Archive for December, 2009

The columnist has made hundreds of New Year’s resolutions over the years – for himself and on behalf of many of you.  Some have taken: some have not.  For himself, the columnist vows better attention to health; more acceptance of the limits of medicine; greater patience with the pace of healing; and a more heartfelt gratitude to doctors, nurses, billing clerks, insurance companies, and (especially) to well-wishers.  He also vows greater attention to correct spelling, accurate timing, complete quoting, standard punctuation, organized note-taking, credible attribution, flattering photography, and graceful corrections.  Of course, that is an annual resolution, made with little real intention of doing anything about the habits of a lifetime gossipist. On your behalf, the columnist attributes (with no foundation and with relatively little malice) the following fantasy resolutions:

• From President Barack Obama: I’ll do my Christmas vacation next year with Claire, Joe, and their family in St. Louis, as long as Claire promises not to Tweet about it and Joe pays for the Pi.
• From Governor Jay Nixon:  I’ll ask Peter Kinder, who practically lives there, to tell Georganne the best places to eat, shop, and stay in St. Louis.
• From Archbishop Robert Carlson:  I’ll make more good news with Catholic Charities than bad.
• From SLU president the Rev. Larry Biondi:  I’ll commission a statue of a naked Rick Majerus for Bannister House if the Billikens make the NCAA Tournament.
• From Sen. Kit Bond:  I’ll use my final year to find jobs for all my staff.
• From County Executive Charlie Dooley:  I’ll ask the nice Greg Boyce for a couple of lumps of clean coal to put into a certain former staffer’s Christmas stocking.
• From Mayor Francis Slay:  I’ll give a Key to the City to Lady GaGa.
• From KMOV GM Alan Cohen:  I’ll do infomercials 24/7.
• From “Donnybrook” founder Martin Duggan:  I’ll start a blog. What’s a blog?
• From Emerson CEO David Farr and celebrated attorney Linda Martinez:  We had no idea we were named “man and woman of the year” by the Variety Club until we read it in Berger’s column. We hope he’ll be seated with us at the April 24th dinner.
• From Congressman Lacy Clay:  I’ll check “finally single”  on my Census form next year.
• From former GOP consultant Rod Jetton: I’ll use the hot air
• From the Robin  Carnahan campaign to fill a bouquet of green balloons.
• From Gateway Foundation donor M. Peter Fischer:  I think I’ll do another two blocks.
• From Build-A-Bear boss Maxine Clark:  I’ll stuff the first marketing person who suggests a children’s video on national health care reform, immigration, or gun control.
• From former Engineered Air’s Mike Shanahan:  Since that fancy country club in Naples, Fla., has blackballed me and sent me a check that bounced, I think I’ll remain at Old Warson.
• From the St. Louis Beacon’s Bob Duffy:  We now have our own space in the KETC-TV offices and hope we’ll open an Illinois bureau in Pontoon Beach.
• From television reporter Alex Fees:  Maybe I can get Donna Wilkinson to follow Steve Schankman on my “Conversations with. . .” in January on HEC-TV – if her stockings aren’t falling.
• From Congressman Russ Carnahan:  I’ll use my frequent flier miles to send mouthy Ed Martin on a long trip to country without the Internet.
• From Blues owner Dave Checketts:  I’ll play Ed Goltermann in goal for home games.
• From Gerard Craft:  I’ll open a Niche on every corner.
• From WashU chancellor Mark Wrighton:  I’ll get that Top 10 ranking back.
• From Chief Tim Fitch:  I’ll find a new badge for Floyd Warmann.
• From KSDK GM Lynn Beall:  I’ll retire or replace any face viewers might conceivably recognize.
• From Rams owner Chip Rosenbloom:  I’ll fire the coach if he blows our number one draft choice by actually winning another game.
• From Bob Baer:  I’ll ride the last Metro bus to Chesterfield if the County tax campaign fails in April.
• From would-be Rams owner Rush Limbaugh:  I’ll buy the Arch Rival Roller Girls instead.
• From north St. Louis developer Paul McKee:  I’ll mow all my yards and rake yours too.
• From entrepreneurs Mike and Steve Roberts: We’ll suggest changing the name of St. Louis City to Roberts St. Louis City.
• From Symphony music director David Robertson:  I’ll buy KFUO and program it with hip-hop, uh. . .classical music.
• From Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III:  I’ll change the name of Ballpark Village to Holliday Haven.
• From the Loop’s Joe Edwards:  I’ll open a successful venue on the actual Moon.
• From Lee CEO Mary Junck:  I’ll improve morale by signing a good contract with the Newspaper Guild.
• From AmerenUe officials:  I’ll use the phrase “a warm holiday glow” in our next filing with the Public Service Commission to soften them up on a nuclear power rate increase.
• From Art Museum honcho Brent Benjamin:  I’ll expand.
• From AB Inbev boss Carlos Britto: I’ll find out if Clydesdales go better with a little lime.
• From grocer Greg Dierberg:  I’ll open the most popular grocery in a decade and call it. . .Culinaria Too.
• From the Caseyville and Collinsville police:  Next time we hope we’ll get it right. (At Teezers Bar in Collinsville, a guy walked in with a silver handgun over the holidays and fired off a few rounds and marched out.  Police began looking for a 70 year-old man known to them and after much searching, they decided that the gunman they really needed to look for had the same name but was just 52.  Then, the Caseyville police gave their Collinsville counterparts an entirely different suspect’s name. The guy, who allegedly committed the explosive act, was none of the above: he had been hiding out all that time at Jessi’s Hideout in Collinsville.)
• From restaurateur Sam Kacar: I hope to open a third Trattoria Branica in Chesterfield Valley by mid-January and then focus on a fourth in the CWE or Webster Groves.
• From former airport director Dick Hrabko: I’m going to get those slots installed at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport.
• From Wind Capital exec Tom Carnahan:  I’ll use the hot air
• From the Roy Blunt campaign to generate electricity.
• From uber-flack Joan Quicksilver:  I’ll nominate Jerry Berger as Media Person of the Year.
• From affable CVC’s Kitty Ratcliffe:  I resolve I’ll ask for another convention center. (The woman has garnered kudos for signing such major confabs as the Church of God in Christ, that brought 40,000 here and has inked its convention for St. Louis in 2011 and 2012 – away From Memphis.
• From all of this column’s many sources: We’ll not turn a blind eye to any item that might amuse St. Louis in Jerry Berger’s website.

