and other events when baseball takes a break. DeWitt was named president of the St. Louis Cardinals in March 2008. In his role, he oversees all aspects of the business of the team and its affiliated entities, including the development of Ballpark Village. Prior to his appointment as team president, he was senior vice president of Business Development with the Cardinals and oversaw the design and construction of the new Busch Stadium. DeWitt holds degrees from Yale University and Harvard Business School.

Then in August 2013, DeWitt led reporters on a tour of the completed steel frame for the 110,000-square-foot restaurant and entertainment complex that is Phase 1. DeWitt seemed to be pleased with the work so far on his dream district. “It’s not so big that it blocks the view of the St. Louis skyline. It just fits in there like a glove.” He said they deliberately created an opening above left field so as not to block the skyline.

DeWitt finished his talk answering another question. Who did he want the Cardinals to go up against if they made it to the series? “Boston. Bill DeWitt III

30 StreetScape Magazine

ing into Busch Stadium and will include amenities such as all-inclusive food and beverage, Busch Stadium audio/visual feeds, and access to other areas within Ballpark Village.

“I want revenge for 2004,” he said.

UC Streetscape Ad1.pdf

9/30/13

7:43 PM

Captions for above: 1. Bill Dewitt III speaking to crowd during Beyond the Best 2013. 2. StreetScape team presents Dewitt III with a basket from the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Merchants C on Mainstreet,â&#x20AC;? a token of appreciationM from vendors of Historic Downtown Y Mainstreet CM

3. Honorable Mayor Sally Faith pres- MY ents DeWitt III with City ProclamationCY CMY

4. Mary Lou Hannegan, Ron Watermon K (Director of Public Relations & Civic Affairs), Bill Strickland, Mary Ellen Renaud and Bill Dewitt III speaking before presentation.

Winter 2013 31

Fabulously affordable Fashion, Accessories, Boots & More! Open EVERY Friday & Saturday, 10am-7pm PLUS special extended days and hours during Christmas Traditions! Check our website for additional days and hours. www.lillians.com/stcharles

124 S Main Street | St. Charles, MO |636.255.0295

(636)947-7740 625 South Main Street

32 StreetScape Magazine

Hours: monday-Friday: 9:30 am-5:00 pm Saturday: 9:30 am-5:00 pm

Winter 2013 33

Lillians Shoppe has a new home on Main Street in Historic St. Charles, and a sole proprietor. The occasional shop—filled with everything to remind a woman that she’s hip and beautiful—has moved to a bigger and more prominent location at 124 South Main. The shop is some 30 percent larger—more room for the new line of boots Lillians is offering this season. “It provides more space for people to come in during festivals and special events,” said owner Beth Mohr. “It will be nice during Christmas Traditions.” Mohr owns the shop exclusively now, after buying out her partner and sister-in-law Lynn Frazier, recently. The two had owned the shoppe together for the last 2 ½ years. Beth is looking forward to being on her own and continuing to introduce fun new fashion to Main Street shoppers. Beth’s family has been very supportive, and have enjoyed helping out in the shoppe. Mrs. Frazier, Beth’s mother, loves to unpack new merchandise, and her sister Anne Lancaster has spent many hours working in the shoppe. Mohr says “the best part is spending time with my daughter Abigail who is learning the business and is always willing to spend time helping (I am sure the clothes have nothing to do with it).”

Beth Mohr, owner

Lillians Shoppe Moves to bigger storefront on S. Main Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo by Michael Schlueter

34 StreetScape Magazine

Lillians of St. Charles offers handbags, accessories, jewelry, women’s apparel and now footwear, such as boot brands Volatile and MIA. Luii, D9, Papillion, Mystree, Monoreno and many more. Trending this season are maxi skirts, palazzo pants, any tunic with leggings and boots and of course camo, Mohr said. Scarves have always been a hit, so Lillians has added to its website “Scarf Tying 101”, offering 25 ways to tie that ever-popular fashionable scarf such as the “Kiss Bow Tie,” “LA Inspired” or “Wine and Dine”. Readers can check out the link at: www.lilliansshoppe.com/scarf-tying-101. shtml. Lillians merchandise is suitable for women of all ages from tweens to grandmothers. For example a tunic may be worn alone by a tween as a short dress with a belt and bold jewelry and yet done up with leggings by an older woman. “That’s what’s fun,” Mohr said. “You’ll see a 20-year-old purchase something and then see a 60-year-old

purchase the exact same thing. It’s all about accessorizing it differently.” Lillians “Onesie” rack offers top sellers and one-of-a-kind pieces; perhaps only one item per style that is left; or “get them while they last” items. The shop only receives four to six pieces of a certain style, so Mohr is always telling customers if they like it they’d better get it because it may not last long, and once it’s gone, it’s gone.

called Diva Nights (trademark), where women enjoy a private shopping experience and preview and purchase the month’s hot new inventory. “Rat Pac”-era music plays in the background, and cookies, coffee and water are served. Hostesses receive 10 percent of Diva Night sales in Lillians merchandise or they can donate the money to a charity of their choice. Lillians also offers a punch card wherein every $20 spent gets them closer to free merchandise.

Lillians is now open every Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.. and will be open every Saturday in December and in line with Christmas Traditions. For more information about Lillians St. Charles call 636-255-0295, visit www.lilliansshoppe.com, or like Lillians on Facebook to learn about promotions and see current photos.

Mohr said she loves choosing the items that will go into her store. “The owners source all of the vendors, then I pick what I want in my store,” she said. “That’s exciting. I always look for things that are unique and unexpected, like a surprise bow on the back of a dress. They do all the legwork and bring us the best of the best.” Clients can expect a unique and personal shopping experience in the shop’s boutique atmosphere. Mohr also offers girls nights, Winter 2013 35

WINTERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TALE Stand out at all the seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parties and gatherings with a mix of classy, chic combos and original touches.

Finding your thrift Shopping resale has become chic and doesn’t hold the stigma it did a few years ago Retro is the new black! According to NARTS, “…about 1618% of Americans will shop at a thrift store during a given year. For consignment/resale shops, it’s about 12-15%. To keep these figures in perspective, consider that during the same time frame; 11.4% of Americans shop in factory outlet malls, 19.6% in apparel stores and 21.3% in major department stores.” Kathy Schmidt of Move It On & More in St. Charles, explains the trend this way… “I think resale is so popular lately because of the economy and (I hope) due to an awareness of the envi-

ronment, i.e. ‘going green,’ repurposing and keeping things out of the landfills, as well as enjoying the quality of things from the recent and/or distant past. With the economic downturn, I think people had to find creative ways to continue to enjoy beautiful things, as well as necessities, and shopping resale means you can enjoy treasures for a fraction of the cost of new retail. It’s fun to hear the excitement when someone finds something that reminds them of a wonderful past memory, or is something they wished they had bought the first time around, but didn’t and can now, or is something that replaces that one missing piece in their collection! I often tell people in our store, ‘there is nothing here that you need to live, but there sure

is a lot here that will help make your life more beautiful!’ It has been so much fun to see all the treasures that come into our store and to hear what our customers are going to do with their purchases, from gifting to decorating, to using vintage china for their garden wedding reception; the uses are wide and varied and always provide inspiration!” We have some great resale/consignments shop in St Charles County including stores like Calisa, Garvey Décor, Toodaloo, Mom’s Resale, Red Posie and Design on a Dime, to name a few.

Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo by Michael Schlueter

Diva Time Three fiscally shrewd and streetwise fashion experts are poppin’ tags in Goodwill Stores all over the St. Louis area with the goal of making thrift shopping chic while helping out their sisters in need. They’re “Thrift Shop Divas.” A new entertaining yet educational web series follows three shop-savvy sweethearts as they upcycle clothing, furniture and the like into new wardrobes and one-of-a-kind home décor for Goodwill clients. Eighty-seven-year-old Naomi is the first to pop out at the audience in her color42 StreetScape Magazine

fully beaded and extravagant homemade ensembles that she said she’s been making for most of her adult life from outfits she found at second hand stores. A self-professed seamstress and fashion designer and somewhat of a celebrity in local Goodwill stores, Naomi was easily a standout and the first diva cast when creator Erik Light met her in one of her haunts. Jenny B, a do-ityourself home designer and owner of South City’s funky design studio Jipsi Boho; and Susannah, a frugal fashion stylist and blogger of “Her Goodwill Hunting” help make up the trio of fashionistas who tug at the heart strings of the audience while frugally outfitting underprivileged St. Louisans. A mother of six, grandmother of nine and

great-grandmother of six, Naomi said she doesn’t mind getting her picture taken as long as the photographer doesn’t “sneak behind a tree or something.” She said ever since she can remember, people have been sneaking around to photograph her. “I dress what I feel and what I am,” she said. “Maybe some like it and such as that, but I do it for me.” MERS Goodwill and Coolfire Media launched “Thriftshop Divas” in September at Wehrenberg Des Peres 14 Cinema as well as on www.thriftshopdivas.tv.

