Riverfront Times - December 20, 2017

DECEMBER 20–26, 2017 I VOLUME 41 I NUMBER 51

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2017

NO VACANCY

With St. Louis’ once-revolutionary land bank understaffed and under fire, volunteers seek solutions for a pressing problem: vacant homes

By Katie Hayes

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“We had a really deep conversation where we were talking about our relationship. I gave him a lot of what I was thinking and feeling at the moment. He was kind of rubbing my head and looking into my eyes, and then he says, ‘You got this BIG HEAD!’ I just started laughing, like, ‘Really?’”­ —Misty­WilliaMs,­photographed­With­ray­Blanton­at­sandrina’s­on­sunday,­deceMBer­17­­ riverfronttimes.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS FEATURE

13.

No Vacancy

With St. Louis’ oncerevolutionary land bank understaffed and under fire, volunteers seek solutions for a pressing problem: vacant homes Written by

KATIE HAYES

Cover by

KELLY GLUECK

NEWS

CULTURE

DINING

MUSIC

5

23

35

47

The Lede

Calendar

Your friend or neighbor, captured on camera

Seven days worth of great stuff to see and do

9

32

O’Toole Is in the Hot Seat

With the acting chief a finalist for the permanent job, activists flock to a public forum to say “no way”

Film

Robert Hunt reviews The Shape of Water and Wonder Wheel

Side Dish

Heidi Hamamura, the chef in charge of the new Guerrilla Street Food, has food in her blood

43

Food News

The team behind Retreat Gastropub has a bold new concept: Yellowbelly

10

Gun ‘Tease’ Earns Charge

44

Shopping

A city official in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, is facing a felony over allegations he pumped his shotgun at a liberal co-worker DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

52

Jessy Kinzel visits Big Boyz Burgers and More in Berkeley

The theatrical circus is moving one block in Grand Center, a short distance that will provide big benefits

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40

First Look

Circus Flora Makes a Move

Lauren Milford checks out Mac’s new market

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Fit to Print

From a studio on Cherokee, House of Eight Legs is keeping St. Louis bands in T-shirts

43

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6

Roman Holiday

Cheryl Baehr gets a taste of Dave Bailey’s new pizza joint, Hugo’s Pizzeria

Out Every Night

The best concerts in St. Louis every night of the week

54

This Just In

This week’s new concert announcements

Served in St. Louis’

Finest

Restaurants & Coffee Houses

Publisher Chris Keating Editor in Chief Sarah Fenske E D I T O R I A L Arts & Culture Editor Paul Friswold Music Editor Daniel Hill Digital Editor Elizabeth Semko Staff Writers Doyle Murphy, Danny Wicentowski Restaurant Critic Cheryl Baehr Film Critic Robert Hunt Contributing Writers Mike Appelstein, Allison Babka, Sara Graham, Roy Kasten, Jaime Lees, Joseph Hess, Kevin Korinek, Bob McMahon, Nicholas Phillips, Tef Poe, Christian Schaeffer, Lauren Milford, Thomas Crone, MaryAnn Johanson, Jenn DeRose, Mike Fitzgerald Editorial Interns Katie Hayes, Melissa Buelt Proofreader Evie Hemphill

A R T Art Director Kelly Glueck Contributing Photographers Sara Bannoura, Mabel Suen, Monica Mileur, Micah Usher, Theo Welling, Corey Woodruff, Tim Lane, Nick Schnelle P R O D U C T I O N Production Manager Brittani Schlager

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DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

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NEWS

9

Acting Chief Is in the Hot Seat Written by

DANNY WICENTOWSKI

F

ire O’Toole.” That was the protesters’ demand — regularly chanted on the streets during demonstrations after the Stockley verdict, drawn in chalk outside the police headquarters and even drowning out St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson at her own town hall. But last Thursday, during a public forum unveiling the six finalists competing to be St. Louis’ next police chief, it finally caught up to Interim Chief Lawrence O’Toole himself.

Activists loudly opposed the interim police chief ’s presence among the candidates, with enough force to disrupt the event every time O’Toole tried to answer a question.

“The only candidate that is not being allowed to speak is the candidate that we the people asked for the city to terminate,” activist Elizabeth Vega announced during one of the disruptions.

“We will stop trolling the chief,” Vega continued, to the loudest applause of the night, “when he does the right thing and excuses himself as a candidate of this process.”

O’Toole attempted to push through. He seemed to be reciting from a prepared speech, and the interruptions clearly didn’t help his flow. Even with the aid of a microphone, he struggled to be heard.

(It didn’t help that audio feedback screeched and whined throughout the two-hour forum.)

And yet, although Vega and others shouted down O’Toole’s introductory statements, they granted him around three minutes to make an uninterrupted response to the forum’s first question posed to the candidates: “Given the broken community relationship between the community and police, what are your plans to rebuild this bridge and start to heal the divide?”

Continued on pg 11 O’Toole’s

Keith Humphrey, a finalist for the job of city police chief, speaks as Lawrence O’Toole (center right) and other candidates look on. | DANNY WICENTOWSKI

Circus Flora Gets a New, Year-Round Home

F

or sixteen years, Circus Flora has set up its big tent every summer in the parking lot of Powell Hall.

Once the St. Louis Symphony finishes its season, the one-ring theatrical circus begins its three-and-a-half-week run.

But big changes are coming for the homegrown circus in 2018. Circus Flora is finally getting a home of its own — a vacant lot just a block to the southwest of Powell Hall in Grand Center. And that more permanent solution means the circus no longer has to avoid the symphony’s spring shows; it now plans to kick off its season in April.

That, of course, should mean much nicer (read: cooler) weather than the

usual run in June.

“It’s going to be a more hospitable time of year,” says executive director Larry Mabrey. “The environment in the tent should be a lot more comfortable.”

Seismic though that shift may be, it’s not the only thing in flux for Circus Flora. The circus’ new home for performances at 3401 Washington Boulevard will also become the home of its administrative offices. Mabrey says the executive team is working with the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, which owns the site, to construct a facility from shipping containers.

The building that results, he says, will become an on-site center for the circus, serving as everything from the box office to storage to a home for its three full-time employees. For the last decade, those functions have been performed from a suite a few blocks south at Centene Center. riverfronttimes.com

Mabrey says he likes the flexibility the container-style construction will give the organization. “As we grow — because we have great plans for that — it will be possible to add more containers, to put one on top,” he says. “We’re hoping we’ll get to the point where we outgrow what we have. That would be fantastic.” Being on the same site as the big tent should also save significant amounts of time and money, he says.

The circus’ plans have been in the works for a while, and Mabrey says it’s exciting to finally be able to discuss them — and to see the new site begin construction. He’s grateful for the Kranzberg Arts Foundation’s support — and positively floored by how fast they’re able to move.

“When it was time to start happening, we turned around and they were digging in the streets!” he says.

—Sarah Fenske

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Poplar Bluff’s street superintendent Denis Kearbey is facing a gun charge. | VIA BUTLER COUNTY JAIL

Gun ‘Tease’ Earns Criminal Charge

A

city official in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, pumped his shotgun repeatedly in the office to tease a liberal co-worker, according to court documents.

Denis Kearbey, the city’s streets superintendent, originally denied bringing the gun to the office, but later told Missouri state troopers he only meant it as a joke, authorities say. He is now facing a felony charge of unlawful use of a weapon.

A city clerk told investigators that Kearbey brought a short-barrel, pump shotgun to the office on September 12 and began waving it around.

“Mr. Kearbey pumped the shotgun multiple times and asked [the clerk] if she was scared,” troopers wrote in a probable cause statement.

The woman claimed she was terrified, but she did not tell Kearbey that, troopers say. She later called police, and two troopers questioned Kearbey at his home. The 53-year-old agreed to let them search his city vehicle, where they found a .22-caliber rifle with a suppressor, authorities say. He claimed the city bought him the suppressor to shoot groundhogs, but he couldn’t provide any documentation, according to the documents.

Troopers arrested Kearbey. While he was locked up in Butler County jail, they got a search warrant for his house and seized a black, pistol-grip Remington 870 pump shotgun found under his bed, authorities say.

They then returned to the jail and questioned Kearbey.

“Mr. Kearbey stated he did take the firearm into the office and was teasing [the clerk] about being a liberal,” troopers wrote of the interview. “Mr. Kearbey stated he pumped the shotgun, but never threatened anybody with it.”

Kearbey pleaded not guilty during a court appearance on December 11, and the matter has been bound over for trial. He is out of jail on $25,000 bond. His attorney says nothing he has heard so far about the case meets the legal standard for the felony charge.

“Hell, it’s Poplar Bluff, people have guns all the time,” attorney Daniel Moore tells the Riverfront Times.

“Jacking a pump shotgun is not equal to displaying it in a threatening manner.”

Located about two and a half hours south of St. Louis, Poplar Bluff is known as “the Gateway to the Ozarks.” It has a population of about 17,200 people.

Kearbey is still employed by the city, but he can’t work because a court order forbids him from stepping foot on city property. He took over the superintendent’s job in 2016 when his old boss was arrested and charged with shooting a woman. That case is still pending.

Moore says his client never pointed the gun or threatened anyone at the office. He says he will know more when prosecutors turn over their evidence as part of the discovery process, but he is skeptical of the probable cause statement, because he says such accounts are often “full of hearsay and all sorts of bullshit.”

He expects Kearbey will eventually be acquitted at trial. —Doyle Murphy

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response stood out from the other candidates, all of whom restated similar beliefs in the principles of accountability and “buck stops here” leadership philosophy.

The interim chief, in fact, came the closest to making concrete promises.

“Relationships are about trust —” his answer began, eliciting a bout of exaggerated laughter from the protesters. He pushed on. “And giving people a voice. And being heard. That’s what I’m going to do.” O’Toole vowed that he would increase transparency through the department’s website, publishing orders and policies, as well as “all our reports regarding discipline.”

He then segued to his support for increased foot-patrol beats.

“Community policing is a key to my strategy,” he said. “Getting out there, knowing good people and getting their cooperation. We need to earn their trust.”

O’Toole’s response was punctured with heckling, and some audience members eventually snapped back at the protesters, demanding that they respect the forum and its speakers. The heckling only grew louder.

“Can I chime in?” The query came from Mary Edwards-Fears, a captain with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the only female finalist.

“I’m going to ask that you be respectful as well,” she told the protesters. “This is my acting chief, he has been my commissioner, he has been my lieutenant colonel, he has been my friend and my mentor.

Now, if you’re not going to respect him, then I can’t stay, and I can’t participate.”

The protesters didn’t miss a beat. “Fine!” one shouted. “Bye!” The heckling continued. Edwards-Fears stayed.

The six candidates have been heavily vetted in a process that took months. Announced publicly for the first time last night, they had only a short time to make an impression. Public Safety Commissioner Jimmie Edwards has said he will choose one person to be chief within weeks.

With six candidates needing time to speak, the forum’s twohour time limit only allowed each to get through an introduction and four questions, and while there was plenty of abstract discussion about leadership and accountabil-

ity, the candidates rarely dipped into specifics.

Regardless, thanks to the protesters, an event that had been pitched as a sort of public job interview turned into a referendum on the department’s actions this year under O’Toole’s leadership: In the wake of protests, the department was sued by the ACLU for its use of mass arrests and mace to “punish protesters.” Reporters and uninvolved bystanders — including a Navy officer and an undercover black officer — were arrested in kettling traps. An officer known as the “Riot King” led squads of heavily armored cops firing pepper balls and tear gas along residential streets. A federal judge ruled for the ACLU and against the department, issuing new restrictions on how the department can respond to demonstrations.

That is O’Toole’s police department, protesters allege. And they’ve seen enough of it.

The background lent dramatic contrast to the five other candidates’ talk of trust and bridge building; in that context, even platitudes sometimes sounded like jabs at O’Toole. Indeed, these were career law enforcement officials who were explicitly telling a crowd that they would fix what was ailing in the city’s department — ailments presided over

by O’Toole since the surprise April resignation of Sam Dotson.

