StreetScape Magazine - November | December 2015 by TPH Media

2 StreetScape Magazine

November | December

Table of Contents 8. PUBLISHERS NOTE 10. BUSINESSSCAPE 14. COCA

16. CONFLUENCE WITH MICHAEL SHONROCK 19. BEYOND THE BEST 24. THE BRAIN INITIATIVE 28. NOT SO HO-HUM HOLIDAYS 38. GAME OF STONES

42. ANIMAL RESCUE 48. FASHION: SWEET SENSATION STYLE 58. MAY THE FORCE AND THE 501 FIRST LEGION BE WITH YOU! 60. FOCUS: MARINES FOUNDATION

65. STREETSCAPE VISITS THE SPA

Cover Image Credits Layout Design: Tim Rose Photography: Lance Tilford Styling / Makeup: Tamara Tungate Model: Emily Helling with Centro Models

48 4 StreetScape Magazine

On Emily: Ribbed sweater dress, faux suede reversible vest, charcoal hat, knit fingerless and gloves from Moss Boutique

November | December

d n i h Bethe s e n e Sc Tom Hannegan | Publisher & Founder

Tom@StreetScapeMag.com

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DISTRIBUTED TO Chesterfield • Cottleville • Dardenne Prairie • Lake St. Louis Maryland Heights • New Town • O’Fallon • St. Charles • St. Louis St. Peters • Weldon Spring • Wentzville • Warrenton • Wright City ADVISORY BOARD Deborah Alessi

Steve Kaspar

Susan Berthold

Mike Klinghammer

Nadine Boon

Kelley Lamm

Linda Brown-Didion

Martha Mazzola

Steve Church

Bob Millstone

John Clark

Connie Petree

Sally Faith

Susie Pundmann

April Feldewerth

Linda Sanchez

Lorna Frahm

Kelley Scheidegger-Barbee

Grace Harmon

Victoria Schmitt-Babb

Mike Haverstick

Keith Schneider

Ann Hazelwood

Vicki Schneider

Jason Hughes

Mary West

Dianne Isbell

Brian Wies

Lisa Kalz

George Wise

Volume 13, Issue 6 November | December 2015 TPH Media 223 North Main Street, St. Charles, Missouri 63301 (855) 358.7526 Fax: (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.

Publisher’s Note Happy Holidays! Reflecting on 2015… what an amazing year of growth and success StreetScape has enjoyed! We are so very thankful to you for your ongoing feedback and support that helps us serve our community to the highest level possible. Because of that support, our team is growing; and our events have created quite a phenomenal following! As we embark on 2016, we will begin our 10th year as the premier lifestyle publication in St. Charles, uniting the community with reports of great things happening in our area, supporting events and charitable organizations, and highlighting outstanding citizens. Look for some fun surprises starting in January as we celebrate 10 great years! On behalf of the StreetScape family, I would like to extend to you a wish for success and prosperity in 2016! Sincerely,

Thomas P. Hannegan

Take the Guesswork Out of Your Advertising Decisions We have learned from our recent CVC readership audit January | February

Valentine’s Day Sunday, February 14

54% of our 150,000 StreetScape Readers plan to purchase Apparel & Jewelry

74,000+ Purchases will be made with an average of $1,600 per consumer for an AMAZING total of over $124 million dollars!

Grab the Attention of These Buyers!

Place Your Ad in our January | February 2016 Issue Ad submission deadline to be included in the January/February issue is November 27

For the 2016 Media Kit, Scott Mell: 314.537.5655 • Scott@StreetScapeMag.com

StreetScapeMag.com 8 StreetScape Magazine

For the Full CVC Report | CVCAudit.com

November | December

BusinessScape Bringing the best & brightest business ventures to your street

Working

... or NOT? self-employed people who may also hire employees,” Pisani reported. Companies abound online these days offering “gigs” to workers willing to work on a job-by-job basis or contract. Websites, such as Elance.com, Guru.com, Peopleperhour.com, Upwork.com and Freelancer.com, all offer alternatives to the 40-hour week. There are also hiring services that connect professional freelancers and companies, as well as individuals and companies who share rented office space. Job seekers and their potential employers are taking notice of not only the possibility of freelancing, but of making the jobs people already have more flexible. Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photos by Michael Schlueter

They’re pioneers on a new professional frontier — workers who are choosing anything but the shackles of the traditional 9-to-5 workday or the smothering presence of a superior. In journalism, we’ve always called them freelancers or stringers. And this reporter has been one and the same for nearly a quarter century. When I started, however, I was an oddity. Most of my friends worked “regular jobs” and were happy doing so. There was too much risk involved with setting out on one’s own and not necessarily knowing where the next paycheck was coming from. At the time, a freelancer needed to be darn sure her spouse could provide insurance and a steady income. Not so now. As Joseph Pisani of the Associated Press wrote in his June article “The 9-to-5 Job is Dying”: “For workers, it has become easier and less risky to go solo. Affordable health-insurance plans, which kept many workers shackled to traditional jobs, are more accessible… and companies are increasingly open to hiring freelancers and independent contractors. Many say independent workers bring fresh ideas without the long-term commitment. “In 2013, 23 million people were self-employed, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s up 1.2 percent from the year before and up about 24 percent from 2003. That number doesn’t count 10 StreetScape Magazine

In an article for CNNMoney in May, Jeanne Sahadi, wrote, “Working hard at a job, traveling for business, and trying to move up the career ladder can make doing everything else in life that much tougher.” Sahadi reported on a new Ernst & Young (EY) survey of 9,700 full-time employees in eight of the world’s largest economies: the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, India, China and Japan. She shared that workers listed flexibility as a top feature they want in a job – ranked behind competitive pay and benefits. And they cited a lack of it as among the top reasons they would quit. Shannon Whitmore ditched a 9-to-5 job that was leaving her miserable at the end of the day and now owns her own firm that started on her dining room table and ended up needing two levels of office space. The former corporate credit analyst said she was “suffering a severe case of burnout” when she decided to open her own company. That, and requests for assistance, led her to further her education, obtain the certifications she needed, and open Nelson Bookkeeping & Tax Services in St. Peters. But things aren’t always what they seem, she said. “I had dreams of flexibility, three-day weekends during the summer if I desired, increased income. I was going to go for walks in the mornings before work, have time to put dinner in the crockpot. If I could work for myself and set my own schedule and rate of pay, I could be that ever-elusive super woman in my spic and span, spotless house.”

BusinessScape Within two months, she landed a property management client, as well as an assignment from a long-time friend of the family whose work pulled her through 2014. This friend also counseled and mentored her as she navigated the waters of the small business owner. As her home-based company grew, so did her needs.

Brendan McCauley didn’t have to give up the security of a corporate giant to find his dream job. As a lead database administrator for Mercy Health, the fifth largest Catholic health care system in the U.S., with operating revenues of $4.6 billion, McCauley is allowed some flexibility while doing the job he loves.

“I was easily working 60 to 70 hours per week,” she said.

The health system, which operates hospitals, clinics and programs in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, offers many of its employees flexible working arrangements, including telecommuting – a benefit McCauley said supports a better work-life balance.

It soon became obvious that the business, including her first employee, had outgrown her home, and so had Whitmore’s ability to keep business and family separate. “It is difficult to relax and wind down when all those files are sitting on your dining room table, taunting you. I became convinced that if I could just focus on my work without constantly wandering off to change out a load of laundry or put a pot of chili on, my workday probably wouldn’t be such an unreasonable length. I needed an office.” Today, Whitmore has just taken over the lower level of the building she grew into at 1270 Jungermann Rd. With the added space, she now offers work stations and offices for rent that are furnished, complete with everything a business person needs to “plug in and start working.” There is a kitchenette, conference room and on-site staffing. Whitmore provides on-site bookkeeping, payroll, tax and administrative services on an as-needed basis, as well as business coaching and computer networking. Whitmore said leaving her traditional 9-to-5 job has been anything but easy, but it’s also the best decision she ever made. “As a small business owner, I have never worked such long hours for so little pay in my entire life. My dreams of three-day weekends haven’t materialized. I don’t take walks in the mornings. I don’t get dinner in the crockpot. I don’t make dinner at all anymore. My house isn’t spotless; it’s an embarrassing shame, and I rarely invite company over. I seem to spend my days in meetings, talking to people, training new employees — all enjoyable, none of it billable. My early mornings, evenings and weekends are spent doing the actual work that brings money in. I get excited about mandatory family get-togethers, hoping I’ll run into my son — who lives with me.” Nevertheless, she said, nothing good comes easily. Gross sales are growing, and she survived the first year. “Despite it all, my career satisfaction is the highest it has ever been. I couldn’t imagine going back to a normal job that I have no stake in or control over. It may be wildly successful, it may end in miserable failure. Either way, I will not have any regrets.”

McCauley is one of a team of administrators that maintains over 1,000 databases across the Mercy network from St Louis to Springfield, Missouri. They are jobs that, because of today’s technology, do not necessarily need to be done in-house. “I do believe the 9-to-5 workday is dying, along with large corporate offices. I think the first thing that is going to go is the information technology workers. At some point in the near future, there won’t be facilities provided because they won’t have a need,” McCauley said. “Because of all of the telecommunication capabilities like web conferencing, human resources, administration, and accounting will need conference rooms, but they won’t need offices.” McCauley said there is no need to provide an expensive facility for technology people when the majority of their work is done in the virtual world. “I don’t see why two information technology people need to sit in cubes ten feet away from each other,” he said. But the benefits go both ways, McCauley explained. The time he isn’t putting into driving to and from the office he is putting into his family. McCauley’s wife also works from a home office as a developer for a job board. He said their working arrangement, virtually unheard of just 20 years ago, has been priceless to their family. “Just in time per day, I get two hours a day back to dedicate to my home life. I can do homework with my daughter, yard work, whatever.” And McCauley said he believes he actually gives the company more, as well. “My work is not being disturbed by interpersonal stuff in an office, so I actually put in more hours. I’m available when other people need me, but I don’t have to sit in a cube for an eight-hour block. The company gets a heck of a deal out of telecommuters.” Telecommuting and freelancing isn’t for everyone. McCauley said it takes a disciplined and scrupulous person to hold up their

(continued on page 13) November | December

BusinessScape

How to Beat Business Failure Rates Story by Danette Kohrs

I find it extremely interesting that 80% of entrepreneurial businesses fail within five years while franchised businesses enjoy an 80% success rate. What makes one business fail while another not only succeeds, but is often highly profitable? The secret? Systematize everything. Franchised business models enjoy an inverse success rate to their independent counterparts because they have a system-in-a-box; a system proven to work. The franchisee leapfrogs a decade, or two, of the trial-and-error independent businesses must endure as they figure out how to make the different functions within their business work -- and work well. Over the years, I invested in two systematized business models. Both allowed me to open my doors and instantly generate revenues that would have never been possible had I launched independently. I learned, firsthand, the power of systems within the success of operations -- and the leverage-ability -- of a business. Systems allow you to delegate and they allow you to manage by metrics -- both instrumental to long-term, sustainable growth. Systems allow scale-ability and ultimately, sale-ability. They are beyond critical; they are essential. Understanding the power of systems, we developed a systematized business growth development program to teach business leaders how to grow their companies consistently, predictably, and profitably. Our proprietary process identi-

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fies 8 critical business functions that drive – and sustain – business growth and it provides a step-by-step process that, when fully implemented, generates exponential results. At the heart of our system is our Growth Formula, comprised of the 4 business functions that drive growth; Fulfill – Develop – Convert – Attract. The key is to implement – and NEVER deviate from – this formula. Unfortunately, most businesses get it completely wrong; seriously compromising long-term revenues and profits. If you would like to download a free diagram of our proprietary Growth Engine Blueprint and Formula, visit SystemsProfitGrowth.com. Click the “Get it Now” button and use Offer Code SS1115 to qualify for additional growth tips and bonuses. Or, email trinity@trinitymarketing.com with “Growth Formula – SS1115” in the subject line. ¤

Trinity Strategic Growth Solutions Business Growth & Development Specialists www.trinitymarketing.com • www.systemsprofitgrowth.com 636.373.9005

(continued from page 11)

end of the bargain. But, he said, companies would likely weed out cheaters pretty quickly anyway. Nevertheless, McCauley predicts the changes to the typical 9-to-5 workday that have been so long in coming are on a downhill run now. “I predict in another three to five years, the vast majority of IT workers will be telecommuting. It will be a different landscape,” he said. “When companies see the cost savings, they will come on board. All of the computers we build now are remote accessible and usually virtual.” ¤

November | December

BusinessScape

Douthit-Boyd Duo debut in

New COCA Co-Artistic Directors of Dance Antonio & Kirven Douthit-Boyd are welcomed by COCA Executive Director Kelly Pollock, students and faculty

