Posts Tagged ‘Vince Schoemehl’

“I’M THE OLDEST BACHELOR UP THERE”

A Wells Fargo building on Market Street, with the character of a packing case, was where the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra gala took place Saturday evening following the concert at Powell Hall. Class and style are hard to define, but if we’re talking about classic quality, that may describe many of the 520 who attended. There was a dazzling explosion of designer wear, that moved with the women, albeit wrinkles and stretch marks peeping daringly. With her hub, Joe, UMSL’s retired chief Blanche Touhill, a self-described historian, confided she’s writing a book on the history of the campus. Carol Walker was there with her husband, former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary, Bert Walker (who probably can’t go to funerals, because he’s always smiling), swooned over that nation as “much better than England and France.” Bob Duffy, bossman of The St. Louis Beacon, tipped that the online newspaper will present a performance of the comic opera, H.M.S Pinafore on New Year’s Day at The Sheldon. Heading the cast of the Gilbert-Sullivan work are: Christine Brewer; Symph conductor David Robertson and Opera Theatre’s Tim O’Leary. Duffy escorted Susie Weldon Erlinger of St. Charles. “Don’t write St. Charles,” ordered Erlinger, the heiress of Dr. Virginia Weldon and the late cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Clarence Weldon. Mo. Attorney General Chris Koster escorted Chris Kaplan, wife of the much-too-ill real estater Bob Kaplan. Kaplan whispered in the columnist’s ear, “Bob jokingly told me ‘to go with Chris if that dumb son-of-a-bitch is willing to take you.’” Koster, 46, said he’s been divorced for 10 years and “I’m the oldest bachelor up there (in Jeff City).” His mom, Pat, has been re-married to Bob Thompson and Chris said, “She can still break 50 on the Whitmoor C.C. golf course.” Builder Tony Thompson dined with United Way’s stunning Cheryl Polk, while La Chef Catering’s Sherill Gonterman’s staff was serving salmon and tenderloin. A founder of the Contemporary Art Museum, Susan Sherman fawned over her new business as a fine arts consultant with former nightclub owner/restaurateur/sports drink peddler Jimmie Jamieson. Sherman and Miran Halen, wife of concertmaster David Halen, posed for photos in their Dennis Bass outfits, while Sherman said,”I was taught to model for photos by someone in New York.” Conductor David Robertson and his Israeli-born wife Orli’s sons, Peter, 19, and Johnny, 18, watched with awe as the crowds heaped praise on David as Peter proclaimed, “We’re agnostics.” Dr. Bill Danforth praised the Danforth Plant Science Center for its work and added, “The green revolution has saved a billion lives around the world.” With Danforth were St. Louis American’s Donald and Deena Suggs. Donna Wilkinson described her eye-popping outfit as a creation by fashion designer Bob Mackie – “You know, he does all of Cher’s.” I was seated with retired PR maven Anne Tretter and her partner, Holmes Lamoreaux, owner of 52 percent of Sabreliner Corp, which has just received $5 million in state economic development incentives. The company hopes to add 400 employees after construction of a new 27,000 square-foot hangar to house expanded stripping and painting operations in Perryville, Mo. For the U.S. Army, Sabreliner has just completed turning out clam shell doors for VIP’s use on Blackhawk helicopters and will soon make stabilizer parts for Boeing. The company also does major work for Lockheed, said Lamoreaux. Veiled Prophet Queen of the early 1950s, Julia Terry Barnes, escorted by Lee Zingale and his partner, homebuilder Edgar Ellerman took off, while Grand Center patriarch and former mayor Vince Schoemehl, with his wife, Lois, drove away in their fancy Cad. Vince had only one worry – that he’ll be torn down for a parking lot. The gala was dying with a flurry of wraps, hugs and pecks on the cheeks. Out on Market Street, more than a few guests remembered the good times, when the street was anchored by John Cella‘s American Theater and a Union Station, that drew thousands of customers into its Fred Harvey’s coffee shop. So, throw another buck into the slot and remember the good old days. Oh, hell!