Keith Humphrey, the current chief of Norman, Oklahoma, seemed to channel that contrast to the greatest effect.

“I don’t think the community is broken. I think the community has some fragmented pieces,” Humphrey said, responding to the night’s first question. “I can’t say one thing to the community and go back and say another thing to the officers. I can’t say one thing to the officers and go back and tell the community something else. As a leader you have to realize that your employees are watching every move you make, so when you don’t care, or you show a sense of uncaring about the community, they’re going to do the exact same thing.”

Humphrey received one of the few applause breaks of the night.

It wasn’t an ovation. No one cheered. But when a new voice spoke, even the department’s harshest critics were willing to listen. That might be the best any of the candidates can hope for. n

DRAMA

O’TOOLE Continued from pg 9

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DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

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There are about 25,000 vacant or abandoned properties in the city of St. Louis. The LRA currently owns around 11,800 of them.

NO VACANCY With St. Louis’ once-revolutionary land bank understaffed and under fire, volunteers seek solutions for a pressing problem: vacant homes

Written by Katie Hayes / Photos by Kelly Glueck

D

onita Sims’ new home has a few problems: The back windows are broken, the top steps leading to the second floor creak and it needs electrical work.

Structurally, though, the house is solid, and as a first-time homeowner, Sims couldn’t be happier. She bought this home for $1,000.

The house came from the city’s land bank — the Land Reutilization Authority, or LRA. If a property doesn’t sell at the sheriff’s sale, it becomes part of the agency’s holdings. Often, that means sitting vacant for years.

But Sims, 21, bought hers before its condition deteriorated beyond repair. The house, located in Walnut Park West Continued on pg 14

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DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

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Donita Sims is the proud owner of a home in Walnut Park West that cost her just $1,000. Renovations will add approximately $5,000 to the pricetag.

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NO VACANCY Continued from pg 13 in the city’s northwestern edge, was vacant only a few years before she purchased it in October.

“I’ve never really had my own house, or apartment, or anything,” Sims says. “I lived with my mom, went to college, came back, lived with my mom. So it’s a good feeling to have my own space.”

Sims has her friend Eltoreon Hawkins to thank for this. At 24, Hawkins is a part-time student at Harris-Stowe State University and a part-time contractor. He helped Sims find the house and navigate its purchase, and he will do the contracting work at cost.

He learned his skills from a combination of working with his uncle, taking construction classes in high school and watching YouTube videos of This Old House.

Hawkins was familiar with the house Sims bought: His family was friends with the previous owner, and the daughter babysat him when he was a toddler. A few years ago, the family lost the place to foreclosure.

“They really kept a nice house,” Hawkins says. “Even when I got older and I would come down and bring errands for my mom or I would just step in the doorway and it was still a nice, beautiful house.

So that’s why I cared about it.”

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But it’s not just this house he cares about. Hawkins is part of the St. Louis Association of Community Organizations, or SLACO — an organization that aims to strengthen St. Louis neighborhoods. The nonprofit formed a “Vacancy Project” two years ago to tackle the problem of empty houses in St. Louis.

A subcommittee narrows the focus even further to vacant houses owned by the LRA. Hawkins and other members drive around St. Louis to find the best homes in the LRA’s inventory. Hawkins asks the neighbors which vacant houses in their area they consider the best, inspects the structures and brings those addresses back to the LRA, which has agreed to set them aside

for special SLACO outreach events.

The goal is to help people who plan to live in these houses acquire them, creating communities in previously blighted neighborhoods.

The subcommittee also wants to get the houses back on the tax rolls.

For more than four decades, the LRA has held title to homes and other acreage lost to tax delinquency in St. Louis. It’s not an ideal situation. Both the agency and the city of St. Louis spend an enormous amount of money to maintain the holdings. And beyond that is the cost to the neighborhoods that hold them: All those buildings sitting empty can lead to blight and crime and deter other investment.

Continued on pg 16

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Efforts to tackle the problem have gained new energy in recent years thanks to a pair of reports that surveyed the work of the LRA and St. Louis’ vacancy problem as a whole. Those reports found that the agency engages in virtually no marketing to sell its inventory.

It also noted a “perceived lack of transparency reflected in media coverage and community feedback on the LRA.” The LRA’s director, Laura Costello, says the authority is taking steps to fix problems outlined in the reports. Mayor Lyda Krewson, who took office in April, has also taken a strong personal interest in making sure reforms are enacted.

But beyond the changes being urged at the agency level, any effort to address the city’s glut of vacant homes needs something that may prove even harder to find: Citizens willing to invest not just their money but their sweat in homes and neighborhoods that can seem far from a sure thing. Citizens like Sims and Hawkins.

Even before assisting Sims, Hawkins bought two homes from the LRA in Walnut Park West and renovated both. He was also the first person to complete the city’s new Mow-to-Own Program, acquiring a side lot for one of the properties by cutting its grass even before it was in his possession. Hawkins rents out one property and gave the other to his mother, Tryanna Pippens.

“The minute I seen my house up, I wanted it because it was brick,” Pippens says. “I’d never been in it. I just knew I wanted it.”

Hawkins built his mother a back deck, put a path in the back yard that leads to the house and painted the interior. It is only a couple houses down from the home where she raised Hawkins.

“It was in the same neighborhood and I’m like, well, how can you run from crime?” Pippens says.

“How can you run from drugs?

How can you run from this? It’s all here, but it takes us to take our neighborhood back, and if we get more young people buying homes instead of vacant buildings, I think we have a great chance of bringing St. Louis back, you know? We need to take charge.”

There are about 25,000 vacant or abandoned properties in the city of St. Louis. The LRA currently owns around 11,800 of them.

For the past four decades, the inventory has steadily remained around 11,000, but it ebbs and flows. In 2016, for example, the LRA acquired 499 properties and sold 606. For each of the three years before that, its acquisitions exceeded its sales, a situation Costello blames on the housing crash.

St. Louis used to be on the cutting edge of land-use policy: When the city established the LRA, in 1971, it was the first land bank in the country.

Since then, however, other land banks have been established across the country. The Center for Community Progress estimates that 170 are currently operating in the U.S. And there’s increasingly a sense that St. Louis’ bank has fallen behind.

“I think there’s a failure on our part to keep up with the times,” says Alderwoman Cara Spencer. “We were the first land bank in the country. At the time, we were leading the nation and safeguarding the properties, but we have failed to move forward with our land bank, and the world has changed around us. We have not adapted our land-banking strategies, and I think that’s a real failure on our part.”

For many people interested in

ment Federation. Dearing began acquiring LRA property about twenty years ago, both for himself as a private investor and professionally for others.

“LRA is difficult to work with,” Dearing says. “I know how the system works, but most people I would say fall out of the system before they are able to get what they wanted.”

If everything works well, Dearing says, buying a house should take two months maximum. The LRA process, in his experience, can stretch to six. For anyone who needs bank financing, that can be a recipe for frustration.

Rebecca Bodicky, a florist on Cherokee Street, found that acquiring a vacant lot from the LRA for a garden proved maddeningly complicated.

Bodicky already owned a dou-

COURTESY OF ELTOREON HAWKINS

COURTESY OF ELTOREON HAWKINS COURTESY OF ELTOREON HAWKINS

the LRA’s holdings, acquisitions have proven difficult at best. Just getting started can be hard. LRA does not have its own website, and online instructions for buying from the LRA are scattered under different parts of the city website.

Other complications owe to the nature of dealing with a government agency: Instead of just getting a simple yes or no from a seller, people purchasing from the LRA need the approval of its board of commissioners. And the agency might well insist on the “market rate” for a property, even if the particulars of a given lot don’t always bear that out.

Jaymes Dearing owns RE Source, a brokerage firm in Carondelet that specializes in commercial and investment property. He is also the economic development chairman for Carondelet Community Better-

Eltoreon Hawkins didn’t just buy an LRA property for himself; he also bought one (top left) and gave it to his mother. Lower left, before his purchase, the home was boarded up.

Above, Eltoreon Hawkins also bought a home through the city’s Mow to Own program.

Left, a bright coat of paint brought new vibrancy to his mother’s new home, which was previously owned by the LRA.

ble lot that she’d purchased from a sheriff’s sale, but acquiring the adjacent lot from LRA — a narrow strip of land 46 feet by 1 1/2 feet long — was much more difficult than she expected. Bodicky’s original offer of $1,250 for the property was rejected and she ended up paying $2,374 for it (plus another $58 in recording fees). It then took months to complete the purchase, and when she finally did, the city’s Forestry Division attempted to charge her for maintenance a month before she even had access to the property.

Bodicky says she would work with the LRA again, though.

“Yeah, I would, because there is really no choice,” Bodicky says.

She’s already got her eye on another lot across the street — and it, too, is LRA owned.

The process can become political: A letter of support from the buyer’s representative on the Board of Aldermen makes the entire process much smoother. Buyers don’t officially need the letter, but if they don’t have aldermanic approval, it’s a dead deal. Bodicky, for one, found she needed the support of her alderwoman, Spencer, just to navigate the process.

Beyond that, Dearing says property titles come with complications if buyers aren’t careful.

“The city will just order the deed from the Recorder of Deeds office,” riverfronttimes.com

Dearing says. Buyers who pay for a property often assume they then own it free and clear. Dearing says that’s not the case: “You don’t know if someone else had a house there that owed some money on it, or there was a mortgage that was left over that the people are now responsible for, or there are some other kind of liens. A lot of times, even going through this process, there [are] liens on the property that are old from Forestry cutting the grass on it, that LRA hadn’t even paid.”

And if buyers don’t ensure a clear title, they are technically responsible for old liens, Dearing says. The previous owners could also resurface and argue they have a claim if their name is still on the title.

“In other words,” Dearing says, “if I buy it, and I fix the place all up, and plant a garden, or pave it and make a driveway or parking area and the people come back and say, ‘Well, I own this.’ No — I bought it.

Well, run the title work and their name is on it. I mean, my name is on it too, but so is theirs. So it’s messed up. Then you have to do legal work to sort that out.”

Mike Baldwin, a developer in the city’s 5th Ward, stopped buying property from LRA in 2010 after he had trouble getting sponsorship from his alderwoman.

“If you’re not on friendly terms

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

Continued on pg 18

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with your alderperson, it’s difficult,” Baldwin says. “In some cases, “Sparkling” Since 1946 we had to get sponsorship from the president of [the Board of] Al“Sparkling” Since 1946 dermen.”

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7348 Manchester Ave. (in the.40Heart ofManchester Maplewood) The Center for Community Prog7348ofManchester Ave. 7348 Manchester Ave. (in the Heart Maplewood) ress released its report in June 2016 after it selected St. Louis for its 7348ofManchester Ave. 7348 www.paramountjewelers.com Manchester Ave. (in the Heart Maplewood) Technical Assistance Scholarship Program. The report found “no 314.645.1122 www.paramountjewelers.com unified city vision regarding the www.paramountjewelers.com elimination of vacancy and abandonment.”

The second report, released in February, was done after the city asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to conduct an independent assessment of the LRA as part of the “Strong Cities, Strong Communities” initiative.

The EPA hired design firm Asakura Robinson, whose staff then interviewed 80 local stakeholders and also spent a year working with the LRA to develop a strategy for improvement.

The Asakura Robinson report outlined six goals: “Define a forward-looking, inclusive LRA mission and vision, formalize LRA policies and procedures, manage vacant properties comprehensively, foster clear communication and transparency to build trust, grow the LRA’s staffing and finanPlease confirm approval by emailing uptown@trileafdesigns.com cial resources and build and solidify partnerships.”