Susannah and Naomi with Tom Hannegan.

Susannah and Naomi with Judi and Kate from the show “Mom Friends Forever”.

Some 61 Goodwill stores in 74 counties in the bi-state area are used as a resource by the community to help those in need, and now viewers of the show will be able to experience that, said Stephanie Flynn, spokesperson for Goodwill. With the show, Goodwill hopes to build public awareness of the nearly 50,000 clients the company serves Erik Light, co-producer and creator; Lewis Chartock, president and every year, one story at a time. Clients of CEO of MERS Goodwill; Naomi, Thrift Shop Diva; Jeff Stevens, director of Goodwill have one or more disabilities and/ content innovation with Coolfire Media; Susannah, Thrift Shop Diva or social barriers to employment, such as traumatic brain injuries, autism spectrum Photos Courtesy of Black Twig Communications disorders, teenage pregnancy, low household income and addiction issues. With the tagline, “They never know what they’ll find, but they’re crafting hope one thrift at a time,” the show’s first episode features Jenny B helping out a young motherof-two named Lisa who is trying to get a fresh start in life. With a tight budget but a great deal of enthusiasm, Jenny B gives Lisa’s bare apartment a glamorous facelift, while Susannah, the “Styling/Wardrobe Diva,” gives the family a wardrobe makeover at Goodwill. “This is a great way to tell Goodwill’s story,” said Chartock. Coolfire Media is still looking for other people who consider themselves “Thrift Shop Divas” and encourage them to submit videos of themselves and their talents to www.facebook.com/thriftshopdiva. For more information about MERS Goodwill or to find a Goodwill donation center, call 314-241-3464 or visit www.mersgoodwill.org.

Move It On and More

Consignment Store Bob & Kathy Schmidt, Shopkeepers

2031 Old Highway 94 South • St Charles 636-‐724-‐3600

For large consignment items, email photos to moveitonandmore@gmail.com or text to 636-‐219-‐9631

Winter 2013 43

unique treasures Renewed Treasures is not your typical resale shop. “It’s more than just a place to shop for great bargains,” said founder Cynthia Besselman. 'We offer a unique shopping experience that provides our customers with a wide variety of activities that transform families.” Renewed Treasures, located at 2215 Droste in St. Charles, offers educational workshops and seminars on appropriate dress and creating a comfortable and inviting home; and fashion conscious clothing with stylish fashion that is unique and affordable. Initially called Junk for Jesus, Renewed Treasures was started as a way to help students raise money to go on mission trips. This vision has grown into the creation of a resale shop where 100 percent of the profits go to support Christian missionaries locally, nationally and globally. It started when Besselman and a friend went down in their basements and realized how much stuff they had collected that they didn’t need. “My friend and I decided to have rummage sales and give the excess to missionaries. We had a $1,600 dollar rummage sale.” The friend had an empty house, so the two just started filling it up. “That’s when God put it on my heart that I should buy a building and start a resale shop. I argued with him. I said, ‘I don’t want to do this. I don’t have the time. I don’t know how to do this. I’m an RN. Just let me have my little rummage sales and forget the rest.’” That was three years ago. She waited to tell her husband, Tom Besselman, who at the time was running for St. Charles City Councilman in Ward 2. “Then I told him. I was hoping he would say, ‘You’re out of your ever-loving mind.’ He looked at me and said, ‘Well baby, if God tells you to open a resale shop, you better open a resale shop.’” Cynthia’s days are long. Up at 5:30 a.m., she first does her devotions. Then she’s out the door by 6:30 a.m. headed to her job as a private duty nurse for 44 StreetScape Magazine

a child on a respirator in his home until 5 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., she’s at Renewed Treasures, where her and her husband typically eat dinner. There she works the cash register until 7 p.m., and then replaces inventory till 10 p.m. Her friend and helper Scott Landsbaum tends the shop during the day. Pastor Rachel Klein of Grace Church, blessed the building. The walls of the shop are called “Blessing Walls” where people have written all kinds of poetry, scripture and blessings in Russion, Ukranian, and Spanish, as well as English. Just before the shop opened, Tom saw an ad on Craigslist about a moving sale. They headed to St. Louis to purchase the furniture from shop owner Haley Bugs. “By the time we got down there, she had looked us up and just gave us over $10,000 worth of clothing racks and over $6,000 worth of wedding apparel. When I asked her why she did it, she said, ‘It’s because my dad was a preacher and I like what you stand for.’”

Outdoor markets allow for dog owners to bring their best friends.

Dwyer said she and Mittelstadt were a little choosy on what vendors they accepted, especially with the limited space of the parking lot. “We vetted the vendors to make sure we were not getting people who wanted to clean out their basements. Many remarked that the CWE Flea was so upscale, and definitely charming,” she said “We wouldn’t have had it any other way. We can only take 13 vendors on the lot and we have decided that makes it very manageable and adds to its charm.”

Renewed Treasures is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information about the shop, call 314378-2865, email ourrenewedtreasures@ gmail.com or visit www.renewedtreasures.org.

Parking lot gold For those who think flea markets are contained on the outskirts of the suburbs, think again. One of the newest flea markets opened this past September in the parking lot at 449 N. Euclid in the Central West End (CWE).

Dwyer and her neighbor and partner, Amy Mittelstadt, “love the Brooklyn Flea,” she said. “We had talked about the need for something like this in the Central West End and so we just decided to give it a go. We thought all along that we would experiment with just a few this fall and see what happened.”

Some 250 people turned out for the first CWE Flea in September, where vendors sold jewelry, vintage, antiques, collectibles, handmade felted items, handmade bags, handmade bath products, pastries, produce, olive oil, pastas, honey, repurposed children’s clothing and handmade designer clothing. The CWE Flea is closed for the season but will reopen in the Spring and Fall of 2014. For more information, visit her blog at www. nickidwyer.typepad.com or find the Flea on Facebook at facebook.com/cweflea.

Check out these local

resale shops A consignment showcase stocked with an ever-changing collection of quality pre-owned Furniture & Home Accents

20% off One Item

Not to exceed $100.00 Cannot be combined with other offers Expires March 1, 2014

3354 Mid Rivers Mall Drive, St. Peters, MO | (636) 970-0069 | www.calisahomedecor.com

Design On A Dime

Consignment Shoppe

Featuring

Candleberry Candles with AWESOME FRAGRANCES! Mention this ad for $5 off a $25 purchase Tuesday-Friday 10 - 6 Saturday 10 - 5 Sunday 12 - 4

Visit us at our new location 1982 Zumbehl Road (Schnuck’s Plaza) (636) 949-5959

Mom's Family Resale 274 Fort Zumwalt Square O'Fallon, Mo 63366

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Clarke helped Mazzola get an overnight DJ gig with KSHE. She was with the station for two years as Nikki Tyler. But, working days in accounting and evening weekends at KSHE, didn’t fit with raising her son. Still not wanting to give up her dream to get into the music business, Mazzola again tried to come up with ways to live her dreams. Next, booking came to mind, she said. Emily Dickenson said fortune befriends the bold, so Mazzola sent an email to Shooting Star Lead Guitarist Van McClain telling him that she loved his music and asking him if she could work with him. It worked. The band’s manager called her and said they had just started a distribution company and wanted to start booking festivals. She didn’t make a fortune, but she said she did have a lot of fun and got to go to a lot of festivals with a band she loved. She also started her own booking agency called The Musician’s Avenue. The venture was short-lived but served as another teaching tool.

Maria Mazzola

Rock to Fit Taking control of your goals Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo by Michael Schlueter Fitness Consultant Maria Mazzola has spent a lot of time going after her goals. And she’s never let what she had to do trump what she wanted to do with her life. An accountant by trade, Mazzola has spent most of her adult life crunching numbers to support herself and her son. But that didn’t keep her from searching her heart and the area for a way to break into what she really wanted to do. “I always wanted to get into the music business, because music is my passion,” Mazzola said. “The problem was I didn’t play any instruments. I tried to figure out how I could get into the music business without being creative.” So, Mazzola, while raising a five-year-old on her own, put herself through Broadcast Center by delivering pizzas. As it turned out her instructor was former KSHE disc jockey K.C. Clarke. “I grew up with KSHE,” Mazzola said. “When I was a kid I was very into rock-n-roll and just embraced it. I was never creative but I was always intrigued by people who are.” 46 StreetScape Magazine

It was January 1, 2010 when Mazzola was looking at some pictures of herself. She wasn’t happy with what she saw. “I decided to throw everything I have into being a personal trainer.” And she did. Mazzola went to school to become a certified personal trainer. She studied anatomy. She attended workshops. “It was very intense. I failed the first time, but I was determined and I did it. I’m just a regular person. I just have dreams and I meet them. That’s why I worked at KSHE. That’s why I worked with Shooting Star. That’s why I own my own business. I don’t give up.” Mazzola turned part of her 2-1/2 car garage into a fitness center. She lost 25 pounds while trying to figure out how she would fit her love of music into this new venture. Then she realized that’s exactly what she was doing, and Rock It to Fit was born. “I threw my head into it and music got me there. That’s what I did. I rocked it to get fit.” She trains clients in her garage and runs fitness challenges online. She is a Beach Body online coach where she offers fitness advice, nutritional tools, diet and exercise plans, and workout plans and tips. Mazzola said rock-n-roll was a huge part of getting fit for her and can be for anyone. “When you’re in that mind set, it’s a beautiful thing, when you wake up the next day and you feel those changes in your body, it’s fantastic. There’s nothing better than that.” Today Mazzola is the mother of a 17-year-old. She operates Rock It to Fit, conducts personal training at St. Louis Workout, and yes, she’s still crunching numbers. But that won’t last forever. “I am learning all I can about health and wellness. I would love to travel with fitness as my business,” she said. “I still have goals, and my ultimate goal is to quit my day job by the time I’m 50. I can do whatever I want. We’re all dealt cards. We might as well do whatever we can with them right?” For more information on Rock It to Fit, call Mazzola at 314-707-0512.