Dance Stars bring international fame to Center Of Creative Arts Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photos by Michael Schlueter Though they aren’t willing to give any details just yet, Antonio and Kirven Douthit-Boyd are promising big things for their debut as the new co-artistic directors of dance for the Center of Creative Arts (COCA). “Everyone should come to the ‘Perpetual Motion Show’ in January,” Kirven said. “They should expect to see something they’ve never seen before. It will be a first for the dancers at COCA.” The international dance stars officially began their directorial debut at COCA in August, joining the organization on the heels of their final world tour as principal dancers with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. A St. Louis native and COCA alumnus, Antonio began his training with COCA when he was 16. The first of his family to graduate high school, Antonio said his mom wanted him to also graduate college. So, on a full scholarship, he attended the North Carolina School of the Arts. But he found out pretty quickly that the college route wasn’t for him. He left a year later to dance in New York City, beginning a career path that included the Dance Theatre of Harlem and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, prior to Ailey. It’s where he would meet Kirven, his future co-director and husband. Kirven, who began dancing at the age of five, trained at the Boston Arts Academy and danced with Battleworks Dance Company 14 StreetScape Magazine

and Parsons Dance Company before joining Ailey. “It is truly amazing that Antonio and Kirven are choosing to retire at the peak of their careers in order to devote themselves to educating the next generation of dancers here at COCA,” said Kelly Pollock, executive director of COCA. “Plus, to have Antonio back home as a member of our staff, after watching him accomplish so much since his time at COCA as a student, makes it all the more meaningful.” In their new roles, Antonio and Kirven will manage all aspects of COCA’s dance department, including the renowned Pre-Professional Dance Division, and two of COCA’s student companies, COCA Dance and Ballet Eclectica. The two will also teach classes as part of COCA’s dance curriculum. Antonio and Kirven say they are excited about what they can bring to the young people at COCA. “We feel like we can make a difference in the children’s training and their artistic performance opportunities, where they grow beyond where they think is even possible,” Kirven said. “I grew up dancing at a very similar organization, so I know the tremendous value of a place like COCA to a community. We’ve been watching COCA become a national model for community arts centers, especially in dance; and we’re ready to build upon that momentum to take St. Louis dance training to the next level.”

BusinessScape Kirven said the two are well prepared to help students at COCA achieve their own dreams in dance. “We had many opportunities to work with many choreographers and to tour the world. We’ve done a lot of performing but also outreach to the communities.”

transportation, and access to academic and SAT/ACT tutoring. The school also offers general dance classes to students of all ages and abilities. “I am thrilled to be coming to a place that elevates new talent and inspires a love for dance in people of all ages,” Antonio said.

COCA Presents is COCA’s performance series featuring the family theatre for which COCA has been known for nearly 30 years. Made up of shows created and produced by COCA, as well as some of the most renowned touring productions from around the globe, the COCA Presents performance series offers bold, cross-disciplinary productions. COCA is located at

Members of COCA’s Ballet Eclectica Student Company perform a piece choreographed by Kirven and Antonio Douthit-Boyd

Antonio said St. Louis is a great place to dance. “St. Louis has a thriving arts community that is wonderfully accessible for young people. St. Louis is one of the greatest places for the arts. A lot of people in the country don’t realize that, but St. Louis has a lot of support for the arts; and with that support, we should be able to grow something here.”

The school is housed in a 60,000 square foot building designed by world-renowned architect Eric Mendelsohn and includes a 400-seat theatre.

524 Trinity Avenue, St. Louis, MO. 63130. For more information about COCA and to keep informed of upcoming shows, call 314-725-6555 or visit www.cocastl.org. ¤

Founded in 1986 by Richard Baron, President of McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc. – in conjunction with the late Dorothy Dubinsky, Mark Twain Banks, Robert Orchard, the Sachs Fund and Trivers Associates – COCA is the largest multidisciplinary community arts center in the Midwest. It serves more than 50,000 area residents of all ages annually through classes, camps and workshops, both on-site and in community venues. It also works directly with schools through COCAedu and business clients through COCAbiz. The school’s multidisciplinary arts education program is socioeconomically and racially diverse, with students representing over 200 zip codes throughout St. Louis. Through the Pre-Professional Dance Division, serious students of dance are provided sequential, advanced curriculum and support services to negate any barrier for participation. This includes scholarships, financial aid, free dancewear and shoes, November | December

BusinessScape

Confluence with Michael Shonrock

Higher Education where the Rivers Meet

One of the defining characteristics of this region is the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. You can see it up close at Confluence Point State Park in West Alton. There, the distinct character of the two rivers is apparent: the wide, muddy expanse of the Mississippi, calm and placid, and the fast, dark water of the Missouri. Together, these two disparate rivers make up the longest inland waterway in the world. Lindenwood has residential campuses on both sides of the confluence: in St. Charles, Mo., and Belleville, Ill. As with the rivers, each campus has a distinct character and they each come together as part of something greater than its individual parts. Similarly, 188 years ago, a frontier educator and a military man, Mary and George Sibley, came together and created Lindenwood. In the broader sense, a higher education institution is like a confluence. At that juncture, knowledge, ideas, points of view, and cultures converge. At Lindenwood alone are students from 107 countries and most of the U.S. states. Each of them comes to us with a lifetime of disparate learning and experiences, adds to that what he or she takes from us, and then moves forward in a singular, if not winding path into the future. As a first-generation collegian, I understand this well. The decision to go to college changed the course of my life dramatically, and in my time in higher education, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had the opportunity to impact others the same way, which is what it is all about. If you have a chance, check out Confluence Point Park. The winding pathways offer a truly unique look at the place where westward expansion began, and you can stand feet from where the rivers converge. It really is something. Michael D. Shonrock, Ph.D., is the 22nd president of Lindenwood University, an undying optimist, and a self-described futurist. He welcomes reader comments at streetscape@lindenwood.edu. Â¤

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November | December

18 StreetScape Magazine

g n i t a r r b u e l O e C

Recognizing St. Charles & Greater Metropolitan area Executives, Employees, Board Members & Volunteers

thear! Y

n the next few pages you will meet the IClass of 2015 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Beyond the Bestâ&#x20AC;? honrees. They are exceptional leaders and go above and beyond! If you see them out in the community, please take a moment to congratulate them.

Many thanks to the Mistress of Ceremonies, Anne Zerr

November | December

Winners

2015

Jane Baum

Kathy Button Bell

Athletic Development Director Lindenwood University

Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer | Emerson

John Davis

Jodi Devonshire

Brandon Jones

Jennifer Kennah

President | L.E.D.R. Recycling, LLC

Battalion Chief | St. Charles County Ambulance District

Pietro (Pete) Pulizzi

Owner | Bike Stop Café & Outpost

Proprietor Kennah IT, LLC

Jerry Reese

Proprietor Erio’s Ristorante

St. Charles City Council Member | Ward 6

Travis Sheridan

Sherry A. Snyder

Executive Director Venture Café

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Attorney & Founder Legacy Legal Group, LLC

Michele Berra

President of Michele Berra Financial Group

Mike Elam

St. Charles County Councilman Marketing Consultant | Spectrum Reach

Elsa Klarich

Medical Mission Pilot Wings of Hope

Brian Roth

Assistant General Manager Ambush

Heidi Sowatsky

St. Louis Area Regional Manager Decorating Den

Karen E. Boone, M.D. Otolaryngologist Midwest ENT Centre

Karen Englert

Extension Services Specialist St. Charles City-County Library District & Foundation

Jodi (Hibbeler) Lang Territory Vice President Kelly Services

Susan Sams

Proprietor | Sams Carpet Cleaning & Repairs

Mark Stallmann

CEO | St. Charles County Association of REALTORS

Maralee Britton

Director of Parks & Recreation Department | City of St. Charles

John Francisco

Health & Wellness Manager Optometry - Walmart

Nancy Laubenthal

Plant Manager | General Motors Wentzville Assembly & Stamping

Randy Schilling

President & CEO | BoardPaq Founder | OPO Startups

Sheri Steffens

Owner | The Heart of St. Charles Ballrooms & The Old Stone Chapel

Thank you sponsors

Andy Bundesen, CFRE Manager of Foundation Gifts Saint Louis Zoo

Catherine French Director of Franchise Management | Citi

Dennis J. Maher

Peg Capo

Bob Cissell

Owner | Cissell Mueller Construction & Cissell Mueller Company

Proprietor | Belleza Bridal & Hair Salon

Carolyn Harting

Dr. Bob Hartman

Keith W. Hazelwood

Senior Director of Human Resources | MasterCard

Russ Mason

Medical Staff President SSM St. Joseph Hospital - Lake St. Louis

Michael P. McMillan

President | Enterprise Bank and Trustâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; St. Charles County Region

Chief |Central County Fire & Rescue

President & Chief Executive Officer Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis

Betsy Schneider

Carolyn Schulte

Kathy Schweikert

Ardell Taykowski

Angel Walters Likens

Development Director | St. Charles Community College (SCC) Foundation

President Absolute Barter

Robyn Clark

Executive Director The Developmental Disabilities Resource Board - St. Charles County

Educator

General Manager Bogey Hills Country Club

Partner | Hazelwood & Weber, LLC

Chardean Olsen

Event Manager | St. Charles Convention Center

Ward Shaw

Marilyn Cook

Accounting & Human Resources | Boeing

Christy Jenkins, BCND

Co-Owner & Director Naturo Health Solutions & Ageless Spa

Connie Petree

Educator | Lindenwood University

Tom Shepherd

Mayor of Lake St. Louis

VP & General Manager | Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles

Museum Director | Inside the EconomyÂŽ Museum Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Tracy Williams

Sharlotte Worthington

Patti York

Director of Pharmacy & Anticoagulation Services SSM St. Joseph Hospital-Lake Saint Louis

Community Leader Preservationist

Co-owner UnCharted CrossFit November | December

BusinessScape

Questions

with Travis Sheridan

1. What made you want to start Venture Cafe? I saw that there was an opportunity in the St. Louis region for innovation to play an active role in improving the human condition – innovation can heal. When I met the team from Venture Café Foundation in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and learned about the mission, I knew I had to lead the organization in St. Louis. If we are going to be better tomorrow than we are today, we need new solutions and ideas. We need to innovate.

2. What is your best tip for networking? View it as building relationships. I tell people to approach it in three sequential steps: I want to meet you, I want to know you, I want to help you. Too often people jump right to trying to help a person without getting to know them first. That’s just slimy. Slow down and build lasting relationships. 3. If you were not limited by money, what would you do? Rebuild Old North St. Louis block-by-block. It is a secret treasure in the region that is so close to the positive tipping point. I’d just want to give it a bit of a nudge. 4. What is the best advice you’ve been given? Never accept a promotion without having a successor ready to go. If I haven’t developed the next leader of my organization, then I put that organization at risk. 5. Who do you follow on Twitter? This is a loaded question, because I will invariably forget someone. But here are a few folks: @iworkatalibrary (a lovely person), @ChrisReimer (a genuine person), @ stlpublicradio (a trusted voice), @ericgarland (a good perspective), & @StlChange (a voice of hope). 6. What is on your bookshelf? Trick question. With a wife as a librarian, I own very few books. I can check out anything. But, I do have a couple books that are very important: Staying Found by June Fleming (about how to use a map and compass), Metaphors We Live By by Lakoff and Johnson (about the power of metaphor), and Political Savvy by Joel DeLuca (about leading behind the scenes). I also keep a book by Vonnegut nearby… just in case. 7. What charity(ies) do you support? There are three: KDHX, St. Louis Public Radio and Old North Restoration Group 8. What is top on your bucket list? Booking a chartered flight anywhere I want. 9. What are your top three things on your to do list for 2016? First, embed fifty K-12 educators in startups or on corporate innovation teams during the summer. Second, Go to Harry Potter World in Florida with my wife. Third, create more art (I try to create one art project each year to keep my creative brain engaged). 10. What is your best advice to a beginning entrepreneur? Know the different requirements for each phase and where your strength resides: innovator g entrepreneurs g executive g founder. 11. What item in your closet do you wear the most? It’s gotta be my Adidas. I own an entire rainbow of colors and wear them every day with jeans and a black shirt. It’s kinda like a uniform. 12. Who has inspired you? My wife. She just published her second book and has the best sense of humor ever. 13. Who is on the guest list for your ideal dinner party? All my elementary school teachers. I’d love to catch up with them and thank them. 14. What is your greatest indulgence? Whiskey. I love that stuff. 15. What should everyone try at least once in his or her life? Standup comedy.