The report found that the agency’s policies were often too informal — “leaving the LRA vulnerable to unexpected changes in its relationships, political forces that can hamper the LRA’s ability to use its liquid & lace limited resources strategically, and hampered in its ability to share information with the public about VAPE - CBD - KRATOM - ADULT TOYS - LINGERIE - PLUS SIZES how the authority determines its priorities.”

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transparency from the LRA and deep mistrust from the community.

The report from Asakura Robinson states, “Media coverage and community feedback on the LRA reveals a perceived lack of transparency in LRA policy that has sometimes created conflict between residents, policymakers, and the LRA.” The heart of the problem, though, “appears to arise from a dearth of adequate systems and resources to convey information to the public,” the authors concluded.

Both reports suggest that St. Louis use the Kansas City Land Bank as a model. While St. Louis has been almost entirely reactive, waiting for prospective buyers to find its holdings, Kansas City has instead made a concerted effort to find buyers.

Since it began in 2012, the Kansas City Land Bank has implemented various types of sales, such as “the Heart of Kansas City Sale,” offering nicer homes in its inventory for $999, or the “$1 sale,” which sold homes intended for demolition for $1. The land bank then gave the $8,500 that had been earmarked to demolish the house to the new owner to use in repairing it.

The land bank also donated five acres to a group of social workers, says Executive Director Ted Anderson, who cites it as his favorite project. The Veterans Community Project aimed to build 50 tiny houses for homeless veterans.

According to a 2013 case study, Kansas City had 12,000 vacant or abandoned properties in 2012. The city spent approximately $1.8 million in upkeep and maintenance on those properties that year. Today, five years after the land bank’s establishment, the agency has decreased its inventory to only about 4,000 properties.

However, the reports looking at St. Louis’ land bank also acknowledge the significant constraints that the LRA operates under, a situation that makes Kansas City’s success feel like an unfair comparison.

The LRA receives no funding from the city of St. Louis. In fact, its only dedicated source of revenue is whatever it earns from sales. In fiscal years 2015 and 2016, that was about $800,000.

And since it’s not technically a city agency — it falls under the St. Louis Development Corporation, or SLDC, a not-for-profit with a separate charter — it has to pay the city agencies it works with, including the Collector of Revenue and the

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

riverfronttimes.com

Vacant Properties in St. Louis Number of vacant/abandoned properties in the city: 25,000 Number of those owned by the LRA: 11,800 Annual cost to the city of maintaining LRA properties: $3.2 million Annual revenue from LRA sales: $800,000 Number of properties the LRA acquired from 2012 to 2016: 3,333 Number of properties the LRA sold from 2012 to 2016: 3,233

Recorder of Deeds. That eats up about one-eighth of its budget.

In contrast, the Kansas City Land Bank has an operating budget of approximately $2 million, even as it manages less than half the number of properties as the LRA. Eighty-five percent of its budget comes from the city’s general fund, with just 15 percent coming from sales.

“We practically give our property away,” Anderson says. “So we do it differently.”

With a funding model like the one in St. Louis, he says, “we couldn’t even pay our staff.”

The LRA office isn’t in City Hall — it’s two streets over on the second floor of 1520 Market Street in the SLDC office. In an uncomfortably warm meeting room with pea green walls, Laura Costello, who effectively serves as the LRA’s director but whose actual title is “director of real estate” for the SLDC, reviews printouts of a PowerPoint. She prepared it a couple months ago for SLACO and believes it provides a good overview of her agency’s functions.

“LRA has never received an offer, or expression of interest, on 46

percent of its inventory,” Costello says. “And that defeats the theory of people saying, ‘Why doesn’t LRA just give their property away?’ — 50 percent of it no one would take anyway.” Included in the agency’s roughly 11,800 parcels of inventory are 70 billboards, two cemeteries and 15 former gas stations.

Repeatedly, Costello notes that LRA is not a branch of city government and that the city doesn’t own the vacant lots in LRA’s inventory.

“People say the city of St. Louis owns it,” Costello says. “The city does own property, but not the LRA property.”

And that distinction, while seemingly unimportant to people looking for real estate to buy, can mean significant expense for an agency trying to manage a massive portfolio of property.

Costello notes that the LRA pays Forestry $225,000 annually for maintenance. (Viewed in a certain light, that’s a bargain: the city reports in response to a Sunshine Law request that Forestry actually spent nearly $3.2 million to maintain LRA properties in fiscal year 2017.)

Costello is defensive when she stops reviewing the PowerPoints.

She won’t answer simple questions

like, “Could you tell me how you started working with SLACO?” or, “What do you think the purpose of a land bank is?” until she can ascertain the motives behind them.

Costello is also notoriously difficult to contact and seldom gives interviews. It took multiple requests over two weeks for her to agree to this one (although, to her credit, she came back early from a vacation to make it happen).

Costello has been with the LRA since 2006. And she understands her agency is now in the hot seat.

Since Mayor Krewson took office, Costello says the mayor calls regularly for updates and wants buyers to be able to apply for property online.

“The mayor believes that the vacancy contributes to crime, so she is pushing constantly for us to work on all the strategies provided to us by these two reports,” Costello says.

Costello says the mission of the LRA is “to return the land to effective reuse” and that the agency is meeting that purpose. Asked for its vision, she cites the study released in February.

“Right now I would say our biggest guideline would be the Asakura Robinson strategy,” Costello riverfronttimes.com

says. “We worked with them for a year putting that strategy together.

So that’s the vision I see.”

Costello says improvements that have already been made include a report on the cost of vacancy, updates to the website and a policy-and-procedures manual that is almost complete.

One reason the public may perceive the LRA as slow, Costello says, is that its seven employees have huge caseloads, and buyers don’t always show up for their appointments.

“If our woman that takes the application, if she has eight appointments scheduled that she gets ready for, she gets all the paperwork ready for someone to make an offer on the property, four will show up,” Costello says. “If she has six closings scheduled, closings — we have the deeds, we have the title work, we have the transfer deeds, the quitclaim, everything needed, the closing statements dated for that day, everything — if she has six closings scheduled today, three won’t show up.”

The LRA is currently searching for another real estate specialist and expects to hire a vacancy specialist by the end of the year.

“People think that the LRA is the problem,” Costello says. “The problem is everything else that led that property to be abandoned to begin with. Now someone has a face on that property, they have a phone number on that property.

They can call and complain and get the grass cut and the board up. And so with that comes the blame of the property. So I guess I wish people knew that LRA isn’t the problem, the problem started years before it came into our inventory.”

She adds, “We’re not the enemy.

We’re the owner of last resort.”

Where the LRA has fallen short, SLACO has been trying to fill in the gaps.

The neighborhood group helped put Proposition NS on the April ballot. A one-cent property tax increase per $100 value, the proposition would have allowed St. Louis to sell up to $40 million in bonds, then use up to $30,000 per home ($50,000 for multi-family properties) to fix them up for sale.

Due to some quirks of election law, it’s still not clear if the measure has passed. (The lawyers are still arguing.)

But even without that financial

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

Continued on pg 21

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DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

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NO VACANCY Continued from pg 19 infusion, SLACO is still doing what it can to combat vacancy. Its LRA subcommittee has recently started holding workshops called the Finest 15 — showcasing the best fifteen homes in specific neighborhoods and educating people about the process of buying LRA-owned property.

When LRA subcommittee members approached Costello this year about working with them, they found a willing partner. Angela Drake is the secretary for SLACO’s executive board. She sits on the vacancy committee and co-chairs the LRA subcommittee.

“We had a meeting with Laura,” Drake remembers. “We sat down, we talked with her, we explained to her what we wanted to do. She was very helpful. She told us that whatever she could help us with, she was all for. Anything to help get an LRA home sold and get it back on the tax roll.”

Drake insists that buying property from the LRA is not as difficult as others may claim. She says, “We always tell people, keep it basic: ID, bank statements, past two year tax returns and create a budget.”

Hawkins, who works with Drake on SLACO’s efforts, also disagrees that the LRA is difficult to work with. When he first became interested in LRA property, he sat down with one of its real estate specialists, who explained the process to him.

“I think it comes from fear and our culture and our generation,” Hawkins says. “We’re just afraid of trying new things, and they get hit by one brick wall which is things like, ‘OK, you need a bank account.’ Many of our people don’t have bank accounts, so once they get hit by that brick wall, they say, ‘Oh, it’s a complicated process,’ or, ‘They’re difficult to deal with, it’s too much.’ But if you sit down with someone who has been through it or has done it before, they can help you along the way.”

Sims was the first Finest 15 success story; since she purchased her home, the group has helped others move to purchase from LRA as well.

The workshops have grown from fewer than ten attendees when they began in June to more than 50 people at the end of October.

“We can get these properties, and we can turn these around,” Drake says. “We can create better neighborhoods, because I think it all plays in together. I think taking a

Donita Sims’ house, below, was featured in an open house highlighting the LRA’s Finest 15.

vacant home and bringing it back to life and bringing it back to becoming a home that a family physically lives in says a lot. And I think it says a lot for our city.”

Drake grew up in north St. Louis, where the majority of vacant properties are located. She is hopeful that efforts like SLACO’s can transform its neighborhoods.

“I remember being a kid, and it did not look like that,” she says.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to have a revitalization. I think that being part of that vacancy committee, I think is my contribution to giving back. Saying I’m going to help fight this cause, even if it’s one home at a time, putting it back on that tax roll.”

Standing in her brand-new, $1,000 home, Sims is wearing a black fall coat that isn’t quite warm enough for the weather. She says this room,

with its brick fireplace, will probably be her favorite.

Hawkins excitedly discusses their renovation plans. “She originally thought that carpet throughout the whole house would be a nice idea,” Hawkins says. “But I told her people’s kind of coming away from that.”

Sims says friends and family have reached out to her about the process of buying from LRA ever since SLACO issued a press release this fall, touting her as proof the process works.

“Some of my friends already knew about it before the press release,” Sims says. “I try to encourage, like, you know, this is the future plan. Even if you don’t want to do it now, still keep it in your mind when you do get some income. Since we’ve had the press release, I’ve had a lot of family support contacting me if I need help with certain stuff. They’ve been asking about the process, and riverfronttimes.com

a lot of people are interested. I tell them to come to the meeting.”

And there will be plenty of meetings; SLACO’s subcommittee is planning to hold five “Finest 15” workshops in 2018.

“My mom actually wants to buy one herself,” Sims says. “She wants to stop renting.”

Hawkins estimates that Sims will spend $5,000 to $6,000 on repairs for her home, mostly on the electric, kitchen and bathroom.

“If you have more private entities like the Finest 15 or SLACO that actually walk people through the process and help them along the way, that’s where we’re going to win at,” Hawkins says. “That’s where we’re going to help people buy more properties.”

Hawkins is graduating from Harris-Stowe this month and plans to move into what he does with SLACO and his contracting business full time.

“I just did a tour on Sunday,” Hawkins says. “We toured five different houses. Even though they’re vacant, they’re wet, they’re dank, even though they’re scary sometimes, I had a great time. We went to house, to house, to house.

That’s just what I love doing — showing people what they can possibly turn things into.” n

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

RIVERFRONT TIMES

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CALENDAR

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WEEK OF DECEMBER 21-27

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker is a visual extravaganza. | COURTESY OF MOSCOW BALLET

BY PAUL FRISWOLD

THURSDAY 12/21 The Music of John Williams John Williams has been composing music for film and television for more than 60 years, scoring everything from twenty episodes of Gilligan’s Island to well-known and -loved scores for Star Wars and the Indiana Jones movies. The breadth and quality of his work have made him the best-known composer of the twentieth century. David Robertson and the St. Louis Symphony celebrate that heritage with The Music of John Williams. The program includes the big hits (E.T., Schindler’s List and Superman) as well as Wil-

liams’ score for the short-lived TV western The Cowboys. The Music of John Williams is performed at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 2:30 p.m. Saturday (December 21 to 23) at Powell Hall (718 North Grand Boulevard; www.slso.org).

