Riverfront Times, June 16, 2021 by Riverfront Times

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JUNE 16-22, 2021

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JUNE 16-22, 2021

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

MARCH 6-12, 2019

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JUNE 16-22, 2021

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THE LEDE

“I get a lot of time to think about things. Things I need to do. Reflection on myself. Meditating. It’s like a sensory experience, and I love that I’m all in. The smells, the sights, the emotions that arise from the smells, seeing and being around beautiful areas — it’s very ... It puts me at ease even when I feel a little on edge or know I have a lot to do, just like lots of projects. I can always bring myself back.”

PHOTO BY THEO WELLING

MATHEW NORMAN, ROSE CURATOR, PHOTOGRAPHED AT THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDENS ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 26 riverfronttimes.com

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Weed School

issouri’s weed business is booming, and it’s been fascinating to watch an entire industry rise and begin to take shape. The ever-growing number of players are frantically trying to carve out their own identities, methods and advantages. There’s a reason people watching this play out invoke the old gold mining days in calling it the “green rush.” In this week’s cover story, St. Louis-based science writer Leah Shaffer takes a look at the evolving technology and science while tracing the path from the seed to the dispensary. It’s more complicated than you might think. At the same time, RFT cannabis correspondent Tommy Chims has been doing a little of his own research, sampling the wares of St. Louis’ medical marijuana sellers. After weeks of experimenting, he’s got his picks for his favorite strains. Happy learning. —Doyle Murphy, editor in chief

TABLE OF CONTENTS Publisher Chris Keating Editor in Chief Doyle Murphy

E D I T O R I A L Digital Editor Jaime Lees Interim Managing Editor Daniel Hill Staff Writer Danny Wicentowski Contributors Cheryl Baehr, Eric Berger, Jeannette Cooperman, Mike Fitzgerald, Ryan Krull, Andy Paulissen, Justin Poole, Theo Welling, Ymani Wince Columnists Thomas Chimchards, Ray Hartmann Editorial Interns Zoë Butler, Holden Hindes, Erin McAfee, Jack Probst, Victor Stefanescu A R T

& P R O D U C T I O N Art Director Evan Sult Production Manager Haimanti Germain M U L T I M E D I A A D V E R T I S I N G Advertising Director Colin Bell Account Managers Emily Fear, Jennifer Samuel Multimedia Account Executive Chuck Healy Digital Sales Manager Chad Beck Director of Public Relations Brittany Forrest

COVER The Flower Path Take a tour of cannabis cultivation from seed to weed Cover photo by

LEAH SHAFFER

C I R C U L A T I O N Circulation Manager Kevin G. Powers E U C L I D M E D I A G R O U P Chief Executive Officer Andrew Zelman Chief Operating Officers Chris Keating, Michael Wagner VP of Digital Services Stacy Volhein www.euclidmediagroup.com N A T I O N A L A D V E R T I S I N G VMG Advertising 1-888-278-9866, vmgadvertising.com

INSIDE The Lede Hartmann News The Big Mad Feature Cafe Short Orders Reeferfront Times Culture Savage Love 6

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0 5 + m r estaur o r f s r e g ants r u b ! 6

Courtesy of Pit Stop STL

SAVE THE DATE! St. Louis Burger Week is back for its fourth year! Support your local restaurants for St. Louis Burger Week and enjoy $6 burgers all week long! The idea is to get people to embrace the food, and culture of St. Louis while getting them out to eat, drink, and try new places. Navigate your way through the city with our official St. Louis Burger Week passport- will be available online and participating burger week restaurants closer to the event. Grab four or more stamps, submit your information and a picture of your passport, and be entered to win gift cards and an ultimate St. Louis Burger Week prize pack.

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MORE BEING ANNOUNCED DAILY!

BURGERWEEKSTLOUIS.COM | FOLLOW US Interested in participating? Contact stlouisburgerweek@citybeat.com 8

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HARTMANN Shoot from the Lip Mike Parson dreams of the Breakaway Republic of Missouri BY RAY HARTMANN

ov. Mike Parson visited a shooting range called Frontier Justice in a town called Lee’s Summit to sign a law called the Second Amendment Preservation Act on Saturday. Well, of course he did. What a fitting spot to send a message to the neighboring United States that it need not try treading on sovereign Missouri with some radical-socialist plot to take its guns. The new state law says federal gun laws don’t apply here anymore, and there will be a dear price to pay for any local law enforcement officials who don’t abide by that. The choice of location could not have been more apropos. It was a shot across the bow to the Yankee administration of President Joe Biden. Or as Parson’s patriots like to call him: Alleged President Joe Biden. What part of “frontier justice” do you not understand? Does the name Lee not ring a bell? This is about as close to an official Civil War reenactment that the lunatic edition of the Republican Party can get away with in Missouri. Don’t bother pointing out that Missouri was technically a neutral state in that war: Folks here don’t have time for critical race theory. What they do have time for is a culture war. The message is very clear to the Biden administration, along with progressives, liberals, moderates and rational conservatives everywhere: We’d sooner secede from the union than tolerate such intrusions and indignities as background checks for gun purchases. The Republicans want this civil war so badly that they are raging at far-flung scenarios about the seizure of all guns from law-abiding gun owners (especially white

ones). It’s all about nonexistent straw men and the utterly bogus supposition that the government wants to come for Americans’ guns. No matter that this is pure nonsense. So is the new law. The Second Amendment Preservation Act purports to bar law enforcement officials from enforcing federal gun laws that regulate registration and tracking of firearms. God forbid. It’s filled with horrendous parts “nullifying” federal gun laws, such as this beauty noted last week by the Kansas City Star: “In particular, gun control advocates have focused on what they call the ‘domestic violence loophole’ that the legislation would solidify. Federal law prohibits gun possession for those convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors, but when Missouri passed a permitless concealed carry law in 2016, sheriffs were no longer conducting background checks. “Under the Second Amendment Preservation Act, that federal limitation is one of many gun laws that would be declared ‘invalid’ in the state. Missouri law only prohibits felons and fugitives from having guns.” But throwing down for the Godgiven rights of misdemeanor domestic violence abusers is just one of many awful provisions advanced here. For example, local police departments are barred from hiring federal agents who enforced federal gun laws now “invalidated” by Missouri politicians. Really? And, of course, there’s the lovely new passage inviting individuals to sue local police departments for $50,000 if they believe their Second Amendment rights were violated by one of the federal gun laws “nullified” in the new law. Yes, you read that correctly. How spectacularly hypocritical is that one for the Republicans? It’s their version of “defund the police” and “file frivolous lawsuits” and “coddle criminals” all rolled into one. This is rare red-meat politics in all its irrational glory. And if you don’t believe me, consider this dumbfounding statement from Parson spokesperson Kelli Jones: “The Governor is aware of the legal implications of this bill, but

This is about as close to an official Civil War reenactment that the lunatic edition of the Republican Party can get away with in Missouri. also that, now more than ever, we must define a limited role for federal government in order to protect citizen’s rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. This is about empowering people to protect themselves and acknowledging the federalist constitutional structure of our government.” I’m sorry, but I believe you lost me at the part about the governor being “aware of the legal implications of this bill.” I believe that is politician-speak, circa 2021, for the following: “We are aware that our attempt to subvert the plain language of the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause is, well, patently unconstitutional. But we want it to be known that we don’t like that clause.” In fairness to Parson, this is not really about him, or even about the state’s Republican politicians. Missouri is after all the thirteenth state to draw this meaningless line in the sand. If anything, one wonders what took it so long. But Missouri’s red team does deserve a little credit for the rhetoric and the choreography it has brought to this troubling undertaking. Special kudos to state Senator Eric Burlison who hails from, of all places, Battlefield. “This is an issue that could not wait any longer. I am increasingly concerned about the president and his administration attempting to restrict our right to keep and bear arms,” Burlison said. “Ultimately, I believe the purpose of the Second Amendment is to provide the citizens of our country with the ability to defend

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ourselves, and, if it comes to it, to push back against a tyrannical government.” There’s that theme again: We’ve got to stand up to the tyranny of the Union. Hail the Confederacy! Oops. It’s just perfect that Parson chose a town named for Robert E. Lee. While I’m not all that big on canceling and renaming stuff, how about going with a place named for this man to announce a new law that is so richly secessionist in its DNA. In case you’re wondering, this is how the city of Lee’s Summit carefully addresses the origin of its name on its website: “Although the ‘Summit’ portion of the name was obviously based on the fact the town’s elevation is the highest point on the railroad between Kansas City and St. Louis, there are numerous opinions and theories on the origin of ‘Lee’. According to one theory, the town was named after Civil War General Robert E. Lee, since incorporation took place shortly after the war and the majority of citizens migrated from the Southern states. However, another version suggests the town was named after a prominent early settler, Dr. Pleasant Lea.” I’ll go with the general. And I’ll go with the choice of Frontier Justice as a backdrop for the same reason U.S. Representative Vicky Hartzler used it last week to announce she would seek to outwingnut a growing line of Last Guy cultists including disgraced ex-Governor Eric Greitens, Attorney General Eric “Amicus” Schmitt and gun-waving Mark McCloskey in a run for the U.S. Senate. This is not your father’s Republican Party. It’s a bug-eyed collection of imbeciles indulging their inner rebel-gunslinger fantasies. That’s why — for a political party reduced to standing for almost nothing — “frontier justice” has such a great ring to it. n Ray Hartmann founded the Riverfront Times in 1977. Contact him at rhar tmann1952@gmail.com or catch him on Donnybrook at 7 p.m. on Thursdays on the Nine Network and St. Louis In the Know with Ray Hartmann from 9 to 11 p.m. Monday thru Friday on KTRS (550 AM).

JUNE 16-22, 2021

RIVERFRONT TIMES

NEWS

Gov. Parson Signs Limit on Local Health Orders

of government overreach,” the provisions limiting local health orders include an emergency clause, meaning they will become law upon the bill’s signing.