Lambert Field  was arguably one of the best ideas of mankind.  It allowed the world to intrude in our paradise  It was an oasis in a sensibly sized region favored by God and nature.  No shortage of bars and people to drink in them with so many reasons to get drunk. However, we may all live to see the end of non-stop flights at the airport. Tourism was our big industry, but will tourists continue to come here to look at parking lots where graceful architecture once stood?  Some may have to opt for direct flights as opposed to non-stop flights. Anyway, that brings us to a table at Le Bonne Bouchee, where the columnist shared a few moments with former airport director Leonard Griggs and his wife, Denise. He took a few shots at American Airlines and said, “I think it’s criminal what they’ve done.  There are only 35 flights now compared to the hundreds we used to have.”  At 79, Griggs was resilient over his dismissal from his job by former mayor Vince Schoemehl. In a mellow tone, Griggs said, “We are friendly these days.”  Then it was on to check out the new lunch fare of chef-owner Olivier Leguet‘s non-stop signature dishes. Among them – Asian bay shrimp salad, Adriatic chicken salad and sauteed tilapia.

“You cannot take photos or interview members of the site committee,” demanded Brian Wahby, a force behind the St. Louis host committee to lure the convention to St. Louis.  (Sorry, Brian, by the time you said that, the columnist, a dutiful news gatherer, had already covered the group). The site team, that will make their recommendations to the deciders to hold the 2012 convention here, might have already pored through the 1,000-page proposal, that had been submitted. (St. Louis is one of four cities being considered, including Minneapolis, Charlotte and Cleveland).  A tension-filled, bipartisan gaggle of our town’s leading citizens romanced the committee over cocktails at the Hilton Ballpark Hotel before a concert was to begin in Kiener Plaza. On hand were: Kitty Ratcliff of the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commish, who had just returned from Vancouver, where she took the show on the road at a trade show; County Exec Charlie Dooley on the Immigration Bill – “No one should have to carry an ID”; former mayor Vince Schoemehl with his wife, Lois – “It would be a celebration of the renaissance of downtown. It would be guaranteed to carry Missouri in 2012″; Missouri Treasurer Clint Zweifel – “It would be on a Super Bowl level”;  Martin Casas, president of the Young Democrats, with his wife, Katie – “It would be a new identity, a fresh outlook and perception of St. Louis”; GOPer Ray Wagner – “It’s all about showcasing St. Louis to the world, but I cannot further comment. I’m here for Enterprise (Rent-A -Car)”;  State Sen. Robin Wright-Jones – “It would stop St. Louis from being a midwestern, sleepy town”; site committee member Steve Kerrigan, sipping a Bud Select, to former Mo.Lt. Guv Joe Maxwell – “You have an amazing city”; Jerry Feldhaus, exec sect’y. and treasurer of the St. Louis Building Trades Council, turned to the woes of unemployment and moaned, “There is about 30 percent unemployment – across the board”; St. Louis Police Capt. Sam Dotson on the convention – “It’s ours to lose”;  East St. Louis Mayor Alvin Parks, with his wife, Jo Ann - “It would help boost the economy of East St. Louis through the spillover. We have gambling and entertainment.” . . . It’s a mystery why his Mysterious Majesty of Khorassan  (read that as the Veiled Prophet) banker Joe Imbs was a no-show.

Dr. L. Mike Nayak and his wife, Avni

Distinguished plastic surgeon Dr. L. Mike Nayak and his wife/attorney Avni, offered that there has been “an explosion” of patients seeking reconstruction of their noses. Over dinner at Tony’s, Avni, who works in Mike’s office, quipped, “I’m a recovering lawyer and have been clean for seven years”. . .Terry Croupen was aglow about his new bride, the former Tina DiGregorio, and admitted, “I’ll take another shot”. . .Freshly off its successful fundraising for Vince Schoemehl and the Advance St. Louis campaign, Matt Lieberman‘s Majority Strategies has reloaded, hiring two well-known Democratic political professionals:  Lori Becker, a former administrator for License Collector Gregory FX Daly and ex-Slay campaigner; and Angela Bingaman, a vet of the Clint Zwiefel and Jay Nixon campaigns. . .”The Fast Lane” hosts Bob Ramsey, D’Marco Farr and Randy Karaker will host their first-ever “Massages for Mama” event at Seasons Spa & Salon on Friday.  It will include a $15 Mother’s Day massage from 6-7:30 p.m. in an effort to collect the most money/donations and the right to be called the biggest “mama’s boy.”  The host who raises the most for the St. Louis Crisis Nursery voted by 101 ESPN listeners will get a Brazilian Wax live on the air. . .North county Dem politics was the topic the other night at Yacovellis’ Restaurant in Florissant where 76th district Misssuri state rep candidate Keith Schildroth was feted by a host committee, that included state senator Tim Green… .Danny Wald has sold his portfolio of apartment buildings in The Loop to WashU.  As many recall, his late parents, Margie and Harry Wald were the impresarios of burlesque at the long-gone Grand and Garrick Theaters.