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16. What quote do you live by daily? “There’s a way to do it better - find it” – Thomas Edison 17. What is the best gift you’ve ever received? A trip to NYC from my wife. We visited friends and walked all over. It was a blast. 18. What is something interesting that you just learned? I recently learned how to plane and join wood. I wanted to build a new dining table for our house, so I jumped on the Internet and watched a few videos. In a few weeks I had a beautiful 9-foot table in my dining room. I really enjoy learning different things that allow me to create cool stuff. 19. What is your greatest fear? Maggots. I faint at the sight. Also, letting the world down. 20. What is one thing you wish you knew when you were younger? You can’t whistle and be in a bad mood at the same time. Get better at whistling.

November | December

FutureScape

is going places no man has been before… Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson A study seeking to manipulate a lab animal’s brain circuitry in order to turn certain behaviors on and off was the first to be published this year under President Barack Obama’s 2013 Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative. Sharon Begley of Reuters reported earlier this year, “The mouse walked, the mouse stopped; the mouse ignored a bowl of food, then scampered back and gobbled it up, and it was all controlled by neuroscientists.” The BRAIN Initiative, through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), seeks to advance neuroscience and develop therapies for brain disorders. It’s been called America’s next moonshot. And like the historic effort to put a human being on the moon in 1969, the BRAIN Initiative is a massive endeavor. It will require the nation’s most creative minds, working together, to produce the first dynamic view of the human brain in action, revealing how its roughly 86 billion neurons and trillions of connections interact in real time. “This new view will revolutionize our understanding of how we think, feel, learn, remember, and move, transforming efforts to help the more than 1 billion people worldwide who suffer from autism, depression, schizophrenia, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and other devastating brain disorders,” said NIH Director, Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. In “BRAIN: Launching America’s Next Moonshot,” Collins wrote: “Right now, we’re pretty good at studying individual brain cells; and we also are able to image the whole brain when someone is holding very still inside a neuroimaging machine (such as a PET or MRI scanner). What’s missing are tools to see what’s really going on within the brain’s neural circuitry – the crucial middle level at which most of human cognition and behavior is generated, as well as ways to look at the brain when people are moving around and interacting in the real world.” 24 StreetScape Magazine

As part of the BRAIN Initiative, researchers at West Virginia University in Morgantown are developing a positron emission tomography (PET) brain imager that can be worn when a person is in motion. And the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis is attempting to advance development of portable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) technologies. Six teams and 15 researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were recipients of NIH BRAIN Initiative grants. Boston Globe reporter Deborah Katz reported biophysicist Alan Jasanoff received a grant to develop imaging agents for functional MRIs that would target the flow of calcium into and out of brain cells. Nerve cells signal each other through calcium fluctuations, and current thoughts are this system is disrupted in autism and other diseases like autism. Mriganka Sur, an MIT neuroscientist, plans to use his grant to study brain circuits involved in generating short-term memories that guide decision-making. Researchers have limited knowledge of how the brain actually works. They don’t know why antidepressants lift one’s mood or how stimulants, like Ritalin, can calm hyperactivity. “They also can’t explain why memory waxes and wanes in those with severe dementia, nor can they predict when these patients will have periods of lucidity, recognizing, for a moment or two, long forgotten loved ones,” Katz wrote. “The point of the remote-control mouse is not to create an army of robo-rodents. Instead, neuroscientists hope to perfect a technique for identifying brain wiring underlying any behavior and control that behavior by activating and deactivating neurons,” Begley reported from New York. “If scientists are able do that for the circuitry involved in psychiatric or neurological disorders, it may lead to therapies.” (continued on page 26)

November | December

(continued from page 24) Approaches such as these being studied with the BRAIN Initiative reflect a shift away from battling chemical imbalances in the brain and instead focusing on tracing brain illnesses, such as schizophrenia and addictive behaviors, to miswiring and misfiring in neuronal circuits. The nation’s medical research agency, NIH, awarded some $46 million last year to fund the BRAIN Initiative. Together, the NIH, National Science Foundation, FDA, and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency committed more than $110 million to the Initiative. The NIH reported in January that “major foundations, patient advocacy organizations, universities, and corporations, including the Simons Foundation, GE and Google, will align more than $240 million in research efforts with the BRAIN Initiative.” Per its website, the NIH has enlisted more than 100 investigators in 15 states and several countries to develop new tools and technologies to understand neural circuit function and capture a dynamic view of the brain in action. Scientists hope the new tools, along with a clearer understanding of the workings of the brain, will ultimately result in new treatments and cures for brain disorders and diseases that the World Health Organization estimates affect more than one billion people worldwide. “The human brain is the most complicated biological structure in the known universe. We’ve only just scratched the surface in understanding how it works — or, unfortunately, doesn’t quite work when disorders and disease occur,” Collins said. Creating a wearable scanner to record the human brain in motion is among the 58 projects the NIH is funding, along with using lasers to guide nerve cell firing, recording the entire nervous system in action, and stimulating specific circuits with radio waves. The Initiative also seeks to: classify all of the cell types in the brain; produce tools and techniques for analyzing brain cells and circuits; create next-generation human brain imaging technology; develop methods for large-scale recordings of brain activity; and integrate experiments with theories and models to understand the functions of specific brain circuits. Thomas R. Insel, M.D., director of the NIH’s National Institute of Mental Health, said the BRAIN Initiative is really about figuring out how the billions of cells in our brain control our thoughts, feelings, and movements. The NIH includes 27 institutes and centers. It is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about the BRAIN Initiative, visit http://braininitiative.nih.gov. ¤

26 StreetScape Magazine

November | December

y t i n u m Com

Not So Ho Hum Holidays

St. Charles County is known for its spirit. The community supports a professional, minor league baseball team and did, until 2006, patronize a minor pro team in the United Hockey League. The Missouri county has held portions of the U.S. Olympics and hosted the Run for the Wall. But what many St. Charles Countians will tell you about their community is that it’s the people’s spirit of giving that makes them proud to reside here. The phrase “take care of our own” is often used in St. Charles County circles, yet the community’s giving often spills over its borders. Take Little Black Book’s Brrr Bash, for instance. The local chapter of this professional women’s organization has made the event an annual giving campaign wherein thousands of dollars and toys are donated to benefit the St. Louis Toys for Tots Foundation. It’s the same with the Crider Health Center Nursery and the Habitat for Humanity. St. Charles County residents give. They give their time. They give their money. They give of themselves.

Crider Health Center will host the 3rd Annual Season of

To participate in the 2015 event as a sponsor, donor, or volunteer or for questions, please contact Shaunna Shaw: 636.332.8352 sshaw@cridercenter.org | sshaw@cridercenter.org. Monetary Donations... To support this event through a monetary donation, you may easily do so at: https://supportcrider.thankyou4caring.org/pages/season-of-giving. Your generous gift will go directly to support this event, and the clients that we serve through the Season of Giving holiday program.

Giving holiday event. This incredible event has grown significantly since it began, and that is because of YOU! Our hope to create an event that celebrated and brought hope, joy, and pride to the clients that we serve was made a reality. In the magical shop, volunteer elves had transformed meeting rooms into an experience that gave each attendee a sense of pride and excitement in picking out gifts on their own for their children. The holiday spirit was bursting out of every square inch of Crider Health Center. In 2014, more than 650 gifts were distributed to over 170 client families. They were provided with gifts for clients and their siblings. Over 80 volunteers gave their time and talents to make this event possible. We were thrilled to also share incredible success with our coat drive that included both children’s and adult coats. Over 500 coats were donated and have been provided to clients and those in need during the cold winter season. Along with coats, they receive donations of hats, gloves, and scarves as well! In addition, with a generous donation, and our partners at Wal-Mart & Burlington Coat Factory, new coats were purchased for over 160 clients in our children’s programs. Our goal is to exceed ALL of those totals this year, and with your help we know we can make that happen! The gift and coat drive will kick of November 1, 2015, culminating in the event at Crider Health Center – Wentzville December 10, 2015. 28 StreetScape Magazine

Habitat for Humanity of St. Charles County will once again

host the annual Celebration of Trees to raise funds in its mission to build homes for families in need. This year’s theme is “Into the Woods.” The event is Sat., Nov. 21, 6:15 p.m. at Ameristar Casino Resort and Spa. Featuring entertainment by Lindenwood University’s Voices Only Ensemble. Guests can view and bid on over 15 professionally decorated Christmas trees while enjoying appetizers, an elegant dinner, drinks, a silent auction, and a “lively” live auction. For information on tickets and VIP Sponsorships, go to www.habitatstcharles.org.

LBB BrrrBash to Benefit Toys for Tots

What is BrrrBASH? St. Charles County-wide toy collection November 1 - December 5. Over 70 local businesses, including civic and community organizations will collect toys on behalf of Little Black Book. The 2015 goal is $7,500 and 5,000 toys. All of the toys and money collected stay in the Greater St. Louis area. History • Founded in 2012 • US Marines host over 700 events & service 13 counties. • In 2013 & 2014 Little Black Book’s BrrrBASH™ to benefit Toys for Tots ranked in the Top 5 of all events hosted by U.S. Marines • BrrrBASH™ collected over 3,500 toys in 2013 • BrrrBASH™ collected over 2,800 toys and $5,000 in 2014 Supporting Events • Hip Hop BrrrBASH™ Fit Night November 10 - Emerge Fitness • BrrrBASH™ Night with the St Louis Ambush November 14 - St. Charles Family Arena • BrrrBASH™ Family Skate Night November 22 - Lindenwood Ice Arena • The BrrrBASH™ Celebration and Collection December 5 - Hwy 40 Brews, Wentzville U.S. Marines will co-host. Business owners and civic leaders will attend. Live musical entertainment and fun photobooth activities are scheduled. LBB will raffle off a three night all inclusive trip to Cancun Dreams Resort! For more information: www.BrrrBASH.com

November | December

e c i p S Up Not So Ho Hum Holidays

Your Celebrations Story by Sandi Caro Photos courtesy of John Harder Can you believe that the holidays are upon us again so soon? If you are like most of us, you will have plenty of holiday parties and events to attend; and you might even host a few yourself. Tradition says that very often the main course at these gatherings will be the holiday staples of turkey or ham - or maybe both. And by the time it’s all over with I have had so much of both of them— along with pumpkin pies and other standard Christmas fare—that I’m hopeful I won’t see them again for another year! Now that is a bit of an exaggeration; I enjoy all of those foods in moderation. But, I can appreciate some out-of-the-box thinking when it comes to picking the menu for a Christmas feast. And being from the deep South, one of my favorite unusual holiday meals is a low country boil (which is actually not that uncommon down home when the holidays roll around). In fact, if you have ever seen Steel Magnolias—one of my very favorite movies and practically required watching for girls in the South—you’ve probably noticed that in the scene where they attend the Christmas Lights Festival, they are serving low country boil. I love that movie, and I love this meal. So if you want an easy, semi-fast meal that feeds a crowd and will surprise your guests at holiday time, this is perfect. When we had our get together, I started everyone off with a scrumptious crab and shrimp dip served warm, just out of the oven. It’s great with a light cracker to dip in it, but I’m always tempted to just eat it with a spoon. To complement the shrimp and sausage in the boil, I prepared a nice creamed kale in my iron skillet and mixed up a batch of cornbread muffins. And since the traditional holiday drinks are egg nog, warm toddies or wine, you know we couldn’t have those. Instead, I added a little twist with a Bloody Mary bar; and we topped the evening and this wonderful meal off with an over-the-top Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Popcorn cake for dessert. It’s just as decadent as it sounds and made for a perfect finish. When you’re putting your holiday menu together, perhaps think outside of the box this year and have a low country boil. Your guests won’t be disappointed. Here’s wishing you a wonderful holiday season filled with family, friends and food!

30 StreetScape Magazine

Visit my blog at http://www.southernsavorings.com or my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/southernsavorings Many thanks to my friend John Harder at Jharderphotography for the beautiful photos. Visit his website at www.jharderphotography.com.