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Lee Anderson and friends 11 am-5pm Tuesday thru Thursday 11 am-6pm, Friday-Saturday Winter 2013 47

Rudolph John Phillip “Rudy” Baumann carries some pictures in the basket of his walker. Most are of his children and grandchildren. He pulls a special one from the pile to show the reporter who has come to talk to him about his 97-year life. It’s a photograph of some of his friends, circa 1950. “Those are all my ‘bummin’ buddies’ from my old neighborhood in North St. Louis. They’re all dead now. I’m the last man standing,” he said. Baumann has only been at Mount Carmel Senior Living for a few months. He was still living on his own until he broke his shoulder. “Now I’m a captive customer here,” he quips. He spends a lot of time reminiscing about his life, the ups and the downs. Born in North St. Louis August 12, 1916, Baumann was one of four children. One brother is still living. His dad was a brick layer and his mother a homemaker. Baumann served four years in the United States Air Force. When he got out, he started selling cemetery plots door to door for Memorial Park in St. Louis. From there, he became general manager, then treasurer, then sales manager. Some years he sold upwards of $100,000 in plots, and always took the awards.

Stain glass windows at Mount Carmel Photo Courtesy of Mount Carmel

Relighting the Past Mt. Carmel residents celebrate life Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo by Michael Schlueter

48 StreetScape Magazine

With a touch of sadness in his eyes, he said his father had been a “hopeless drunk,” so he knew early on the need of hard work and a paycheck. “I had a lot of jobs growing up,” he said, “from selling newspapers to homemade bread on the street to selling ‘weather tickets.’ It was illegal, but even the police were customers during the Depression. We did anything to survive. It was accepted. In other words, it was a way of life and you had to live it the best way you could, any way you could make a dime, you did it.” Ironically, Baumann said he came to Mount Carmel every day six days a week for years to feed and take care of his wife, Helena Baumann, until she passed. “I had taught her everything, how to bowl, how to play golf.”

He later became a boxing trainer before WWII during the Golden Gloves tournaments at the Tower Athletic Club in St. Louis. It was an old garage that had been turned into a boxing club.

were not into health. We just ate what we had because it was all we had.

She and her friends and siblings went barefoot a lot. They never got new clothes. They played jacks and hop Rudy said there was never really anything he scotch and roller skated on the sidewalks. “We made up our own fun,” she thought he couldn’t do. He said he refused said. “And we had a lot of love.” to end up like his father. “I could survive a depression,” he said. “I would not be one Of all the inventions during her lifetime, of the people jumping off bridges. I could touch screens are what fascinates Lois. handle it. “I think it’s a wonderful thing that they give more convenience I decided early to live a clean life. Don’t and communication.” take dope. Don’t over-drink. Live in moderation. Don’t abuse your body. I used to say the Lord gave me a pretty good body. I’m gonna give it back to Him as good as I can and I’ve lived that fact.”

Rudy Baumann

Reminiscing about Helena, Rudy said her mother told her not to go out with him. A strict Polish woman, her mother said, “Rudy is no good.” But when once another woman grabbed him and kissed him, Helena “cold-cocked” her. “She cried for two weeks after that, and her mom told her, ‘If he’s that important, go with him.’” Helena’s family lived in a five-family flat with a tavern on the first floor where she worked as a bar maid at 15 years old. “She said from the day she saw me, she knew she was going to marry me. We were married in the early 30s.” Rudy said he.can remember things from when I was less than five years old, like getting lost a block away from my house. I remember going to speakeasies to beg my father to come home. He owed every grocery store in North St. Louis.” Rudy said he tried to find some of those people when he finally had money to pay them back,for helping his family. If there is a secret to long life, Rudy said he believes it’s exercise. He was still doing 50 pushups and 50 sit-ups every morning until his fall. “When I quit smoking, instead of a cigarette, I would make myself get on the floor and do pushups.”

Lois Haley is just a year younger than Rudy. Also a resident of Mount Carmel Senior Living, Haley, 96, was born September 16, 1917 in St. Charles, MO. Her father made $4 a day as a blacksmith, while her mother stayed home and made quilts and clothes. The fourth of six children, Haley was married in 1936 to Edward Haley, with whom she had three children. She said she too remembers the Great Depression. “I went through the same war, the same Depression. It was just awful. I would never want any of my friends or anyone to ever go through it again. The farmers were so poor, they couldn’t afford to have their horses shod or their plows sharpened. My dad was down to $2 a week.” Lois said she only went to school through the eighth grade. She said she couldn’t believe it when people compared the recent downturn in the economy to the Depression. “It wasn’t anything like what we went through,” she said. Lois grew up on Fourth Street near the Rail Road tracks. “I remember my mom feeding people with coffee and biscuits in the morning. Living in her ninth decade of life, Lois, like Rudy, is as sharp as a tack. She said “keeping on top of things and staying interested in a lot of different things” keeps her mind young. She said when she was young, people never worried about eating healthy and exercising. “As I was growing up, we

Lois Haley

The hardest time of her life was when she lost her son, Lois said. “They were hard times when my son died. But I don’t dwell on the bad times. One thing you have to do is accept the Lord’s will. I’m not overly religious, but I do believe He has His plan.” For the most part, Lois said she’s “happy to be here.” She too has lost her spouse, but she said her children—an accountant and a nurse—have done well for themselves. Her grandson is a lawyer. “I’m not ready to go,” she said. “As long as we have music and dancing and people to talk to, I’d rather hang on for a while. I don’t like to dwell on what I didn’t have. I dwell on what I have now.” Winter 2013 49

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Lindenwood University’s

J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts Main Stage Season

Academic Season / Special Events

A Christmas Carol Dec. 5-7, 2013 | 7:30 PM

Daymond John (speaker Series) Nov. 14, 2013 | 7:00 PM

Christmas with The Lettermen Dec. 13, 2013 | 8:00 PM Dec. 14, 2013 | 2:00 & 8:00 PM

Erin Bode: In Concert Jan. 30, 2014 | 8:00 PM

Christmas Traditions with The Lennon Sisters Dec. 15, 2013 | 5:00 PM Christmas with Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. of the 5th Dimension Dec. 20, 2013 | 8:00 PM Dec. 21, 2013 | 2:00 PM The Moscow Festival Ballet presents Giselle Jan. 25, 2014 | 8:00 PM Into the Woods Feb. 20-22, 2014 | 7:30 PM The Haifa Symphony Orchestra of Israel Feb. 25, 2014 | 8:00 PM Celtic Nights -- Journey of Hope: A Night of Music, Song & Dance March 2, 2014 | 2:00 PM The Gershwin Project starring Peter Nero March 8, 2014 | 8:00 PM Reflections of Dean Martin & Frank Sinatra starring Deana Martin March 22, 2014 | 8:00 PM The Addams Family-- A New Comedy: The National Tour

April 6, 2014 | 8:00 PM Memphis -- The Musical: The National Tour April 21, 2014 | 7:00 PM

Wayne Newton in Concert May 17, 2014 | 8:00 PM

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“My clients were coming in younger and younger, and their biggest fear was, if they were going to parent this child, they had nowhere to go.” Carissa Figgins, founder and executive director of The Sparrow’s Nest Maternity Home was a volunteer crisis pregnancy counselor with a local pregnancy resource center when she was introduced to an unusually large number of teenage girls with an unplanned pregnancy. These girls are not from any certain demographic, she said. “Some may have an education, some may not. Some may be from well off families, some may not. Some may live with their parents, some may not. Some may be as young as 14.”

Sparrow’s Nest Maternity home for girls in need Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photos by Michael Schlueter

52 StreetScape Magazine

What they did have in common was a lack of housing while they were pregnant, Figgins said. “Maybe their pregnancy was the last straw with their parents and they were kicked out. Maybe because of growing economic concerns in our community one more mouth to feed just seemed impossible. Maybe everyone around them is pushing for them to get an abortion but they really want to keep the baby and need a safe place for the duration of their pregnancy.” Figgins began the arduous task of trying to locate housing for minors. Discouragement settled in as she called area churches and agencies and discovered the services were extremely limited for everyone, but especially for minors.