Tickets are $40 to $76.

FRIDAY 12/22 Greek Island Embroideries Greece’s location in the Mediterranean allowed it easy trading with numerous cultures from Europe, North Africa and the near East. That exchange invariably included cultural ideas, which influenced the native art of the

islands. Greek Island Embroideries, the new exhibit at the Saint Louis Art Museum, showcases embroidered textiles from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. These richly detailed items feature animals, geometrical designs and beautiful ornamentation in silk, gold, silver and linen. The exhibit is open Tuesday through Sunday (December 22 to May 28) at the Saint Louis Art Museum in Forest Park (1 Fine Arts Drive; www.slam.org). Admission is free.

The Twilight Zone The cult TV series The Twilight Zone is rumored to be returning to the airwaves under the guidance of writer/director Jordan Peele, which is good news for riverfronttimes.com

fans. The original edition of the show with Rod Serling makes a brief return as well this Christmas, thanks to the Webster Film Series. The organizers present a trio of classic, holiday-themed episodes for free at 7:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday (December 22 to 24). “Five Characters in Search of an Exit” is a grim slice of existential horror, while “Number 12 Looks Just Like You” is a parable about the dangers of conformity.

“The Night of the Meek” might just be the best of the bunch, with Art Carney starring as a downand-out mall Santa who finds a garbage bag that can create any gift imagined. All three episodes screen all three nights at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood Avenue; www.webster.edu/film-series).

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

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CALENDAR Continued from pg 23

The First Doctor (David Bradley) and the Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi) meet. | COURTESY OF FATHOM EVENTS

SATURDAY 12/23 Holiday Pops Spectacular The Compton Heights Concert Band is renowned for its summer concert series in Tower Grove Park, but it also performs one show every winter: its Holiday Pops Spectacular.

Joined by frequent guest Hugh K. Smith (tenor) and St. Louis’ own Gina Galati (soprano), the band performs a family-friendly program of Christmas carols and sacred classics. The big finish is the best bit of Handel’s Messiah, the Hallelujah Chorus, with all hands on deck and additional vocal reinforcements in the form of the East Central College Combined Choirs. Performances are at 2 and 7:30 p.m. today at the Skip Viragh Center for the Arts (425 South Lindbergh Boulevard, Frontenac; www.chband.org).

Great Russian Nutcracker There is a persistent belief that if you don’t see at least one production of The Nutcracker during the holiday season, you’re not really living your best life. If you’ve thus far forgotten to do your Christmas duty, you have one more shot thanks to the Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker. This lavish 24

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production features gorgeous Victorian costumes and a host of special effects that include an artificial owl that flaps its wings and a magnificent Christmas tree that grows right before your eyes. This Nutcracker also features characters from Russian folktales, such as Snegurochka (Snow Maiden) and Ded Moroz (Father Christmas). The Moscow Ballet performs its Great Russian Nutcracker at 3 and 7 p.m. today at the Fox Theatre (527 North Grand Boulevard; www.fabulousfox.com).

Tickets are $31.50 to $133.50.

BandTogether Holiday Concert BandTogether, St. Louis’ LGBTA concert band, is now in its twentieth year of performing. As always, its annual Holiday Concert is a highlight of its season. The volunteer band traditionally mixes in carols, pop standards and even a touch of classical music during each performance, and this year is no different.

Tonight’s 8 p.m. concert at the 560 Music Center (560 Trinity Avenue, University City; www.bandtogetherstl.com) provides the perfect Christmas Eve eve entertainment, with “The Night Before Christmas,” “Somewhere in My Memory” and “Stille Nacht” all on the schedule.

The concert is free, but if you can spare a donation it would be much appreciated.

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

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TUESDAY 12/26 Elf the Musical The Jon Favreau/Will Ferrell film Elf was a surprise Christmas hit, thanks to its irreverent sense of humor and reliance on that most familiar of Christmas conflicts. (“Will our family celebrate Christmas together?” Will it ever, Buddy.) Buddy is a human orphan taken in by Santa, raised to appropriate elf identity. When he learns the truth about his origin, he goes to New York in search of the father he has never known. Unfortunately, dad doesn’t want to know Buddy. Will they get it together in time for Christmas? That’s already been answered. Elf the Musical, the stage adaptation of the movie, returns to St. Louis for a threenight run. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday (December 26 to 28) at the Peabody Opera House (1400 Market Street; www.peabodyoperahouse. com). Tickets are $30 to $82.

WEDNESDAY 12/27 Doctor Who Christmas Special Long-running English TV show Doctor Who is essentially a foreign language to anyone but fans.

There are multiple Doctors, an important distinction between the Doctor’s friends and companions, and a series timeline that is more like the spine of a spiral notebook than a case of “now” and “then.”

However, if you’d like to get into the show, this is the right time of year to start. The Doctor Who Christmas Special episode features the end of one incarnation of the Doctor (Peter Capaldi is leaving the show) and the beginning of a new one (the show’s first-ever female Doctor, Jodie Whitaker). As always, “Twice Upon a Time” features nods to the series’ long history (the First Doctor appears, but he’s played by a different actor), a figure who appears trapped in time (“The Captain,” a WWI-era soldier, and perhaps something more) and a message of hope and resilience in the face of crisis. “Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time” is screened in movie theaters nationwide at 7 p.m. tonight, including Marcus Wehrenberg Ronnies Cine (5320 South Lindbergh Boulevard; www. fathomevents.com). Tickets are $12.

Planning an event, exhibiting your art or putting on a play? Let us know and we’ll include it in the calendar section or publish a listing on our website — for free! Send details via e-mail (calendar@riverfronttimes.com), fax (314-754-6416) or mail (308 N. 21st Street, Suite 300, St. Louis, MO 63103, attn: Calendar). Include the date, time, price, contact information and location (including ZIP code).

Please submit information three weeks prior to the date of your event. No telephone submissions will be accepted. Find more events online at www. riverfronttimes.com.

Enjoy the ultimate evening out.

Then stay the night.

PARTY ONLY

$129 Tickets on sale

at eventbrite.com.

ULTIMATE NYE ROOM PACKAGE STARTING AT

$349 Overnight stay and 2 party tickets.

Ring in the new year at Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch with the Ultimate New Year’s Eve Party, featuring Dr. Zhivegas and Groovethang.

The celebration starts at 8:00 PM on December 31, 2017, and runs until 1:00 AM. Enjoy a full dinner buffet, open bar, Champagne toast, party favors and confetti drop at midnight. To book or for more information, visit stlouisarch.regency.hyatt.com or call 800 233 1234.

HYATT REGENCY ST. LOUIS AT THE ARCH 315 Chestnut Street St. Louis, Missouri, USA, 63102 Ultimate New Year’s Eve package available at Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch only. Room package must be prepaid at time of booking and deposit is non-refundable after 12/14/2017. See stlouisarch.regency.hyatt.com for full terms and conditions. The trademarks HYATT®, Hyatt Regency® and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. ©2017 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved.

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STLRS5534_HR St Louis NYE Party RFT Quarter Pg Ad.indd 1

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A New Year’s Eve GET YOUR TICKETS BEFORE THEY SELL OUT! includes a four course dinner, premium open bar, an amazing burlesque show, plus a confetti drop and champagne toast to bring you into 2018!

call 314-436-7000 or visit theboomboomroomstl .com for details 500 n. 14th st. downtown st. louis

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Our guide to the best places in St. Louis to ring in 2018 Afrosexycool NYE: Black Spade, DJ Nico and James Biko. Sun., Dec. 31, 9 p.m., $15-$40. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314-833-3929.

Cork & Barrel New Year’s Eve: Special dinner menu with wine pairing, live music from Kevin Babb (6:309:30 p.m.) and Joe Bizelli (9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.). Sun., Dec. 31, 6:30 p.m., call 636-387-7030 for reservations. Cork & Barrel, 7337 Mexico Rd., St. Peters.

Dress Up to Get Down: Celebrate New Year’s Eve in style at Tin Roof, with complimentary champagne toast, open bar from 8 p.m. to midnight, party favors and live music by Super Majik Robots & DJ Flex City.

21+. Sun., Dec. 31, 8 p.m., $75$2,500. Tin Roof St. Louis, 1000 Clark Ave., St. Louis, 314-240-5400.

Drunken Fish New Year’s Eve Party: Includes unlimited premium drink package, late-night sushi, appetizer buffet and DJ Daddy J. Midnight champagne toast. 21+. Sun., Dec. 31, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., $80. The Drunken Fish-Central West End, 1 Maryland Plaza, St. Louis, 314-367-4222.

A Harry Potter New Year’s Eve Experience: Travel to Hogwarts, visit Honeydukes, the Leaking Cauldron and Ollivanders Wand Shop. Meet real live owls in the Owlery, create a personalized flipbook at the Daily Prophet, take a potions class, challenge the professors to Quidditch Pong in the Triwizard Tournament, visit the Hall of Prophecies, have your tea leaves read by our tarot experts and enjoy a champagne toast.

Sun., Dec. 31, 8 p.m.-12:30 a.m., $150-$250, 314-681-0370, hpnye. eventbrite.com. Barnett on Washington, 3207 Washington Ave., St. Louis.

Irish New Year’s Toast: Sneak in an early NYE countdown with a toast at 6 p.m. when Ireland ushers in 2018.

Whether you want to be in bed when

the ball drops or get the party started early, Pat’s is the place to celebrate. Great drink specials and live music all night. Sun., Dec. 31, 4-8 p.m., 314-647-7287, www.facebook. com/events/182768302290100/.

Pat Connolly Tavern, 6400 Oakland Ave., St. Louis.

KSHE-95 Dirty New Year’s Eve: Live music by Joe Dirt & the Dirty Boys, party favors and midnight toast. 21+ with valid ID. Sun., Dec. 31, 9 p.m., $25-$30. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

The Matching Shoe: Live music from the Matching Shoe with cocktails and food for purchase. Sun., Dec. 31, 8 p.m., $10. Kirkwood Station Brewing Company, 105 E. Jefferson Ave., Kirkwood, 314-9662739.

New Queer’s Eve II: Radical queers and our friends. Dancing.

Performances by Maxi Glamour, Schuyler Control, Mustache Daddy, Jack Wilde, Claw’d, Enigma, the WILDE Coven and Vinca Minor, along with visuals and art by EAV. $5 cover, but no one turned away for lack of funds. Cash bar. Sun., Dec. 31, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., $5. 314827-4730, www.facebook.com/ events/1728529270493064/.

Community Arts and Movement Project, 3022-A Cherokee St., St. Louis.

New Year’s Eve at Juniper: For an all-inclusive $75 per person, revel in a variety of hors d’oeuvres, an open bar and DJ Hal Greens on the ones and twos. Stick around until midnight for the balloon drop and a glass of bubbly. Tickets are limited: https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/nye-celebration-tickets-40743941225.

Sun., Dec. 31, 8 p.m., $75. Juniper, 360 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis, 314-3297696.

New Year’s Eve at Molly’s: Enjoy seven premium open bars, DJs, Continued on pg 29

WHY SPEND $100 ON A PARTY TICKET? RING IN THE NEW YEAR AT HARPO’S!

80’S FLASHBACK NYE BASH! W E A R YO U R B I G G E S T H A I R A N D B R I G H T E S T

N E O N S — W E ’ L L P R O V I D E T H E B I TC H I N ’ S P E C I A LS ! $ 2 0 W I L L G E T Y O U A B O T T O M L E S S B U F F E T, C H A M PA G N E T O A S T AT M I D N I G H T A N D A D J TO H E L P YO U G R O O V E I N TO 2 0 1 8 !

A N D L I K E W E D O E V E R Y S U N D AY W E W I L L H AV E $ 1 1 D O M E S T I C B O T T L E S B U C K E T S — I N C A S E P O P P I N C H A M PA G N E B O T T L E S I S N ’ T YO U R T H I N G ! J O I N U S T H E 3 1 S T !