‘We’ve been handed hard deals before’

Written by

TESSA WEINBERG This story was originally published by the Missouri Independent.

ov. Mike Parson’s strategy to contain the spread of COVID-19 was simple: local officials know best. Statewide mandates emanating from Jefferson City didn’t make sense in a state as diverse as Missouri, Parson argued amid the pandemic’s peak while rebuffing calls for him to take statewide action. But on Tuesday Parson is set to sign a bill curbing local health departments’ authority — exactly one year after the social distancing order he put in place was allowed to expire. House Bill 2 1, sponsored by House Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann, R-O’Fallon, started out as a bill focused on local government transparency, but grew to include restrictions on health orders and vaccine passports in the final weeks of the legislative session. The Missouri State Medical Association was one of the organizations who had urged Parson to issue a mask mandate last year. Heidi Geisbuhler Sutherland, the group’s director of government relations, said the group is disappointed Parson chose to sign the bill. “When the state refuses to act during public health emergencies involving highly contagious diseases,” she said, “the duty ultimately falls to local governments to make hard choices to protect their citizens.” Sutherland said the bill “will make those agencies’ duty to protect the health and quality of life of their citizens even more difficult.” Jan Morrow, the director of the Ripley County Public Health Center in southeast Missouri, said she was sad to see the provisions

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Gov. Mike Parson talks in March 2020 about the state’s response to COVID-19. | GOVERNOR’S OFFICE tacked onto another bill late in the session and felt it was “sneaky.” “I think that tells me a lot about their integrity,” Morrow said. Under the bill, local health orders aimed at curbing the spread of a contagious disease during a state of emergency are limited to 30 days in a 180-day period. In order to be extended for an additional 30 days, restrictions that affect the opening of businesses, churches and schools, must receive a simple majority vote of the local health authority’s governing body — such as a county commission, city council or elected board. A report must also be provided outlining the need for such an extension. Outside of a state of emergency, restrictions would be limited to 21 days in a 180-day period and require a two-thirds majority vote for extensions. Those same local governing bodies may also terminate any health order by a simple majority vote. Health departments under multiple counties would need approval from each governing body in the county. Parson had pointed to local control as the reason for forgoing statewide restrictions, like a mask mandate. But earlier this year, he said there were instances within the healthcare system where “probably people didn’t do as good of a job as they should have” at a local level, and that reevaluating “is a good thing.” The bill also contains a provision that bars counties, cities,

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towns or villages that receive public funds from requiring residents show proof of COVID vaccination to access public transportation or other public accommodations. In order to prevent “the threat

For some local health departments, like Morrow’s, it’s already a standard part of the process to consult with local officials and the department’s governing board on whether to issue restrictions. The Ripley County Public Health Center is governed by a five-person elected board of trustees. It’s typically never been a political position, Morrow said. “There’s no money involved for people to serve on these boards,” Morrow said. “They do it because they believe in public health and want the best for their county.” In early March, when news of the virus was surfacing, one of Morrow’s first steps was to pull together city, county and school officials to discuss what might hap-

Disgraced Broadcaster Dies After Conviction Written by

DOYLE MURPHY

arry Hamm, the disgraced ex-radio personality convicted on child porn charges, died on Saturday, his attorney confirmed. Hamm, 79, was awaiting his assignment to a federal prison and had been transferred recently to a hospital from Lincoln County Jail. “It is a tragic end to an otherwise meaningful life,” Supervisory Federal Defender Nanci McCarthy said in an email. A fixture on St. Louis airwaves for more than four decades, Hamm was well known around town through his coverage of the arts and charity work. But police discovered he had developed disturbing habits in private. He was working as KMOX’s entertainment editor when he was arrested in April 2019 by St. Ann police who were investigating a complaint of child abuse. The FBI soon got involved and searched a number of Hamm’s electronic devices, including his personal iPhones and a work laptop. Investigators uncovered 57 illicit images and records of deleted search histories for terms re-

Harry Hamm died after being sentenced to more than five years in federal prison. | MUG SHOT lated to child pornography. Hamm admitted in a plea in federal court in February that he had been searching for and collecting the disturbing images. He was sentenced in April to five years and eight months in federal prison. McCarthy had argued in court that Hamm seemed to suffer from cognitive problems following a heart procedure. Aside from the federal child pornography case, Hamm was facing charges in state court of incest, statutory sodomy and possession of child pornography. That case was still pending. He had sought to be allowed to remain free on bond while waiting to be assigned to a federal prison, but that request was denied. n

pen. Those meetings have continued weekly, and sometimes more often, throughout the pandemic. In Ripley County, officials didn’t issue a mask mandate, but allowed businesses to decide to require them — which most did, Morrow said. Issuing restrictions isn’t a decision she takes lightly. “We’ve been handed hard deals before. And when you’re in a public health department, you have to make some tough decisions sometimes to protect people,” Morrow said. “I find it sad that they want decisions to be local, but then they take away the power for it to be local.” Others didn’t pass local mandates amid the pandemic, because there hadn’t been buy-in from local officials. Instead, they followed the state’s lead. “I reached out to them in the beginning asking them if they wanted a mask mandate, if they wanted help writing one, and no one seemed to be very interested in doing that,” said Cheryl Eversole, the administrator of the Dallas County Health Department. “So we didn’t really pursue that.” Scott Clardy, the assistant director of the Columbia Boone County

Department of Public Health and Human Services, said he didn’t believe the new restrictions would have a major impact, in part, because the department has already been operating under a similar standard. A city ordinance was passed that required city council approval if restrictions were to go past 21 days. “We clearly had the authority to make the orders that we did,” Clardy said. “I think some people may not like us having that much authority. This is the first time in probably over 100 years that we’ve had to use this kind of authority, so a lot of people really weren’t aware of it.” Lawmakers attempted to pass limits on local public health authorities on numerous bills. An earlier Senate version went as far requiring approval from state lawmakers when health orders passed a 14-day period in two years. Supporters of the measures argued it was necessary to prevent what they viewed as extreme and far-reaching restrictions, with many restaurant owners from the St. Louis area describing difficult decisions they were forced to make in the face of shutdowns.

Ex-Dojo Pizza Owner Loses Appeal Written by

DOYLE MURPHY

x-Dojo Pizza owner Loren Copp, convicted on child pornography charges, has lost an appeal. Copp had argued his conviction was unjust, because he wasn’t allowed to introduce photos of his penis during his 2018 trial. The former karate teacher claimed he has a birthmark that doesn’t match waist-down photos of sex crimes found on his computer. Barring an actual photo, he said he should have been able to have his former cellmate testify about the birthmark. U.S. District Judge Audrey Fleissig denied both requests during the trail. In an opinion released on Friday, a three-judge panel for the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Fleissig. They noted that the photos were many years old by the time of the trial, and they found that a new photo wouldn’t prove anything.

Loren Copp is still doing those 65 years for abusing children. | STEVE TRUESDELL The judges also found that a new photo — or testimony from his cellmate — wouldn’t have done him any good anyway, because the other evidence against the former karate teacher was “overwhelming.” Until his arrest in 2015, Copp lived with multiple teenage girls in a converted church in the Bevo neighborhood. A former pastor, he operated the place as a pizzeria, school and community cen-

Sen. Bob Onder, a Lake St. Louis Republican, argued the limits would help ensure residents who elect the officials governing most public health departments have the final say. “Although it puts limits on the total duration of these shutdown orders, it empowers the locally elected legislative body that are accountable to the people,” Onder said in late March on an earlier version of the proposal.

Danger of a surge

As vaccination rates wane across the state, pockets of outbreaks in northern Missouri and southwest Missouri have concerned public health officials and epidemiologists who have urged residents to consider getting vaccinated if they haven’t already in order to stave off variants’ rapid spread. “There is nothing that prevents us from having a major surge if we’re careless with what ground we’ve gained,” said Clay Dunagan, the senior vice president and chief clinical officer at BJC HealthCare, who noted that recent COVID hospitalizations have been among younger residents, and that the approaching fall weather ter, where he taught karate and hosted events. The girls landed in Copp’s care when they had nowhere else to go, often because their parents were battling addictions or serving time. His young victims testified during a grueling ten-day trial, enduring long cross-examinations from Copp, who acted as his own attorney. The appellate judges noted that prosecutors had initially sought to have Copp’s genitalia photographed, along with other parts of his lower body that were visible in seized photos, but he balked and they eventually settled for photographing everything but his penis. Then, in a mid-trial reversal, he insisted new pictures were crucial to his defense. Judge Fleissig admonished Copp for waiting until the last minute to make the request and found that the new photos wouldn’t add anything of value. She later found him guilty of eight of nine counts, including production, attempted production and possession of child pornography. In December 2019, Fleissig sentenced Copp to 65 years in prison. She described his abuse of the girls as “among the most heinous crimes in our society.” Copp has never admitted wrongdoing in the case. n

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will help the virus flourish. Fourteen months after its creation, the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force — which is a collaboration between the metro’s four largest hospital systems of BJC HealthCare, Mercy, SSM Health and St. Luke’s Health System — is ceasing its periodic briefings, which have slowly declined from every day to three times a week to just once a week. The task force is not alone in making a transition. In recent weeks, the state ceased its weekly calls with vaccinators and has scaled back large-scale mass vaccination events as providers instead focus on more targeted, tailored outreach. But task force officials said they will still monitor and collect data on the virus. Alex Garza, the incident commander for the task force, said that to better prepare for pandemics to come, a reinvestment in public health is needed. “This has been decades in the making with the chronic underfunding of public health, and not just that but other societal issues,” Garza said, later adding: “There’s no wonder drug that we’re going to come up with or perfect test that’s going to figure this all out. The bottom line is if we can become better as a community, and part of that is public health infrastructure, then we’ll be better prepared for the next pandemic.” In recent years, Missouri ranked last in the nation in terms of per capita state funding for public health, and amid the pandemic, some local public health departments struggled to receive federal CARES Act funds allocated to their counties. “Here locally, I get about 1 ,000 in state general revenue, and that’s just over a dollar per person for my county,” Eversole in Dallas County said. “And that is really not adequate to serve my county effectively.” The last year-and-a-half has been one of the hardest in Morrow’s time as a public health director. But despite its new challenges, there was one thing that was consistent. “The one thing that has been constant is, you will see the best of people in a time of a pandemic,” Morrow said, “and you will see the worst of people. And we’ve seen that.” n

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THE BIG MAD LOCAL CONTROL Ann’s terrible takes, Parson’s rodent reasoning and another cop skates Compiled by