“Most people agreed it was a growing issue in our area. Most people agreed we had limited services on our side of the river,” she said. “But no one really knew what to do.”

ing with a bank representative to secure financing for a building which she had not yet located at the time. That representative was Mark Hollander. He suggested using his church, Faith Chapel. The church in turn purchased a house and acreage for Sparrow’s Nest.

anyone to be discounted and brushed aside for a mistake.”

Convinced that The Sparrow’s Nest will make an extraordinary difference in the St. Charles County Community, Figgins After countless telephone calls, conversasaid, “We have been blessed with a tions and meetings, and hours upon hours of unique opportunity to positively impact research and prayer, Figgins knew what she Figgins said the mission of the 501 (c) the lives of young women and in so had to do. So she decided to open up The (3) nonprofit home is to provide a Christdoing impact the lives of families in our Sparrow’s Nest Maternity Home for girls centered shelter and to educate homeless, community for generations. Through the ages 14-18. pregnant and parenting young women by power of Jesus Christ, a new and powerproviding a wide range of services that emful story can be written on the hearts of She said she realized very early on why few power them to make positive and healthy life these young women.” people had looked into the prospect of housdecisions for themselves and their babies. ing pregnant minors. “It’s messy dealing There are lots of places for others to be with people. It’s complicated dealing with As if there was any doubt, Figgins said she “written into our story,” Figgins said. minors,” she said. “It’s actually really difrealized it was her calling to orchestrate the Whether it be through financial contrificult to accomplish the right, and moral and plans for housing young moms when after butions or volunteerism, Figgins said, ethical thing to help other people.” the Sparrow’s Nest Maternity Home’s web- The Sparrow’s Nest Maternity Home site went live in December 2010, the phone has a need for the gifts and talents of But, whether she wanted to or not, she was never stopped ringing. “It kept cycling back everyone. on her way to opening a home for young to me,” she said. “Labor and delivery nurses girls. “I couldn’t convince anyone else to were calling. High school counselors were Many considerations went into naming take it on, so I just dove in myself. I have calling. Other houses in the state called the maternity home, Figgins said. A been working on it solidly since July 21, saying the girls they were caring for could friend of hers came up with the idea, 2010,” Figgins said. And on July 25, 2013, not go home. The girls themselves were remembering the 1905 Gospel hymn over three years after she made her first calling.” “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” The two phone call, The Sparrow’s Nest found a then recalled the Psalmist’s declaration, home. Figgins said whenever she felt like giv“Even the sparrow has found a home, ing up, she remembered who she was and and the swallow a nest for herself, She said she discovered that courage is why she got into the business of helping where she may have her young-- a place “knowing you’re licked before you beyoung women to begin with. “I’m Irish and near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King gin, but you begin anyway, and you see it also a Christian,” she said. “I have a lot of and my God.” (Psalm 84:3 NIV) through no matter what. You rarely win, but righteous anger. It killed me that we tell sometimes you do.” these girls their life is over. I can’t stand for Figgins said pirate lore dictates that two The first win was when Figgins was worksparrows are always pictured together depicting loyalty and support. The logo for the home, a picture of mother and baby birds in a nest represents parents choosing to parent. The branch on which the nest sits symbolizes being connected to the church. “The nest is safety,” Figgins said. The purple (the color of the birds) is for boys and girls because pink and blue makes purple, and purple also depicts the royalty of God’s chosen people.”

Sparrow’s Nest founder, Carissa Figgins

The first Sparrow’s Nest Maternity Home is expected to open in December. For more information on donating or volunteering, contact : Carissa Figgins at The Sparrow’s Nest 6209 Mid Rivers Mall Dr. #119, St. Peters, MO 63376, call 636-336-2534, or visit www.thesparrowsneststl.org

Winter 2013 53

Rebeca Navarro-McKelvey

GIVING THE GIFT

ST. CHARLES LEGAL COUNSELOR TAKES ACTION Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo by Michael Schlueter

While many little girls were feeding their dolls, Rebeca NavarroMcKelvey was arguing the law before a 12-stuffed-animal jury in her bedroom in Columbia, MO. The team leader for the Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit of the St. Charles County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney said there was never a question about the path she would take. “I decided early on I wanted to be a lawyer. I used to set up stuffed animal juries and play like I was a lawyer.” She said her mother always made her feel like she had a gift. And while her father was supportive, he didn’t mince words with his only child. “Dad said I would have to make it happen. He said, “We’re not in the financial position to make it happen, so you will have to.’” Navarro-McKelvey has made a lot of things happen in her mere 38 years. A refugee from Nicaragua at just six years 54 StreetScape Magazine

of age, Navarro-McKelvey came to America with her parents, Atanasio and Maritza Navarro on April 4, 1980, shortly after the Sandinistas seized power from the Somoza regime. The civil war had come within earshot of their home in Managua, capital of the Central American nation of about three million people. Atanasio was an architect in Nicaragua. Maritza was an attorney for the Somozan government. “Anyone who worked for the Somozan government was targeted,” Navarro-McKelvey said. “They would have summary trials on the street and they would shoot you. The Sandinistas were seizing assets and taking homes.” The Navarros fled Nicaragua to escape Communism, leaving wealth and position behind. The family of three came to America with nothing, first settling in Columbia and then Jefferson City, MO.

Atanasio’s first job in the states was at a Columbia Taco Tico. Between that and other jobs he picked up along the way, the new American was working some 90 hours a week. His family lived in a trailer. Atanasio and Maritza went on to learn the ropes of fast food through a local Duncan Donuts and later the art of Chinese Cuisine through a local businessman named Pon Chinn and his restaurant the Wok In. Wanting to strike out on their own, the Navarros moved to Missouri’s Capitol and ended up owning and operating a Chinese fast-food restaurant called The American Wok. “The irony—an Hispanic family making Mexican and then Chinese food,” Navarro-McKelvey said. “Neither spoke English.” Navarro-McKelvey worked hard alongside her parents, but when the time came to set out on her own, she was ready to realize her own dreams in the land of opportunity. She said living in Valley High Trailer Court in Columbia ironically became one of life’s

greatest lessons for her. “It was there I learned a lot about America. There were people who were going to make something of themselves and those that weren’t. In one generation, some of them were able to change the opportunities for their children. Some worked three and four jobs. In America, no matter where you start, you decide where you end. I used those examples in my life.”

years as a felony prosecutor in the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office White Collar Crime Unit. While there, Navarro-McKelvey established the region’s first Fraud Prevention Taskforce, a program dedicated to preventing and prosecuting financial crimes perpetrated against vulnerable adults.

In that position, Navarro-McKelvey put one man away for 40 years for posing as a police officer to convince older adults that he was So Navarro-McKelvey set out to make investigating counterfeit money. Thomas things happen. At 17, she joined the United “TC” McGee would then forcefully drive States National Guard, completing boot the victims to their banks and make them camp at Fort Leonard Wood. There she won withdraw their money for him to keep. a full scholarship from the ROTC (Reserve “The job gave me the ability to work with Officers’ Training Corps) to the University people who often don’t have voices in our of Missouri School of Law. The scholarship society or whose voices are marginalized,” required her to serve seven years of active she said. The experience prepared her for duty following school. She decided to pay her later role with children when abusive her own way so that she could marry her adults claim children “have too much imagicollege sweetheart in her junior year. nation or can’t speak well.

In America, no matter where you start, you decide where you end. Shane McKelvey worked in the cafeteria at MIZZOU. Her parents were not amused. Her friends even questioned her. “They said, ‘You’re going to marry the salad prep guy?’ I said, ‘He isn’t always going to be the salad prep guy.’”

Since 2009, she has served as Legal Counsel for the St. Charles County Juvenile Office, and more recently as chief legal counsel. In that capacity, she prosecuted all law violations committed by juveniles, including violent and sexual offenses and was responsible for litigating cases of child abuse and neglect perpetrated by parents and other caretakers. The job is not an easy one. “I don’t read the news because I have enough pain in my heart,” she said. “I don’t ask why anymore. You won’t know the why. Why would you abuse a baby? I tell myself this is what has happened. Then I ask myself what is my role to make this situation as just as possible. How can I be a tool for God in this situation?

Today she and the salad prep guy have three children, Shane, 10; Ryan, 9; and Sophia, 2.

“I pray every day for police officers, social workers and child and victim advocates. They have to see some very bad things. They do it every single day and do it for less pay.”

Navarro-McKelvey graduated law school in 2000 and spent four and half years at Armstrong Teasdale in St. Louis where she found she was doing more pro bono work than she was required simply because she truly believed the “whole point of the practice of law is about service.”