SOULARD: 1017 RUSSELL BLVD. • 314-696-2969 CHESTERFIELD: 136 HILLTOWN VILLAGE CENTER • 636-537-1970

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COME CELEBRATE NEW YEARS EVE

at the Clayton Plaza Hotel

CHOOSE FROM 4 PACKAGES PL AN A - THE FULL MON TE : D I N N E R , BA R, HOT EL RO O M & B RU N C H

O pen bar 6 : 3 0 PM - 1 A M, h or s d’ e ouvre s s tar ting at 6 :3 0 PM , dinne r s er v i c e 7 - 8 : 3 0 PM, over nigh t s ta y accommodations. N ew Ye ar ’s Da y B r u n c h & ex tende d late c h e c k out time of 3 PM . ( *Pl an A req u i res t he purc h ase of two pac kag e s pe r h ote l room.) $ 210 - S t e ak & Lob s t e r $ 19 0 - C hic ken Su p r eme , B ake d S almon or Por t ab e llo Ms uh r oom

PL AN B - D IN N E R & BAR O pen bar 6 : 3 0 PM - 1 A M, h or s d’ e ouvre s s tar ting at 6 :3 0 PM , and add t he o pt i o n o f d inne r se r vice s tar ting at 7 - 8 :3 0 PM . $13 5 - S t e ak & Lob s t e r $ 110 - C hic ken Su p r eme , B ake d S almon or Por t ab e llo Ms uh r oom $ 9 5 - H or s D’ e ouvr e s

PL AN C - BAR , HOTE L ROOM & BRUN C H O pen bar 8 PM - 1 A M, ove r nigh t s ta y accommodations, N ew Ye ar ’s Da y B r u n c h, ex te nde d late c h e c k our time of 3 PM . ( *Pl an C req u i res t he purc h ase of two pac kag e s pe r h ote l room.) $ 14 5 - B ar and Room

PL AN D - BAR Ope n b ar 9 PM - 1 AM $ 7 0 - B ar

C ALL F OR RESERVAT I O N S 314- 726- 5400 Li m i te d n u m b er o f e a c h p a c ka g e a vailable an d p r ice s are su bje ct to ch an g e . A ll “ Plan ” p r ice s are p r i c e d p e r p e r s o n a n d i n c l u d e g ra t uity an d tax . E ach g u e s t is re qu ire d to sh ow p ro o f o f le g al ag e ( 21 ) to a t te n d . P u rc h a s e o f ticket do e s n ot g u aran te e admittan e to eve n t.

A L L SA L E S ARE F I N AL AND N ON-REF UNDABL E.

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DISCOVER THE SOUNDTRACK DISCOVER THE SOUNDTRACK TO AN UNFORGETTABLE NIGHT TO AN UNFORGETTABLE NIGHT live music every week MIXTAPE

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dancing, complimentary toast at midnight, two balloon drops, covered heated patios, party favors and one wild night.Reserve a VIP table, cabana or booth with bottle service at 314-2416200 x2. VIP preparty tickets available on Eventbrite or Facebook. Sun., Dec. 31, 7 p.m.-1:30 a.m., $75-$95. Molly’s in Soulard, 816 Geyer Ave., St. Louis.

New Year’s Eve Celebration: Start 2018 off with a bang at Innsbrook’s lodge-like Aspen Center for a Black and White Ball. Enjoy midnight fireworks over Lake Aspen with a champagne toast after dinner and dancing.

Sun., Dec. 31, 7 p.m.-1 a.m., $100 per person, 636-928-3366, guest. services@innsbrook-resor t.com, www.innsbrook-resort.com/dining/ events#newyears. Innsbrook Resort, 1 Aspen Lake Dr., Wright City.

New Year’s Eve Limo Bus Bar Crawl: Party with Washington Ave., Soulard & Landing Bars for NYE Limo Bus Crawl.

Check in at Lucas Park Grille (1234 Washington Ave.) from 8-10 p.m.

Venues TBA. Sun., Dec. 31, 8 p.m.-2 a.m., $24, 312-600-9038, info@besocialscene.com. Lucas Park Grille, 1234 Washington Ave., St. Louis.

New Year’s Eve Party: Ring in the New Year at Pere Marquette Lodge with an overnight party package. Show off your cocktail attire and indulge in appetizers, an open bar and a buffet dinner. Dancing, midnight champagne toast and even party favors. Take the elevator home. $389 plus tax, double occupancy. Sun., Dec. 31, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., 618-786-2331, www.pmlodge. net/2016/11/new-years-eve-party/.

Pere Marquette Lodge, 13653 Lodge Blvd., Grafton, IL. Murder on 34th Street: Kris Kringle aka Santa Claus has been on trial before, but this time it’s for murder. Join us for the trial of the century while enjoying a four-course meal to die for!

Sun., Dec. 31, 7-10 p.m., $59.95 per person, 314-533-9830, www.bissellmansiontheatre.com. Bissell Mansion Restaurant & Dinner Theatre, 4426 Randall Place, St. Louis.

New Year’s Eve at Hwy 61: Two dinner seatings at 6-8 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Each seating includes any entree and either a cocktail or a house salad, gumbo, jambalaya or an appetizer tasting from a special New Year’s Eve menu. Paul Bonn and the Bluesmen perform from 8:30 p.m.12:30 a.m. Sun., Dec. 31, $10 cover

without package purchase, 314-9680061, info@hwy61roadhouse.com, hwy61roadhouse.com/events/. Hwy 61 Roadhouse and Kitchen, 34 S. Old Orchard Ave., Webster Groves.

New Year’s Eve at Howl at the Moon: Howl at the Moon St. Louis’ fabulous NYE party packages offer everything you need to kiss 2017 goodbye. Sun., Dec. 31, 7 p.m.-2 a.m., 314-736-4695, www.howlatthemoon.com/nye-stl/.

Howl at the Moon, 601 Clark Ave. Unit J, in Ballpark Village, St. Louis.

New Year’s Eve Comedy Jam: Live comedy show with performances by Corey Holcomb, J Anthony Brown, Tony Rock, Dominique, Red Grand and Tony Roberts. Sun., Dec. 31, 7 p.m., $52$82. Chaifetz Arena, 1 S. Compton Ave., St. Louis, 314-977-5000.

Give Them What They Really Want A Tucker’s Place Gift Card!

New Year’s Eve with Clayton Plaza Hotel: Clayton Plaza Hotel offers four separate rooms with four different bands, plus a DJ. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, dinner and open bar until 1 a.m. with beer, wine and select cocktails.

Pricing starts at $70. Sun., Dec. 31, 6:30 p.m.-1 a.m., 314-726-5400, www.cpclayton.com/specials-packages-en.html. Clayton Plaza Hotel, 7750 Carondelet Ave., Clayton.

#1 STEAKS

Prostock-studio

NYE LISTINGS Continued from pg 27

1998-2017

RFT Readers Polls

NYE Bash: Evangeline’s celebrates all day with brunch, dinner and cocktail menus, plus delicious New Year’s Eve-themed entrees and appetizer specials for the evening. Live music from Miss Jubilee & the Humdingers, Sweetie & the Toothaches, Joe Metzka Blues Trio and the Jazz Troubadors.

Dress to impress. Sun., Dec. 31, no cover. Evangeline’s, 512 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314-367-3644.

HISTORIC SOULARD

2117 South 12th St. 314-772-5977

NYE Live: Ring in the new year at NYE Live 2018 at Ballpark Village. Ticket packages include access to five different venues all under one roof. All-inclusive package includes party favors, midnight toast, live DJ performance by DJ Dynamix, confetti at midnight and the only ball drop in St. Louis. Sun., Dec. 31, 7 p.m.-3 a.m., $75+. Ballpark Village, 601 Clark Ave., St. Louis, 314345-9481.

An NYE Silver Screen Spectaculaire: Van Ella Studios presents “Old Hollywood for the New Year!” It’s a risqué, retro romp starring Lola van Ella, Bazuka Joe, Midnite Martini, Ray Gunn, the Bon Bons and many more and featuring the Spectaculaire Orchestra. Burlesque, acrobatics, aerial artistry, juggling, production numbers, a large dance floor and more. Sun., Continued on pg 30

SOUTH COUNTY

3939 Union Rd. 314-845-2584

WEST COUNTY

14282 Manchester 636-227-8062

www.TuckersPlaceSTL.com riverfronttimes.com

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Happy Holidays from Your Friends at

NYE LISTINGS Continued from pg 29

Serving You 20 Years of Award Winning Cocktails

Dec. 31, 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m., $55-$350, 314-384-2532, www.eventbrite.com/ e/a-silver-screen-spectaculaire-tickets-38824255393. Casa Loma Ballroom, 3354 Iowa Ave., St. Louis.

join us new year’s eve First 50 Customers Receive Festive Party Favors Complementary Champagne Toast at Midnight

open christmas eve and christmas day at 5pm

5213 CHIPPEWA ST SAINT LOUIS, MO 63109 (314) 832-2211 30

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A New Year’s Speakeasy: Join us for the swankiest party in town at the Boom Boom Room. Tickets include four-course dinner, open premium bar, an amazing burlesque show from the Boom Boom Bombshells and a dance party with a confetti cannon. Sun., Dec. 31, 7 p.m.-1:30 a.m., $90-$200.

314-436-7000, theboomboomroomstl.com. The Boom Boom Room, 500 N. 14th St., St. Louis.

Russo’s NYE Bash 2108: Celebrate the New Year with Russo’s at Spazio Westport. Enjoy a full open premium bar, appetizers, dinner, a live band, food-truck midnight snack, photo booth, hotel accommodations and much more.Sun., Dec. 31, 7 p.m.-1 a.m., $90 per person, 314-576-0400, russosgourmet.com/nye/. Spazio at West Port, 12031 Lackland, Maryland Heights.

360 Annual New Year’s Eve Bash: Amp up the night at Three Sixty with bottle service and an impressive ball drop on both the east and west side of the rooftop. General admission is $35 and will be standing-room only.

Two reserved seating times at 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Food and beverage min-

imum of $110+ per person for seats.

Sun., Dec. 31, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., 314-6418842, www.360-stl.com. Three Sixty St. Louis, 1 S. Broadway, St. Louis.

The 2018 New Year’s Eve Ball: Enjoy the Grand Ballroom and the Grand Pavillion, along with exquisite food, a premium open bar, lodging at the newly renovated Marriott and live entertainment. Sun., Dec. 31, 7 p.m., $100 - $349, 314-291-7371, contagiousparty.com/. Marriott St. Louis Airport, 10700 Pear Tree Lanene, St. Louis.

Ultimate New Year’s Eve Party: Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch offers an open bar and full buffet dinner, a latenight snack, party favors for all attendees, a champagne toast and confetti drop at midnight and live music. The hotel’s New Year’s Eve package includes an overnight stay and two tickets to the party. Rates start at $349. Event-only tickets are $129 including tax and can be purchased at Eventbrite.com. 21+.

Sun., Dec. 31, 8 p.m.-1 a.m., $129, 314-655-1234, stlouisarch.regency. hyatt.com/en/hotel/news-and-events/ events/ultimate-new-year-s-eve-party1. html. Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch, 315 Chestnut St., St. Louis.

Yule Balls: The first annual St. Louis YULE BALLS. Sun., Dec. 31, 6 p.m.-1 a.m., $50-$175, 314-222-2111, www. denstl.com/yule-balls.html. The Den, 711 N. 13th St., St. Louis.

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VIP Tables VIP Cabanas VIP Preparty Reserve Today 314.241.6200

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FILM

The Amphibian Man and Elisa (Doug Jones and Sally Hawkins) share a moment. | COURTESY OF FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES © 2017 TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION [REVIEW]

You Will Get Wet Guillermo del Toro’s new film is a monster of a love story Written by

ROBERT HUNT The Shape of Water

Directed by Guillermo del Toro. Written

by Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor.