DANIEL HILL

elcome back to the Big Mad, the RFT’s weekly roundup of righteous rage! Because we know your time is short and your anger is hot: WORST BBQ EVER: A year ago, those of us lucky enough not to live in a particular gated enclave of the Central West End (or to be a doomed nearby beehive) were blessedly unaware of Mark and Patricia McCloskey. Honestly, we didn’t even know such caricatures of entitlement, white fragility and gun lust even existed before they grabbed their weapons and waddled into our collective consciousness. Now, Mark is following the new Republican playbook of recasting awful, reckless behavior as something to be celebrated as a measure of patriotism by marking the anniversary of what should have been his most humiliating evening with a political fundraiser for his Senate campaign. The “Pink Shirt Guy BBQ & RINO Roast” (actual name) is to include a speech by Gen. Michael Flynn, yet another figure who’d better serve this country by crawling into the shadows. We’d like to think the stunt-based, political-trolling-asa-platform approach to campaigning is still the kind of thing that would get laughed out of town by Midwesterners who once prided themselves on being able to spot obvious bullshit, but we’ve got too much evidence to the contrary. Whatever. Maybe McCloskey just wants Flynn’s advice on the most effective route to a pardon. PUNXSUTAWNEY PARSON: Ol’ Mike Parson is really living these days. Did you see the way his dumb chipmunk face lit up when he got to sign the “Second Amendment Preservation Act” at a gun range over the weekend? That was the look of a happy gopher telling the feds they can shove their gun laws, because people right here in Missouri know what’s best for Missouri. (To wit, ensuring domestic abusers keep their weapons.) And then this adorable little woodchuck turned around and backed legislation to restrict local governments’ power to issue their own public health orders after places like St. Louis tried to slow COVID-19. Now, claiming that locals know best when it comes to federal gun laws and then saying that locals know shit when it comes to public health may seem

contradictory. But you’re thinking like a reasonable human, not a goddamn squirrel. SOCIALLY SOULLESS: If you haven’t noticed, Congresswoman Ann Wagner is all over Twitter these days. Wagner’s emergence as a bulk distributor of terrible takes at the same time that Sen. Roy Blunt is shuffling toward the exits is surely a coincidence, and we’re not even sure why we’re mentioning the two together. Weirdly, the contest to replace Blunt has rocketed into new levels of fuckery, with Mark McCloskey and Eric Greitens closing in on a full bingo scorecard of GOP scare terms. Again, this has nothing to do with Wagner suddenly spraying Twitter with Trump affirmations and random Bible quotes. And when she tweeted last week, in the middle of Pride month, that “Biological men should not be allowed to play in women’s sports. Period,” she was surely just scraping the lining of her own empty soul cavity to say what has been on her mind. Because even a career politician whose black heart only beats for a senate seat would never so nakedly, so cravenly turn to transphobia just for an outside shot to misrepresent Missouri in the Senate. But, weirdly, we can’t think of any other reason. SWING AWAY: With a sickening thud, the August 14, 2017, video showed the moment then-St. Louis police officer Adam Feaman swung a flashlight into the face of Jamal White. The incident led to the officer’s termination and criminal charges for assault, but this month, it took a judge just fourteen pages to conclude that Feaman was justified in twice slamming the metal tool onto the head of the unarmed 27-year-old and breaking his jaw. In the June 8 ruling from Circuit Judge Elizabeth Hogan, she devotes long paragraphs to describing how White yelled at police as they prepared to have his car towed that night. White was angry, and Feaman threatened to arrest him if he returned to the area, but although White chose to defy those orders, he never made any attempt to do more than swear at the police. White was backing away as Feaman charged, a flashlight in the cop’s right hand. Absent a physical threat, White’s presence itself became “resisting arrest” and, in Hogan’s ruling, that justification allowed Feaman to unleash his attack — as well as a second blow, delivered one second later, as White lifted his head from the pavement. To anyone who watches the video of a man being beaten in the back of the head, it is a brutal example of a needless power trip. To Hogan, writing her acquittal, it was just “physical force [Feaman] reasonably believed necessary to effect the arrest.” Justice might really be blind after all. n

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

The Flower Path Take a tour of

cannabis cultivation

from seed to weed By Leah Shaffer

ou can smell BeLeaf Medical’s cannabis growing facility before you see it. A strong scent of weed hovers in the air blocks away, like an outdoor concert festival. But inside, it’s all business. Pristine grow rooms beam brilliant LED light over cannabis in various stages of progress. Workers hammer away, building walls and floors to expand the facility, which opened on Cherokee Street last year. Demand for cannabis is sky high in Missouri, as the medical marijuana industry just begins to ramp up. Aaron Abrantes, the director of cultivation at BeLeaf, spends his days hustling from room to room in the retrofitted warehouse, handling new stages of construction, checking on top-of-the-line equipment for irrigation, lighting and air filtration. When he’s not chasing down supply-chain knots, there’s piles of regulations to tend to and, of course, working with his staff to grow, clone and sort their way to a top-quality product.

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The business of selling weed is complicated, but the process of growing it is even more so. Local growers, dispensaries and consumers are feeling their way through this new terrain. So, let’s take a tour of how that flower gets from seed to shop.

Cannabis for beginners

To understand how the business of cannabis works, start with some cannabis chemistry. Forget

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what you may know about indicas, sativas or any types of strains. Cannabis contains more than 400 compounds, some of which have yet to be fully analyzed. For instance, it was thought that the main component of the plant that gives the high includes more than 60 cannabinoids, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). More recently, though, some evidence suggests that compounds called terpenes and terpenoids may also factor into how people experience the high of marijuana. Terpenes are what gives weed its “flavor.” Nonsmokers may not realize it, but different strains of marijuana offer different flavors, like comparing different bottles of wine. Those flavors may also give a hint as to the type of high a person may experience. On cannabis trade site Leafly, people can consult both illustrations and written descriptions of the effects of these terpenes. For instance, if a strain is dominated by the terpene

“limonene,” it will have a citrus aroma, possible fruity scents, and could provide the smoker some good mood and stress relief. On the other end, if a strain is dominated by the terpene “myrcene,” it will offer a musky or earthy smell and provide more of a sedative effect — basically the Sleepytime Tea of weed. Keep in mind that all these descriptions of the different highs of marijuana are still mostly anecdotal and subjective. The classification of marijuana is in a state of flux at the moment. Imagine if the apple industry worked the way the United States historically handled cannabis. Scientists would only have access to study the mushiest of Red Delicious. Meanwhile, illicit growers would be making up new varieties on the fly. Nobody is tracking all the varieties, so one guy might sell you a Honeycrisp, but it actually resembles a Gala. Or another seller offers Pink Ladies that are actually pears. That’s the state of Continued on pg 16

Cannabis flower at the BeLeaf Medical warehouse. This strain is called “Frosty Fruit.” | LEAH SHAFFER

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THE FLOWER PATH Continued from pg 14

the marijuana industry as legalization starts to spread. However, it’s tricky to compare the cannabis industry to produce or even beer, because it’s more than just taste. Weed is complicated chemistry. “It’s a very difficult process at almost every level,” says Nick Jikomes, Leafly’s director of science. And it’s not easy to compare to other crop sciences since weed is “sort of like a pharmaceutical factory,” he adds. In a not-yet-published research paper, Jikomes and colleagues attempted to track the consistency of the strains around the country and found a hodgepodge of results. One strain of myrceneheavy Blue Dream sold in Colorado may have totally different terpene and cannabinoid makeup than another Blue Dream sold in Washington. The research also suggests that independent labs which determine the chemical analysis stickers required for legal marijuana products have an incentive to fudge results on THC levels. Many consumers want the biggest high for their buck, so the higher the THC content, the more demand. Typically, that means having a THC content of at least 20 percent, says Jikomes. Growers may start sending their samples to different labs if they keep getting results showing lower THC from one lab. As a consumer, Jikomes assumes THC content is 5 percent lower than what’s on the label. The strain names are often just marketing, he adds, meaning it’s difficult to assume a product will give you a certain high based on the name alone. All of this is to say, consumers may have to take both the strain name and some of those high THC levels on the label with a grain of salt. Jikomes jokes that he could sell low-quality ditch weed and call it Blue Dream, and “some people basically do that.” Missouri cannabis growers echo those opinions. “Any dispensary can call any strain anything they want to,” says Matt Holland, cultivation director for Bloom Medicinals, one of some 60 cultivation facilities licensed in Missouri. “I think there will be consistency and it will be standardized in the years ahead, but it may not be that way until it federally becomes decriminalized,” he adds.

RIVERFRONT TIMES

One of the cannabis grow rooms at a BeLeaf Medical warehouse. The finished product is sold under the brand name Sinse at medical marijuana dispensaries in Missouri. | LEAH SHAFFER

Currently, the BeLeaf crew is on its “big genetics hunt,” sorting some 2,000 different plants grown from seeds to find the best plants to clone. That includes 40 different strains to sort. From the ground up

All the chaos of the industry means new grow operations are starting from scratch. Managers can’t just check a form and order Blue dream, OG Kush, or Purple Haze wholesale. Bloom Medicinals is developing two grow facilities in Missouri that will become operational later in the year. It’s a long process to start marijuana cultivation. Holland has worked in plant nurseries and other cultivation centers, and he consults with the Saint Louis Science Center and Saint Louis University for hemp cultivation projects, but even with all his experience, the industry is not getting easier. “It’s so complicated. There is so much technology involved. It’s legally complicated,” he says.

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He rattles off all the tech involved in their grow operations: Grow lights are the most important technology, “simply because the yield is dependent on the light intensity.” Expensive HVAC systems have been developed just for indoor cultivation, designed to keep a room cool even when it has 100,000-lumen lights running. The same system will keep humidity low in rooms that have hundreds of gallons of irrigation flushed through them in a day. There’s a computerized system that tracks all the plants. Holland could be home and use his tablet to adjust temperature, light and the amount of carbon dioxide going into a room. That’s not even getting into the complicated testing equipment

that provides analysis of a plant’s biochemistry. Workers at Bloom use gas chromatography equipment, devices that detect and quantify the different compounds in the plant. Then there’s the growing process itself. Both Bloom and BeLeaf start from seed, then will sort through thousands of plants, find the best of the best and clone those plants. They do this because even if you start with the same strain seeds, none of those plants will end up identical, says Abrantes. Currently, the BeLeaf crew is on its “big genetics hunt,” sorting some 2,000 different plants grown from seeds to find the best plants to clone. That includes 40 different strains to sort. “You take one plant that you thought was great, and you’re able to create thousands of plants that are genetically identical,” Abrantes says. What emerges will likely be new strains with new names. Names can be a mishmash of the parent plants. For instance, something like Purple Kush is a cross between the strains Purple Afghani and Hindu Kush. Other times, the plant gets its name based on taste. The limonene-heavy plants could get a fruity name or dessert name, such

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This box of harvested cannabis is frozen with liquid nitrogen and used in producing resin at a BeLeaf manufacturing facility. Resin is a concentrated form of cannabis that is produced in a way that preserves more of the plant’s terpenes. | LEAH SHAFFER as Apple Fritter. Dessert names are the big trend right now, says Arbantes. Then again, this being a culture of zany creativity, names can be pretty much anything. Sorting through Leafly’s strain database, you can find wacky names like Gary Payton, Purple Urkle, Golden Goat, Death Star or AK- . (“My eyelids and I feel like we are wearing sweaters,” says one reviewer of AK- .) Naming is the fun part, but that lies ahead. Abrantes says the challenge right now is supply-chain disruptions from the COVID-19 crisis — just trying to get materials on time and on schedule. Other problems can arise from pests and plant viruses. Growers can’t use traditional pesticides, this being a product people inhale. Abrantes makes use of biopesticides — bacterial or beneficial insects to hunt the bad pests. They can use soaps and oils, but otherwise, keeping their crop healthy means being vigilant with sterilization and plant checks. They use a microscope to search roots for russet mites, monitor HVAC to keep mold at bay and uarantine new genetic material.