It was after seeing one of those “very bad things” that Navarro-McKelvey discovered her next calling. She was holding her infant son, Shane, when she saw a news report about Destiny Daniels, another infant who had been beaten to death by her mentally ill mother. The woman had literally swung the

So she took a 50 percent pay cut, had two babies in 18 months and spent the next four

Continued on pg. 66 REBECCA

Winter 2013 55

THE PARTY BUS FROM ROCK N’ ROLL TO RAP THE UNTOLD STORIES FROM THE ROAD

Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo by Michael Schlueter

Snoop Dogg and Vince Vigna

He’s traveled with some of rock’n’-roll’s greats and hauled much of the tools of their trade. Vince Vigna of St. Peters is on the road with hard rockers, Nine Inch Nails (abbreviated as NIИ). A public adjustor by trade, Vigna‘s cross country concert tours began shortly after a failed party bus venture. In his former job in St. Louis, Vigna represented homeowners to insurance companies. But he said the work was often depressing. “Everything I did was some type of tragedy. It was a very unhappy business to be in. People had sometimes lost everything.” A vacation with his wife to Las Vegas for the opening of the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino would change all that. “I was sitting in front of the MGM thinking, ‘I hate what I do.’ Well, there was this tour bus sitting there and I thought, ‘I want to buy one of those,’ and a month later I was doing it.” That was 1993. But as it turned out, Vigna really didn’t like the party bus business either. “I 56 StreetScape Magazine

wound up hating dealing with the drunks and the damage they did to the bus.” Today, he works for one of the largest fleets in the transportation industry, Senators Coaches, of Florence, AL. Vigna has hauled some of rock-‘n’-roll’s legends as well as much of their stuff for over two decades, including the Eagles, Journey, Jimmy Buffet, Steve Miller Band, Pat Matheny, and The Cranberries. “It has been pretty colorful,” he said. When asked who was his favorite charge, there was no hesitation. “Snoop is my favorite. No question,” Vigna said, referring to the prominent rapper Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr., known by his stage names Snoop Doggy Dogg, Snoop Dogg, and more recently Snoop Lion. Also a singer-songwriter and actor, Snoop is one of America’s favorites as well. He’s sold over 30 million albums worldwide. Vigna said Snoop chooses to ride the bus because he “doesn’t do well in airports.” And, he loves Waffle House. “I had more

fun with Snoop than with anyone,” he said. Many times, Vigna said, fans either don’t know who is on a bus or don’t recognize them immediately. Most entertainers rent busses for travel, so they aren’t adorned with their names either. “On the Eagles tour, there were 94 busses in all, so no one knows who’s on what bus. We number them so the crew knows which one to get on.” The Eagles didn’t even ride the bus, he said. They prefer to take it easy and fly. But again, Snoop was the exception, Vigna said. “Snoop is kind of hard to hide,” he said. “He got off the bus at a truck stop above San Antonio, TX. When he got back on, he said, ‘Even the truckers love me.’ He’s an absolute joy to be around.” The antithesis of Snoop, for Vigna, is comedian and actor, Pauly Shore. “I wouldn’t drive him across the street,” he said. “That seventies stoner routine is not an act.” And so it goes. According to Vigna, Etta James is a “sweetheart,” Metal group Five Continued on pg. 66 BUS

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StreetScape Book Review

Review by Vicki Erwin

In these anniversary years of the Civil War, there is a book about practically everything. Patriotic Pals Tails of Civil War Dogs is a very

charming nonfiction picture book featuring dogs who took a starring turn during that war. A border collie named Chuck and a poodle named

Tillie take the reader on a tour of Civil War people and places. The

stories include those of bravery, of loyalty and of canine intelligence. One of my favorites is the story of Shanks and his owner, Lt. Louis

Pfieff. Shanks accompanied the lieutenant to the Battle of Shiloh where the soldier was struck down and buried in an unmarked grave. Shanks

remained on watch by the grave for twelve days until Mrs. Pfieff arrived and took her husband

and his loyal canine home. Stuckenschneider is the author and lives in Washington MO. Bernal is the illustrator and a resident of St Louis.

Buy it at Main Street Books

Title Patriotic Pals Author C hris Stuckenschneider & Richard Bernal

307 S Main St., St. Charles MO 63301 (636) 949-0105 www.mainstreetbooks.net Follow us on twitter @mainstreetbooks

Publisher Reedy Press, $

Introducing the Ageless Spa: A Partner of Naturo By Dr. Christy Jenkins, BCND & QRA Practitioner

Naturo Health Solutions has embarked on a new partnership. It’s a partnership that has been in the making for almost 20 years. Cearra Jenkins, my daughter has partnered with me in the healthcare service profession and has opened her own business, Ageless Spa. Together we are servicing clients internally and externally. I am extremely proud of her and this business endeavor. It is very exciting to announce the birth of this achievement. The Ageless Spa offers the latest in nonsurgical body treatments and anti-aging skin therapies to promote youthful, radiant, healthy skin. They incorporate state-of-theart equipment and professional grade products, along with non-invasive techniques. The services are comprised of fascinating signature facials, rejuvenating image peels, relaxing body treatments, and skin-

58 StreetScape Magazine

smoothing hair removal. The spa also specializes in conditions related to lines and wrinkles, skin tone and texture, teenage and adult acne, as well as sun and age spots. Special cosmetic services include non-surgical facelifts, excessive perspiration, and acne treatments. As a holistic esthetician, Cearra is truly dedicated to helping others learn more about caring for their skin in the most natural way possible. Cearra received her Esthetician degree from The Salon Professional Academy. She has obtained formal training alongside me and completed laser certification training with John E. Hoopman, CMLSO/ Scition in Atlanta, GA. She continues to pursue ongoing Esthetic education and training to remain knowledgeable of the most innovative techniques. Her priority in skin care is to teach her client’s how to promote healthy skin and combat the signs of aging related to poor lifestyle and genetics. She will conduct a thorough consultation

prior to determining which skin care products to use in order to yield the best results. The mission of the Ageless Spa is to provide professional aesthetic services in a relaxing and comfortable environment. The goal is to customize a treatment plan according to the client’s budget and based on the individual’s assessment, feedback, and initial consultation. The aim is to ensure client satisfaction and comfort in order to increase repeat business and encourage recommendations to family and friends. When it comes to your face and body you want to trust an esthetician who listens and cares. Cearra is her own client and she wears her profession proudly. When looking for a professional skin care specialist, look no more…I now introduce to you, the Ageless Spa!

St. Louis Boasts WorldClass Cuisine in Expanding Casino Property The Cheese Impresario visits with a Cheese-Centric Chef Story by Barrie Lynn | The Cheese Impresario www.TheCheeseImpresario.com As some of you know, I am relatively new to St. Louis. I married my high school sweetheart and left Hollywood for the Midwest. I’ve been loving the food, wine and drink scene here and have been happily surprised by the excellence and passion that’s much in bloom. I heard about the muchlauded food of Chef John Johnson who is the executive chef at River City Casino & Hotel. This seemed to be a bit of an oxymoron to me. Because other than celebrity chef restaurants, fine food at casinos has not been on my radar. To learn more, I made an appointment with Chef John. I was greeted with a warm welcome to Chef John’s kitchen and we started talking about artisanal cheese and the amazing quality coming out of cheesemakers in our own country. Chef Johnson exudes passion…my kind of guy! He was in the process of infusing Mozzarella curds with a variety of luscious flavors. Before Chef John could begin infusing, he had to locate the highest quality Mozzarella curds made from cow’s milk. His quest led him to BelGioioso, a fourthgeneration cheesemaking family located in the pristine terrior in Wisconsin. Here Chef John found the quality Mozzarella he was searching for. Chef and I then enjoyed his creations together. One was infused with port with cinnamon, clove along with a bit of vanilla bean. The other cheese delight was infused by soaking the curds in a roasted garlic bath.

These special cheese bites were going to be served that evening on the cheese board at River City Casino & Hotel’s stellar restaurant, 1904 Steak House. The customers at River City Casino & Hotel are fortunate to

have such a creative chef at the helm. I love Chef John’s quote it says so much, “My Mom made food fun. If you have fun in the kitchen, you can taste it.”

so don’t expect rubber chicken on the banquet menu at River City Casino & Hotel. The second outstanding amenity at River City Casino & Hotel’s Event Center is the sound system. It’s a multimillion dollar Martin MLA compact sound system and it’s only the second permanent installation in the country. This system balances out the sound via computer, ensuring those in the back seats have the same crystal clear concert experience as those in the front seats. Everyone will receive top-quality sound throughout the 14,000 square feet of this venue.

So true Chef John! Just this past September, River City Casino transformed into River City Casino & Hotel. Their expansion included a lovely 200-room hotel and event center both of which are receiving cheers from the community. The River City Event Center is drop dead beautiful and comes with several unique amenities. One is their banquet chef. Not just any chef, Chef Chris Lee leads the team to deliver delicious food. Chef Lee was just named ”Best Chef” for the second year in a row at the Battle Royale at St. Louis’s significant food event, The Taste of St. Louis. He brings his own passion to banquet food,

Photo credit: Noah Besheer. Winter 2013 59

LET’S FACE IT BUST THE WINTER SKIN BLAHS Story by Tamara Tungate

As brisk winds and dropping temperatures move in our skin protests with flakey patches, red splotches and a pasty pallet. Here are some tips to keep that outer glow during the cold days of winter.