Starring Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer and Doug Jones. Now screening at the Landmark Tivoli Theatre and Plaza Frontenac.

G

uillermo del Toro has firmly established himself as a gifted creator of fantastic landscapes, from the dark fantasy of Pan’s Labyrinth to the more routine fanboy terrain of Pacific Rim

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and the Hellboy films. Push aside his obvious extended-adolescent love of the science-fiction/horror/ fantasy genres and you’ll find the soul of a romantic, as revealed by his previous film, the underrated gothic ghost story Crimson Peak.

Del Toro’s new film, The Shape of Water, takes all of the director’s fancies and obsessions and fashions them into an unfamiliar but somehow perfectly constructed creation. It’s a love story, a Cold War adventure, and (probably closest to the director’s heart) an old-fashioned monster movie. It’s an unpredictable, unwieldy film, leaping from violence to comedy, from a loopy comic-book plot to passionate romance. It’s over the top, yet completely convincing on its own terms. In short, it’s a feverish dream of a movie thrown onto the screen with abandon.

Here’s the premise, set sometime in the early 1960s: Elisa (Sally Hawkins, who is simply wonderful) is a lonely, mute woman who lives above a decaying movie palace.

She works with Zelda (Octavia

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

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Spencer) on the janitorial staff of a government aerospace facility, spending her free hours watching old musicals with her neighbor Giles (Richard Jenkins), an aging graphic artist. After the arrival of a new discovery referred to only as “the asset,” the government facility is placed under heightened security by the high-strung, tic-ridden commanding officer (Michael Shannon, at his scenery-chewing best).

The endangered asset, Elisa discovers, is the Amphibian Man (Doug Jones), a human-fish hybrid.

He’s essentially the Creature from the Black Lagoon, only with more soulful eyes. And once Elisa sees those eyes, The Shape of Water turns into an unrestrained story of fantastic love, albeit one with the occasionally gruesome visual effect, a friendly Soviet agent (Michael Stuhlbarg) and even a nod to Alice Faye musicals.

What makes The Shape of Water work so well — aside from the uniformly excellent performances, the gorgeous production design and cinematography, and the extraor-

dinary human special effect that is Doug Jones — is the absolute sincerity of del Toro’s direction. Yes, nearly every minute of the film is fantastic and frequently extreme, but whether he’s indulging in gentle erotic fantasies, recreating the faux-modernism of the historical setting or simply letting his characters go about their ordinary business, there’s not a trace of kitsch, not a second of retroactive sneering at the past or belittling his low-level spy plot with a campy wink.

Where other films (like the recent It) keep their fantastic elements at bay, reserving them for easy shocks, del Toro eliminates the boundaries between the imaginary and the ordinary, as sensitive to the appeal of Elisa’s mid-twentieth century world as he is to the mad-scientist’s-lair design of her workplace. Like his heroine, he’s instinctively comfortable with the unusual, not alarmed. Only a filmmaker with such a love for monsters and the unique could have made such a tale of unique and monstrous love. n

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Carolina (Juno Temple) is a young woman on the run from the mob. | JESSICA MIGLIO/ AMAZON STUDIOS [REVIEW]

A FAIRY TALE OF BROOKLYN Woody Allen examines the wonders of the past Written by

ROBERT HUNT Wonder Wheel

Written and directed by Woody Allen.

Starring Jim Belushi, Juno Temple, Justin Timberlake and Kate Winslet. Now screening.

A

fantastic world created from imagination and the distant past provides the setting for Wonder Wheel, Woody Allen’s new film about love and dreams set in the middle of a gaudy amusement park in 1950s Brooklyn.

Kate Winslet plays Ginny, a waitress who has abandoned her dreams of a career on the stage for the not-allthat-secure life as the wife of carousel operator and occasional mean drunk Humpty (Jim Belushi). Things are not going well for Ginny; her young son from an earlier relationship is a budding arsonist. To further complicate life, Humpty’s estranged daughter Carolina appears, looking for shelter from her mobster ex-husband. Looking for an escape, Ginny falls into the arms of Mickey (Justin Timberlake), a lifeguard and aspiring playwright who also serves as the film’s understandably unreliable narrator.

As with the award-winning Blue Jasmine, Allen has returned to postwar American drama (Williams, Miller, Inge) for inspiration, but with a freer hand than in the earlier film. Wonder

Wheel is shorter on plot but stronger on letting the actors build their characters. There’s almost an improvisational quality, unusual for Allen, as the cast members play against each other.

Belushi is genuinely surprising as a kind of helplessly bumbling everyman, the kind of role that might have been given to Karl Malden or Ernest Borgnine in a 1950s equivalent, and British actress Juno Temple balances his intensity with a bubbly naivete.

Timberlake, whose acting talent has previously stayed within the grand tradition of pop-star dabbling, is genuinely engaging as the outsider who almost indirectly provokes much of the film’s action.

But as good as they are, Timberlake and the rest are no more than supporting players in the light of two superior performances that propel the film into a stunning collision of down-to-earth realism and stunning fantasy. The first, unsurprisingly, is Winslet, who transforms Ginny from a cocky survivor making the best of her impoverished surroundings to a tragic heroine pulled down by her self-delusions.

Her performance is matched and complemented by the astounding cinematography of Vittorio Storaro, who turns the Brooklyn streets and boardwalks into a fairy-tale landscape and, in a powerful climactic scene, helps Allen and Winslet cross an invisible threshold between reality and theater, between the unhappy details of life and the impulse to transform them into art. It’s a favorite theme of Allen’s, but never has he explored it in such vivid and purely visual terms.

While he’s frequently illustrated the conflict between artistic dreams and ordinary obligations, Wonder Wheel takes a more skewed view, leaving it for Ginny — and the viewer — to draw n their own conclusions.

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Hugo’s “Farm Boy” pie is topped with arugula, roasted red pepper, shredded mozzarella, bacon and an egg. | MABEL SUEN

[REVIEW]

Roman Holiday At Hugo’s Pizzeria, Dave Bailey mixes things up, with delicious results Written by

CHERYL BAEHR Hugo’s Pizzeria

3135 Olive Street, 314-896-4846. Sun.Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

D

avid Bailey and his culinary team had no idea what kind of pizza they were making when they were developing the reci-

pes for Hugo’s Pizzeria. That’s not to say they lacked vision. Bailey knew exactly what he wanted — a crust sturdy enough on the bottom to hold generous toppings, a touch of crunch balanced by a pillow-like chew, a sauce that ticked both the sweet and spicy boxes — and he went through many iterations to get it right. He just didn’t know what to call it, and only after he had settled upon the formula did he decide on a name. He did that by researching pizza types, finding one that looked about right and saying, “Roman — yep, that’s the one.”

Bailey’s process is a stark contrast to the former occupant of the Hugo’s space and, really, much of what is being done in the national pizza scene. In the Midtown building that now houses Hugo’s, Mike Randolph launched his St. Louis empire with the Good Pie, a fiercely authentic Neapolitan pizzeria that set the standard for the

traditional wood-fired pies now found throughout the city. Though not certified by the Neapolitan pizza regulatory authority (yes, there is such a thing), the Good Pie served about as traditional a pie as you could get outside of Campania.

Though there was room for creativity, the style dictated the pizza.

Now the space is again a pizzeria, but this time it eschews tradition or stylistic dictates in favor of personal preference and creative freedom. It’s a fitting culinary philosophy for Hugo’s; after all, the restaurant was inspired by Bailey’s son Hugo, a four-year-old he describes as fun, super cute and full of energy. If you tell Hugo to color inside the lines, chances are you’ll be fighting a losing battle.

No one wonders who the little guy got that spirit from. Though Bailey is now recognized as one of St. Louis’ most prominent restaurateurs, he began his career delivering pizzas, bussing tables and riverfronttimes.com

trying to figure out what to do with his life.

As a child, Bailey had been home-schooled until he convinced his parents to enroll him in a traditional high school. Hating the structure, he dropped out and went to college. He was fifteen.

He found himself a college graduate at the ripe old age of nineteen and in need of a career path. Though he knew medical school was not for him, he realized his desire to become a doctor was rooted in his wanting to work with and take care of people.

He worked his way up the ranks through just about every position in the industry before launching his first restaurant, Baileys’ Chocolate Bar, in 2004. Daytime spot Rooster came next, followed by Bridge Tap House and Wine Bar, Baileys’ Range, Small Batch and Shift Test Kitchen & Takeout.

Pizza, however, has always been

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

Continued on pg 37

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HUGO’S PIZZERIA Continued from pg 35 a concept Bailey wanted to explore, especially now that he is a father of two young children and finds himself eating it as much as anyone with kids does — in other words, all the damn time. He’s heard the joke that even when pizza is bad, it’s still good, but, as someone whose circumstances compel him to eat it regularly, he feels that’s a copout. Why settle for less when you can have more? In that spirit, he set out to create not only the best version of crust, sauce and toppings he could, but also an eatery that is warm and welcoming to all, including those with littles.

Hugo’s Pizzeria is indeed a lovely, comfortable space. The restaurant is twice as big as its predecessor (two bays of a four-bay building, plus another bay for the kitchen), with two rooms featuring lofted ceilings, exposed brick and muted green walls. A large wooden bar takes up the majority of one room; the other is filled with blonde wood tables surrounded by yellow-painted metal chairs. Credit the bright note of color or credit the bustling energy; either way, the place feels joyful.

Bailey has also succeeded in delivering a welcome addition to the city’s crowded pizza scene.

His tenacious research and development was time well spent. His crust is made from a roughly 5050 ratio of all-purpose flour and a super-fine 00 flour that is bromate free. (Often used in U.S. baking, bromate is a controversial additive that helps dough rise higher and turn out more springy, though it’s been banned in several countries because of a purported linkage to cancer.)

The recipe results in a pizza crust that has the thickness of naan with

Hugo’s brings a joyful vibe to the Midtown space that previously housed the Good Pie. | MABEL SUEN the chew you get on the edges of Neapolitan pies. Round, twelveinch pies made for sharing, the pizzas are cooked in a deck oven so they crisp up ever so slightly on the bottom, without the char speckle you get from a hotter, Italian woodfired oven. Without the char, the subtle, almost nutty yeastiness of the dough shines through.

Hugo’s crust has a uniform density throughout, allowing Bailey and company to heap on the toppings, including a house-cured beef pepperoni that’s reminiscent of a spiced, paprika-laden bresaola. The paper-thin meat is liberally placed atop Hugo’s signature sauce: an herbaceous tomato-based concoction that’s semi-sweet and moderately spiced. Paired with gooey mozzarella cheese, it’s a wonderful haute version of a classic pepperoni pie.

The sausage pizza follows suit — familiar enough to be satisfying but elevated enough to be a standout. Hugo’s calls its version Italian sausage, but the flavor profile and crumbly texture make it seem more like a marriage of Italian sausage and chorizo. The addition of pickled red onions gives a pop of brightness that makes it anything but ordinary.

After these more classic pies, Hugo’s mixes it up, with unique offerings including “Lyla’s,” a sauce-free umami bomb of a pizza laden with mushrooms and truffle oil. Fontina cheese provides a creamy backdrop, and a whisper of fresh rosemary perfumes the earthiness of the mushrooms and truffle oil like pine needles on a forest floor.

For a dish with few ingredients, it is remarkably complex.

If you want to meet your daily

quotient of veggies in one sitting, the “Green” has you covered; actually, it has the entire surface of the pizza covered, with a field’s worth of mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, broccolini and arugula set in béchamel sauce and feta cheese. The vegetables are perfectly cooked so they retain their crunch. The sheer volume can make the pizza a bit unwieldy, though the pleasant flavors make it worth messing your way through the muddle.