In the shop

It all comes together at the dispensary, where consumers tentatively enter a new world of cannabis.

Jack Haddox, director of BeLeaf’s dispensary operations, says about half the consumers are new to the world of cannabis and the other half are experienced but may not understand weed offers more than just a high from THC. “It’s really a misconception that THC is the most important part of the cannabis plant,” he adds. Haddox says all compounds work together in the “entourage effect” to give a person both a pleasant high and health benefits such as relief from pain, depression or anxiety. Leafly’s Jikomes warns that the average new weed consumer may not want cannabis that’s 20 to 2 percent THC. “That’s too much for them,” he adds. That’s like someone who enjoys the occasional beer deciding to drink moonshine all the time just to get drunk faster. It’s not pleasant. Haddox suggests consumers look at the chemical analysis label and talk to budtenders about what they are hoping to get from medical marijuana use. He believes customers are catching on uickly. “People are looking for different parts of the plant, not just to get high.” Leah Shaffer is a freelance science writer based in St. Louis.

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CAFE

[REVIEW]

Out of This World Dining at Diego’s in University City is not just delicious, it’s downright transcendent Written by

CHERYL BAEHR Diego’s 630 North and South Road, University City; 314-553-9906. Tues.-Thurs. 5-9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. noon-10 p.m.; Closed Sunday and Monday.

atasha Kwan was utterly shocked when she heard the news of her friend Chuck Pener’s passing. Even before she opened her debut restaurant, Frida’s, just a couple of storefronts down from Pener’s Mediterranean gathering place, Momo’s Taverna, Kwan considered Pener a pal. That friendship only grew over the nine years they ran their restaurants alongside one another; the sudden absence of his presence was palpable. The loss of Momo’s bustling corner restaurant was also distressing for Kwan, not simply because it sat dark for the first time since she’d shared the block, but also because of the possibility of what would happen to it. As Kwan’s husband, Rick Roloff, would frequently tell her, she just needed to take over the space herself. If she didn’t, he said, she would be reminded of a missed opportunity every time she looked at whatever restaurant took Momo’s place and would be even more disheartened if it wasn’t up to the standards she had set for her little corner of University City. The idea of opening a second spot was not out of left field. For years, Kwan had been toying around with the idea, and even considered opening an al pastor stand in Clayton. Though she tabled that particular concept, she never let go of the idea to open a Latin American-inspired spot, and had recently been scouring the Central West End for the right storefront. However, taking over

RIVERFRONT TIMES

Diego’s doesn’t disappoint. Clockwise from top left: guacamole, costra de chiles asados, shrimp tostada, enchiladas verdes and esquites. | MABEL SUEN

Chef-owner Natasha Kwan operates Diego’s a couple doors down from her other spot. | MABEL SUEN the Momo’s space simply made sense, and as soon as Pener’s family was ready to pass it on to someone, she jumped at the chance to make the place her own. For Kwan, there was never any doubt that the new restaurant would be Mexican inspired. For some reason, the space had a certain energy about it that begged for a lively, upbeat eating and drinking establishment,

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not that dissimilar from Momo’s. For two years, she and her husband threw themselves into the buildout of the new restaurant, converting the Mediterranean-inflected dining room that had seen better days into the stunning Latin American aesthetic that would become Diego’s. It’s not hyperbolic to say that Diego’s might be the most beautiful restaurant in St. Louis. The mo-

ment you walk through the door, you are awestruck by the transportative design that makes you feel as if you are in an upscale, coastal Mexican eatery. Flowering vines hanging from the ceilings and potted palm trees give the feeling of being in an indooroutdoor courtyard, a vibe underscored by the massive open windows that allow the dining room and patio to flow into each other. Mexican tiled archways, gilded wall hangings and vibrant artwork hung against ink-blue walls create a gorgeous scene; even the bathroom, wallpapered in a beautiful, mid-century green and pink palm print, is outrageously beautiful. You don’t want to eat at Diego’s; you want to live in it. The gorgeous restaurant is the ideal setting for the breezy Mexican fare Kwan and her team have created. As she notes, Diego’s is unlike a lot of Mexican spots in St. Louis in that it’s less Tex-Mex influenced and much lighter. “Coastal” is the word that comes to mind when you are tucked into a beautiful banquette, noshing on dishes like the shrimp tostada, an open-face crispy corn tortilla topped with creamy avocado mash and plump shrimp that are

The restaurant, transformed from its former life, is maybe the most beautiful in town. | MABEL SUEN

DIEGO’S

Continued from pg 20

adorned with radishes, pickled onions, diced tomatoes and crema. There’s no better dish for a humid June evening. The same tender shrimp is equally outstanding as a burrito. Wrapped in a flour tortilla and accented with guacamole, cabbage chipotle crema, pineapple and a subtly sweet fire-roasted salsa, the burrito is a successful blend of savory, smoky and sweet. Kwan describes Diego’s costra tacos as the sort of street food you’d get if you were walking out of a bar late at night in Mexico City. Thankfully, you don’t need to wait for that opportunity to enjoy these cheesy delicacies. Soft corn tortillas are layered with gooey cheese and griddled to the point that they meld into one another, becoming a new, hybrid entity. ou can fill them with succulent pulled chicken or shrimp, but the showstopper is the vegetarian version, filled with fire-roasted green chiles, tomatoes, onions, avocado, cilantro and salsa. It’s like a green chile grilled cheese. Diego’s offers both a vegan and chicken version of its enchiladas, each of them equally successful. The chicken version is stuffed with succulent meat; creamy smashed pinto beans, chiles and roasted corn fill the vegan dish. Both are smothered in a piquant green chile sauce that is both satisfyingly rich and bright at the same time.

Kwan’s carnitas are made with chicken (the only animal proteins she serves are chicken and fish), but they are no less satisfying than the traditional pork version. The fork-tender meat is slow-cooked in a rich red chile sauce that is smoky with just a whisper of sweetness. Stuffed into a corn tortilla and dressed with onion, cilantro, cotija and a sliver of lime, it’s a wonderful street taco experience. You could make a full dinner at Diego’s, or you could pop in for drinks and something as simple as the queso flameado, an easy pleasure that is hands down the most delectable thing on the menu. The dip is unbelievably silken and creamy; laden with roasted green chiles, it is lit afire like Greek saganaki, producing wonderful, caramelized pockets of cheese that you could eat for days. Her loaded bean dip is another hit, consisting of smashed pintos and a variety of veggies and chiles like a high-end seven-layer dip. Noshing on either of these beauties while sipping a hibiscus margarita under twinkling lights and flowering vines is not simply an otherworldly experience it’s a fitting homage to Pener and Momo’s legacy — and one that no one is better placed to take to the next level than Kwan. n

Diego’s Queso flameado ........................................ $11 Diego’s carnitas .......................................... $5 Shrimp tostada ......................................... $10 • Carry-out and dine-in

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SHORT ORDERS

[ S T. L O U I S S TA N D A R D S ]

The Thai That Binds King & I is more than an awardwinning restaurant, it’s a local institution Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

hayn Prapaisilp considers the fact that his family’s restaurant, King & I, even exists to be a small miracle. Hailing from two far-apart regions of Thailand, Prapaisilp’s parents, Suchin and Sue, were an unlikely pairing. When they met, she was a psychology student at the University of Illinois at Chicago who had just moved to the U.S. from the north of Thailand. His father had immigrated to St. Louis from the far-south of that country and was working at his brother’s grocery store, Jay Asian Food Corp., on South Grand. Back then, getting back to Southeast Asia wasn’t as easy as searching for flights on Kayak it involved a significant amount of expertise and legwork — which Sue and her sister were willing to do through a boutique travel company they started as a college side-hustle. Suchin would regularly use Sue’s company to go back to Thailand to see his family. Pretty soon, their professional relationship developed into love, marriage and a move to St. Louis — despite Sue’s protests — to start a life together. That life did not necessarily involve a restaurant. According to Prapaisilp, his father was originally intent on going all-in with the grocery business, and he found success alongside his brother, expanding Jay Asian to include a multitude of global goods and renaming the business Jay International Food Corp. However, Suchin’s entrepreneurial spirit told him that there was an opportunity for something more. “I think at the time, in the early ‘80s, folks were familiar enough with Chinese cuisine because peo-

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Thai cuisine was once not even an option in St. Louis, and we have the King & I to thank for making the introduction. | ANDY PAULISSEN

King & I has been serving St. Louis diners authentic Thai cuisine since 1983. | ANDY PAULISSEN ple had either served in the military or traveled to Asia, but Thai food was brand spanking new in St. Louis,” Prapaisilp says. “My dad was selling groceries, but he realized that no one was really doing that kind of food. It was nos-

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talgia for him. He was eating Thai food at home but felt that St. Louis could really come to like it.” In 1983, Suchin and Sue took the leap and opened King & I in its original location on the corner of South Grand Boulevard and

Humphrey Street. As Prapaisilp explains, his father felt that he had to ease people into the idea of Thai cuisine, so he started out with a menu that was 50 percent Thai and 50 percent Chinese as a way to mitigate risk. “Back then, Asian food was considered this mass cuisine with soy sauce,” Prapaisilp says. “He worried that if he opened a restaurant with all Thai food it might turn people off. It’s funny to think that pad Thai was avant-garde in the ‘80s.” The Prapaisilp family’s gamble paid off. It didn’t take long for them to develop a robust following, and eventually, King & I became so popular that the family moved it to its current location across the street on South Grand Boulevard. Though he was just a kid, Prapaisilp remembers the move and looks back fondly at growing up in the restaurant and having that bustling strip of south city as his playground. Working alongside his parents, grandfather, aunts and uncles, he and his family pulled together to offer a piece of themselves to the St. Louis dining community — and still do to this day. “We have a lot of the same staff members who have been with us for years,” Prapaisilp says. “Our