Caveat lector and Happy New Year!

Elizabeth Brenton Howe

IN OUR TOWN: The 125 year-old Veiled Prophet Ball hit a society high note the other night at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The ball, seen through the eyes of some, has been a kind of Tiger Woods infidelity/redemption event.  Those who love it and others afflicted with a level of reality do not. The VP is the last of the constants in a city that grows away from itself and grows deeply into itself.  We look inward rather than out. Ours is the only city that presents such a stylish event with its panache and postiche not to mention the tenderloin served at the Queen’s supper. Many of the attendees live in this Never-Never Land of three cars for every two-car garage and Chicken a la Kiev in every pot.  Old money, which is better than new money, was well represented. They keep the money in circulation, occasionally their own. Long may the VP be preserved, sous cloche or on the rocks. The 2,000-member Veiled Prophet Order – shrouded in secrecy – now helps such organizations as Operation Brightside, St. Louis Public Schools, Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club and Forest Park Forever.  This year, Elizabeth Brenton Howe was chosen as the Queen of Love and Beauty, a title she’ll hold for one year.  The audience was gripped in excitement as Elizabeth soared on the wings of fantasy. “The mysterious majesty,” the Veiled Prophet of Khorasan needed no introduction, but got one anyway.  Special maids,” who did the runway walk, were: Elizabeth Field Davidson; Josephine Dorothy Jones; Kelly Shea Rouse; Alexa Stolz LaBarge; Amanda Marilyn Reagan and Eloise Huttig Schlafly. The character of the Veiled Prophet comes from a book by Thomas Moore titled, “Lalla Rookh: An Oriental Romance.”  On the fringes of the year’s biggest coming-out party for debs were four able-bodied men, who work at Grant’s Farm and also serve members of the Busch family.  One of them, Ralph Brouk, mused over AB-InBev’s Carlos Brito.  “When he visited Grant’s farm, he was displeased that no member of the Busch family greeted him.”  After ogling the castle,’Brito remarked that he’d like to buy it. (The late) Gussie and Trudy’s sons said it’s not for sale – ‘it’s our home!’”