Less impressive is the “White,” a béchamel-based pie that proved overly sweet with whole, charred grapes and lemon zest. Prosciutto is meant to balance the sweetness with a salty punch, but the grapes overtook it. The effect of the grape-citrus blend was reminiscent of sangria — not a bad thing in a glass over ice, but a bit unsettling on a pizza.

Continued on pg 39

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Hugo’s sole dessert, a blondie, is topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. | MABEL SUEN

HUGO’S PIZZERIA Continued from pg 37 The “Hot Chicken” pizza, however, is revelatory in its ability to be both sweet and fiery at the same time.

The key is the base of sriracha red sauce that simulates the sweetened chile oil glaze given to Nashville-style hot fried chicken. At Hugo’s, the chicken component comes in the form of housemade buffalo chicken pepperoni, sort of a hot wing in charcuterie form. Pine nuts underscore the sauce’s subtle sweetness with their pop of perfume, while shredded mozzarella and crunchy celery add a cooling component. If you need more relief, the pizza comes with a side of creamy (and terrific) housemade ranch dressing.

Hugo’s serves more than pizza, of course. There are a handful of salads, including one that pairs broccolini with pistachios, red onion, feta and jalapeño vinaigrette. It’s a refreshing break from the cheese-covered carbs. A simple crock of meatballs are enlivened with fresh herbs and Hugo’s piquant red sauce. Baked with mozzarella cheese, they make for an appetizer that could count as a meal. Sauteed Brussels sprouts

are another standout, gilded with a balsamic reduction and paired with hunks of house-cured bacon.

All are delightful, but if the choice comes down to foregoing first courses to saving room for dessert, there is no question. Hugo’s only has one choice for sweets, as if to cut to the chase. There’s nothing that could come close to the “Blondie Supreme Royale,” a molten, caramel-rich blondie served searing hot from the oven in a cast-iron pan.

This decadent confection is like the Transformers of dessert: part bread pudding, part half-baked chocolate chip cookie and part blondie lava cake, topped by a scoop of caramel sauce-gilded vanilla ice cream and all working in concert to bring forth something greater than the sum of its parts.

It’s hard to say what that blondie is: A cake? A brownie? A cookie? As Bailey has proven with the style of pizza on offer at Hugo’s, it doesn’t matter. With something this delicious, who cares what you call it? n Hugo’s Pizzeria

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SHORT ORDERS

[SIDE DISH]

A Chef With Food in the Family Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

G

rowing up, food was both a blessing and a curse for Heidi Hamamura, now of Guerrilla Street Food (multiple locations including 3559 Arsenal Street, 314-529-1328). On the one hand, it was the way she connected with her dad, acclaimed sushi chef Naomi “Hama” Hamamura, as they spent his only day off each week cooking together.

“We spent the day making these amazing meals together,” Hamamura recalls. “As I got older, I would see these recipes, and I would make them for my dad to see his reaction.”

However, the reason their day together was so precious to Hamamura was because her dad’s busy schedule kept him away much of the time. As a chef he worked as many as three jobs to support his family before eventually opening up his own restaurant, Sansui (and also, later, Sansui West). And as Hamamura grew older, she was often pulled out of school to help out there.

“He always needed help in the restaurant, so I would get pulled out of class to work,” Hamamura recalls. “I was a straight-A student, but it got to the point where I couldn’t pass because of attendance. Finally, I told them, ‘Listen, I’m going to just quit school and help you full time.’”

Though Hamamura left behind her studies in fine arts, she still did not see herself pursuing food as a profession. But when family reasons compelled the chef at Sansui to leave suddenly for Japan, Hamamura found herself thrown on the line. She learned working side by side with her father and quickly realized that she had a natural talent.

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Heidi Hamamura will be the chef at Guerrilla Street Food’s new location. | VIRGINIA HAROLD Hamamura eventually left St. Louis for Florida to pursue a career in fashion design. However, after some harrowing personal struggles, she returned to St. Louis with only the clothes on her back. She was in an emotionally dark place, and her father pleaded with her to get out of the house as a way to bolster her spirits. The only place she could muster the courage to go to was the office at his restaurant.

There, she camped out, eating, researching recipes and reading his cookbooks.

She began baking for the restaurant, and as she watched their regulars respond positively to her desserts, she gradually got her confidence back. “Seeing that they were happy made me happy,” Hamamura says. “I love feeding people, and when I am stressed out, it gets my mind away from the crap.”

Hamamura decided she needed to branch out and learn as much as she could about different cuisines.

Italian piqued her interest, so she got a job working for Jamie Tochtrop at Stellina Pasta Cafe. “Since my dad’s restaurant is Japanese we

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

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get most of our stuff from Japan through a Chicago purveyor,” she explains. “Jamie is an amazing chef and taught me so much about all the different local places you can source from. It was an eye-opening experience.”

Hamamura left Stellina to help a friend run a downtown nightclub, and then found herself back in the kitchen at the global tapas restaurant Mosaic, which has since closed. From there, she worked at a few sushi restaurants, the St. Louis Country Club and Hiro Asian Kitchen before leaving the industry for a while to have her son.

She returned to cooking as the pastry chef at United Provisions, but after the store shut down the program, she went back to work at Hiro, which felt like a culinary home. Working for owner Bernie Lee, Hamamura learned a variety of different styles of Asian cooking and techniques — everything from Cantonese to Taiwanese to Malaysian.

Hamamura thought she would stay at Hiro for a while, but when Ben Grupe of Elaia called and of-

fered her a job as his sous chef, she couldn’t refuse. “I’d always said that if Ben Grupe were to open a restaurant I would drop everything and totally go,” recalls Hamamura.

“And a week later, he did. The stuff he knows is amazing and unlike anything I’d ever seen. It was the best job I’d ever had.”

Though she loved working at Elaia, the evening hours were difficult as a single mother. She began helping Brian Hardesty and Joel Crespo of Guerrilla Street Food here and there, and eventually they asked her to come on board full time as the executive chef of their forthcoming Delmar location. There, she will be executing the restaurant’s classic dishes even while having the creative freedom to make other aspects of the menu her own.

Hamamura is thrilled with the opportunity, most importantly because it allows her to learn about yet another cuisine: Filipino. She credits her drive to understand as many different cooking styles as possible for giving her such an eclectic array of experiences.

“I just find it all so interesting,” Hamamura says. “My dad always told me that you have to find a job that you love doing. To me, this feels like play.”

Hamamura took a break from the kitchen to share her thoughts on the St. Louis food and beverage scene, her love of movement and why she’s like a chile pepper.

What is one thing people don’t know about you that you wish they did?

That I’m a trained Chinese reflexology masseuse. Need a massage?

Haha.

What daily ritual is non-negotiable for you?

Movement. Being a single mama makes me drained out sometimes, but no matter how much life takes out of me, I still try to move. If I’m not working, I’m either at the park with my son, at the gym or just anything to stay motivated — not just for myself, but for my son. The only time I slow down to rest is when I’m sleeping.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Omni-linguism. It’s the ability to

understand and speak any form of language.

What is the most positive trend in food that you’ve noticed in St. Louis over the past year?

All the affordable, fast-casual, diverse cuisines that have been popping up everywhere. I love how the food scene is becoming more open to other cultures.

What is one thing missing or that you’d like to see in the local food and beverage scene?

I wish someone would open a sake bar with Japanese street food.

If St. Louis was introduced to Japanese street food with an array of sake and beer, it would definitely be a big hit. Sake is way under-appreciated.

Who is your St. Louis food or drink crush?

Chef Tello Carreon and Chef Malou Perez-Nievera. They both make food with the most important ingredient in a kitchen, and that’s love. Every bite of anything they make makes you scream for more.

I’m seriously lucky to have both of them as friends and people I look up to. Their passion for food and their amazing talents to feed your soul with happiness is motivational and inspiring. My drink crush is Drew Lucido from Taste. He made me fall in love with gin. He creates some of the most amazing drinks.

They all had me at “try this.”

Who’s the one person to watch right now in the St. Louis food and beverage scene?

My mentor chef, Ben Grupe, at Elaia. Being his sous chef was the most exciting time of my life. He is seriously one of the most inspiring chefs that I have worked for. His food is not just beautiful on the plate but is an amazing experience.

If you haven’t had the chance to try his food yet, you are seriously missing out.

Which ingredient is most representative of your personality?

I have been told that I remind people of a Thai chile pepper. I’m small, spicy, pack a lot of heat and can bring a dish a lot of flavor. You should never underestimate a tiny little pepper.

If someone asked you to describe the current state of St. Louis’ food and beverage climate, what would you say?

It’s come a long way, with a wide diversity of international foods that are affordable. Ten years ago, it was either fine dining or bar food.

Now there is still amazing fine dining but also an array of affordable fast-casual international food options that are traditional or fusion and filled with deliciousness.

If you weren’t working in the restaurant business, what would you be doing?

I would be a potter/ceramist/ sculptor. I love anything hands on and making one-of-a-kind works of art.

Name an ingredient never allowed in your restaurant.

The only thing that I have ever come across that made me shake my head in disgust was when I was working at a sushi bar back in the day and saw a powder that the cooks were putting inside the rice before cooking it. When I asked the cooks what it was, they had no clue.

I asked my dad what it was, and he told me that the powder is used to make cheap rice look shiny and fluffy, and that he couldn’t believe they use it because it was more expensive to do that than actually buying premium sushi-grade rice.

Things like that would never be in my kitchen. It’s gross and disgusting.

What is your after-work hangout?

I am either at home with my son cooking with him, cuddled up with him watching a movie, or I’m at the gym. The only time you would ever see me out late after work is if it was a night that I didn’t have my son and Aaron Kamm and the One Drops just happen to be playing that night at a venue somewhere.

What’s your edible or quaffable guilty pleasure?

Gjetost. This cheese is my weakness.

What would be your last meal on earth?

If I had to choose, it would definitely be a huge plate of the finest sashimi or a Kobe steak from Japan with a fat piece of seared foie gras on top. My last drink with either meal would have to be the Hakushika Gold Yamadanishiki. It’s a premium Junmai sake with gold flakes. My mouth is watering just thinking about this meal! n

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[FOOD NEWS]

[FIRST LOOK]

A DINER WITH FLAIR IN NORTH COUNTY

Be Brave at Yellowbelly

I

Written by

ELIZABETH SEMKO

T

he arrival of Shake Shack wasn’t the only good food news to hit the Central West End last week. Travis Howard and Tim Wiggins of Retreat Gastropub (2 N. Sarah Street, 314-261-4497) also announced plans to open a second concept in the neighborhood in mid-2018.

Dubbed Yellowbelly, the restaurant and bar will be “a sea and spirits concept,” with a seafood-centric menu and a beverage program focused on rum, craft beer, wines by the glass, cocktails and more. Yellowbelly will be situated at 4659 Lindell Boulevard, located in the Citizen Park building that sits at the corner of Euclid and Lindell.

“Our location is right in the heart of the exciting development in the Central West End from Whole Foods to Shake Shack,” Howard said in a prepared statement. “With residents located right above us, Yellowbelly will be a place for the neighborhood — an everyday hangout where anyone can come relax and enjoy a new experience.”

According to the press release, Yellowbelly will offer “serious, but fun” cocktails and food, evoking “a sense of play” with a “bright, clean design.”

As for the food, the menu will focus on West Coast cuisine and feature the freshest seafood available along with seasonal fruits and vegetables. You’ll find raw seafood options, including crudo and ceviche, in addition to seafood entrees such as whole fish. If those flavors aren’t up your alley, you’ll also find small plates, entrees and more with “approachable American fare” — including a burger, if that’s more your speed.

Per the press release, architect Nick Adams will handle the decor, which will have a California coastal feel. The 3,000-squarefoot space will accommodate 90 to 95 people, along with 40 more

Tim Wiggins, left, and Travis Howard. | COURTESY OF ANDREW TRINH PHOTOGRAPHY

Rum will play a key role on the drinks list. | COURTESY OF ANDREW TRINH PHOTOGRAPHY seats outside. Expect 16-foot ceilings, a complete glass exterior, bamboo-inspired wood and custom artwork on two main walls.