Shayn Prapaisilp parents introduced St. Louis to Thai cuisine. | ANDY PAULISSEN current chef learned from my aunt, so what’s neat is that there is a lot of continuity. It’s not just that we’ve been around for so long, but that we are consistent.” That consistency has paid off not only in a loyal customer base but also in recognition from the

Thai government. For the past five years, King I has received the prestigious Thai SELECT award, an honor from the Royal Thai Government that recognizes authenticity in Thai cuisine served in the United States. The restaurant was the only one in the

[COMEBACKS]

“My aunt called and said there was a fire and to call the fire department. I was very confused and didn’t know what was happening, but I called the fire department and they said they were already on their way. I left my house in Maryland Heights and drove straight there — I didn’t even change clothes and was in my flip-flops. My sister called about three minutes after I left and told me it was all gone. When I got there, just seeing my mom was very heartbreaking.” As Angelica explains, the restaurant was a total loss. However, there was never any doubt that the family would rebuild in the same spot. Though many suggested that they set up their restaurant in their banquet center located in the same strip mall, they never considered it — it just didn’t have the right feel, and it was important to the family to recreate what had been destroyed. The Lopez family would not endure their loss alone. After news of the fire broke, several prominent chefs and restaurant owners rallied around the family, organizing fundraisers, including a GoFundMe, that raised funds to help them rebuild. Those efforts, together with an outpouring of support from friends and the community, have been what’s sustained the Lopez family throughout the

Taqueria Durango Makes Its Triumphant Return Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

n perhaps the clearest sign that the world is beginning to make sense again, St. Louis taco lovers are once again able to enjoy a beloved institution: Taqueria Durango (10238 Page Avenue, Overland) has reopened its doors as of this past Saturday. The Overland restaurant, owned by the Lopez family, had been closed since March 5, 2020, after a fire that started in frying oil tore through the building and gutted the entire structure. Though no one was injured in the blaze, the incident shuttered the restaurant and called into question whether or not it would ever again serve its excellent Mexican food. “The day of the fire, I wasn’t there, but my sister was, even though she was off that day,” recalls Angelica Lopez, daughter of owners Miguel and Isidora Lopez.

entire state of Missouri to receive such an honor. As thrilling as the recognition from the Thai government is, what keeps the Prapaisilp family motivated are the love and loyalty of its customers throughout all of its brands. In addition to King & I, the family still runs Jay International Food Corp. as well as Global Foods, United Provisions, Oishi Sushi, Oishi Steakhouse and Prapaisilp’s venture, Chao Baan. Through it all, the family has been humbled that they have been able to become such a part of people’s lives — something Prapaisilp is confident they will continue to do for years to come. “What’s great for us and keeps us going is that we’ve seen folks come in when they started dating, got married and had kids,” Prapaisilp says. “Now they are coming in with their grandkids. There are a lot of iconic St. Louis restaurants, and we like to consider ourselves one of those. Thirty years is tough for any business, but people keep coming back. We feel lucky to not just be nourishing St. Louis but to be a part of fond memories in people’s lives.” n

“It was super amazing; we felt, and still feel, very loved... It’s beyond what we expected and we are so grateful and happy to feel loved and cared for.” tragedy. “It was super amazing; we felt, and still feel, very loved,” Angelica says. “We’ve had people come in and calls and text messages from people we never would have imagined. It’s beyond what we expected and we are so grateful and happy to feel loved and cared for.” Even in the midst of personal loss, the Lopez family made sure to pay that good-

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The King & I remains a cornerstone on South Grand Boulevard. | ANDY PAULISSEN

will forward. Though the restaurant was shuttered, they used their adjacent market and banquet hall as a food distribution center to help those in need during the pandemic. The effort, a partnership with the organization STL Juntos, provided meals, diapers and other necessities to people struggling to make ends meet. Additionally, the restaurant’s parking lot is being used as a vaccine site to help get doses to members of the community. As Angelica explains, these efforts are the least they could do to return the love showed to them. As for the reopening, Angelica is thrilled, but she also expresses nervousness. Because the fire happened roughly a week before the pandemic turned the world upside down, the family has never had to run a restaurant under these changed circumstances. She knows that takeout and curbside will be huge parts of their business, and she says the family is ready to navigate the changed landscape, even if it may take some time to adjust to it. However, regardless of the changes, she’s just happy that they have brought their restaurant back to life and are ready to share their joy with the world. “We just really appreciate how much people love our food,” Angelica says. “We can’t wait to celebrate that.” n

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[CELEBRITIES]

George Lopez’s Tacos Come to St. Louis Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

eorge Lopez may be better known for his comedic chops than his culinary prowess, but that may be about to change. Last week, the actor and comedian launched his delivery-only taqueria, George Lopez Tacos, through a partnership with the virtual restaurant company Nextbite, promising a “badass” taco experience for cities nationwide, including St. Louis.

George Lopez is bringing his street tacos to St. Louis. | GREG CAHILL “My street tacos are all about helping you rompe your routines and dinner expectations with a badass street taco experience that tastes damn delicious,” Lopez says in a release announcing the launch. “With Nextbite’s delivery-only concept, we are helping restaurants thrive by adding a delicious deliv-

ery-only menu item that allows them to get a little bit of George in the kitchen and bring more revenue into their operation.” George Lopez Tacos is the latest ghost-kitchen brand to partner with Nextbite, a Denver-based company that pairs delivery-only food concepts with both kitchen

From Treat Box to Ice Box Written by

HOLDEN HINDES

oryn Nalic’s take on Balkan classics has been a hit from the start. After starting out with a popular food truck, she opened Balkan Treat Box (8103 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves; 314-733-5700) in 2019 with her husband Edo. The lunch spot continues to receive national acclaim, including a nomination as one of Bon Appetit’s top 50 and a James Beard semifinalist nod for Nalic. Now, Nalic takes on a new frontier — frozen food, shipped to your door. In a limited collaboration with the New Yorkbased company Balkan Bites, Nalic’s recipe for smoked beef and potato burek is being produced and sold in Balkan Bites’ online catalog of frozen burek. “I have had every single frozen burek that I can buy in St. Louis, and none of them can touch theirs with a ten-foot pole,” Nalic says. Balkan Bites’ chef Alida Malushi and CEO Ariana Tolka (aunt and niece, respectively) reached out to Nalic after seeing her burek recipe in the Wall Street Journal. Nalic says, “We have not been able to meet. This all transpired during the pandemic. They actually were at farmers markets, and then the pandemic had them pivot. In order for them to keep their business going, they went to frozen. Just a powerhouse, really smart women.

Balkan burek could well become the next snack craze. | COURTESY @BALKANBITESNYC So they pivoted into that, and right then it became a lightbulb moment of ‘Oh, wait! We could do this from afar!’ They sent me product, I sent them a recipe, they made it, we tweaked it, we finally got it right, and here we are.” Collaborating on the phone, sending food back and forth, and a shared admiration for each other’s dedication to traditional Balkan cuisine led to a burek that everyone involved is excited to share with the country. Burek comes in many forms, under many names — Nalic calls them pitas —

but basically they’re stuffed pastries. Nalic says that theirs “is serena pita, which translates to rainbow.” Much of the magic is in the specific dough used. “It’s a jufka, which is a type of phyllo dough,” Nalic explains. “It’s a handstretched, thin, thin pastry. It’s one of those doughs that is really ethereal and light.” Fillings can vary, and Nalic has settled on a classic version. “It has a Bosnian smoked beef in there called suho meso that is a smoked,

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space and delivery platforms to bring their food to the masses. Though the release does not disclose the location of the St. Louis operation for George Lopez Tacos, a quick search pinpointed it to 1000 Washington Avenue. Described as “iconic street taco recipes developed by George himself,” the menu comprises two different tacos. La Chingona features a slow-cooked and shredded protein of your choice, diced onion, cilantro, salsa verde, pickled onions, roasted jalapeños and corn tortillas. The La Más Cabrona offers the same protein selections and accouterments, but with the addition of fire-roasted peppers and onions and avocado crema. Other menu items include chips and salsa, chips and guacamole, churro bites, churro bun ice cream sandwiches and Oreo churros. Those interested in ordering George Lopez Tacos for delivery can use any number of delivery platforms, including Seamless, DoorDash, Grubhub or Uber Eats.n dried beef,” she says. “With the potatoes and the caramelized onions, it was just so magical to me.” Nalic learned this recipe from St. Louis’ own Kific family. “The family had me come into their home and taught me to do this,” she says. “They’re really special people to me ... They’re close friends to Edo and his family. His parents grew up with their family in Bosnia, before the war. They’re all from the same town. And then their grandmother, Nana, kind of everyone’s grandma, was just an incredible cook and matriarch in the family. She passed away this year, so it was a huge homage to her.” Burek fares particularly well in a home oven. Nalic says that “it’s actually one of those products that does really well from frozen to baking, and getting crispy and flaky and golden brown.” And finding the frozen variety might be the best bet for tracking them down on a consistent basis. Despite Nalic’s enthusiasm for the stuffed pastries, they’re not on the regular menu at her restaurant. “We do have plans to do a day where we feature this kind of pita, to crosspromote,” Nalic says. “We’ve run it a few times as specials, but it’s not something you can get every day here.” If the collaboration with the New York company succeeds, Nalic expects Balkan Treat Box to expand further into the frozen market. She is used to introducing St. Louis patrons to dishes they might be eating for the first time, and she sees potential to do that on the national level through the partnership. “What we’re trying to accomplish,” Nalic says, “is getting Balkan food out there, to be mainstream and in everyone’s kitchen, and becoming American food.”

