Posts Tagged ‘Joe Edwards’

Don and Donna Glenn, the empire builders of pizzerias, marked their 51st wedding anniversary at which he confessed he has never made a pizza in his entire life. Rumors abound that even Bill Massa is envious of Donna’s bling. She happens to buy diamonds by the pound. Hold the anchovies!. . . Beginning Aug. 18, Jim Fiala will bring a casual ambiance and menu to the space currently used as the back dining room at Liluma on the CWE. Called the Side Door (just south of Maryland and Euclid Avenues), it may become the hottest enclave around. . .Two busloads of delegates to the American Society of Association Execs convention were feted Sunday night at Joe Edwards‘ Blueberry Hill and were greeted by Chuck Berry, who gifted them with the rock ‘n roll icon’s latest CD.

RICK HUMMEL AND DERRICK GOULD

Delmar Boulevard in The Loop is a city all its own with its desperate vitality and glorious sightems. It’s there, but nobody knows what to do with it but only Joe Edwards seems to understand what to do with it. Dreamers talk vaguely about a pedestrian mall and islands of shrubbery, but their dreams are destined for the delete file on the Internet.  It is a long, stubborn and unregenerate street, a true brute of a byway. When you stroll the Boulevard, it’s like a small town in some ways. A too-friendly smile from an unfamiliar face can earn a darting glance on the edge of suspicion. Then there’s the abundance of midwestern men and women broad of beam, the latter so much so that pants suits with Jimmy Choo shoes are a stretch – to put it gently. There are always new tenants popping up along the Boulevard the latest of which are Three Kings with a menu of steaks and pub fare and Brad and Deb Fink’s Devil City, a boutique offering designer apparel.  During the columnist’s jaunt along the Boulevard, a stop at Edwards’ Blueberry Hill was a must.  That’s where I encountered our town’s brilliant baseball scribes – Hall of Famer and Pulitzer Prize nominee Rick Hummel and writer/broadcaster Derrick Gould, imparting their wisdom on interns Ben Frederickson and Nathan Hart. On Albert Pujols’ future, Gould opined, “The Cardinals will give him a better offer and he’ll remain here.  The owners trust him and can market off of him.” Server Whitney Hodgkins expressed her joy at working at Blueberry Hill and the Loop. “It’s so safe in the Loop now that at nighttime the street is flooded with police officers.”  From Sgt. Mike King Drive to Skinker Boulevard, the Loop has retained its charm with everything from a tattoo parlor to an art gallery.  “But there are too many little children here,” opined Michelle Gaskin, who sipped coffee at an alfresco cafe with her husband Mike of Maryland Heights.  He added that “it was the youngster who brought down Gaslight Square.” They said they trek twice a week from their house in Maryland Heights to the Loop. Mike harkened back to the nightlife in the inner city, where African-Americans frequented such clubs as the West End Waiters Club, The Silver Palms, Danceland, The Red Rooster, 20th Century, Bird Cage and Howlin’s Wolf.  Mike is the pastor at the Universal Church of Jesus Christ. The weather on Wednesday should’ve been preserved in aspic, bringing outdoors a bevy of imbibers and diners. Among them were Momentum Advertising’s Alana Dugan and Mark Newman. He mused that the ideal slogan for the Loop would be “Bringing back to better times – from pottery to the trolley.” At Vintage Vinyl, staffer and Loop devotee John Hardesty said, “We are a community helping each other.”  He enthused over his job having waited on such celebs as Jack White, Marshall Faulk and Henry Rollins. Past Cheese-ology Restaurant, which vends mac ‘n cheese, there was college student Glynnis Beckwith, who expressed her desire for the Loop to have “more fashion stores.,” after which her friend Benjamin Gandhi-Shepard pointed out, “But, there’s a diversity and energy here and I’d like to see more diversity in food.”
Long may The Loop be preserved, sous cloche or on the rocks!