Rev. Fred Phelps, the Kansas City pastor who has picketed funerals of soldiers to draw attention to his wacky theology, has selected a new target and a new battleground.  Phelps and his micro-congregation have announced plans to turn up as scheduled at the Jan. 7 performance of pants-impaired Lady Gaga at the Fox Theatre.  A press release from the rev. denounces Lady for being a “hussy”  and for “seducing a generation.”  A national pop-culture website, www.popeater,com drew this comment from buttoned-down and gay-friendly mayor Francis Slay: “I respect his right to protest, but this instance seems more like pop music criticism than a political protest.  I hope her fans have fun and spend lots of money here.  Other than that, there’s ‘Nothing Else I Can Say (eh eh).”   – an amusing nod, notes the popeater.com writer, to Lady Gaga’s song, ‘Eh, Eh (“Nothing Else I Can Say).”  But will hizzoner, who once famously refused to honor an alleged wife-batterer like Ike Turner, turn up for Lady Gaga’s show?…  Mayor Slay was on a roll with a visit by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, who had planned to fork over a $15 million grant to allow the city to replace the South Dock at the Municipal River Terminal, which the mayor said will also preserve jobs.  In the lobby fast-talking PR types were politely pushing TV camera crews to raise up their camera stands since Locke is much shorter than Slay. Slay then gave Locke a tour through the inner sanctum and rattled off a litany of White House visitors with grant monies

NEWSOME TWOSOME: Charlie Gitto’s downtown stop was where Dani Wehmer was feted on her birthday at a party tossed by her soulmate Ricky Dicker of Wedge Tire fame. Not only was she presented an engagement ring but also a proposal for marriage. She accepted. A September marriage is now in the works. . . Barrister Gentry Sayad is clocking out at Armstron Teasdale to head up the Asia office of Minneapolis-based Fredrikson Baron. His office will be in Shanghai.

HAPPY HOLLYDAYS: Howard Hayes, the St. Louis Land Reutilization Authority (LRA) chairman, said that about 200 people each year buy city property on which to build. “We’re rebuilding one block at a time,” he said. “The city owns about 8,000 acres.” Hayes was among the party-goers at the Democrats’ holiday frolic at the IBEW hall in south city. As far as Paul McKee’s plan in north St. Louis, Hayes opined, “If you don’t like his plan, where’s yours?” County Exec Charlie Dooley sang “My Girl” for fellow-Dems, when not glad-handing the folks in the crowd that included state reps Jake Zimmerman, Mike Corcoran, Jack Hummel, Michele Kratky and Sue Schoemehl.  County council members celebrating were Babara Fraser and Kathleen Kelly Burkett and U. City mayor Joe Adams, St. Louis city aldermen Stephen Gregali and Jennifer Florida, Hazelwood mayor Matt Robinson, Missouri state sen. Joe Keavney collector of revenue Gregg Daly and Florissant councilman Keith Schildroth, a 2010 candidate for the 76th Dist. in the Missouri House. “My strength as a councilman has been my work by old-school politics,” said Schildroth. “I go to residences and talk to the people.”  Others in the crowd were Jeannie King, Mickey McTague, Mary Elizabeth Dorsey, Doug Clemens, Sean Weller, Marianne Solari, Byron DeLear, John Gwaltney, Rhoda Womack and Eileen and Leo McGeoghegan.  One of the most sought after figures there was marketing baron David Woodruff of Blue Pear media and political campaigns. His client list consists of among others: Mayor Tommy Sowers (Rolla) for Congress (8th Dist.); Joe Adams for state senate (14th Dist.); Rep. Michael Corcoran for state senate (24th Dist.); Marty Zuniga for the house (100th Dist.) of Oakville. Woodruff also does consulting and fundraising for St. Louis Ald. Shane Cohn, Sue Schoemehl and Michele Kratky.

FURTHERMORE: St. Louis county police commish Greg Sansone – steady as he goes – with Elisabeth Ottolini of cutsie Ceylavie Catering in Chesterfield, spotted over lunch at Annie Gunn’s. . . Don’t stop Adriana Fazio – too busy making stuffed sirloin meatloaf and pistachio cake at her Adriana’s on The Hill. . . After about a year, Mike Fiala continues to eye the former Coco’s space on Lindbergh Boulevard for another Talayna’s. . .Yesteryear Balaban’s chef David Timney is ditto-ing at Mangia Italiano, where pals say he’s providing pasta for Dierbergs and Straub’s. . .The SLUTS (St. Louis Urban Traders) may just end the year with twinkie rewards.  SLUTS’ membership is limited to gay men. . . Pediatric ENT specialist Dr. James Forsen and his wife, Janis, are beaming with word that their daughter, Libby Forsen, was chosen as a junior maid at the Veiled Prophet Ball. . . Plaudits for Geile-Leon Marketing and John O’Connor, who support Project Restore on a pro-bono basis.  The Edwadsville, Ill.,-based agency has provided much-needed drinking water for the Ugandan villages of  Namulonge, Buso and Kasambia for use this winter.  The Project Restore team has traveled to Uganda this month to install new rain harvesting systems to holding tanks. . .

BOTTOMING OUT: Bride to husband: “The best things I cook are meat loaf and peach cobbler.”  Husband to bride: “Which one is this?”