1. Take time to exfoliate

Just because it isn’t hot and humid doesn’t mean grime and sweat doesn’t build up on your skin. Make sure to regularly cleanse and exfoliate as needed to remove dull and flakey skin.

damage, especially with the glare of snow and ice! Use SPF products to protect against aging, wrinkles and skin cancer.

5. Avoid the Rudolph Syndrome

Amp up the moisture by finding a product with a little extra thickness to make up for the dry air. Using lotion on your skin while it is still damp helps to lock in the moisture

Our poor noses take the brunt of frigid temps and attempts to hang in there by pumping up the blood to keep it from freezing, which turns it into a lovely red bulb. If you are prone to this common winter ailment your best bet, other than keeping out of the cold, is extra concealer and even a tinted primer with green which counteracts red.

3. Moisturize while you sleep

6. Humidify

4. Don’t forget the sunscreen

7. Bronze the Blahs Away

2. Replenish your skin

Use a night cream that will repair and hydrate your winter skin while you sleep so you have firm, fresh skin when your alarm goes off.

Days are shorter and the light is less intense but that doesn’t mean UV rays aren’t affecting your skin. In fact, letting down your sunscreen guard this time of year can allow plenty of

Invest in a humidifier for the house or your bedroom. Not only will your skin thank you for the extra drink but so will your hair, sinuses, body and many other things.

If pale isn’t your look then bronzing might be the fix for you. Use a matte power shade 3 to 4 times darker than your own skin on your cheekbones, hairline, and a dab on the bridge of your nose. Then lightly brush over with a shimmery sunburnt color blush. The dark face powder mixed with a sunburnt blush create a very real and fresh appearance without looking too metallic or mismatched.

8. Light Therapy works

According to the Mayo Clinic, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) impacts us when the sunlight becomes scarce and the temperatures chill out. A Light Therapy Box mimics the outdoor light and stimulates our brain to make the chemicals that support a healthy mood and deep sleep. Many people have seen results with 15 to 30 minute 60 StreetScape Magazine

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Winter 2013 61

Fit in Fitness Heat up your workout for the winter. Now that the leaves have fallen and it’s officially cold outside, your routine of running, boot camping and other outdoor activities have come to an end. So what now? How do I carry that same momentum from my routine when I have to bring it indoors? Well I could tell you that you don’t have to bring it indoors if you want me to, but that would be a wasted article. I know as well as you do, you will be in the gym more searching for that same heart pumping buzz you got from running the steps at the Pavilion or from pulling a heavy bag up a hill (if you train with me). How do I bring that same heat inside? It’s not as hard as it may seem. It just depends on your gym IQ. Any kinesiologist will tell you that the most effective calorie burning movements would be large muscle group, compound movements. They would be correct. There are many ways of reproducing naturally occurring compound body movements that promote fat shredding, calorie burn. Let’s not reinvent the wheel here.

Story by Brian Byrd

Let’s look to our power lifting strong men for a good starting point. Olympic style lifting is designed to do one thing, promote TOTAL body strength and muscle gain. Let’s start with a basic yet, very effective Olympic movement. Deadlifts. You can do these with stiff legs or with bent knees through the motion. Since we are not doing this movement for lower back and hamstring work specifically, I suggest using the more traditional bent knee dead lift.

Fig. A

In my opinion, this is the safest and most effective move. Do these with a weight that you have to struggle through reps 8, 9, and 10, but not break correct form. This move uses the entire posterior body along with the quads, deep core muscles, and upper shoulders. This move gives

62 StreetScape Magazine

you the most bang for your buck that any winter workout will need. This is also a compound movement because the different planes of the body the lift crosses. See fig A Another Olympic style move that is even more effective in overall calorie burn and strength gaining potential is what I call the squat press from a deadlift. This is done with lighter weight (about 55% of your heavier deadlifts), but does not lose its overall burn. You would do a regular deadlifting motion then do a hang clean to the clavicle position, then perform a front squat with the ending position being the weight over your head and you standing straight up. See fig. B This is an extremely effective move that uses all the major muscle groups in a natural movement uninhibited by a machine. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy on the joints because of the natural movement and lighter weight. The deadlift is not bad for your joints being a

either the treadmill or the elliptical. On either, chose a difficult but comfortable level of resistance or speed and that will be your starting point.

Now, it is important to remember that because we are animals and when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cold animals tend to gain weight, that you may put on a few pounds.

Every 30 seconds or 1 minute double the speed or resistance for 1 min then back to the starting point. Repeat this as many times as you like. Both effectively work your cardio, respiratory, and vascular systems.

But if you lift smart and push hard you can have the gain, be lean muscle, and keep your overall endurance levels up. Keep that momentum going!

Your heart rate fluctuates from high to low, and is a great way to drop your resting

There is no reason to miss a step! MOVE SOMETHING! Live long and be healthy. Brian Byrd Owner St. Louis Fitness and Wellness Group LLC brians-hands@sbcglobal.net www. stlfwgrp.com 314-369-6511

Fig. B

heavier movement. As long as you are using correct form, you are safe. Your body is designed to lift heavier weights this way. If you are a runner and do not want to lose your lung capacity, but do not enjoy long runs on the treadmill you can supplement with plyometric moves and doing sprint intervals. Plyometric moves could be standing box jumps, or standing flat bench hops for as long as you can. Be sure you can safely clear the bench or jump up on the box as many times possible, rest then repeat. The sprint intervals can be done in many ways but for the sake of this being a winter supplement to running we will keep it on

heart-rate while maintaining your fitness level. By being smart and working your body with natural movements like Olympic lifting, plyometrics, and interval training you can greatly increase your success of not putting back on that hard earned fat loss in the warmer months.

$100 jumpstart redo your program for winter 3 one on one sessions and a session with my registered dietician Winter 2013 63

SWIMMING WITH THE SHARK FASHION MOGUL AND STAR OF ABC’S SHARKTANK DAYMON JOHN

Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo by Michael Schlueter

FUBU Founder and “Shark Tank” Investment Expert Daymon John told Lindenwood University students and others that what he’s doing on television “the professors are doing every single day.” In other words, John’s real job is to teach. And from the looks of it, people flock to his classroom, both on camera and off. Lindenwood’s Bezemes Family Theatre was packed on a midNovember evening when the school hosted John as part of its 2013-2014 Speaker Series.

After years of struggling as a waiter at Red Lobster, he came home and made a printed a t-shirt with the name he had chosen, FUBU. He started by traveling to hip-hop events with 10 shirts. He would put them on his artists of choice, who were also friends, and then said “take them off” as soon as the show was finished. He said he promised

John’s captivating rags to riches story is the personification of the American dream. He took his love of hip-hop music, when the genre was still in its infancy, and parlayed it into a $5 billion global brand known as FUBU (For Us By Us). In many ways the now highly soughtafter speaker and consultant duped his audience into buying his product, years before he ever turned out a single unit. 64 StreetScape Magazine

himself then that, though he couldn’t sing or play an instrument, he was going to “live, die and prosper in the world of hip hop.” Early sightings of Russell Simmons selling hip-hop music on the streets of New York, educated John that “you can actually make money doing something you love.” As more and more photos circulated of artists wearing his brand, John was already convincing his potential clientele that they needed him. “I was a waiter working at Red Lobster with 10 t-shirts, living in my mom’s basement. But people thought I was a big clothing label,” John said. In his talk he reveals many of the secrets that made FUBU a $5 billion global brand and reinvigorated the once defunct Coogi brand into the biggest fashion line in its space. Consulting for some of the top Fortune 500 companies in the world, John shares advice and experience on branding, licensing, product placement, marketing strategy, and overall business consultation.

Daymon John

John grew up in the community of Hollis,

Queens, arguably one of the contenders as a birthplace for hip-hop, a now more than 30-year-old recorded medium that at the time was being introduced by acts like RUN DMC and Salt-N-Peppa. He said being a part of this influential neighborhood helped spur the inspiration for his clothing line that would ultimately change the fashion world. John said being a shark is not about having money. “It’s about a state of mind,” he said. “I was a shark every since I was a little kid.” He said it started when he was six years old scraping the ink off of pencils and replacing the words with the names of the prettiest girls. “I would then sell the pencils to the prettiest girls. It’s called making a profit and engaging your customer,” he said. Working every side job from shoveling snow to raking leaves to handing out flyers for a coming mall in Hollis, John was schooled early on in the benefits of hard work. He was ten years old when his parents divorced. He would never see his father again, but his mother would go on to be the spark behind getting FUBU off the ground financially.

brought in some industrial sewing machines, and soon, the house was turned into a makeshift factory and office space.