Low Country Boil

5 lbs. jumbo shrimp 5 lbs. red potatoes (if they are ratherlarge, cut them in half) 2 lbs. smoked sausage (cut the sausage in 1-inch links) 1 bag of 12 frozen mini corn on the cob Old Bay Seasoning Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning 1 bag of Shrimp and Crab Boil Fill a large stock pot with water and get the water to a rolling boil. (Caution: Do not fill the water to the top of the pot – about half or a bit more.) Once the water is boiling, add the Old Bay Seasoning and Tony Chachere’s seasoning. Unfortunately, I do not have exact measurements for the seasoning. I suggest you start with a small amount and then taste test. You can always add more. Once your seasonings are added and water is boiling, add the potatoes and cook for 25 minutes. Add the corn and cook for 10

minutes. Add the sausage and the Crab Boil and cook for 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes. Take the shrimp out immediately as the hot water will continue to cook them even if you have turned the burner off. We like to throw the boil out on the table and let everyone serve themselves. On this particular evening, I served it up out of my large cast iron dutch oven. Enjoy!

ing after each addition. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat until smooth. Add the sifted flour mixture alternately with the milk, starting with a third of the flour, then adding half the milk, and ending with the flour. Stir only enough after each addition to blend the ingredients. Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans, and bake for 35 minutes or until done. Judge doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a layer. The toothpick should come out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto racks. Remove the paper and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting for In Between Layers 6 1/2 oz. cream cheese 1/2 tablespoon butter, soft 1/3 cup peanut butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 tablespoons maple syrup

Chocolate Peanut-Butter-andCaramel-Popcorn Cake 2 1/4 cups sugar 4 ounces (4 squares) unsweetened chocolate 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups cake flour, sifted 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature 4 large eggs, room temperature 3/4 cup whole milk

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the chocolate and the vanilla. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Set aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare three round cake pans. For this cake I used one 6-inch, one 8-inch and one 9-inch pan. Spray the bottom and sides of each pan with cooking spray; line the pans with parchment paper; then spray again with cooking spray. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and the remaining 1 3/4 cups sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beat-

Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter, peanut butter, vanilla and maple syrup; and beat again until creamy. Spread just between the layers, but not along the sides. If I can offer a hint, double this recipe. It’s really yummy, and it’s just barely enough to go between the layers. Frost between the layers, and then add the Chocolate Ganache on top of the Peanut Butter frosting.

Chocolate Ganache

1/2 cup heavy cream 3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped (preferably 70 percent cacao) 1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, softened Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour cream over chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let stand for 2 minutes. Add butter, then whisk mixture until smooth. Let cool, stirring often. Use immediately. After frosting between layers, drizzle what is left on top. You also might want to double the recipe, since it’s a fairly large cake. Top the cake with any store bought caramel corn. Then add the caramel corn around the layers and around the bottom of the cake. Serve on a beautiful cake plate.

(continued on page 33) November | December

Ask the Expert Not So Ho Hum Holidays

APRIL’S ON MAIN is a unique woman’s getaway. We are a complete home decor and gift store, from the one-of-a-kind centerpiece to the perfect necklace made just for your needs. We carry silk florals, artwork, furniture, candles, jewelry, lotion, table top accessories, Poo-Pouri and much more. We have in-house designers to help you with all of your decor needs. April’s On Main St. Charles, can be found on Facebook, Yelp! and Twitter.

Transitioning into fall and Christmas décor… It's that time of year again when the weather has a little bit of chill in the air, and the sunlight is fading quicker. Our time spent outdoors is limited; but with the holiday season quickly approaching, there is plenty to do indoors. Now is the perfect opportunity to get out the fall decorations, and let the transformation begin. Autumn is a great time to bring out some rich colors, such as red, orange, gold and eggplant. Even though these may not be your traditional home decor colors, the fall season, in all its glory, displays these colors across the landscape; so it is a great way to transition that color into your existing home decor. Whether you want to go over the top or just highlight specific areas, the possibilities are endless. Many of us have fireplace mantles, a focal point in any room, which is often the first welcoming view that our guests have into our home. If you are just adding a few seasonal touches, consider changing candle colors or wrapping orange berry vines around candlesticks, perhaps even opting for pumpkins, gourds or figurines in place of the candles. Scatter a variety of leaves, acorns, squirrels and owls into the mix to fill out empty spaces. And make sure your fireplace is ready to light. Now is also a good time to change the artwork around the house to beautiful landscapes with trees and lakes, bridges or fields, or even something as natural as a photograph of animals, like deer or Canadian geese. Changing out artwork can be a reasonably inexpensive way to give your house a new look for the next few months while we hibernate indoors. All those fabulous pictures you have loved but were afraid were too seasonal for everyday… this is when you will want to hang them. Consider trading out your wall art when you make seasonal wardrobe changes. Although pictures with trees and rich Tuscan colors are popular in home décor year-round, there are 32 StreetScape Magazine

some great abstract pictures that will give you that cozy fall feeling if you lean more toward contemporary. Like it or not, winter always follows fall, gratefully bringing with it a most favorite time of the entire year – Christmas. So many fall colors transition well into Christmas. Greens are always a neutral pallet, as are browns and beiges. Whether you decorate in traditional red and green, silver and gold, or a more natural theme, such as burlap, pinecones, feathers and wildlife, many times the base of your fall decor can be carried over into your Christmas. This holiday season can often mean a lot of furniture rearranging and a lot of hard work. Many of us have to restage entire living spaces to accommodate the tree. An easy way to make your Christmas decorations feel new and exciting each year is by simply placing the tree in a new spot. One of my best solutions for avoiding the removal of furniture is to put a narrow tree on top of an end table. When buying a tree, consider multiple areas where the tree could go, and buy a size that would provide the most options for placement. Along with its change of venue, I always suggest adding at least one new feature to your tree each year. It could be ribbon, garlands, ornaments, floral picks, etc. – keeping in mind that any tree can be themed with enough like items. Opening up the

(continued from page 31)

Bloody Marys

1 (48 ounce) can of tomato juice, or about 6 cups 3 tablespoons prepared creamy, hot horseradish 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2¼ teaspoons celery salt 3 teaspoons garlic salt Tabasco sauce Freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon celery salt 1 tablespoon kosher salt Vodka to your liking Mix the tomato juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, garlic salt and black pepper in a large pitcher. Season with 10-15 shakes of Tabasco sauce or to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with limes, lemons, celery ribs, olives, bacon strips, pepperocinis, cooked shrimp, hot sauce, pickles, pickled asparagus or green beans. Hint: If you prefer, you can use any Bloody Mary mix and add the rest of the ingredients to your liking. Be aware the mix is already seasoned, so you may want to taste to see how spicy it is. ¤

Master My Cider - 3 ounces of mastermind vodka - 2 ounces of Angry Orchard Hard Cider - 2 ounces of Apple Cider - 1 ½ ounces Orchata Cinnamon Cream Rum (or RumChata) - A dash or two of Cinnamon *Put all ingredients in a martini shaker with ice and stir until chilled. Garnish glass by rimming with caramel and then dip into a mixture of cinnamon sugar with crushed graham crackers. Feel free to add a caramel swirl inside of the glass for presentation and a fresh apple slice!

The HallowMind

branches and adding large elements, like elves, Santas, angels, or bears, is a welcome change. Recreate the garland on your stairs, or instead of placing a Christmas centerpiece on the table, you might decorate the chandelier in a dazzling fashion.

- 2 shots of Mastermind Vodka - 1 shot of Pumpkin Pie Creme Liquor - 1 shot Orchata Cinnamon Cream Rum (or RumChata) * Put all ingredients in a shaker with ice and stir until chilled. Line rim of the glass with caramel then dip into graham cracker crumble. Pour drink into rimmed glass and garnish with a graham cracker square and a cinnamon stick. Courtesy of

The possibilities are endless. And, as always, if you need some fresh ideas, come into April’s on Main; and let us offer up some great alternatives. ¤ November | December

Not So Ho Hum Holidays

e l b i Ed vers...Gingerbread a e d n E Inspired Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photos courtesy of Ameristar Casino Resort Spa

It is believed that the tradition of making houses from gingerbread or lebkuchen was born out of the 1812 German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm about a brother and sister abandoned in the forest who happen upon an edible house. Their names were Hansel and Gretel. Well, no one goes hungry at the Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles, it’s true. But chefs and other employees at Ameristar are turning some 850 pounds of gingerbread into a house nevertheless. It’s the second year Ameristar has teamed up with River City Casino & Hotel and KLOU 103.3, The Christmas Station, to raise money for the Center for Hearing & Speech. The Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that helps individuals with hearing and speech disorders in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Ameristar and River City make life-sized gingerbread houses as part of “Not So Silent Night,” one of the biggest annual fundraisers for the audiology and speech disorder facility. Patrons reserve the houses beginning Nov. 1 for a $25 tax-deductible, non-refundable fee. Reservations can be made by calling Ameristar at 636-940-4454 or River City at 314-388-7623; or by visiting the host stands at Ameristar’s Amerisports Bar & Grill or Falcon Diner, as well as River City’s The Beerhouse or Lewy Nine’s Café. The non-refundable reservation must be secured with a credit card. One hundred percent of the proceeds donated to dine in the confection-covered cottages benefit the Center. The houses seat up to six people for a private dining experience. Each house will feature a special holiday menu or diners can order from restaurant menus for breakfast, lunch or dinner. No food or drink purchase is required. Holiday coloring books will 34 StreetScape Magazine

be available for the kids, as well as gingerbread men with edible, food-decorating pens. In 2014, Ameristar Executive Sous Chef Josh Schlink and Executive Pastry Chef Eric Phillips designed their first house, a twostory bungalow complete with a working fireplace. Phillips oversees a staff of 15 and produces all pastries and breads for seven food outlets in the resort. This year, Phillips and Assistant Pastry Chef Josh House have improved on the life-sized house from last year with an eight-foot-tall, LED lit, gingerbread man who will be leaning on the corner of the house. Phillips said he’ll be making 3-by-3inch gumdrops from cooked, gelatinized sugar for the buttons on the cookie man’s coat. The giant gingerbread man will be accompanied by a smaller gingerbread man with a cut out face for photo opportunities. Phillips said it takes more than 850 pounds of gingerbread to encase the 8-by-12foot wooden structure, which was built by the facilities department at Ameristar. Some 300 pounds of sugar will be whipped into royal icing that will be used as “mortar” to adhere the gingerbread to the house. Chocolate with added corn syrup makes a plastic or dough-like substance that can be rolled into big sheets, cut and shaped. This “modeling chocolate” is used for the decorative edging at the base of the roof, along with 30 pounds of isomalt for the stained-glass windows and icicles. Over 100 pounds of candy is used throughout the house for detailing, including a dozen, fivepound gummy bears, big Hershey Kisses and giant candy canes. Almost as amazing as the cookie-and candy-laden house, Phillips said, was the outpouring of support and willingness to help by employees of Ameristar.

“The difference was the number of people who took an interest and wanted to help. Literally every chef and house manager was in there helping at one point,” he said. “The facilities department worked on their own time. Once they found out they were doing it for children, the team members did it on their own time. Paric donated the materials.” River City Casino & Hotel’s Executive Chef John Johnson came up with the idea of taking donations for reservations to dine inside the completely confection-covered cottage. The Christmas Station has been a longtime partner, helping raise awareness for the Center and this annual holiday event. “As early as July, we started receiving calls as far away as New Mexico from guests who wanted to make sure we were continuing the tradition,” said Johnson. “Of course, we wanted to make this year’s house even more spectacular. We’ve added a nook with a chimney that features a huge Christmas tree.” Ameristar’s executive chef engaged his team early to begin designing his two-story bungalow with a dormer featuring a ninefoot-tall gingerbread man that stands outside to beckon children inside. Ameristar and River City’s culinary arts teams will build the houses during the weekend of Nov. 20-22. A 2,520-square-foot gingerbread house in Texas currently holds the world record for confectionary construction. Built by the Traditions Club near Texas A&M University to raise money for a trauma center at the Regional St. Joseph’s Hospital, the house is made up of 35.8 million calories and covers an area the size of a tennis court. The 21-foot-high gingerbread house built in Bryan, Texas, 90 miles northwest of Houston, was declared the biggest ever by Guinness World Records in 2013. According to reuters.com, the recipe was simple. Mix together 1,800 pounds of butter, 2,925 pounds of brown sugar, 7,200 eggs, 7,200 pounds of all-purpose flour, 1,080 ounces of ground ginger and a few other ingredients; bake and form into panels for mounting. For more information on Christmas dining in the life-sized gingerbread houses, listen to KLOU 103.3, The Christmas Station, or visit their website at klou.com during the holidays to learn how to win gift certificates to Ameristar and River City. ¤

November | December

t e e Swpetition... Com Winter Wonderland

Not So Ho Hum Holidays

comes to Main Street Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo by Michael Schlueter

“Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it…” Breneman said the 500-square-foot building houses about 35 Psalm 127:1, King James Version. gingerbread creations each year for the competition. Contestants participating in Main Street Church’s Gingerbread Village competition have been laboring for four years now to take home the prize for the best gingerbread house.

“The houses we get are phenomenal,” Breneman said. “There are a lot of talented people out there. It’s inspiring.” Entries do not have to be houses, either, though everything that can be seen on them has to be edible (all candy wrappers removed). “It’s wide open,” Breneman said. “It’s a gingerbread contest. I have seen everything. I saw one done with Juicy Fruit gum. It looked just like siding. If it’s edible and it’s food, it’s probably been on one. People use everything they can find.” Main Street Church designates a theme each year, and participants come up with ideas around the theme. Last year the theme was an “Old-Fashioned Christmas.” This year’s theme is “Winter Wonderland.”