St. Vincent Home for Children got a $45,000 boost the other night from donors at the Four Seasons Hotel.  That’s where hosts Jeanne and Rex Sinquefeld,  Rachel and Travis Brown of Pelopidas and Laura Slay of Slay and Associates plied hundreds of guests with a dinner and music by a Motown-sound band (Arvell & Company).  Sinquefeld and his brother, Jerry, lived at St. Vincent in the 1950s, after their family fell on hard financial times following the death of their father. Rex said to guests, “This organization has an important job.  And, with families struggling in a down economy, our task becomes even more urgent.  The children who come through the center need every bit of tender loving care, and every second of recreational, social, emotional therapeutic and spiritual help we can give them.”  Donors on hand included: Mayor Francis Slay; County Exec Charlie Dooley; Lt. Gov. Kinder; Vince Mannino of R.G.Construction and his wife, Patti; Charlie Brennan of KMOX; Diana Bourisaw of Midwest Charter Solutions; Mark Carlie of Stone Carlie & Co.; Dan Mehan of the Mo. Chamber of Commerce; Sam Fox of the Harbour Group and his wife, Marilyn; Lauren Herring of IMPACT Group; Bob Duffy of The St. Louis Beacon; Antonio Segovia of Monsanto and Guy McCormack of the University of Missouri-Columbia and his wife, Norma.

Consultant David Barklage took time out to take a shots at Mo. Guv Jay Nixon when he exclaimed, “Nixon’s been a big 0. He’s not defined. He’s not leading.”  Barklage is a consultant to state senate leadership and the state GOP. On a happier note, Tony Thompson, chief of Kwami Construction, beamed and boasted, “This has been the best year we’ve ever had. We’re now working with the Metropolitan Sewer District.”  With his wife, Dottie, Kuhlman Design Goup’s John Kuhlman wish-listed his firm will land a casino project in New York.  Faces in the crowd included: Michelle and Anthony Giordano, an exec with Fred Weber, Inc. Pam and Rush James; Joyce Aboussie; Ellen Sherberg; distinguished barrister Jack Pruelage with Neiman-Marcus staffer Taylor Pollack; the late Fred Weber’s daughter, Karen Weber, with Dawna Currigan and Deneen Moeller; Pat and Jim O’Meara; Kit and Ted Kienstra; Regional Business Council’s prez Michael A. DeCola; Angelo Lancia; Paul Zemitsch and Washington, Mo.’s Bonnie and E.B.Eckelkamp.

Karen and John Temporiti were also among the holiday revelers, but Temporiti had some serious issues with which he expounded.  He turned to a recent page-one story in the Post-Dispatch and opined, “It was a nothing story – even tracing my education at the seminary. The paper wanted to get  (County Exec)  Charlie Dooley. Obviously (operative) Jeff Roe is making inroads with the paper to support Dooley’s rival, Bill Corrigan. You know, even some of Corrigan’s colleagues at the Armstrong Teasdale law firm are supporting Dooley such as the upcoming fundraiser led by his partners Steve Cousins and John Nations.”  Turning to another topic,Temporiti hailed that he’s helping Fred Weber, Inc.’s plan to expand its landfill in Maryland Heights. “Look, it’s the only one in St. Louis county,” he reasoned.

St. Louis county prosecuting attorney Bob McCulloch said, “The true tiger is coming out,” after Bob’s wife, Carolyn, shook her head and added, “It’s so sad.’  Of his future aspirations, McCulloch confided, “I’m waiting for (Senator) Claire McCaskill to run for president and I’ll follow her.” St. Louis Police Chief Dan Isom had another take on Woods. “He’s a young man and some young men are like that.” Chief Isom was with his wife, Ginnie, a rep with Merck & Co.  Judee and Rich Sauget huddled with AmerenUE’s Richard Marks, chatting about energy and Rich noted, “We’re looking to do green energy projects along Route 3 in Sauget ( Illinois) and we’ll be able to sell energy to AmerenUE and others off the grid.”  Meanwhile, Civic Progress’ Tom Irwin lauded the upcoming opportunity to put in place light rail between St. Louis and Chicago. “The bill should come up within 60 days and it will cost between $8-$9 billion, he said. ” Chicago really wants it.” GOP’s Mo. Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder pointed out that he’ll run for governor and chuckled, “As President Obama goes, hopefully he’s helped our team a lot.”

