Posts Tagged ‘Charles Cella’

Barrister Bill Corrigan‘s $1.7 million campaign to unseat St. Louis County Exec Charlie Dooley did not win the big prize (Dooley’s office), but one of his consultants has picked up a smaller prize of his own. Axiom Strategies, the firm of KC consultant Jeff Roe, was presented with a Reed Award last week for “best direct mail in a Republican county, local or judicial election” by Campaigns & Elections magazine for some work on Corrigan’s campaign. The mailer’s message, “Dump Dooley,” went unheeded. . .Associate Circuit Judge Thea Sherry has been upped to new Circuit Judge for the 21st Circuit, encompassing all of St. Louis county. She fills the seat occupied by retiring Judge John Kintz. ..The Albert Pujols Wellness Center, which offers patients access to a team of specialists of Down Syndrome at St. Luke’s is already gearing up for a Jan. ’12 benefit at The Sheldon. . .Cardinals’ asst. g.m. Mike Girsch and wife, Kelly, pulled up steaks at Tony’s, where author Harlan Steinbaum was toasted on his big natal day by pal, Judy Allen. Steinbaum is the author of “Tough Calls from the Corner Office,” in which he includes interviews with top ceo’s. He rejoiced over an upcoming edition of USA Today in which he hoped would carry an interview with him. Steinbaum is remembered by some as the son-in-law of the late Morris Glaser, founder of the drug store chain. Steinbaum was also a founder of MEG’s, a bellied-up discount drug store in Ellisville. . .John Kain has clocked out as g.m. of the Charles Cella family’s Truffles restaurant in Ladue to become sommelier at Thom Sehnert‘s Annie Gunn’s.

Having reached the age of the Sad Plateau, the columnist is now permitted to pontificate, ruminate and reminisce.  A glorious morning and into the shower, while I listened to the original Broadway cast recording of “Oklahoma!” singing “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning.” That brought back memories of Charles Cella‘s preview dinner at his and daughter Harriet’s Truffles Restaurant.  Cella broke into song from the legendary musical that night. It seems his dad, the late John Cella, was approached in the late 1930s by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, II, to invest in their fledgling musical.  John acquiesced and his son continues to reap royalties from the show.
I had just returned from a long weekend in Florida.  Fort Lauderdale seemed deserted.  Real estate properties are begging for buyers.  The media seemed desperate for advertisers as evidenced by a billboard on a highway that begged, “Advertise here for only $100 a day.”  However, there were signs of life at some places such as: the Dry Cleaning Spot;  Heart Rock Sushi and Word-of-Mouth Restaurant.  Creative?  Speaking of creativity, it will be interesting to be a fly on the wall Wednesday at
the Gaming Commish’s meeting in Jeff City, where four competing casino developers will present their final plans. Here’s hoping the hometown Komen presentation becomes a winner. (The columnist’s opinion is just another sign of encroaching years.)

Meanwhile, on the flight back to Lambert National Airport (as opposed to Peoria International Airport), two flight attendants on the Southwest Air’s plane kept the columnist in guffaws. Kim McFalls recalled being assisted by passengers to squeeze a big-big woman out of the bathroom, which took a half-hour.  Dione Tony spoke of the time a couple took off for the bathroom to copulate.  To discourage them,  Tony said she told them, “The bathroom is too dirty for that.” And on Friday night, our town’s premiere hero Albert Pujols was in his glory at his Pujols Family Foundation Autumn Prom at the Kemp Museum.  Pujols and his wife Diedra hosted the event for teens and young adults with Down Syndrome.  But, the kicker was that a crew with CBS’ “60 Minutes” was on hand to lens a segment.

Paul Poe has clocked out of the upscale Market at Bush’s Grove, which is in a building owned by Southwestern Enterprises, Inc., headed by Charles Cella. . .Soave Automotive Group will close Oct. 1 on the purchase from Asbury Automotive the Mercedes Benz dealership in O’Fallon, Mo.’s Progress Point.  Asbury still owns Plaza Motors. . .It’s been an interesting decade since St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church bought property in Town & Country for its Family Life Center.  But, does it have permission from the metropolitan bishop in Chicago?  Inquiring minds want to know. St. Charles Riverfront Arts will hold its “Art of the Motorcycle” gala at 7 p.m.,Nov. 6 at the Foundry Arts Center in historic St. Charles.  An exhibition of vintage and modern bikes will be on view – many from the Mungenast Motorcycle Museum, the Donelson Cycles Museum and the Moto Museum. Guests will also learn from experts some historical info and will have hands-on contact with racers, choppers and bikes of all makes and models.  For info on tickets, call 636-399-5345 or 314-422-7677 or dan@bmg7677.com.

Our town’s Charles Cella,  prez of Oaklawn Park racetrack in Hot Springs, Ark., will increase the purse of the April 3 Grade I Apple Blossom to $5 million, providing that champs Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta both start.  Cella calls it “one of the most important moments at Oaklawn and in Arkansas sports.”  Owners of both Rachel Alexandra (a three year-old filly, owned by Jess Jackson) and Zenyatta, a mare, owned by the Jerry Mosses) both showed enthusiasm for bringing their champions to Oaklawn for the famed Racing Festival of the South. Both of the horses have raced in Arkansas as a launching pad to future successes.  The $5 million purse will be the largest for a filly and mare race in the history of North American thoroughbred racing.  The historically contested race will be extended to a mile-and-one-eighth instead of a mile-and-one-sixteenth. Incidentally,Cella and his sons own Southern Real Estate & Financial Co., which includes beaucoups properties in downtown St. Louis and in Ladue. They also created the award-winning restaurant, Truffles.