During the annual and ever-popular Christmas Traditions celebration on Historic Main Street in St. Charles, Main Street Church – a Christ-centered, community-involved and cross-generational church – hosts a display of gingerbread creations called Gingerbread Village. It has become a tradition for many individuals and families at Christmastime. Main Street Church Elder, Jeff Breneman, said initially church members just wanted to have a community-centered event to celebrate the season of Christmas. “We thought it was the perfect plug-in for us,” he said. “We’re community oriented. We’re all about the birth of Christ.” But as it turned out, about 85 percent of visitors to Gingerbread Village are out-of-towners, he said. “They’re from all over. Christmas Traditions really is a vacation destination at Christmas. We have people come just to see the gingerbread houses. We have had 16,000 people come through the building.” 36 StreetScape Magazine

Breneman said some entrants eat their houses following the competition. Others take them home. And still others donate them to hospitals and other places that can use some holiday cheer. “We welcome submissions from young and old to be a part of our culinary village,” he said. “Representatives from the community participate by judging these marvelous displays and awarding prizes in four categories.” There is also a People’s Choice Award, wherein the general public is invited to vote for their favorite gingerbread creation. Breneman said the church asks voters to feel free to share a prayer request on the back of their ballots and church members promise to pray for them. “To me, this is about meeting their needs and being part of the community. Part of that is that people can know that someone from St. Charles cares and will take time to pray for them. The best thing about that is that we get to pray for people.” Missouri Baptist University is sponsoring prizes of $100 for first place, $75 for second place, $50 for third place, and $25 for honorable mention. Prizes will be awarded in each of the four

categories: Professional, Adult (18+), Teen (11-17), and Youth (1-10). Breneman recalled some of his favorites over the years were a gingerbread replica of the Sacre-Coeur Basilica of Paris made by a 13-year-old, a reindeer circling the globe for the theme “Christmas Around the World,” and a large Christmas tree with candles on its branches. “There is plenty of noise and anger and junk out there. This is just all beauty, all positive. It’s so nice and refreshing,” he said. “For me personally, it’s seeing God’s creativity in it all. And it’s the perfect season for it.” A

B C

Commercial & Residential

Over 19 Years of Installation Experience Family Owned and Operated D

A. Each brick hand cut from gingerbread B. One of the many great youth entries C. Representation of the Eye Shoppe on Main Street in Saint Charles D. A colorful caroling scene E. Everyone in one family participated in this build.

The deadline for entry forms is Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015. All entries are to remain on display at the Main Street Church facility until Dec. 20. Houses will be displayed for Christmas Traditions during the hours of the event on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 18-20. If submitting multiple entries, a separate entry form must be submitted for each. For more information, including entry forms and contest rules and regulations, visit www.churchonmain.com/gingerbread. ¤

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Nigels-Flooring.com 5988 Mid Rivers Mall Drive, Ste. 239 • St. Charles, Missouri 63304 November | December

Game of Stones

Story by Amy Armour Photos courtesy of Midwest Block & Brick Midwest Block & Brick leaves no stone unturned when helping homeowners envision and realize the perfect stone addition to their homes. The use of stone in residential homes continues to rise in popularity, as well as functionality. From a stone walkway providing a beautiful entryway into the home, to stunning stone accents wrapping around the windows and door frames, to unique stone accents framing the ceiling, the uses of stone are nearly endless. “We really see stone used in all areas of the home,” said Danielle Bach, masonry sales for Midwest Block & Brick. They have manufactured and distributed concrete block, retaining walls, pavers, brick, stone, and other masonry and landscape products since 1947. “There’s really a lot of opportunity in (both) the exterior and interior of the home (to utilize stone).” Bach has seen a growing trend of homeowners bringing exterior materials into the kitchen. Homeowners are utilizing stone to dress up an island, create a beautiful backsplash, or add a special feature like stone pillars to fashion a dramatic entryway. Bach said the company has seen an increase in popularity for the thin, stacked stones in colors ranging from stark white to dark charcoal. 38 StreetScape Magazine

Tom Zeisler, hardscape manager for Midwest Block & Brick, said families taking advantage of expanding their space into the backyard is also trending right now as outdoor living space is becoming more and more popular. Homeowners are creating backyard havens for entertainment and relaxation. Using stone for everything from fire pits and water features, to outdoor kitchens, refrigerators, and stone tables, to patios and pools – backyards are becoming as comfortable as the interior of the home. “Homeowners are adding all of the features you would see inside on the outside,” said Zeisler, who has seen several homeowners enclose a television in stone on an outdoor patio. And it’s becoming more of the norm, instead of the exception, according to Zeisler. He said many homeowners are putting money into their homes, making renovations and additions, instead of moving into a new home. Also, homeowners have done their research, coming to contractors educated and knowledgeable, said Zeisler. Homeowners are taking the initiative and researching projects online through applications like Pinterest or bringing in a picture of a feature seen in a restaurant or shop. “People generally have a very good idea of what they want when they come in,” said Bach. Homeowners can then meet with the

professionals, ask questions, and contractors can help homeowners fine tune the project based on budget and look of the home. Need some ideas, as well as some guidance? Midwest Block & Brick has a showroom located at 12901 St. Charles Rock Road in St. Louis that allows homeowners to visualize the options and choices for their projects. Bach said homeowners can check out everything from clay and stone, to pavers, to the different colored sands that fill in between the pavers.

home. Zeisler and Bach said a major benefit of using stone is providing a higher resale value to the home. And that higher resale value starts with curb appeal.

architects, engineers, masons, landscape contractors, and homeowners, the company sells both to the trade and public.

Utilizing stone in landscaping projects has been on the rise; and creating art from stone through tiered retaining walls, stepping stones, water features, paver sidewalks, and patios draws homebuyers into the home.

Zeisler and Bach each take their work home. Believing in the company’s products, both have several stone features in their own homes. Bach has large retaining walls and a backyard patio. In addition, she has a flagstone walkway in the front of her home. Ziesler has a stone retaining wall and concrete paver driveway.

Stone is also fire and weather resistant, providing exterior walls that hold up to heavy storms. That combination can help lower utility bills, as well as possibly lower insurance premiums. And homeowners also have less upkeep with stonework, as there is very little maintenance required.

“Make sure you select a contractor with proven experience,” said Zeisler. “If you don’t have a contractor in mind, we can offer guidance.”

“We sell it, but we love our products,” said Bach. “We are constantly looking for new uses (for our stone products),” said Zeisler. ¤

When looking for a contractor to create the ideal project, homeowners are cautioned to choose the right person for the job. Midwest Block & Brick operates in seven states and has 21 locations. Working with

Don’t have a big budget, but want to still incorporate stone into the home? Bach suggests starting with the fireplace. Adding thin stone on and around the fireplace will create a beautiful focal point for the living room, and it will require minimal upkeep, she said. The benefits of utilizing stone are far reaching, adding beauty and style to a November | December

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November | December

Animal rescuers are in high demand

Jill with dog and kittens ready for transport

Jill fostering kittens

and in need of help Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photos by Michael Schlueter “Legs needed.” It’s a list Jill Tiefenbrunn checks daily. It’s like a relay race to save as many animals’ lives as participants are able. Transport drivers might choose an 86-mile stint from Rolla, Missouri, to St. Louis, Missouri, between 6:05 and 7:30 p.m. Or maybe they’ll choose the 66-mile leg from Altus, Oklahoma, to Elgin, Oklahoma, from 7:30 to 8:35 a.m. All passengers will be up-to-date and travel with a collar, leash and health certificate. Passengers the last week in September included a three-year-old, black and white cat named Bojangles; a two-year-old, Labrador mix named Gertie; and a bulldog named Earl, among many others. Tiefenbrunn is one of many volunteers who transports, crossposts, overnights, and conducts short-term fosters and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) operations — all in an attempt to save unwanted animals. “People don’t realize that every single day in the United States 10,000 animals are killed in shelters,” she said. Typically, people think of rescuing as simply finding an abandoned animal a home. That’s not all, said Tiefenbrunn — not by a long shot. “There are a lot of aspects to rescuing animals that people don’t know about,” Tiefenbrunn said. There are the volunteers who go into open admission shelters, often referred to as “kill shelters,” and photograph the animals that are slated for euthanizing. (Editor’s note: This type of shelter accepts all animals. Because there are no age limitations, behavioral requirements, or health standards necessary to surrender an animal, shelters like these are often forced to euthanize in order to protect the health and safety of their general shelter population.) Volunteers then post the pictures on social media pages specially created to find homes for unwanted animals. Others share, tag or crosspost the information. At this point, volunteers and others are hoping someone sees the animal and agrees to adopt it. These posts may be shared on pages that are breed-specific or among the general population from friend to friend. 42 StreetScape Magazine

There are also foster parents who take animals into their own homes temporarily until a forever home can be found. Tiefenbrunn also conducts Trap-Neuter-Return missions, commonly referred to as “TNR.” Animal advocates believe that TNR is the only method proven to be humane and effective at controlling feral cat population growth. With TNR, the feral cats in a colony are trapped, neutered and then returned to their territory, where caretakers provide them with regular food and shelter, Tiefenbrunn said. Kittens, who are still young enough to be socialized, and friendly adult cats, are placed in foster care and eventually adopted out. Tiefenbrunn said TNR stabilizes the size of the colony by eliminating new litters; reducing nuisance behavior often associated with feral cats, such as yowling and fighting; and lowers euthanasia rates. The network of these champions for animals is massive and is mostly unpaid for its efforts. “We are trying to stop the suffering. It’s a hard life living outdoors. It’s a love of animals. They deserve to live. They didn’t ask to be born. We’re people who see a need and do something about it.” Tiefenbrunn currently cares for three dogs and nine cats in her own home. Kindred Hearts Transport Connection (KHTC) utilizes a network of volunteer drivers who assist rescuers and adopters in their efforts to save the lives of animals all over the country. The group attempts to improve the future of all domestic animals through relocation into rescue, foster and/or adoptive homes and promotes foster and adoption programs. Its focus is also on building a national, rescue outreach program through education, volunteers, self-support, animal advocates, and rescue activities. KHTC uses all reasonable means to carry out its objectives. For more information, visit www.kindredheartstransportconnection.org. Tiefenbrunn said she quickly found out the lengths to which animal lovers will go to save their furry friends. “My first overnight for a transport was with Kindred Hearts Transport Connection,”

Tiefenbrunn said. “There were two dogs going from West Virginia to Washington state, with a pilot flying from Kansas City to Colorado. I believe the transport took two weeks with temporary fosters during the week and transport moving them on weekends.” Tiefenbrunn lists the following St. Louis area animal rescue organizations that can always use volunteers and donations. This is not an all-inclusive list. Visit the individual sites for more information: St Louis Feral Cat Outreach, www.facebook.com/STLFCO; Paws On Wheels Transports, www.facebook.com/PawsOnWheels Transport; Heartland Humane Society, www.hhsrescue.jigsy.com; Snuggle (the neonate of rescue), www.snuggle-petrescue.com; www.allpawsrescue.info; Felines Forever, www.facebook.com/ felinesforever; www.facebook.com/FarmingtonRescueFriendsCats; Act Now Rescue, www.actnowrescue.net; www.caninesincrisis. webs.com; www.meachamsmutts.org; www.tenthlifecats.org; and Pound Pals, www.facebook.com/PoundPalsofSt.Louis.