Former St. Charles circuit judge-turned-lawyer Frank Conard and others have filed a class action suit against the 62 year-old Rothman Furniture Stores, alleging that the company failed to provide gas and/or grocery vouchers to people for their purchases of $600 or more each as promised in a promotion.  The plaintiffs believe that more than 15,000 customers have been stiffed by the promotion, according to the lawsuit filed in St. Charles circuit court.  “We’ve heard from the Rothman representative that an entry for a file application to remove the lawsuit and file it with the U.S. District Court has taken place,” said Conard. “And, it was stated that a second company had been hired to pursue the promotion and that company is on the verge of bankruptcy.” Conard once was a partner in a law firm with Virginia Busch (August Busch, III’s frau) for seven years. He said he left for needed space.

The media will be locked out of Gov. Jay Nixon’s “Celebrate the Season” fundraiser on Monday (Dec. 21) at the Chase Park Plaza, but the columnist plans to help the curious peek through the windows. Bubbly will be on tap and passed hors d’oeuvres in the Starlight Room at 6 pm for the Really Big Donors.  That’s  FOJ like Bob Millstone, Michael Staenberg, Drue Duncan, Steve Stone, Tom Green, Jerry Glick,  Fred Palmer – and the top tier of state and local elected officials.  Then, it’s on to a sit-down dinner in the Starlight Ballroom with  the 200 or so donors and elected who fall into the category of All The Rest..  Forget your invite?  Call friendly Amy Overington, the Dem Party staffer in charge of last-minute details.  (Meanwhile, will it take an Sunshine Law request to find out the names of the 50 St. Louisans invited to dine with Guv and First Lady at the Governor’s Mansion in Jeff City on Friday?  If you were there, call the columnist!)

December and our town is coming to life as it has through all the Decembers. Merry twinkles to the folks who seem to live by the moment – to the hilt. They were in abundance at the Fred Weber Inc.’s. holiday brunch on a bleak and chilly Sunday at Limestone’s Bar & Grille, where the company chairman and CEO Thomas Dunne, Sr., greeted the company’s execs and friends to a sumptuous buffet and serenading by carolers. Most of the guests knew it was a special place and that they were among the favored few in a world growing mad. Sinquefield’s Christmas Party pictures Courtesy of the Metro Evening Whirl

Basketball Hall of Famer Meadowlark Lemon strode to his seat at Tony’s spry as a teenager with unquenchable enthusiasm and at peace with the world.  He spoke eloquently of his 22 years with the Harlem Globetrotters and of the year he shared a room with teammate Bob Gibson before Gibson turned to baseball.  Lemon, who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, spoke of the mysterious amalgam that keeps him going at 77. “At 4:45 this morning, I worked out at the Jewish Community Center in Scottsdale,” he said.  The conversation turned to another athlete – Tiger Woods – and his recent misfortunes. He opined, “When Tiger and his wife’s moms were in the house, one of them should have done what (Olympic Gold Medalist) Charles Barkley’s mom did. She would smack him against the head.”  Then, Lemon’s host Tom Spitzer added, “Any man, who says ‘I’m just human’ is guilty. An NBA analyst said Tiger will lose millions at venues, but he doesn’t care.” Spitzer is the affable former sports agent, who with Rich Sauget, owns the Gateway Grizzlies. On his opinion of President Obama, Lemon softly confided, “He’s good, but he’s surrounded by strange people. They’ll eventually be weeded out.”  Pleasant, gracious and relaxed , Lemon turned to his Lemon Ministries in Scottsdale, where he serves as minister  He preaches, “It’s all about joy. Avoid happiness.  Happiness is a whimp. When adversity comes in, happiness disappears. Joy comes from deep within the belly.”  Lemon was in town for the Albert Pujols fundraiser Saturday night and was joined over dinner by Howard Mallott, retired bossman of Schneithorst’s.

Pujols

One of the most touching New Year’s Eve highlights will be the the romantic expression of vows to be taken on Dec. 31 by MVPer Albert Pujols and his wife, Deidre, to be followed by a pouring in Kansas City’s Westin Hotel. The next day will be the infanticipating couple’s 10th wedding anniversary.

Maxine Clark, founder of Build-A-Bear Workshops,, and her hub, Bob Fox, will bow their new enterprise – Casa de Salud – at month’s end on the corner of Chouteau at Compton Avenues. Fox explained that the project “will provide health and wellness services for Spanish immigrants and St. Louis University is one of the founding sponsors”. . . While most businesses are suffering these days with a plummeting economy, Roger Keech’s AdArt on the Left Coast is having a rollicking year for creating visual displays and retail signs. On the town with Lester Miller, Cindy Leber, Keith and Ginny Barket, Keech said his firm’s revenue will beat last year’s. Little wonder. His national clients include the Gap stores, J.C. Penney, Old Navy, Red Bull and Macy’s.