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REEFERFRONT TIMES

[WEED REVIEWS]

Chimchards’ Choice Tommy Chims lists his five favorite St. Louis-area weed strains as of June 2021 Lava Cake. | THOMAS K. CHIMCHARDS

Written by

THOMAS CHIMCHARDS

t can be a bit overwhelming, especially for a novice smoker, to look over a dispensary’s menu and try to select the product that’s best for you. Beyond just the differences in sativas and indicas, each strain has its own unique quirks and personality, and while your budtender will obviously be a helpful resource, it’s worth bearing in mind that he’s foremost a salesman at the end of the day. But never fear: Ol’ Tommy Chims is here to help. Since we kicked off dedicated weed coverage back in April, I’ve toiled tirelessly to find the cream of the cannabis crop, visiting a double-digit number of dispensaries all across the St. Louis area and sampling dozens of different products. After all of that arduous work, I’ve found five strains of flower that I’m ready to full-throatedly recommend. Included in each blurb below is where I purchased these strains and who cultivated them. For those seeking them out, you could start by checking the online menus of the dispensaries I got them from, or you can head to Leafly.com, enter the name of the strain and find a list of local locations where they are available. Bear in mind, also, that as St. Louis’ medical marijuana industry continues to mature, the quality and selection of its cannabis products will only evolve. In keeping, it’s possible that the THC rating on these strains will be different in new batches than it was when I sampled them, so make sure to look closely and ask your budtender if you have any questions. And do hop in the

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comments to let me know which strains are your favorites — I’ve not yet managed to smoke every single batch of weed in town (though not for lack of trying), so this list is not intended to be comprehensive. Without further ado, and in no particular order, here are my favorite strains of flower I’ve tried in the St. Louis area as of June 2021:

Bubba Fett

Purchased at: Jane Dispensary (6662 Delmar Blvd, University City; 314-464-4420) Cultivator: C4 Pharms When I dug into the C4-branded pouch of Bubba Fett I purchased at Jane Dispensary, I was greeted with a dark, rich, slightly skunky smell as I broke the small, mostly darker-green nuggets up. On inhale this strain has a flavorful, sweet taste that had me coughing at first, but soon smoothed out into an enjoyable smoke. Let me tell you, this strain is downright stupefying. Before I’d even finished the bowl I felt as though I’d been smacked in the face with the “stoned” shovel, and the bags under my eyes felt like they weighed a thousand pounds. The indica-dominant strain clocked in at a considerable 20.54 percent THC, so it shouldn’t be particularly surprising that it’s so strong, but I was still taken aback. My chronic pain melted away and I felt relaxed and happy, and pretty hungry. This strain immediately launched itself to the top of my list of favorites, even if I did find the words “Don’t panic, you’ll be fine, just high” in my notebook upon a review.

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Alien Rock Candy

Purchased at: Proper Cannabis (7417 South Lindbergh Boulevard, 314-328-0446) Cultivator: Proper Cannabis Proper’s Alien Rock Candy, rated at 15.82 percent THC when I purchased it, brings dark-green buds flecked with a few lighter spots and dark-orange hair clusters, and large trichomes that have the appearance of tiny water drops. When I opened the bag I was met

Alien Rock Candy. | THOMAS K. CHIMCHARDS with a warm smell of fresh-cut grass and hints of coffee, and the buds broke up nicely, somewhere between sticky and keefy. On inhale I could detect some light, sweet berry and citrus flavors, and I found the strain to be fairly cough-inducing but pleasant. My batch of Alien Rock Candy delivered a relaxed, mellow high that made my body feel fantastic without pummeling my brain into a stupor. Proper’s website refers to the strain as its “calling card,” and it’s easy to see why. The fact that its more recent batches of the strain have been clocked in the

mid-twenties THC-wise ensures I’ll be back for more.

Lava Cake

Purchased at: Greenlight Dispensary (517 South Florissant Road, Ferguson; 844-785-9333) Cultivator: Greenlight Rated at 20.36 percent THC, the Greenlight-branded Lava Cake boasts smaller, dark-green buds with hints of lime green and purple patches, absolutely encrusted with orange and white hairs and a generous dusting of trichomes. The nuggets are tight and dense — really beautiful, well-structured little buds — and I got keef all over my fingers on breakup (a grinder might be the way to go with this one). Both the smell and taste of this strain are exceptionally fruity and sweet — downright delicious, even — and I felt its effects almost immediately. This stuff is strong as hell, and I found myself high as a kite within only minutes, my eyes droopy, my body relaxed and my appetite stimulated to the tune of an entire bag of Lay’s potato chips. Handle with care, especially if you are a novice smoker (or on a diet).

Gorilla Glue

Purchased at: N’Bliss Dispensary (15396 Manchester Road, Ellisville; 314-627-2699) Cultivator: Flora Farms The Flora Farms batch of Gorilla Glue that I purchased at N’Bliss came with a lower THC rating than the C4-branded pre-roll I’d sampled previously — 17.1 percent, compared to 19.41 percent — so I was unsure what exactly

to expect, but soon found it to be one of my favorites in town. Upon opening the bag I was met with some tight, dense light-green to lime-green buds, frosted with trichomes and a dash of orange hairs. On breakup, there was a strong fuel-like smell, and the buds crumbled apart easily enough, though they left my fingers pretty sticky. On inhale, that fuel taste was prominent but pleasant, and soon I found myself suitably stoned, with my chronic pain delightfully soothed. This batch of Gorilla Glue was definitely less stupefying than the C4 stuff, and I found myself far less spaced-out and forgetful, though I was forgetful enough that I walked away from my notes in the middle of writing about how not forgetful I was and didn’t remember to return for a good half-hour or so. Do with that information what you will.

Sour Tangie

Purchased at: Nature Med Dispensary (234 Kingston Drive, 314-939-1076) Cultivator: Flora Farms My budtender at Nature Med mentioned this was one of his favorite strains — he’d even picked up an ounce just for himself — and it’s easy to see why. Rated at 17.7 percent THC and coming via Flora Farms, this strain was an absolute delight from start to finish. Upon opening the bag I was hit with a fruity tangerine

Gorilla Glue. | THOMAS K. CHIMCHARDS

smell like a punch in the face, its beautiful, bright, lime-green buds covered in a fine dusting of trichomes and an abundance of orange hairs. On breakup it had a dryish, almost styrofoam-like spongy crumble, not too sticky, but with a good amount of keef. On inhale it had a delicious sweet taste, with the tangerine flavor popping up prominently on exhale and lingering there. As for effects, I found it to be an energetic and creative high, and soon I found myself pacing my house and racing through ideas in my mind, though I didn’t feel any of the anxiety that might usually come with more of an “upper” high. All told, it was simply phenomenal. I really can’t say enough good things about this strain, and it will certainly be in my regular rotation going forward, as long as I can get my hands on it. n

Sour Tangie. | THOMAS K. CHIMCHARDS

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JUNE 16-22, 2021

RIVERFRONT TIMES

CULTURE

[ B L O C K PA R T I E S ]

The Seoul Controller Ghostface Killah headlining Seoul Taco’s 10th anniversary party in the Grove Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

en years ago, David Choi opened the window of his food truck, Seoul Taco (multiple locations including 6665 Delmar Boulevard, University City; 314-863-1148), at a popular local food truck festival and got absolutely crushed by the demand for his Korean tacos. Since then, he’s grown into a beloved brand with brick and mortar outlets throughout Missouri and Chicagoland. To show his appreciation to everyone who has supported him along the way, he’s throwing an epic anniversary party in the Grove, featuring food, art and none other than hip-hop icon Ghostface Killah. The event, billed as “Seoul Taco’s 10th Anniversary Block Party,” will occur on June 19th in the Grove. Beginning at 3 p.m. attendees will enjoy a lineup of entertainment, including DJ Vthom, Loop Rat,

Ghostface Killah comes to St. Louis to celebrate all things Seoul Taco. | VIA M7 AGENCY Mvstermind, Mai Lee and headliner Ghostface Killah, who is slated to go on at 9 p.m. The event will also feature Secret Walls, a live graffiti battle between artists from Missouri and Illinois, set to a DJ. “I didn’t know if this party was going to happen, but I always envisioned doing something large,” Choi says. “Our inspiration came from Dave Chappelle’s Block Party. I wanted to do something like that for our ten-year [anniversary] even before the pandemic and was unsure if it was going to happen until the vaccine rollout made it possible. We just really wanted to thank the folks that have supported us — especially over the past year. We’re just so thankful

and wanted to give back by throwing a big party.” Choi founded Seoul Taco ten years ago as a way to share his Korean food culture with St. Louis. A pioneer in the city’s food truck scene, Choi was also determined to bring both mobile cuisine and street food to town. Though he succeeded tremendously, Choi admits that he did not have some master plan going into it — he was simply putting one foot in front of the other and seeing what worked. “I feel like there were a lot of staples in St. Louis that people navigated to, and I knew there was support for local businesses, but there weren’t too many options for Korean food back then,” [ T H E AT E R ]

The Muny Announces Full-Capacity Shows Written by

JAIME LEES

J Expect to see these seats filled again this summer, at long last. | VIA FLICKR / PATRICK GIBLIN

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JUNE 16-22, 2021

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ust a couple of weeks ago, the Muny (1 Theatre Drive, 314-361-1900) announced that it was back and would resume putting on its beloved performances in Forest Park this summer. The lineup for the season had changed a bit and the seats were only going to be sold at 60 percent capacity, but the show would go on. It was good news then, but it just got even better — now the Muny’s capacity

Choi explains. “I wanted to do it in a fun way. If someone asked me then — even now — what my five or ten-year plan was, I wouldn’t be able to tell them. That’s never been the way I operate; it’s too boxed-in for me. I just go with the flow and see what happens.” What’s happened for Seoul Taco is that it’s become a vibrant brand, going from one truck with one employee to a truck, seven outlets and one hundred employees. According to Choi, the growth of his business has been both heartening and surprising. “It sort of feels like it was just yesterday, it boggles my mind that it’s been ten years,” Choi laughs. “We’ve learned a lot from past traumas — and shitty Yelp reviews.” In addition to the art and music and, of course, Seoul Taco, the anniversary block party will feature food from other area restaurants, including Balkan Treat Box, Nudo House x Mai Lee, Pappy’s Smokehouse and Chao Baan. Drinks from Takashima Record Bar and STL Barkeep will also be available. Entry to the event is free; food and beverages must be purchased from the individual vendors. “This is like a mini festival, and anything that I do, I want our friends to be involved in as well,” Choi says. “Support goes deeper than just from customers; it involves small business too. If we aren’t all winning together, it’s pointless. And who knows — if this is a success, it could organically turn into a regular Seoul Taco fest.” n restrictions have been removed for the upcoming season with the support of the City of St. Louis Health Department. A press release from the theater says that they can’t wait to welcome guests back to “summer nights filled with the magic of musical theater.” Current season ticket holders will receive their season tickets later this month, and new subscriptions for the current five-show season are available now. The box office in Forest Park will be open for walk-up service starting July 5 and single tickets will go on sale on July 12. The updated season is as follows: Smokey Joe’s Cafe | July 26 – August 1 The Sound of Music | August 3 – 9 Seven Brides for Seven Brothers | August 12 – 18 On Your Feet! | August 21 – 27 Chicago | August 30 – September 5 Visit Muny.org for more information on the 2021 season or to purchase tickets. n

It’s the latest in a string of awards for the documentary on one of St. Louis’ most well-loved neighborhoods. | OFFICIAL MOVIE ART