Five Acres Animal Shelter’s mission is to end pet homelessness, promote responsible pet ownership, and advocate for animal welfare. The organization is the only no-kill animal shelter in St. Charles County, Missouri. The dogs and cats in their care stay as long as needed until they find their forever home. “We only humanely euthanize when a situation arises that an animal can no longer live a high quality of life, according to our vet, based on its medical state or in the rare case of extreme aggression,” said executive director, Becky Krueger. Five Acres is currently assisting about 40 families and 100 animals stay together through its AniMeals program – a food pantry for the pets of individuals on limited incomes. Often people are forced to give up their pets due to unforeseen circumstances in their lives or incomes. This program helps prevent these animals from becoming homeless and allows Five Acres to care for other animals that might not have a chance otherwise. (continued on next page)

November | December

Executive Director Becky Krueger introduces Mac the kitten to a potential adopter

Five Acres Animal Shelter is located at 1099 Pralle Lane in St. Charles

(continued from page 43) The majority of the animals at Five Acres come from private citizens who are unable to keep their pets for one reason or another. “We love and care for them until we find another family for them to join. We also work to transfer animals from overcrowded shelters to save companion animals scheduled for euthanasia. “Most of the animals we accept are healthy, however, we do take some animals in bad shape who require extensive medical treatment,” Krueger said. “These pets need our help the most; but their care is expensive, even with local vets working with us to keep costs down.” There are numerous ways to partner with Five Acres to help save animals. Individuals can volunteer. Kids can hold their birthday parties at the shelter, with proceeds benefitting Five Acres. Donations can be made in honor or in memory of someone special (human or animal); Five Acres will send a card to the family informing them of the gift. Others can make monetary or in-kind donations, volunteer or become a foster parent. Five Acres Animal Shelter is a 501c3, non-profit organization and does not receive any tax funding. They rely completely on private donations, corporate support, events and grants. Krueger said Five Acres does not take in strays. “We work with local animal control, and they do the required stray hold on animals, which gives the family time to find their pet. Our animals are owner surrendered or transferred from other facilities.” Five Acres is close to its goal for the construction of a new feline building and anticipates completion of the facility by 44 StreetScape Magazine

summer of 2016. The shelter has $300,000 of the $500,000 it needs to complete the project, which will double the space for cats and provide them with much-needed “interaction and fun things to do, like sitting on outdoor perches and window ledges,” Krueger said. “The former canine building was bursting at the seams, and we are so thankful to have completed phase one. We are now starting phase two to complete a muchneeded, new feline building. Our current feline building has space limitations and is in a state of disrepair. The building is a century-old farmhouse, and it reduces our ability to operate as efficiently as needed. A new feline building will also provide space to rescue twice as many cats and kittens, increasing our capacity from 50 cats to 100.” Naming rights are available in both the

canine and feline buildings and can be pledged over a period of three years, she said. Animals available for adoption can be seen at the shelter or online. Five Acres is located at 1099 Pralle Lane, St. Charles, MO, 63303. The shelter has space and resources to help dogs and cats only. Space is limited, however; and intakes are by appointment only. To surrender an animal, contact the canine or feline coordinators by calling 636-949-9918 or email canines@fiveacresanimalshelter.org or felines@fiveacresanimalshelter.org. For questions about volunteering, email volunteer@fiveacresanimalshelter.org. For all other inquiries, email info@fiveacresanimalshelter.org. For more information or to view a wish list of items needed by the shelter, visit www.fiveacresanimalshelter.org. ¤

November | December

Rachel Sauter’s Leopard Boutique —

Highly fashionable without the high price Story by Amy Armour Photo by Michael Schlueter

Many little girls play dress-up growing up. Rachel Sauter turned her childhood dream into a reality when she opened Leopard Boutique nearly three years ago. “I worked in retail forever and ever, and I always wanted my own store, even as a little girl,” said Sauter, 31. Sauter loved shopping at fun, fashionable boutiques, but she didn’t like the boutique prices. “I loved the idea of a boutique experience that was affordable,” said Sauter. So in 2012, Sauter decided to fill that missing niche of boutique shopping without the boutique prices. She opened her first Leopard Boutique in Webster Groves; and last May, Leopard Boutique opened its doors in St. Charles at 1650 Beale St. At Leopard Boutique shoppers can expect lots of styles – which are constantly changing – nice denim, trendy tops and dresses, and fun accessories. With more than 80 different brands represented, including Niki Biki, Kut from the Cloth, and Lush, the shop has new merchandise each and every week, with only a limited number of items to ensure that individuality that clients seek. “It’s important to treat yourself and have a really good shopping experience,” said Sauter, who studied fashion in both Los Angeles and Chicago. “We strive to provide excellent customer service.” Sauter said Leopard Boutique has a loyalty program that tracks purchases and allows the store to cater the shopping experience to individual clients. “Leopard Boutique is the place to go if you see a trend on the runway, but you don’t want to spend the designer price,” said Sauter. Armour: Describe your personal style. Sauter: My personal style has definitely changed over the years. Each decade has been different. In my 20s, I was super funky, with mismatched earrings, short skirts… I really pushed the limit. Now I love bold, wild prints, metallic and gold together. And I love leopard print (hence the store name), and I try to incorporate it into every outfit. However, Rachel would like to point out that the store is definitely not all leopard print. Armour: What’s your most recent fashion obsession? Sauter: I have a new line of jewelry called Bracha, and I am obsessed with it. It’s super fun jewelry with stones and tassels. It’s really cute jewelry, and the company also gives 20 percent back to aid in ending human trafficking. I try to choose brands that give back. Armour: What runway trends are you loving right now? Sauter: I love a lot of leather, suede and fringe. It’s an easy thing to add a suede vest or a leather jacket and automatically update your look. Armour: What are your top five essential clothing staples? Sauter:

1. Every woman needs a pair of great-fitting jeans she feels confident in. 2. A cute blazer 3. Several basic tanks or tees that can be dressed up or down 4. Fun, on-trend jewelry 5. A signature scent (Rachel’s favorite scent is Coco Chanel Mademoiselle)

Armour: What is your go–to piece? Sauter: I like a fun print dress with a blazer or a pair of good fitting jeans. Rachel said her goal is to help customers find that perfect pair of jeans in three tries or less. Armour: What designers are you obsessed with? Sauter: I have always been obsessed with Betsy Johnson. I have always loved her. When (Betsy Johnson) sold her stores, I bought some of the mannequins from her store. They have hair and bangs and crazy make-up. Amour: What is the one item from your closet that you can’t live without? While she has several favorite boots for the fall, Sauter’s absolute favorite is called Chatter by Very Volatile. The boot is a mixture of brown suede, with her favorite – a leopard print – heel. 46 StreetScape Magazine

November | December

Make your own confectionary styles for the season’s café chillin’. Just add chocolate.

Photography & Direction: Lance Tilford Styling, Hair & Makeup: Tamara Tungate Model: Emily Helling with Centro Models Layout & Design: Grace Pettit Shot on location at VB Chocolate Bar in Cottleville Mo.

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Patterned sweater hoodie, metallic spandex pant, all jewelry from Abigailâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Apparel Franco Sarto tobacco suede shoes from DSW November | December

Faux dusty rose jacket, gun-metal shirt and denim from Leopard

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Denim capri, v-neck flannel shirt, knit slouch cap from Moss Boutique Green braided belt from Leopard

November | December

Striped sweater, chestnut suede leggings, necklace from Leopard Sweater cuff wine booties from Moss Boutique

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Faux leather stretch dress, cotton tank fringe vest, all jewelry from Leopard Impo Charcoal heeled booties with bow from DSW

November | December

Faux leather jacket, gray tank dress, wine toule skirt, chain belt from Abigailâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

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Ribbed sweater dress, faux suede reversible vest, charcoal hat, knit fingerless gloves from Moss Boutique Carlos Santana calf-high leather boots from DSW

November | December

Artwear Artists

s i u . o t L S g n i s Dres Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photos by Michael Schlueter

It’s bold. It turns heads. And it may even tell a story. It could be argued that wearable art has been a “thing” since human beings traded their fig leaves for frocks. But the traditional definition, also known as “Artwear” or art to wear, really refers to individually designed pieces of handmade clothing or jewelry created as fine or expressive art. Wikipedia says the “term wearable art implies that the work is intended to be accepted as a serious and unique artistic creation or statement. Pieces may be sold and/or exhibited.” The modern idea of wearable art is noted in Marbeth Schon’s book on modernist jewelry, which refers to a “wearable art movement” spanning from 1930 to 1960; and a 2003 “The New York Times” review of a book on knitting refers to “the 60s Art to Wear movement.” Extreme examples of wearable art might be Portland, Oregon’s, Trashion Collective, or Junk to Funk. Designers’ avant-garde, trash fashion, which they call “trashion,” is created out of discarded materials to get people to think differently about waste and their relationship to “stuff.” Consider Charlotte Moorman’s brassiere made of two small, operating television sets she wore while playing a cello in Nam June Paik’s 1969 performance piece called “TV Bra for Living Sculpture.” And wearing art is also reminiscent of Japanese Gutai artist Atsuko Tanaka, whose 1956 Electric Dress could also be considered as performance art to wear. The dress was mostly made up of variously colored, electrified and painted light bulbs, enmeshed in a tangle of wires. Designer and creator Kristen Kempton refers to her art to wear as “everyday extraordinary. I make my clothing as any artist makes a work of art to be displayed. The difference is that you can actually wear my art.” Kempton owns iheartfink. Her garments are handmade using fabrics she designs, hand prints, paints and stamps with her original artwork. Each piece is a one-of-a-kind work of art. Kempton explains it this way: Fashion plus ink makes Fink. Her website, iheartfink.com, reflects her enthusiasm for her work. An independent artist and designer, Kempton lives and works in the vibrant Central West End neighborhood of St Louis. She combines her abilities as an artist and designer by creating her own fabric designs, then turning them into one-of-a-kind, wearable art pieces that come straight from her imagination. Kempton prints fabrics using silk-screens made from her original drawings. She then makes each garment without the use of sewing patterns. 56 StreetScape Magazine

“This keeps each piece unique and very special,” she said – or what she calls “everyday extraordinary.” Kempton said she originally went to school to practice fine arts – painting, figure drawing, sculpture, photography – and has used all of those skills in one way or another over the years. She was an artist and animator for the “Dr Katz, Professional Therapist” animated, cult classic series on Comedy Central in the late nineties. Designing and producing works of art to wear started, however, when she began purchasing big t-shirts from thrift shops, cutting them open, printing on the fabric, and reconstructing them. “That’s how I started a business on zero money,” she said. “I bought them at thrift stores and turned them into something unique. As people started requesting other sizes, I started buying remnants of fabric instead of recycling shirts. “The idea of making clothes never would have occurred to me. I was just a poor artist.” Kempton now designs for private individuals who come to her studio and for visitors to her Etsy shop and Facebook and Flickr accounts. Kempton has operated iheartfink.etsy.com since 2005, when she began selling her paintings, handmade hats, photographs, brooches, cone hoods, cuffs and chokers. She taught herself to sew in 1999, starting with hats, using recycled, vintage fabrics she found at thrift stores. “I wanted to include more art with my sewing skills, so I started

to hand print my fabrics. I silkscreen fabric using screens made from my original, handdrawn artwork,” Kempton explained. “This is a labor- and time-intensive process, since I am hand pulling custom, mixed inks through the screen and completely covering yards of fabric.” In screen-printing, a mesh is used to transfer ink onto a substrate, in this case fabric. A blade or squeegee is then moved across the screen to fill the open mesh apertures with ink. A reverse stroke then causes the screen to touch the substrate momentarily along a line of contact. This causes the ink to wet the substrate and be pulled out of the mesh apertures. Kempton offers made-to-order items in a variety of sizes and custom colors. “I do not duplicate items, but aim to capture the overall look and feel of the original. It’s a lot of hard work, and it’s all done from scratch,” she said. “I start with solid colored fabric and turn it into endless options for combining each individual design, to layer the designs, to make a one- of-a-kind print. Each design you see printed on the fabric is an individual design that I placed on fabric and hand pulled ink through the screen. I do that over and over to cover fabric. Hours and hours go into each piece of fabric before I even cut and sew it.” Kempton uses high-quality, fabric inks that are durable and last through regular washing. “I still wear pieces I made myself over eight years ago. I sometimes hand paint the fabric first to create texture and then hand print over the textured fabric.” Fink was on the runway for StreetScape Magazine’s fashion week, “Romancing the Runway,” in September at Lambert International Airport and at Missouri Style Week 2015 in August. She’s been featured in the “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” and on HEC-TV. Most recently, she received a personal phone call from RottenTomatoes. com senior editor, Grae Drake, who requested one of her creations. Kempton complied, and Drake wore the two-sided, bold-print, fitted top with three different print stripes and starbursts to interview Benicio Del Toro of “Sicario.” Kempton said her work is like visual poetry on clothing. She actually names her creations. There is “The Future Starts Here,” which is a long-sleeve, circular print, tunic top. Then there’s the “You Tell Me,” a striped, cowl neck top; and the “Lost in Translation,” a printed, bell-sleeve, modern Bohemian, jersey top. Kempton won’t guess in which direction her work will take her next. “I’m an artist who makes clothes. Evolution is the right word. For me to sit down and plan would mean that I could possibly miss out on the magic. The natural process is what makes it likable and sincere. As an artist, it’s about getting inspired. It’s hard to express in one go. You have to explore many options before you get to what you’re trying to say. It’s basically speaking without words.” For more information on Kempton, search for iheartfink on Facebook or Pillboxproductions on Flickr.com.