Silent Auction at Gateway MS Society St. Louis Summer Swizzle

T.J. Birkenmeier avers he has approached Joe Edwards, suggesting a roll-out of Blueberry Hill Beer. . .Nancy Poole, broadcast exec-turned iconic real estater with Janet McAfee, is much too ill. . ..Endowed prof of physics at UMSL Jake Leventhal, with his ever-lovin’ Betty, said enrollment there has risen. “Lose jobs – go back to school,” he reasoned. . .Scotch those rumors, that high-profiled barrister Jim Holloran and his wife, Madison County Circuit Judge Anne Callis, have split. “She has a house in Troy, Ill., and I have a house in Kirkwood and that’s, perhaps, how the rumors began”. . .Youngster Parker Monnig of St. Peters, Mo., is just back with his parents, Melissa and Kyle Monnig, from Huntsville, AL., where he trained to become a Jedi at STARWARS Space Camp. He was singled out at the awards ceremony for “exemplifying Jedi behavior with his actions, ability to learn, and kindness to others”. …Sightems: Mike Shannon at Dino Karagiannis‘ The Tenderloin Room, chowing down on liver with onions; Cards’ Ryan Franklin, with family, at Giovanni’s on the Hill, knocking off veal with porcini mushrooms. . . Look for Debbie Ballman and Kim Lutz to bow their Main Street Cafe on Sept. 1 on West Main Street in Washington, Mo.,.. .Morgan Lily, heiress to former St. Louisan and stand-up comic, Andy Gross, due here from Hollywood on Sept 10, with two comic headliners, at the grand opening of Hottest Ticket Comedy Club in the Third Degree Glass Factory at 5200 Delmar Blvd. The laugh-a-minute comics are Emil Fry and Rocky LaPort. Lily also is featured in Rob Reiner‘s upcoming film, “Flipped,” booked for unspooliing this month. . .More than 300 guests were on hand at the Kemp Auto Museum for the St. Louis Summer Sizzle benefit for the Gateway Multiple Sclerosis Society’s fundraiser. Do-gooder Bill Gillespie was feted for having raised $1 million over the years for MS.

Guests at Kemp Auto Museum for the St. Louis Summer Sizzle benefit

The Benefit Blues Band performed during the festivities . . .Love and kisses for blessed events:  The Post-Dispatch’s crime reporter Christine Byers and courts reporter Heather Radcliff are infanticipating.. . .Newsome twosomes – Sarah Gabriele will say “I do” at her marriage Sept. 11 in French Lick Springs to insurance tycoon Alex Gift.  Sarah’s parents are famed restaurateurs Joan and Agostino Gabriele, who once owned his own dinery here and now operates Vicenzo’s in Louisville. . .WashU pre-med students Claire Shapleigh of Clayton and John Strand of Des Peres are steady-as-they-go. . ..

Strangers rubbing elbows, foolish friendly smiles, warmth that is cool -all of which may best characterize habitues of The Loop, which is about 12 miles from the Convention & Visitors HQ. Honorary Loop mayor Joe Edwards touted the opening a few days ago of Miss M’s Candy Boutique at 6193 Delmar Blvd., which vends 200 lines of candy and purses made with candy wrappers. He also added, that the popular Gyro House will move this fall to a spot across from the Pageant. . .The Arts Live, an organization and website connecting and supporting the arts, had its launch event at the St. Louis Artist Guild and among attendees were: Vianney High Brother Mel Meyers; glass artist Peggy Jacobsmeyer; photographers Marianne Pepper and Marion Noll; sculptor Paul Bayer; Laura Helling and Jane Isenberg of the Foundry Art Centre; and Emmis Communications’ Greg Zeiger and his wife, Ellen of c3 mag.

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!

Young

The big question in the Loop is whether Willie Nelson and Neil Young will show up on Oct. 3 in the Duck Room at Blueberry Hill. Both acclaimed artists have been invited to a pre-Farm Aid party prior to the Oct. 4 fundraiser at Verizon Amphitheatre, says Loop patriarch Joe Edwards. Edwards is also boasting about the opening of Dave Hinson‘s Killer Vintage Guitars at 6161 Delmar Blvd. near the Pageant Theater. (Have you seen the Blueberry Hill window with a complete model of the proposed Loop trolley on tracks heading to Forest Park?) . . . Gary Wiegert, a frequent critic of former City police chief Joe Mokwa in the media, is out as prez of the St. Louis Police Officers Association.

Nelson

He was defeated (soundly) for reelection by Tom Walsh, reports the Internet chat room Cop Talk . . .