Matt Lieberman, the super fund-raiser whose client list includes such high-powered pols as St. Louis mayor Francis Slay, state auditor Susan Montee and county council member Steve Stanger – and who is widely credited with helping former mayor Vince Schoemehl fill the war chest that powered St. Louis County’s Prop A to victory – will wed legal assistant Erin Marie Luecke in June. . . Mo. Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder will present the Lieutenant Governor’s  Senior  Service Award to Art Osseck, 85, of St.Charles.  Ossock volunteers with Sts. Joachim and Ann Care Service driving the charity’s van five times a week to pick up donated food from grocery stores.  Sources say that Kinder plans a series of awards in the region. . .Kudos to the cast of the musical, “Legally Blonde” who booked an extra performance at Chuey Arzola’s after Friday night’s Fox gig.  The burlesque program, “Risque Cabaret”, raised big bucks for the Saint Louis Effort for AIDS and Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS. . . Miss Aimee B’s Tea Room & Upstairs Market Place is releasing their “Cookbook of Divine Cuisine III” this month. Owners Judy Howell and Sherry Pfaender debut some of their featured recipes at Dierbergs School of Cooking then the cookbooks will hit the shelves at the St. Charles First Capitol Tea Room.

Il Bel Lago was where Bonneville St. Louis Radio Group entertained clients and partners by introing radio show hosts Annie Henson of The Cornbread Morning Show and Bo Matthews of 92.3 WIL, along with The Fast Lane’s D’Marco Farr, Randy Karraker and Bob Ramsey of 101 ESPN.  Bonneville was repped by chief John Kijowski, Kevin Robinson, Keith Kraus, Ben Granger, Kim Grant and Charlie Hartung. . .Pi in the CWE was where a barefooted 25th Ward Alderwoman Lyda Krewson jumped upon a table to tub-thump her legislative achievements at her fundraiser.  Faces in the crowd, who knocked off a total of 45, 16-inch pies such as those named “Lincoln Park,” “North Beach Classico,” “The Hill,” “Bucktown,” “East Loop” and “South Side Classico” were: Pete Rothschild; Annette and Alan Mandel; aldermanic prez Lewis Reed; Vince and Lois Schoemehl; Lance LeComb; Chester Himes; John and Anna Roach; Todd Epstein; Marvin and Linda Nodiff; Jim and Nicki Dwyer and Ald. Steve Gregali.

The office of Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan has begun asking local governments to quantify the economic consequences of a series of Rex Sinquefeld-sponsored petitions to abolish the earnings tax collected by St. Louis and Kansas City (and, beyond Rex’s current reach, by most major cities in the country.) In St. Louis , the earnings taxes paid by city residents and by others who work within the city limits amount to one-third of the entire city budget (or the cost of operating the entire police dept)… The two trains of Charlie Dooley, county exec and candidate, brushed each other on the tracks this week.  While Dooley campaign exec John Temporiti was dousing Republican challenger Bill Corrigan‘s No-Tax announcement with proof of Dooley’s own tax-cutting chops, county officials were telling reporters that Dooley was supporting a half-cent sales tax increase for public transportation… Yes, that was former St. Louis mayor Clarence Harmon sitting back-to-back with former St. Louis mayor Vince Schoemehl over lunch at low-profile Beffa’s.  Unrelated meetings and polite handshakes, reported bemused observers.  Meanwhile, Fredbird – the unlikely club next door to St. Louis’s most hidden restaurant – will host a fundraiser Dec. 5 to promote the 2010 season of the Arch Rival Roller Girls… From my booth at the McDonald’s across the street from the Post-Dispatch, it looks like on-line editor Kurt Greenbaum (a true gentleman, by the way) has managed to do exactly what his bosses wanted him to do: get readers.  A P-D story – more accurately, stories about the newspaper – spent the past week near the top of the Google International search list.  Greenbaum, who oversees most of the paper’s social media efforts, drew worldwide attention for telling a local school that someone using its computers had posted and reposted a naughty comment on a P-D website… Erstwhile P-D commentary page editor Eric Mink was beckoned by The New York Times as freelancer to pen a review of a new production of “The Card Game” in the long-running “Frontline” documentary series on PBS. Published Nov. 23, the review is headlined “In Love with Credit, It’s Business as Usual”… Betsy Taylor, super-reporter in the Associated Press’s St. Louis bureau, is job hunting.