Susan Greene started out designing buildings. The founder of Paint Imagery, Greene was one of the first to provide unique and creative methods of applying painted finishes and textures of all kinds to ceilings, walls, furniture and canvasses. After graduating from Washington University School of Architecture in 1978 and working in the architectural field for 11 years, Greene wanted a more creative outlet and began honing her skills as an artist. Greene’s natural talent, eye for color, and connections to interior designers and builders, made her company a raging success. She’s done innumerable projects from Illinois to California. In the beginning, Greene just wanted to be an artist. “Even as a little kid, I wanted to be an artist. Everyone told me you can’t make a living at art. So, I was so good at math, I studied architecture. It was quite boring. It just wasn’t suited to me. I wanted to be an artist.” During the course of her business success, she discovered she could literally paint on any surface. The knowledge, she said, took her career in some pretty amazing directions. She matched floor grills to flooring. She painted furniture, floors, countertops, frames, drapery rods and chandeliers. Greene’s company, Paint Imagery, is an artistic painting firm that encourages her clients’ creative expression. From sophisticated finishes and specialty painting projects, to wall murals, trompe l’oeil, hand-painted furniture, and commissioned art, Greene has shared her artistry throughout homes, businesses and galleries all over the country. And now, she said, it’s time to diversify. She said it started when people would stop her on the street to inquire about her “custom” jeans. In actuality, they were her painting jeans that she had just wiped, smudged and dripped paint onto for years. “My paint jeans are works of art. They’re covered with these bright colors. Every time I wear them out, people would ask, ‘Where did you get those?’ I’ve been painting 26 years, and it never dawned on me to create wearable art. But I thought, ‘If all of these people are asking about my jeans, why don’t I start selling my jeans?’” Greene said her clients generally give her articles of clothing that they already love, which fit perfectly, and ask her to design something spectacular for them. “Then I design around what they like – the colors, theme, design and details. We brainstorm and explore ideas.” She will be designing “Holiday Pants” this year, with reindeer painted down one leg, jingle bells on the pockets, and a real, red bow on the back. She will also feature a holiday jean jacket, “Joy to the World,” with “sparkles and glitz.” A New Year’s Eve creation is in the works, she said. Green’s art to wear is featured at Butterfly & Moon, 814 South Main St., St Charles, MO, 63301. She can also be found at Etsy.com and at PaintImagery.com. ¤ November | December

May The Force – and the 501st Legion –

Be With You!

Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photos by Michael Schlueter John Francisco was a toddler when “Star Wars” premiered in theaters on May 25, 1977. He wasn’t much older when “The Empire Strikes Back” was released in 1980. But by the time “Return of the Jedi” came out in 1983, it was on. By then, the nine-year-old was hooked. He’d discovered the first two movies on VHS at his grandmother’s house in Maryland and dressed as some character from the films nearly every Halloween since. In fact, one year his parents actually demanded he be something else. But that turned out to be not much of a problem, as the 41-year-old optician will probably be dressing up as the Dark Lord for many years to come — and not just on Oct. 31. Francisco is a member of the Explorers Garrison: Gateway Squad of the 501st Legion. Since 1997, the costuming organization has spread the magic of the “Star Wars” genre and has become the leading force in fan-based charity events. Also known as “Vader’s Fist,” the group is dedicated to keeping the love of “Star Wars” alive and helping others while they do it. Nobody’s quite sure what die-hard “Star Wars” fans call themselves. The group – that now spans the world – never really came up with a moniker. The multi-platform media company Fusion even sent its supervising producer, Joe Tello, to the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California to ask hundreds of fans. The only thing they could come up with was nerds or simply “Star Wars” fans. Nevertheless, the fandom is real. Fusion asserted in May that “2015 is the year of ‘Star Wars’” and that since the first film debuted almost four decades ago, the number of “Star Wars” fans has grown exponentially. The media company reported that the “Star Wars: Force Awakens” trailer had over 88 million views in the first 24 hours of its release. And unlike the debut of the first movie, when action figures couldn’t be found in any store, products hit the shelves merely for the debut of the trailer for this one. The upcom58 StreetScape Magazine

ing seventh, big-screen installment of the sci-fi franchise is set to debut in theaters around the world Dec. 18. Francisco said Vader’s Fist is an all-volunteer organization formed to bring costume enthusiasts together and promote interest in “Star Wars.” But it’s much more than that now. Every year 501st Legion members volunteer their time in costume to attend a number of charity-related events. In 2013, Legion members raised $262,328 through their own fundraising efforts and attended events that helped to raise over $32 million for other charities. That year, members donated over 28,946 hours of their time in costumes for charity. Legion Founder Albin Johnson chose the 501st name in 1997 to represent the fictional unit of Imperial Stormtroopers. Author Timothy Zahn, with the approval of Lucasfilm, honored the Legion by incorporating the name into his “Star Wars” novel, “Survivor’s Quest,” in 2004. Since then, the 501st name has continued to appear in official “Star Wars” materials, including books, toys and video games. The 501st Legion was included in the 2008 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records as the “World’s Largest Star Wars Costuming Group.” And 50 of the Legion’s stormtroopers were dispatched to the 2008 Spike TV Scream Awards to help Samuel L. Jackson present the Comic-Con ICON Award to “Star Wars” creator, George Lucas. The group doesn’t charge a fee for appearances, public or private, but they do hope audience members will make donations to their favorite charities in the name of the 501st Legion. If patrons don’t have a charity of choice, the 501st will provide a list of theirs, including Make-a-Wish and the Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation. For Francisco, it started at a “Weird Al” Yankovic appearance. The singer and parodist was performing at the Family Arena, when a line of Storm Troopers, followed by Darth Vader, hit the stage.

Francisco was in his element. A few days later, Francisco was telling his friend Andrew Bauer, a St. Charles County Sheriff’s Deputy, about the show. To his surprise, Bauer told Francisco, “That was me.” Bauer had been a stormtrooper in Yankovic’s show, performing with the 501st. It didn’t take long for Bauer to cast Francisco into the 501st. His first appearance was as a substitute for the regular Darth Vader character at a River City Rascal’s game. It was his wedding anniversary. He was on a date with his wife. “When he called, I turned to my wife and said, ‘Dear, this is on my bucket list.’ She was supportive.” Francisco said putting on Vader’s helmet was nothing short of miraculous. “The first time I put that helmet on, I felt like I was having a religious experience,” he said. He went on to do six shows after that one, until the man who owned the suit sold it to another guy in Europe. “I didn’t have the money to buy the suit, so I had to let it go.” Generally, a Darth Vader suit of the caliber that the 501st wears is about $2,500. Apparently, that’s not so much, considering the Chewbacca outfit, including the stilts, can run upwards of $8,000. He worked for a while as a handler after that, taking care of the other performers and bringing fans to see them at events. Eventually he purchased a suit from a man who personally altered it to fit Francisco’s 6-foot-5-inch frame. The other guy was 5 foot 11 inches. Francisco said his favorite event so far has been the Cardinals’ “Star Wars Night at Busch Stadium.” He was assigned to conduct the opening for ESPN’s “Game of the Week” broadcast at the last one. “The Star Wars Night at Busch Stadium is like our prom,” he said. “It’s the biggest event of the year. We pull in people from Iowa, Florida, Illinois and Kansas for this one.” Francisco also likes the carnival at Mercy Children’s Hospital, where his wife works as a pediatric nurse. Though not a fundraiser, the carnival makes a lot of kids happy. Francisco said children suffering with everything from broken limbs, to cancer, to rare diseases and disorders attend the carnival. As an imitation Darth Vader, Francisco is dressed head to toe in Spandex. He’s also wearing imitation leather lined with Poly-Fil and a 15-pound helmet and mask on his head that limit his site. Then there is the cloak and armor. Francisco hasn’t met “Star Wars” creator, George Lucas, but he said it’s on his bucket list. “The geek in me says I want to meet him. He’s someone who created such a wonderful atmosphere for people to grow their minds in,” he said. “I idolized these characters as a child. But I also get to put smiles on the kids’ faces.” The group’s motto – Bad Guys Doing Good – pretty much says it all, Francisco explains. “It’s the excitement of being able to portray a bad guy, but doing great things while doing it.” For more information on the 501st Legion, visit www.501st.com. ¤ November | December

A 9/11 ceremony

FOCUS

Marines Foundation is helping veterans treat the wounds we can’t see Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo by Michael Schlueter One became a special agent in the FBI. Another served Homeland Security. Still another, with three Purple Hearts to his credit, went on to work as an undercover police officer. These are just three of the more than 65 U.S. Marine veterans who formed the Midwest Marines Foundation, since renamed FOCUS Marines Foundation (FMF). Formed in 2010, FOCUS focused on helping wounded Marines and Navy Corpsmen returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. A Missouri corporation and qualified 501(c)(3) organization, FOCUS seeks participants for its eight-day program who are veterans of the post-9/11 conflicts, who have sustained significant physical or mental injuries, and who are no longer qualified for military service. Though the foundation was formed by Marines to serve Marines, the program now considers other military service men and women as well. Physical injuries of war are often obvious, but it’s the invisible wounds that many times ruin lives, said Ted Kretschmar, vice president of development. Kretschmar served six years in the Navy and four years in the Marine Corps between Korean and Vietnam wars. “Between 60 and 80 percent of the Marines who come to FOCUS have physical wounds, but helping with those is not the goal of this program. Physical wounds will heal with help from places like the VA. It’s the invisible wounds, the mental wounds, that are the big issue,” said Kretschmar. Inflicted with traumatic brain injury (TBI), post traumatic stress (PTS), or even military sexual trauma (MST), male and female candidates for FOCUS are isolated, adrift, usually unemployed and sometimes homeless. “They struggle with feelings of worthlessness, loss and survivor’s guilt,” Kretschmar said. “Many admit to attempts to take their lives, some repeated attempts. Our goal is to reverse the downward spiral in which these veterans are trapped.” 60 StreetScape Magazine

The retired Marines who started FOCUS came together in 2009. They wanted to provide programs to help wounded warriors transition from military to civilian lives. “Most are Vietnam-era veterans who came home to a very poor reception. They did not want these returning Marines to go through what they had,” Kretschmar said. Some things are very different from the experiences of the Vietnam veterans. “A lot of our veterans who have terrible wounds that they would not have survived in other wars, even Vietnam, are triaged and brought out immediately. So we have saved some who would have died in other wars,” Kretschmar said. “All of a sudden these very proud Marines, in a heartbeat, they are back at home, they have no mission, no command. They have lost their buddies, their disciplines. They try to get employment, but they can’t. They eventually retreat to their apartments or their homes, isolate from the general population, from their families. Their wives often take off because they can’t deal with them.” It’s a situation where everyone suffers, Kretschmar said, the Marines and their families. “These guys come back from the Middle East and their families are expecting the same person to come back, and the same person doesn’t come back,” he said, adding that the inability to deal with the transition and the emotional pain causes some 23 veterans to take their own lives each day in the United States. “Think about it. Over two million service men and women survived the fight in the Middle East. At least 25 percent of them have invisible wounds.” The geographical reach of FOCUS is nationwide. Participants have come from 44 states, most referred to the program from one or more of the following: District Injured Support Coordinators (DISCs), part of the United States Marine Corps Wounded

Warrior Regiment; the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society Combat Casualty Visiting Nurses (CCVNs); past FOCUS participants; The Mission Continues; the Renewal Coalition; and Marines for Life. The FOCUS program is a week-long course held four times each year on a secluded farm near Augusta, Missouri, with rolling hills, lush woodlands and a large lake. There is a bunkhouse with a queen-sized bunk bed for each participant and a meeting room and game room on the upper level. A large hall outfitted with tables and comfortable rolling chairs provides a place to learn, eat and enjoy much-needed fellowship. Marines are offered recreational time with hiking, fishing and exercising. Program content is presented by a variety of different instructors and can be broken down into two main components – personal transformation and vocational. Classes are offered with open discussions, openended questions, as well as journaling and reflection, all with the goal of making one responsible to – and accountable for – themselves. Following completion of the course, Marine mentors maintain contact with FOCUS graduates. The first three days of the course are devoted to personal transformation. Facilitated by an acclaimed international speaker with more than twenty years’ experience in human behavior, the classes help participants to no longer see themselves as victims; to make positive choices for their futures and take responsibility for themselves and their actions; and to set goals for their lives.

Just before Pashby came to FOCUS he was “plotting revenge” on his wife, who had been cheating on him. “This place completely changed my life. I’m absolutely sure if I didn’t come here, I’d be dead or in prison.”

Pashby said he has never regretted serving his country. In fact, he now believes he endured suffering so that he might help others. “I look back on my life and every time I was inches or seconds from death, I asked myself, ‘Why am I still alive?’ I firmly believe I was kept alive because now I have what I consider a passport to reach out to other people.” He said he doesn’t understand why anxiety crippled him after war. He never felt it before serving. “Psychology is illusive. You can take two people and put them in the same situation, and one comes out ok and the other doesn’t. I had to open my mind to the fact that I was severely broken and needed to change, and that strength came from God. It’s like he was saying, ‘Now you know you’re not strong enough. It’s my turn.’ As a Marine, I want to know I’m strong enough, but the truth is I’m not strong enough without God’s help.” Speaking anonymously, one founder of the group said FOCUS has changed his life every bit as much as the fellow Marines he serves.