Lindenwood students receiving check for “kampus” app which won contest.

tive FUBU logo and began sewing it on hockey jerseys, sweatshirts and t-shirts. But what catapulted FUBU into national notoriety was after John paid a visit to Hollis native and hip-hop superstar LL Cool J. LL’s advice to John was to find a famous person and “stalk them.” After considering LL’s advice, John and his friends returned to the mega rapper’s home and waited in his yard until he came out and eventually agreed to be their stalkee. He then helped promote FUBU to the world.

Soon after, John and his partners traveled to the industry trade show “Magic” in Las Vegas. Though they couldn’t even afford a booth at the show, John and his With her help and sewing expertise, he once team showed buyers the distinctively cut, vibrantly colored sportswear in their hotel made replicas of a tie-top hat that he had seen in a music video. He sold them on the room. They came back to Queens with over streets of Queens, NY for $800 in just a few $300,000 worth of orders. hours. With no start-up money and rejections from John soon recruited some of his friends and 27 banks, John and his mother mortgaged the home they collectively owned for FUBU was born. They created the distinc$100,000. They moved the furniture out, Daymon John and judge panel

FUBU soon expanded its line to include jeans and outerwear after securing a contract with the New York Citybased department store chain Macy’s. A distribution deal with Korean electronics manufacturer Samsung allowed FUBU designs to be manufactured and delivered on a massive scale, and before long the company was recording annual sales of $350 million, placing it in the same stratosphere as designer sportswear labels such as Donna Karan New York and Tommy Hilfiger. In 2009, John joined the cast of “Shark Tank,” produced by acclaimed television producer Mark Burnett. John and four other prominent executives listen

Daymon John and Tom Hannegan

to business pitches from everyday people hoping to launch their company or product. They then invest their own money in every project they choose. Since his humble beginnings on the streets of New York, John has collected more than 35 awards including: Brandweek Marketer of the Year, the Advertising Age Marketing 1000 Award for Outstanding Ad Campaign, and Ernst & Young’s New York Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He has published the books “Display of Power: How FUBU Changed a World of Fashion, Branding, And Lifestyle,” and “The Brand Within: How We Brand Ourselves, From Birth to the Boardroom.” John summed up his advice to his St. Charles audience with a little advice from “Finding Nemo’s” Dory, “Keep swimming.” Winter 2013 65

CONTINUED FROM REBECA PG. 55.

Navarro-McKelvey immediately called the St. Louis Medical Examiner’s Office and said, “I want to bury that child.” She was informed that the medical examiner has to wait till they have “enough of them” to make it worth the trip for the funeral home to come and collect and bury in unmarked graves. Because of the lack of resources, abandoned children will be buried with no clothing, no memorial service and in unmarked graves. “Imagine, I’m looking at a sleeping baby while she’s telling me this,” Navarro-McKelvey said. Once again, the Nicaraguan refugee set about to make things happen. She formed the nonprofit corporation Garden of Innocents that now provides a loving and dignified memorial and burial service for every unclaimed child and infant in the custody of the Medical Examiner’s office in St. Louis. First, her husband, who worked for a bank, set up an account for the burials. “Then I called all of my media friends.” After collecting enough to bury Destiny, she was able to secure a 20-squarefoot section for 60 graves at Calvary Cemetery in North St. Louis, which would become known as “Garden of Innocents.” The land was donated by Msgr. Robert L. McCarthy, director of Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Each child is provided with a casket, a small teddy bear, flowers and a handmade blanket, booties, hat and burial gown. A service is performed by clergy, and the children’s names are inscribed on a permanent memorial stone. Navarro-McKelvey gives each child a name.

and volunteers . For more information, call 1-800-880-6941 or write at P.O. Box 190773, St. Louis, MO or go to www.gardenof innocents.org. CONTINUED FROM PARTY BUS PG. 64.

Vigna said people would be surprised to know that driving a band or an entertainer is tougher than it looks and not as glamorous as it may seem at times. Often, he is driving more of the famous people’s stuff than the actual famous people. There is production equipment, lighting, video, speakers, trusses, rigging and instruments to be transported. Then there is the live cargo, such as carpenters and technicians, “all integral parts of the show,” he said. “It’s a rolling circus. There’s no doubt about it.” And along with the circus comes the clowns. “Some are more needy than others. The older guys have been around for a long time. It’s easier to get along with them. The younger guys sometimes are like, ‘Do you know who I am?’ The older guys know who they are. There is no second guessing with them,” Vigna said. “It’s not the glamorous job everybody thinks it would be,” he said. We are the non-descript guys. Everybody thinks we’re out here partying. We make sure the bus is straight and we go to bed. We’re here to do a job.” Sometimes that job is huge. The Irish rock band from Dublin, U2, required two identical complete stages transported on 40 busses, Vigna said. Among the best selling music artists of all time, with more than 150 million records world worldwide and more Grammy Awards than any other band at

“I couldn’t believe that people passed from this Earth without the dignity of a name or clothing even, especially children,” she said. “Who knows what this person would have been under different circumstances?” Navarro-McKelvey said the organization always needs donations

22, U2 required a steel team as well as two sets of trucks including box trailers and flat beds. “Everything was planned two days in advance,” Vigna said. While workers were taking down a stage in one city, another was going up in the next city on the tour. The driver also cleans and maintains the bus, Vigna said. “He’s a driver, electrician, mechanic, plumber, launderer and maid, all to keep the thing rolling down the highway.” And roll it does. Vigna said he was home a mere 25 days in 2006. But Vigna admits the scenery and the people are amazing. “I have made a ton of friends and have been to a lot of places over the years. The people are my favorite part. It’s like traveling with a family. We are all out here together. We are all away from our own families.” Vigna regrets the time missed with his own children, though. “I missed so much time with my daughters,” he said. Vigna’s youngest daughter, Nicole Christine Vigna, died of a heroin overdose in January 2013. She was working as a hostess in a restaurant in St. Charles, when a kid who worked in the kitchen offered her the drug. Vince’s wife, Gee Vigna, now organizes an annual walk for heroin addiction awareness. His oldest daughter, Brittany Vigna, is working on her master’s degree in hospital administration. When asked about his wildest memories in observing rock stars and other entertainers over the years, Vigna took the Fifth. “There are a lot of stories, but I’ll only tell those after I retire. Usually what happens on the bus stays on the bus.”

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Winter 2013 67

People You Should Know

Nick and Jean Nickerson

The Nickerson Duo Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photos by Michael Schlueter

Nick and Jean Nickerson are doers. At 95 and 91, respectively, the two just last summer painted the walls and epoxied the floor of their garage in St. Charles. Jean still climbs scaffolding to adorn her home with Halloween and Christmas decorations. She started running when she was 50 and still walks three miles a day four times a week. She had to give up running at the tender age of 70 due to arthritis. Nick and Jean went on their first date on Flag Day in 1942. They were married on November 28 of that year. It was Nick’s parent’s 25th anniversary. Nick worked at McDonnell Aircraft Company, at the time, and Jean worked at the Old Trails restaurant in St. Charles. Nick and his friends frequented the restaurant, and that’s where he met Jean. “I had known him longer,” Jean said of Nick. “He dated everybody else but me, all my sisters and all the other girls.”

68 StreetScape Magazine

“She was too pretty,” Nick said. “I was a little afraid of her. I was afraid I wouldn’t get a date.” The couple’s first home was at what is now called the Courtyard apartments across the street from the Old Historic Courthouse in St. Charles. In 1942, it was called Ira Paul Apartments. “I remember how Nick and I were standing out on the balcony when he opened his letter from the draft board and we read that he’d been called to serve in WWII. The Nickerson’s two children, Camille and then Martin Nickerson, soon came along. The couple would welcome two grandchildren and three great grandchildren in the years to come. Nick went into the Navy in 1944 and served two years. He was sent to Naval Station Great Lakes and then to the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Norman, OK for training as a Naval aviation machinist’s mate. Nick failed the test

three times for acceptance to pilot training because the Navy said his blood pressure was too high. “They put me in an air crew anyway,” Nick said. “I was a gunner and an aviation machinist’s mate. We carried 2,000-pound torpedoes in the belly of our planes.” After being transferred to Florida at Fort Lauderdale, Nick was soon ordered to the South Pacific, but the war ended before he could go. Jean said life was hard when Nick was away. “It wasn’t easy for me when Nick was drafted into the Navy,” she said. “During the war we did a lot of rationing, such as gas, shoes, sugar, tires, etc. People would have a hard time with that today, but we did it. We only got four gallons of gas a week.” One Christmas, when Jean was living in Norman, OK, her mother sent a doll for Camille. By the time it reached her, it was broken into 1,000 pieces. “”Everything was hard during WWII. It wasn’t an easy life,” she said. The government encouraged those who

were not fighting the war to plant “Victory Gardens” and Jean did her share in the back yard of their home.

But it’s that energy that Jean said has kept their marriage going for more than 70 years. “We are very energetic. I think it keeps your marriage stronger because you work together,” she said. “We’ve always done everything ourselves. Nick could do anything, fix anything.”