[ D O C U M E N TA R I E S ]

America’s Last Little Italy: The Hill Wins Silver Telly Written by

JAIME LEES

ince its debut on PBS last November, St. Louis has fallen in love with America’s Last Little Italy: The Hill. The documentary explores the history of the Italian-American Hill neighborhood in St. Louis, where the pasta is fresh, the streets are garlic-scented and everybody knows everybody else’s business. The neighborhood has thrived for more than a century on the strength of the relationships built there and on the daily dedication exercised on the Hill to keep the area successful. The family-oriented vibe of the community was captured accurately and lovingly in America’s Last Little Italy: The Hill and the documentary has since been named a Silver award-winner for General-History for Non-Broadcast in the 42nd Annual Telly Awards. According to a press release, the Telly Award is “the premier award honoring video and television across all screens

and is judged by leading experts from television, streaming networks, and production companies, including Netflix, Dow Jones, Duplass Brothers Productions, A&E Networks, Nickelodeon, ESPN Films and Vimeo.” There are over 12,000 entries for these awards, and still this documentary on one of St. Louis’ most charming neighborhoods stood out from the pack. The Hill isn’t St. Louis’ little secret anymore, it seems, because the film just keeps winning awards, including the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, Best Documentary at the Venus Italian International Film Festival, and Best Documentary at the Little Rock Italian Film Festival. “We’re tremendously honored that America’s Last Little Italy: The Hill has been recognized on a global stage at this year’s Telly Awards,” says director/ producer Joseph Puleo. “It’s so rewarding that our film continues to resonate with the people who watch it, regardless of if they’re Italian-American or not. To bring the remarkable story of The Hill neighborhood to the attention of people across the world has been our goal all along, and this award will only help that cause.” If you haven’t yet caught it on one of the many showings on PBS, you can rent or purchase the film any time on Amazon Prime Video. n

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JUNE 16-22, 2021

RIVERFRONT TIMES

CALENDAR

WEDNESDAY 06/16 King Lear in Forest Park 8 p.m. nightly (except Mondays) through June 27. Forest Park, 6604 Fine Arts Drive. Free. 314-367-7275. Tony Award-winning actor Andr De Shields leads a cast of actors of color in the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s production of King Lear, running through June 2 and marking a stunning return to Forest Park after a pandemic-canceled 2020. It’s not just the prestige of De Shields, whose performance drives the tale of an aging king going mad while destroying everything, and everyone, around him. The setting itself is entirely new: While the diverse cast embodies the classic Shakespearean dialogue, director Carl Cofield transposes the narrative to Africa, with drums replacing trumpets and lush, inspired costumes drawing the audience into the clash of fathers, fools and family — all of which play out beneath the towering walls of a battered palace erected in the heart of Forest Park. Amid picnic blankets and lawn chairs, the audience is treated to a vision that still feels relevant: At the heart of the story are Lear and the

Enjoy the Magic House — including the fun of Sandcastle Beach — without having to worry about the rugrats. | VIA FLICKR / MITCH BENNETT loyal Earl of Gloucester (Brian Anthony Wilson), two fathers who grapple with the frailty of their bodies and the tragedy that drags them through paranoia, violence and deceit. Their downfalls, twisting together toward the play’s thundering climax, produce a timeless exploration of the power of madness — and, for those caught in the wake, the madness of power itself. Now This Is Pod Spacing: Ticket info for the pod seating can be found at stlshakes.org. Reservations are re uired for the free tickets, while premium pods closer to the stage run 0- 00. Check for availability. —Danny Wicentowski

THURSDAY 06/17 Adult Play Date at the Magic House 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 17. The Magic House, 516 South Kirkwood Road. $30. 314-822-8900. Have you ever wanted to stumble around the old Magic House exhibits from your youth without having to push any kids out of your way? The Magic House typically bills itself as the St. Louis Children’s Museum, but for one night, it’s time to call the babysitter. (Childless adults, this one’s for you, too! Call your dog sitter?) Think of Adult Play Date as the fancy field trip to

Out Every Night

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JUNE 16-22, 2021

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8 p.m. Friday, June 18. The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway. $10 advance only. No phone. After fifteen months of uiet, St. Louis’ premiere DI spot, the

Celebrate your shot (you got the jab, right? No fun ’til you do!) with an old-school night on the town Compiled by

FRIDAY 18

THURSDAY 17

FRIDAY 06/18 Van Buren

Tin Roof St. Louis, 1000 Clark Ave, St. Louis, 1 -2 0- 00. OLD SALT UNION DUO: p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 21- 11. ONE MORE TIME: A TRIBUTE TO DAFT PUNK: : 0 p.m., 20- 0. Pop’s Nightclub, 01 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 1 -2 - 20. THE PLAYBOY SCOUTS: p.m., free. Evangeline’s, 12 N Euclid Ave, St. Louis, 1 . RYAN MARQUEZ BAND: p.m., 0- 120. BB’s Jazz, Blues Soups, 00 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 222. VOODOO LITTLE FEAT: p.m., - 2 . City Foundry, 0 Foundry Way, St. Louis, 1 -2 2- 1 .

DANIEL HILL

Soul man Roland Johnson will perform at Blue Strawberry on Friday and at BB’s on Sunday. | JACKIE TEUBER

this St. Louis staple that you didn’t know you needed. our 0 ticket includes complimentary Anheuser-Busch products, a drink ticket to Brennan’s Booze Truck and appetizers from local favorites St. Louis Kolache and Gus’ Pretzels, with musical duo Public Display of Affection providing the soundtrack for the evening in the front garden. It’s an excellent deal for date night now that all the remote learning is over for the school year — and yes, they still have that electrically charged ball that makes your hair stand up like you just saw a ghost. The event runs from : 0 p.m. to p.m., giving you plenty of time to get home and tuck the kids (or dogs) in after. You Can Still Help: If you can’t attend but still want to give your support to a St. Louis institution after a difficult 2020, Brennan’s is donating 0 percent of their online sales in June to the Magic House if you use the code MAGIC 0. Just head to boozeandsnacks.com. —Jack Probst

CURT LANDES: p.m., free. Blue Strawberry Showroom Lounge, N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, 1 -2 -1 . THE HAMILTONS: w Gavin M p.m., 12. Off Broadway, 0 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 1 . JB STRAUSS AND CHRIS ROBERTS: p.m., free.

BRUISER QUEEN: w Scarlet Tanager p.m., 10. The Heavy Anchor, 22 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 1 - 2- 22 . CHERI EVANS & FRIENDS: p.m., 0- 120. BB’s Jazz, Blues Soups, 00 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 222. CHUBBY CARRIER & THE BAYOU SWAMP BAND: : 0 p.m., 10. Broadway Oyster Bar, S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 21- 11. CITY OF PARKS EP RELEASE CELEBRATION: w Isabella, For The City, Freddy D’Angelo p.m.,

WEEK OF JUNE 16-22 Sinkhole, is finally opening its doors once again. Even as other venues in the St. Louis area and beyond began hosting shows with limited capacity and social distancing re uirements, the Sinkhole continued to bide its time, owing to the fact it’s small stature and shotgun setup pretty much rendered those measures impossible. That’s not to say owner Matt Stuttler was just sitting around. During the venue’s downtime, Stuttler worked to record a number of acts, including Sunwyrm, NoPoint and Hurt Feelings, and he also curated and sponsored the I Watched Music on the Internet live-streaming series at Arch City Audio Visual’s state-of-theart sound and light stage, arguably the best live-streamed series of shows of the whole pandemic. Still, it’s exciting to see that the venue is finally back to its roots, with a two-band show featuring sludgy doom metal duo Van Buren and the first show of new act Enemy of Magic. In short: Welcome back Sinkhole! We missed you. One Step Closer: The fact that smaller venues like the Sinkhole are finally reopening serves as a nice sign that things are finally getting back to some semblance of normalcy after a brutal fifteen months — and as a good indication that vaccines are working. Get that jab if you haven’t already! —Daniel Hill

10- 12. Pop’s Nightclub, 01 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 1 -2 - 20. ENEMY OF MAGIC: w Van Buren p.m., 10. The Sinkhole, 2 South Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 2 -2 0 . ETHAN JONES: noon, free. Broadway Oyster Bar, S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 21- 11. KOE WETZEL: p.m., - 100. Chesterfield Amphitheater, 1 Veterans Place Drive, Chesterfield. LOUIS ST. JAMES: : 0 p.m., free. Tin Roof St. Louis, 1000 Clark Ave, St. Louis, 1 -2 0- 00. MATT “THE RATTLESNAKE” LESCH BAND: p.m., 10. Grandel Theatre, 10 Grandel S uare, St. Louis, 1 -0 . A NIGHT OF SOUL: w Estelle, Rolynne, Terry Rogers p.m., . City Foundry, 0 Foundry Way, St. Louis, 1 -2 2- 1 . ROLAND JOHNSON & SOUL ENDEAVOR: : 0 p.m., 1 - 20. Blue Strawberry Showroom Lounge, N Boyle Ave, St. Louis, 1 -2 -1 . TOWN CARS: w Sandy Beaches p.m., 20. Off Broadway, 0 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 1 .

SATURDAY 19

ALL ROOSTERED UP: noon, free. Broadway Oyster Bar, S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 21- 11.

SUNDAY 06/20 Transfuturism

André De Shields (Lear) and Rayme Cornell (Goneril) in the 2021 St. Louis Shakespeare Festival production of King Lear, one of the hottest tickets in the country. | PHILLIP HAMER PHOTOGRAPHY

BOBBY STEVENS: p.m., free. The Heavy Anchor, 22 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 1 - 2- 22 . BROCK WALKER & FRIENDS: p.m., 0- 120. BB’s Jazz, Blues Soups, 00 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 222. CRYSTAL LADY: w The Suits, Red, The Ricters, The Monocles p.m., - . Pop’s Nightclub, 01 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, 1 -2 - 20. GHOST IN DECAY: w Ending Orion, Chaos Collective, Warheadd : 0 p.m., 12. Red Flag, 0 0 Locust Street, St. Louis, 1 -2 - 0 0. JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION: Noon, free. City Foundry, 0 Foundry Way, St. Louis, 1 -2 2- 1 . LISELLA MARTIN: p.m., 10. Grandel Theatre, 10 Grandel S uare, St. Louis, 1 -0 . LOVE JONES “THE BAND”: w The Django Knight Band p.m., 0- 120. BB’s Jazz, Blues Soups, 00 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 222. MOM’S KITCHEN: 10 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 21- 11. PLAID & THE PANTHER: w Into the Blue p.m., 10. The Sinkhole, 2 South Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 2 -2 0 . ROBERT NELSON: : 0 p.m., 1 - 20. Blue

Strawberry Showroom Lounge, Ave, St. Louis, 1 -2 -1 .