(continued on page 63)

The last two days are centered on vocational pursuits. Participants complete a skills survey and a resume and complete mock interviews with professional, corporate, human resources representatives. They learn computer and networking skills, as well as tools for researching and applying for educational, employment and volunteer opportunities. Had Marine veteran Corporal Enoch Pashby not come to FOCUS, he said he would certainly be “dead or in prison.” Today the war veteran is married, has three children, and is pursuing becoming a pastor and planting a church. He flies to St. Louis from Rapid City, South Dakota, four times a year to mentor other veterans like himself. He brings his pure-bread golden retriever, Chaos, with him. The dog, though a trusted friend, works for Pashby. Chaos calms Pashby’s anxiety. Pashby was on active duty for seven and a half years. He was deployed to Bosnia, Iraq, Okinawa and the Philippines during that time. “As Marines, we are trained to pay attention to all of our surroundings. While driving a car or going into a building, we case out all of the avenues of attack, ambush spots, escape and egress routes. It’s exhausting to be on alert all the time,” Pashby explained. “Dogs are naturally hyper alert. When I’m in public, I don’t feel the need to pay attention to everyone around me. I just pay attention to him.” November | December

Bill Hershey, Military Bugler

Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo by Michael Schlueter It’s only 24 notes, but if you’re hearing them, chances are you’ve lost someone precious, not only to you, but to a grateful nation. The song is “Taps.” The instrument is the bugle. The message is thank you. Bill Hershey is a live “Taps” bugler. From Washington, D.C., to St. Louis, Missouri, Hershey has spent a lifetime honoring the nation’s service men and women with a live rendering of “Taps.” He was a principal trumpeter with the National Philharmonic in Washington, D.C., during his college days at George Washington University. He sounded “Taps” at Arlington National Cemetery and at the Tomb of the Unknowns as a trumpeter for one of the most elite bands in the nation, The United States Army Band (Pershing’s Own) at Ft. Myer, Virginia. And he continued his service at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis County, Missouri, after retiring from 28 years with the FBI. Today, Bill is principal trumpeter with Town and Country Symphony Orchestra and the Saint Charles County Symphony Orchestra. Following years of private studies with trumpeters from the National Symphony in Washington, D.C., and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Hershey has made it his mission to see that the live version of “Taps” not be forgotten, at least in the St. Louis area. It’s an uphill battle. “In March 2013, as a cost savings to the state government, the playing of live “Taps” at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery was replaced by a person holding a ceremonial bugle, pressing a button on the bugle that then plays an electronic recording of ‘Taps,’” Hershey said. “The family will see a person holding a bugle, but will hear a recording with poor sound projection.” Before that time, Hershey and other St. Louis area buglers, commissioned by Jefferson Barracks, played the song live for every funeral held at the American military cemetery. Keeping live “Taps” alive is about the importance of the tradition, Hershey said. 62 StreetScape Magazine

Bugler Bill Hershey honors servicemen and women with “Rendering Military Funeral Honors reflects the high regard and respect accorded to military service and demonstrates military professionalism to the nation and the world,” he said.

Hershey said the ceremonial bugle is subject to failure as a result of heat, cold, and battery failures during funeral services. “Recorded ‘Taps’ coming from a ceremonial bugle is a poor substitute for Military Funeral Honors,” he said. Since the state cut funding for the presentation of live “Taps,” Hershey, also known as “Bugler Bill,” offered his services to the 90-plus funeral homes in the St. Louis area. When veterans’ families ask the funeral homes about the possibility of having live “Taps” played, they can offer his services. “There is a dramatic difference in sound quality when a professional live ‘Taps’ bugler sounds ‘Taps’ instead of seeing a person pressing a button on a ceremonial bugle and listening to a recording,” Hershey said. He said people often ask him, how hard can it be to play 24 notes? “While taps only has 24 notes, playing them in a beautiful manner is very difficult to achieve when poor phrasing, harsh tonal attacks, and cracked notes occur,” Hershey explained. “Playing with a beautiful, flowing sound takes acquired skill to play live ‘Taps’ properly. The notes must be connected with soft, non-harsh tone attacks. Note length for each note must be mathematically correct in relation to the notes that follow. Sure, with an initial few practice hours it may be possible for �� almost anyone to produce the 24 notes, but the quality will be highly disagreeable and unpleasant to the people listening.” Jari Villanueva describes the perfect military funeral this way on his website: “Almost 20 times a day at Arlington National Cemetery, a military ritual occurs that is both familiar and moving. An escort of honor comes to attention and presents arms. A firing party conducts a salute of three volleys. After the briefest of moments, a bugle call sounds. The flag, held by members of the honor guard, is then folded into a triangle reminiscent of a cocked hat from the American Revolution, and presented to the veteran’s next of kin as an expression of gratitude from a grateful nation. “Taps”

is that bugle call. It may be the most performed piece of music in America, played every day in virtually every corner of the country.” Villanueva retired from the U.S. Air Force after serving 23 years with The USAF Band in Washington, D.C. He is considered the country’s foremost expert on military bugle calls, particularly the call of “Taps.” While in the Air Force, he was the NonCommissioned Officer In Charge (NCOIC) of The USAF Band’s State Funeral Plans. He was also the NCOIC of the command post at Andrews AFB, which oversaw the arrival and departure ceremonies for the late Presidents Ronald Reagan and

“TAPS”

live

Gerald Ford. As a ceremonial trumpeter, Villanueva has participated in well over 5,000 ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery. In 2007, he was inducted into the Buglers Hall of Fame, the first active duty military bugler to be so honored. Villanueva said “Taps” was specifically composed for the bugle and is unique to the U.S. military. It is sounded at funerals, wreath-layings and memorial services. “Its plain but haunting melody consists of just 24 notes and is usually recognized within the first three. With four different tones and lasting less than a minute, ‘Taps’ has the power to evoke emotion from the most battle-hardened warrior,” he said. “The military’s only bugle call played slowly throughout, it has the dual purpose of signaling the day’s end and serving as musical honors to service members who have died.” The song’s name derives from the three distinct drum taps also used to signal “lights out.” It is performed by polished military professionals, school band students and volunteers alike at veterans’ funerals. Like “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Villanueva said, “Taps” was born during a war, but its origin has been clouded by competing accounts. For the various accounts of its origins, visit www.tapsbugler.com. While still sounded every evening at military bases to signal the “day is done,” Villanueva said, “the notes of ‘Taps’ have become part of our national conscience.” Hershey is also a bugler-for-hire. He currently plays for funeral homes and mortuaries in the St. Louis area upon request, including Baue, Stygar, Kutis, Schrader, Hutchens and Collier’s, among others. For more information on Hershey, visit www.livetaps.org. ¤

FOCUS participants preparing to return to airport for trip home

(continued from page 61) “There is nothing that any of us has done in our lives that even comes close to this. Nothing.” The single female in a recent FOCUS class said she had finally decided to put away her grieving. She had served in mortuary affairs during post-9/11 conflicts. That means she had prepared the bodies of the fallen Marines as they were brought home. The experience left her with debilitating survivor’s guilt. She said FOCUS changed her life. Some 503 veterans have completed 19 FOCUS sessions since the camp opened four years ago. From the board members of FOCUS to the Monday Night Brisket Ladies who prepare a meal for upwards of 100 people, over 140 volunteers are changing the lives of servicepeople from all over the country. From the cleaning people, to those who purchase the food that is prepared, to the financial contributors, everyone at FOCUS is about the business of helping serve American heroes. There is no charge to veterans for participation in FOCUS. All transportation, meals, lodging, instruction and materials are provided. “FOCUS is the beginning of the rest of the veteran’s life, a chance to make different choices and take different paths,” Kretschmar said. “Team Leaders, DISCs, and Combat Casualty Nurses all contribute to that support.” Kretschmar said, although there are many organizations providing referrals, FOCUS lives by the soldier’s creed that has been around for as long as warfare itself — leave no man behind. “If there is a vet out there who is suffering, we want to help them,” Kretschmar said. FOCUS can send a DISC – a District Injured Service Coordinator who is supplied by the Marine Corps – to follow up with wounded Marines to be an advocate for them and offer help or a nurse with the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society. Friends or family members may refer them, or veterans also can sign up themselves. There is an application on the website at: www.FocusMarinesFoundation.org. ¤

November | December

64 StreetScape Magazine

StreetScape Visits the Spa Where else can you get a pedicure or a massage here in St. Charles, where included in the price, is a full day’s worth of amenities at a beautiful resort pool and spa? StreetScape discovered the answer to that question with a recent visit to Ara -The Spa at Ameristar. At Ara, with any 50-minute spa service (massage, skin care treatments, nail services, vichy shower), the Hydro Experience comes complimentary — shower, steam room, shock shower, dry sauna, whirlpool, indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs. It’s like going to an all-inclusive resort for the day. There’s nothing like feeling pampered, sitting in a comfy robe and slippers, enjoying champagne or flavored water with a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries or truffles. Our favorite treat was the Spa Pops. But you can even order appetizers or lunch, and you have full access to the pool bar. This would be perfect for a celebration with friends, family, or co-workers or for a getaway right here at home. Why not just have your own personal Spa Day? You can totally customize your package according to your budget. If you buy three or more 50-minute services, you save 10 percent. And they have great promotions! During the month of December when you purchase a $100 gift certificate, you’ll receive a $20 bonus gift certificate that’s valid January 1 to December 31, 2016. You can truly indulge yourself with this veritable local “gem” at Ameristar Casino *Resort* Spa. For information or an appointment, call 636.949.7721: www.araatameristar.com. November | December

66 StreetScape Magazine

m a l G y a d i l o from H

Hollywood Blonde

It’s almost that most wonderful time of the year AGAIN! Our calendars will start to fill up with Thanksgiving dinners, family get-togethers and fun holiday parties! It is time to get our beauty regime together; and you ask “ What am I to do?” Well, here are a few ideas we have for you . . . Messy updos are going to be a hit at gatherings this holiday. Soft, loose styles that curve but not curl. Try loose, curly, undone buns or ponies at the nape of the neck. Spray with a strong hold, no crunch, hairspray. Add a fun rhinestone clip or two to set the look! Nails will be irredescent, soft purple, with lots of sparkles or neutral with heavy rhinestone! Whether you choose a professional manicure or do them yourself, remember to begin with an exfoliating scrub and apply cuticle oil and hand lotion to make your hands looks their best! Treat you face nice this season. One of the first rules of skincare is to never go to bed with your makeup on. It can be tempting, but don’t do it! Remember to cleanse and use a nighttime treatment specially suited for you skin type. Let your beauty product work its magic while you sleep! And, to keep your makeup looking stylish and youthful at the same time, keep your lips minimal with the traditional red holiday lip colour or try a fun pink! A smoky eye is always on trend and this year, using a subtle purple shimmer to accent is nice for a little flirtatious look. This season, our calendars quickly fill with holiday parties, family gatherings and festive outings. And let’s not forget about all the fun we get to have with our beauty routine. There’s a lot that goes into beauty prep this season; and with little time on our hands, it can be hard to find the perfect routine for looking fabulous hopping from party to party. We’ve got you covered with this list of holiday beauty prep must-haves:

Ageless Lashes

Have you ever noticed after an extended period of time wearing mascara, that your lashes seem shorter and a bit damaged? Wearing mascara regularly can take a toll on your lashes, leaving them less than voluminous. Ageless Lashes enhances the look of your lashes while stimulating follicle growth and strength. The result? Fuller, longer and healthier eyelashes. Use this stuff through the holiday season and you may come out of it with better eyelashes than before!

Eye Lift Gel

If you’re lacking time for a good night’s sleep this season, refresh your eyes and give them a lift with Ormedic Balancing Eye Lift Gel. It’s a harmonizing, natural blend that gives you the look and feel of a full night of sleep.

Face & Body Bronzer

Let’s face it… we all want our summer glow to last through the winter months. There’s something glamorous about looking like we just got back from a trip to the Bahamas with a nice glowing tan. Do us a favor and please don’t go to the tanning bed! Try our Body Spa Professional Face & Body Bronzer Crème instead. Your skin will be glowing and radiant, and your party guests will never know the difference.

Flawless Foundation

With hectic schedules comes stress. Stress can often be the cause of those annoying breakouts we hate to have pop up during the holidays. Wouldn’t it be great if you could have a foundation that covers up those blemishes while treating the breakout? You get that and more with I-Conceal Flawless Foundation. We’ve got a color for every skin type that works to heal and conceal at the same time.

What are your holiday beauty prep must-haves? November | December