When Nick got out of the Navy, Jean was living with their two children on his parent’s farm. There wasn’t any housing to be had in St. Charles, so the Nickersons lived in a sixfamily apartment building in Powell Terrace Apartments for eight years until the couple could build their first home on Hawthorne St. in St. Charles. The family would later purchase a six-cottage resort called Dogwood Acres in Lake of the Ozarks. They then moved into one house on Monroe Street while they remodeled another on the same street to operate as apartments.

Jean said the two have had very few warguments over the years, which also helps a marriage. “You just have to be sure to do your part and try to be careful what you say and what you do, both ways, on both sides,” Jean said. “Having lived 91 years and had 91 years of fun, we’ve had a good life. We’ve done a lot of things in our life and I’ve enjoyed them all.”

Photo courtesy of Nickerson’s, family Chrsitmas decorated by Jean.

Nick and Jean Nickerson

Nick was the son of a farmer and a stayat-home mom. He was the oldest of four children. Jean’s father worked in the clay mines and her mother worked in a factory. She was one of eight children. Halloween was always Jean’s favorite holiday, she said. “When the kids were little and Nick worked second shift, we would have pimento cheese sandwiches, corn curls and orange soda on Halloween. We went to a dozen places to see if they could guess what we were. We didn’t ever have store bought costumes.” Jean said, surprisingly, the couple of more than seven decades are opposites. “We’re entirely different,” she said. “Nick is very patient and easy going and I am not too patient and easy going. Anyone else that was not so patient probably would have done away with me.”

Picture your loved ones protected from life’s uncertainties. Thrivent Financial has helped generations navigate life’s uncertainties—from volatile financial markets to unexpected loss or disability. We can help you protect yourself, your family and your independence so you can picture your future with confidence. Find out more now at Thrivent.com/pictureit

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544552 69 Winter 2013

Society

“An Evening with the Zoo” Grace and John Nichols hosted Dr. Jeffrey P. Bonner, the Dana Brown President and CEO of the Saint Louis Zoo, in their home for “An Evening with the Zoo”. Current and former Zoo Association Board Members as well as current Marlin Perkins Society members who are also residents of St. Charles served on the host committee. Twenty guests received the latest news about the Zoo while enjoying refreshments provided by Orlando’s.

Photos by Michael Schlueter

(from left to right) Andy Bundesen, Diane Bauhof, Cynthia Holter and Dr. Jeffery Bonner

Tom Hannegan, Grace Nichols and Dr. Jefferey Bonner

Orlando’s Catering

70 StreetScape Magazine

(front row, left to right; back row, left to right): Keith Hazelwood, Dianne Garrison, Grace Nichols, Tom Kuypers, Kevin Riggs, Cynthia Holter, Dr. Jeffrey Bonner, John Nichols

Dianne Garrison and Scott Tate

Kevin Riggs, Cythia and Dr. Jeffery Bonner

Keith Hazelwood and Grace Harmon

Tom Hannegan, House Rep. Anne Zerr and Dr. Jeffery Bonner

Celebrating awareness for Five Acres November 1, 2013, Jerry and Ruth Anne Scheidegger and Chris and Roland Dickhans hosted Deborah Alessi, Dee Bax, Becky Beck, Linda Didion, Lorna Frahm, Linda Plummer-Hecht, Peggy Porter, Mary Kay Schumacher at a lavish dinner party catered by Spiro’s Restaurant. The dinner party benefited Five Acres No-Kill Animal Shelter. For more information visit www.fiveacresanimalshelter.org or call 636-949-9918.

Ruth Anne Scheidegger and Lolita

Photos by Michael Schlueter

Spiro’s

(from left to right) Mary Kay Schumacher, Chris Dickhans, Ruth Schiedegger, Deborah Alessi ,Linda Plummer-Hecht, Dee Bax, Peggy Porter, Linda Didion, Lorna Frahm, and Becky Beck Chris Dickhans and Mary Kay Schumacher Tom Hannegan and Jerry Scheidegger

Jerry and Ruth Anne Scheidegger and Chris and Roland Dickhans

Dee Bax and Lolita

Becky Beck and Lorna Frahm

Spiro’s

Winter 2013 71

Society

Sustaining, Supporting and Solidifying Excellent Healthcare Barnes-Jewish St. Peter & Progress West Foundation held a Sustaining, Supporting and Solidifying Excellent Healthcare Saturday, November, 9th at prasinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. For more information visit: www.bjsp-pwfoundation.org.

Photos by Michael Schlueter Larry and Deborah Tracy, Greg and Karen Prestemon

Dr. Casey Pruitt, Monica Krey

prasinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Paul Lambi, Kurt Stuckel

72 StreetScape Magazine

Kelley Barbee and Paul Lambi

Heather Deatz and guest, Dana Martin, Jan Dunham

Paul and Vicky Jungermann, Karen Prideaux

Heather Skarie, Hope Valvero, Bill Hollman

Nate and Heather Skarie, Dr. Lannis Hall and Emma Hall

Dr. and Mrs. Karen MacDonald

Over the Top for Tots Crisis Nursery “Over the Top for Tots Fall into the Holidays” was held Friday, November 8th at The Columns in St. Charles. The event helped raise awareness for the mission of saving babies lives, keeping kids safe and building strong families. The honorary chairs included Claire Kellet, Andre Hepkins and co-chairs included Kara Gatto, Chisty Mundy and Raegan Parrish. For more information visit: crisisnurserykids.org.

Photos by Michael Schlueter

Event Co-Chairs Raegan Parrish, Kara Gatto, Christy Mundy

Crisis Nursery Friends

Diane Garrison, Tom Hannegan

LCRB’s Becky Hoskins and Crisis Nursery CEO DiAnne Mueller

VIP Table Celebrity Bachelors Matt Dittemeier and Cedric Cobb

Heidi Sowatsky and Lois Evans Rack & Clutch Fashion Truck VIP Table Winners Shop ‘n Save

Carolyn Hughes and friends

Winter 2013 73

fashion & art collide ART TO WEAR • AVANT GARDE • COUTURE • VINTAGE

Foundry Art Centre March 29, 2014 Boutique Shopping | 6:30 Fashion Show | 8:00

Tickets

$25 GENERAL • $35 VIP Jeanne Strickland | 314.605.7193 StreetScapeMag.com

Amazing Designers

In Cooperation Design | Support

Community Support Charity of Choice

Venue Partner

Runway Partners "Vintage" clothing with modern trends create inspiring looks for today. www.vintagenowfashionshow.com 74 StreetScape Magazine

Shoes

Models

Hair | Makeup

NOVEMBER 11

Veteran’s Day Ceremony Saint Charles County Courthouse 11am

29-December 24 Santa’s Cottage at the Katy Depot in Frontier Park Photos with Santa Saturdays 11am-5pm Sundays & Opening Day 12-5pm Christmas Eve 11am-1pm The Katy Depot Train Display Open Festival Hours, except Wed.

DECEMBER 7

Where Christma s Pa st

Comes To Life

Las Posadas Starts Boone’s Lick & Main Procession of Mary & Joseph seeking shelter at the “inn” • 6pm Produced & Funded by Main Street Church

6 & 13 Augusta’s Candlelight Christmas Walk www.augusta-chamber.org 6-7 & 13-14 Daniel Boone Home Candlelight Tour www.danielboonehome.com

FESTIVAL HOURS:

Saturdays & Opening Day 11am-9pm Sundays 12-5pm Wednesdays & Fridays 6:30-9pm Christmas Eve 11am-2pm

Upcoming Events

JANUARY 25

Fete de Glace… Festival of Ice Ice Carving Competition North Main Street

MARCH 8

Moolah Shrine Parade Riverside Drive • Noon

13-16 Missouri Valley Women’s Basketball Conference The Family Arena

Main Street comes alive with Santas from around the world, Victorian Carolers, and The Legends of Christmas. Enjoy the playful banter of the Chestnut Roasters, Visit the Gingerbread Village, Watch the Santa Parade on weekends, and Make Memories to Last a Lifetime! www.stcharleschristmas.com

Chamber’s Santa’s North Pole Dash Frontier Park & Main Street www.santasnorthpoledash.com

2014 Check Website for More

ring rles du any a h C t r so m e Sain Explor on… we offe Lodging, s g, a any se ities – Dinin ctions! l i ra possib ping, & Att p o Sh

WWW.HISTORICSTCHARLES.COM

Winter 2013 75

ST. CHARLES' NEWEST LIVE BLUES BAR check out our website For showtimes and events. MOONSHINE BLUES BAR IS LOCATED IN THE BASEMENT OF HENDRICKS BBQ

moonshinebluesbar.com facebook.com/MoonshineBluesBar @MoonshineBluesB

DELICIOUS. WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN COMMUNAL DINING, AMAZING DRINKS, UNIQUE ATMOSPHERE AND AWARD WINNING BBQ?

636-724-8600

1200 South Main Street | Saint Charles, Missouri 63301

hendricksbbq.com |

facebook.com/hendricksbbq |

@HendricksBBQ