N Boyle

SUNDAY 20

BUTCH MOORE: 2 p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 21- 11. DIESEL ISLAND: 1: 0 p.m., . Off Broadway, 0 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 1 . DIZZY ATMOSPHERE: 11 a.m., 10. Grandel Theatre, 10 Grandel S uare, St. Louis, 1 -0 . LOVE JONES “THE BAND”: p.m., 0- 120. BB’s Jazz, Blues Soups, 00 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 222. ROLAND JOHNSON & SOUL ENDEAVOR: p.m., 0- 120. BB’s Jazz, Blues Soups, 00 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 222. SECULAR ERA: w Wadis, Moon Watching : 0 p.m., 12. Red Flag, 0 0 Locust Street, St. Louis, 1 -2 - 0 0.

MONDAY 21

ERIC MCSPADDEN & MARGARET BIENCHETTA: p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 21- 11. MINDFUL MONDAYS FEATURING SPECIAL GUESTS: p.m., 0- 120. BB’s Jazz, Blues Soups, 00 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 222.

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4 p.m Sunday, June 20. Pulitzer Arts Foundation, 3716 Washington Boulevard. 314-754-1850. It’s important to lift up the voices of those who often don’t get a chance to speak, and the Transfuturism exhibit at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation aims to provide a platform for those voices to be heard. Transfuturism is a celebration of the trans and gender-fluid community told through paintings and stories from black trans and nongender conforming artists and activists. The event features emcee Maxi Glamour with music by DJ Makeda Kravitz. Refreshments at the outdoor event will be served, and a mask is re uired regardless of vaccination status. This event will be an important opportunity to support the trans community, celebrate their art, listen to their stories and lift up all those who need to be heard. Before the Closing Ceremony: The public event celebrates the end of the current online art auction. All proceeds for the auction go directly to support the Justice Fleet, the Acorn Center for Restoration and Freedom, the Black Trans Prayer Book and the Trans Justice Funding Project. —Jack Probst

SOULARD BLUES BAND: p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 21- 11.

TUESDAY 22

DUHART DUO: p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 21- 11. GHALIA VOLT: : 0 p.m., 0- 120. BB’s Jazz, Blues Soups, 00 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 222. ST. LOUIS SOCIAL CLUB: p.m., 0- 120. BB’s Jazz, Blues Soups, 00 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 222.

WEDNESDAY 23

ANDY FRASCO & THE U.N.: w Lyle Divinsky p.m., 1 - 2 . City Foundry, 0 Foundry Way, St. Louis, 1 -2 2- 1 . BIG RICH MCDONOUGH & THE RHYTHM RENEGADES: p.m., 0- 120. BB’s Jazz, Blues Soups, 00 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 222. BRUCE KATZ BAND: : 0 p.m., 0- 120. BB’s Jazz, Blues Soups, 00 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 222. THE S&S VOODUO PLAYERS: p.m., free. Broadway Oyster Bar, S. Broadway, St. Louis, 1 - 21- 11. n

JUNE 16-22, 2021

RIVERFRONT TIMES

HELP WANTED ST. LOUIS AND SURROUNDING AREAS

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JUNE 16-22, 2021

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MAY 12-18, 2021

RIVERFRONT TIMES

SAVAGE LOVE THE EURO ZONE BY DAN SAVAGE Hey, Dan: We’re a happily married couple from Europe, longtime readers, both in our 30s, and both interested in having sex sometimes with other people. Before the pandemic we were invited to a private sex party in a major European capital. It was an age- and face-controlled swingers night with background checks on every participant. It was our first experience and it was eyeopening, wonderful and very sexy, even though we were too shy to fool around with anyone else. But we promised ourselves we would return and explore further. Then COVID-19 happened and we couldn’t travel. We decided to hook up with other people locally. We had amazing threesomes and foursomes, and it all went ridiculously well, up until the part when we got herpes from another couple. This other couple didn’t know they had it or didn’t bother to disclose. Herpes isn’t as common here as in the U.S., as far as my research went, and it was a huge bummer, but after educating and medicating ourselves, we decided to continue having hookups with others. We tell everyone in advance because we believe it’s the right thing to do. Some cut us off, some don’t care, some admit they also have it, which always leaves us wondering if they would have admitted it without us “coming clean” first. We are still part of the online community that organized that wonderful party and, with things opening up here, they are beginning to plan the next event. We would love to go back. My question is: Can we? Should we? Should we tell everybody about the herpes? Or is that a risk you take at an orgy involving 50 or more people? We’ve read a lot about transmission and know that sometimes skin-to-skin contact is enough. We also know that it’s possible to have herpes and not be aware of it, which means other participants may already have it and not know. So what’s the right thing to do? Should we just pass up this orgy for the rest of our lives? Take the viral suppressants that weekend and fuck as many people as we can without worrying about it?

Sincerely Wondering About PostPandemic Explicit Disclosures P.S. I found a piece of advice online about this issue from Betty Dodson, written in 2009, but I’d love to hear your thoughts. Hm. I would think an invite-only swingers party with “age- and facecontrolled” background checks (meaning: no olds*, no uglies**) would also put a few questions to prospective attendees about sexual health. If the organizers of this party don’t require you to disclose that you have herpes or other sexually transmitted infections — because they enforce safer-sex protocols that minimize the risk of transmission and/or they quite rightly assume that anyone down to sex with 50 strangers in a single evening either already has herpes or is at least willing to chance it — then I don’t think you have to disclose. Don’t confuse “don’t think you have to” with “don’t think you shouldn’t.” I think you should disclose — I think you should keep disclosing — and if disclosing gets you scratched off the guest list, SWAPPED, you will have other opportunities to fuck other people in other major European capitals. I mean, you’ve been disclosing to couples locally and haven’t exactly wanted for opportunities … even during a pandemic. (People who weren’t worried about catching COVID-19 during the pandemic — which isn’t over yet — probably weren’t too worried about catching herpes.) Yes, some couples ghosted after you disclosed, but it sounds like just as many or more weren’t scared off. And the couples who ghosted? Some already have herpes and don’t know it — and HPV as well, SWAPPED, as both of these very common STIs are easily transmitted through skin-to-skin contact. Anyone who wants to avoid contracting them shouldn’t have multiple sex partners — or arguably any sex partners at all, considering how common these infections are and, again, how easily transmitted they are. And anyone who attends orgies — anyone who’s sexually active at all — should get regular STI screenings, get treated for treatable STIs, and refrain from having sex (or attending sex parties) when they’re symptomatic or still infectious. (And everyone can and should get the HPV vaccine and people with

herpes can take meds that make outbreaks less frequent and less intense and make them less likely to pass herpes on to others.) And while it’s my official position that you should disclose — because, like you, I think disclosing is the right thing to do — my unofficial position is that anyone who has sex with 50 strangers in a European capital, be it major or minor, has volunteered for herpes. P.S. The late, great Betty Dodson was never one for mincing words. Not only did Dodson tell a couple with herpes that they didn’t need to disclose unless asked in the column SWAPPED found, Dodson also shared that she didn’t tell her own partner she had herpes until she had an outbreak ten years into the relationship (“Orgy Guilt Because We Didn’t Share We Have Herpes,” dodsonandross.com, July 7, 2009). “I abhor how our society has turned Herpes into an STD,” Dodson wrote. “My first genital herpes outbreak was in the seventies. If you didn’t have Herpes back then, it meant you weren’t having sex. It was more like a badge of sexual abundance.” Hey, Dan: I’m a 24-year-old heterosexual French man. (Sorry for my English.) I really love my girlfriend. Our relationship is deep, we listen and understand to other, and we take care of the other. The sex is great, truly great. We try many different things, and we try to fulfill our common desires and the desires of the other. Long story short: everything with her and our relationship is perfect. The only thing is that she wants our relationship to be monogamous, and I would like to have sex with 75% of the girls I bump into. Normally this is not a big deal because, since I’m not particularly attractive, there are not many girls that want to have sex with me. But during the four years we have been together I had some opportunities to which I had to say no. Once I kissed another girl, and the day after I confessed this to my girlfriend. Now every time I find myself attracted to someone else I immediately tell my girlfriend. She doesn’t blame me for finding other women attractive or even when I confess to flirting with another woman, but I know she doesn’t feel good about it. If I have to choose I will always choose her, but I love to flirt. I would also love to see how is sex with someone else, as I

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have never had sex with anyone else. But at the same time I don’t want to hurt her and I feel childish for not being able to control my instincts. How do people get out of these sorts of situations? Diligently Escaping Sexual Intercourses, Relentlessly Excited First … your English is way better than my (nonexistent) French. No need to be feel bad about that. Second … if you wanna feel bad about something, DESIRE, feel bad about being a jerk to your girlfriend. In other words: OH MY GOD, DUDE, SHUT THE FUCK UP. Stop running to your girlfriend to “confess” every time you have an impure thought about another woman. Constantly and needlessly reminding your girlfriend you would like to fuck other women is just cruel. She knows that, DESIRE, so you don’t need to tell her. You’re not being honest, you’re not being transparent — you’re being an asshole. This is a relationship, DESIRE, not a meeting of Reluctant Monogamists Anonymous. (“Hi, my name is ASSHOLE BOYFRIEND and I’ve been monogamous for four years and each day is a struggle.”) If you don’t wanna be in a monogamous relationship with this woman, DESIRE, if monogamy isn’t the price of admission you’re willing to pay, end this relationship. But if it is a price you’re willing to pay, DESIRE, then pay it and SHUT THE FUCK UP ABOUT IT. If you can’t keep these thoughts to yourself and or find someone else to confide in about them (a friend? a bartender? a pompier?), your girlfriend is going to realize she’s paying way too steep a price and dump your ass. * Age is just a number, of course, but people, alone or in groups, are allowed to seek sex partners in their own and/or their preferred age range — and I say that as someone who would most likely be excluded from this particular sex party based on my age. **A person doesn’t have to be conventionally attractive to attract sex partners — and a person can be conventionally attractive in every sense and repel more people than they attract. mail@savagelove.net @FakeDanSavage on Twitter www.savagelovecast.com

JUNE 16-22, 2021

RIVERFRONT TIMES

JUNE 16-22, 2021

riverfronttimes.com

JUNE 16-22, 2021

RIVERFRONT TIMES

JUNE 16-22, 2021

riverfronttimes.com

Riverfront Times, June 16, 2021

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