There will also be a geometric installation over the fifteen-seat quartz bar, along with a glass tile backsplash.

So, you may be wondering — why “Yellowbelly”? The name is inspired by “yellow-bellied” tropical fish and birds. It also pokes at the term “yellow-belly,” meaning coward. The name stands as a playful dare to try new things, and throughout the restaurant you’ll see calls to “be brave” — something that Wiggins, Yellowbelly’s bar manager, is personally looking to do with the beverage program.

“We want to evoke a sense of adventure at Yellowbelly and of-

fer a new, energetic dining and drinking experience,” Wiggins said in the release. “Rum is a passion of mine, and no one in St. Louis is focusing so intently on the spirit. It allows me to not only challenge myself, but also have an open, fun conversation with our guests.”

As you can imagine, these won’t be just any old rum cocktails. These signature drinks will be offered in cheeky custom glassware and have names inspired by tropical fish traits and names, including the “Green Terror,” “Cherry Barb Punch” and “Rummy Nose Torpedo.”

Despite the playful, bold drink selections, though, Wiggins stresses, “It won’t be a tiki bar.”

For more about Yellowbelly, n visit yellowbellystl.com. riverfronttimes.com

f you’ve ever dreamt of leaving your longtime profession to follow your passion, you might find that Jeffery Reed would prove a good role model.

Even as he toiled as a supervisor for Express Scripts, Reed ran a weekend walkup burger stand, making box lunches at a flea market on Highway 370. “We were so busy we always ran out of food before we ran out of customers, so one day my wife and I made a decision,” Reed says.

“I handed in my suit and tie and didn’t look back.”

And so Big Boyz Burgers and More (6130 Madison Avenue, Berkeley; 314528-6111) was born. After retooling an old neighborhood grill into a cute diner-style eatery with ’50s touches, Reed and his wife Regina celebrated the grand opening on November 18.

Big Boyz offers a broad selection of St. Louis favorites, from fried rice to chicken and waffles. Says Reed, “We really wanted to offer a variety of foods everyone could enjoy.” While the restaurant offers monster dishes like a four-patty handmade burger layered with cheese (the “Big Boy Cheesy Monster”) and the “Choppie Choppie,” which includes two large pork chops, garlic parmesan fries, a side salad and a buttery roll, the real deal is the un-believably hot hot wings. Reed mixes Texas scorpion pepper, ghost pepper, California reapers and a special blend of secret spices into a wing so fierce that you must sign a waiver to eat it. Make it through a pound of these bad boys, and your name will forever be in red on the Big Boyz wall of fame.

Big Boyz makes its own special fried rice, mixed with shrimp, chicken, pork and veggies. Reed swears it’s the best in town. “People love the special fried rice, and I think people like being able to come to a place where they can get fried rice but also a Philly,” he says.

But the house favorite would have to be the chicken and waffles — and Big Boyz’s charmingly retro cafe is a serendipitous environment for eating them.

These waffles are sweet, fluffy and slightly crisp, with a pair of chicken wings scalded to perfection and laid across the top ready to be drenched in maple syrup.

Big Boyz lets kids eat free on Thursdays; it also offers weekly specials. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It’s closed Mondays. Reed is also willing to do catering for special events.

—Jessy Kinzel

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

RIVERFRONT TIMES

43

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

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[SHOPPING]

‘Mac’ Opens a Market Written by

LAUREN MILFORD

C

hris McKenzie, better known as “Mac,” has been in the food business for a long time, but he’s recently started a new venture in Dogtown — Mac’s Local Buys Market (1221 Tamm Avenue). The shop specializes in local food made in small batches, from fresh-baked bread to dryaged, grass-fed beef.

McKenzie, who got his start in the food business with the CSA Mac’s Local Buys, is now the chef at Mac’s Local Eats, a well-reviewed burger joint inside Tamm Avenue Bar. The adjacent market space is a side project he’s been working to get up and running since this summer. After quietly opening its doors on Black Friday, the market officially celebrated its grand opening with a “holiday blitz” on December 9.

Nearly everything in the shop comes from within a few hundred miles of St. Louis. Its shelves hold Banner Road Baking Company granola, made by former Pastaria executive pastry chef Anne Croy; Core + Rind’s vegan cashew “cheesy” sauce; Kakao hot chocolate; pot pies from Dogtown’s Sugaree bak-

ery; and of course, Dogtown frozen pizzas.

In addition to food items, you’ll find yard games, locally made soaps, stationery, hats, shirts, scarves and more. It’s a small space, but stocked with lots of locally made gems, and McKenzie says there’s more to come.

When he was asked to take over the kitchen at Tamm Avenue Bar, the market storefront was part of the package deal. “It’s a unique setup,” says McKenzie, “a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity.” He has long had connections to local farms through running Mac’s Local Buys, a meat-and-produce subscription, and hopes the market will bring farm-fresh meats and locally made goods to more people.

A sign above the checkout counter expresses the market’s vision perfectly: “Our region is rich with small-batch producers, artisans, and family farms — each one bringing their own unique story.

Thanks for allowing us to share their stories with you.”

The market is open from 10 a.m til 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. And that’s not the only thing cooking on its block in Dogtown: Mac’s Local Eats recently expanded its hours and is now serving lunch and dinner six days a week. The order window inside the bar is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday as well as 11 a.m. till 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Both the market and the restaurant are n closed on Tuesdays.

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DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

RIVERFRONT TIMES

45

®

12/23, 29 & 30

SUNDAY 12/31

SATURDAY 1/6

FEIDAY 1/12

MONDAY 1/15

TUESDAY 1/16

THURSDAY 1/18

FRIDAY 1/19

SATURDAY 1/20

THURSDAY 1/25

FRIDAY 1/26

SATURDAY 1/27

UPCOMING SHOWS 1/29 THE POINT BIRTHMONTH SHOW W/ K.FLAY

2/25 BIANCA DEL RIO

1/30 BØRNS

2/27 NF

2/2 MØ & CASHMERE CAT

3/3 GANJA WHITE NIGHT

2/9 THE POINT BIRTHMONTH SHOW W/ THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS

3/6 TAPE FACE

2/10 JACOB SARTORIUS

3/9 THE OH HELLOS

2/14 EXCISION

3/18 GRAHAM NASH

2/15 BLACKBERRY SMOKE

3/22 ERIC JOHNSON

2/16 JOE RUSSO’S ALMOST DEAD

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thepageantstl.tumblr.com

thepageant.com // 6161 delmar blvd. / St. Louis, MO 63112 // 314.726.6161

46

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DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

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MUSIC

47

[SCREENS]

Fit to Print House of Eight Legs has become local bands’ go-to screenprinter Written by

DANIEL HILL

W

alk into any copy center in the nation, be it FedEx Office or the UPS store or whatever quaint momand-pop operation you frequent, and there are a few things you can count on seeing. A college student seeking to bind a thesis paper. A suit tying up the fax machine. Somebody’s aunt who wants a low-resolution photo of her cat blown up poster-sized.

But if that copy center is a 24hour operation, something more interesting happens when the sun goes down: In come the weirdos.

Maniacs and drifters cobbling together ransom notes with the free scissors and glue on hand.

Grifters forging copies of coupons to be passed off as the real deal at local businesses. And, especially around the turn of the century, when Nathan Prater was an employee at a Kinko’s in St. Peters, bands and musicians copying and pasting fliers and fanzines and album art.

“When you were a kid, Kinko’s was like — it was where sort of cool people worked,” Prater explains.

“It was where you printed your zines, it was just like: Kinko’s was a big deal. So I always wanted a job there.”

A musician himself, Prater especially loved when bands came in. He enjoyed being surrounded by creative people. Sometimes he was even able to hook them up with deals.

“Employees were empowered to do whatever,” he explains. “If it’s a band that’s in there, maybe I just didn’t charge for the cutting or whatever.

“And it’s sort of been a thing all along — even with doing this,” he adds. “I feel like I owe something, I don’t know. The idea of supporting

Nathan Prater (right, with Austin Roberts) recently quit his day job to work full-time on House of Eight Legs. | AUSTIN ROBERTS kids in bands, even though I feel like I’m totally out of touch — it’s still something that I know is so important in my life.”

The “this” to which Prater refers is his screenprinting operation, House of Eight Legs, nestled in an unassuming storefront in the heart of Cherokee Street, next to Spoked. Over the years Prater has certainly shown plenty of support to the local music community he so reveres. He estimates he’s worked with as many as 70 percent of the bands around town since he got his start, becoming the go-to guy for T-shirts and similar band merch, especially for punk and metal bands. Remarkably, nearly all of that business has come through word of mouth; as Prater’s professionalism and skill became known in the industry, House of Eight Legs became one of St. Louis’ worst-kept secrets.

But Prater intends to no longer take a passive approach to marketing his work. At 40, he celebrated a milestone in November when he quit his day job in order to focus his time fully on the business.

Not that he hadn’t already put in

a lot of time: House of Eights Legs has been his baby for more than a decade now.

“I’ve been screenprinting forever, since like 2006 or something, like kind of as a job,” Prater explains. “And I’ve always done basement stuff and that kind of thing.” But two years ago, he got a job doing pre-press work for a corporate printing company; he moved his screenprinting runs to evenings.

The situation left him feeling stretched too thin.

“I just couldn’t imagine sitting there five years from now,” he acknowledges. “I also sort of realized that all these people that went to school for this — I’ve always had a hangup about that because i’m totally self-taught — I realized that, like, I can do this. And I can do this better than most of those people too.”

Though Prater says his years at Kinko’s fueled his passion for printing, he experimented with the art form prior to that. As a member of both the punk band the Paxidils and seminal screamo group Love Lost but Not Forgotten, Prater got riverfronttimes.com

his start making shirts for his own bands. Around 2006 he moved into a tiny space in the back of Firebrand Recording’s studio and began making shirts for other local bands in earnest. A friend since childhood of Firebrand co-owner Brian Scheffer, Prater relished working in an environment where he was surrounded by creative people.

“That was one time when I actually worked around friends.

And nothing feels better,” he says.

“Actually nothing is worse for me than being locked in a place alone, because it feels great, but it’s also depressing.”

In the years that followed, Prater moved into a few different homes with basements; House of Eight Legs came with him. “I always find these nooks and crannies to print in, because I’m not a businessman, so my business model is just to make more money than I spend,” he explains.

But when his corporate day job afforded him a decent financial cushion, Prater took the leap and started renting the Cherokee Street space. His shop opened its doors Continued on pg 49 for the first

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

RIVERFRONT TIMES

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FIND ANY SHOW

IN TOWN

rft ’ s online music listings are now

sortable by artist , venue and price . you can even buy tickets directly from our website

— with

more options on the way !

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You envision it.

We bring it to life.

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6635 delmar blvd - st. louis, mo 63130 - 314.863.8288 48

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The front of the space has a rack of shirts by various artists; the magic happens in the back. | AUSTIN ROBERTS

HOUSE OF EIGHT Continued from pg 47 time last December for the Cherokee Street Print Bazaar. Since then Prater has assembled a staggering amount of talent under its auspices, working with artists including Theresa Moher, Seaby Bess, Austin Roberts and Jerome Gaynor.

Gaynor, who some may remember as the luminary behind the old STLPunk.com website, actually rents a small portion of the space to use as an office for his freelance work, as does Ben Smith, a member of numerous local punk bands, including the much-lauded Lumpy & the Dumpers. Their contributions help Prater make rent. Smith, a web developer, explains that he has a work-from-home job and simply wanted a desk, and describes his role at the shop as “occasionally the guy who lets in the FedEx man.”

Roberts, who is also the vocalist of local hardcore band Q, came into the fold almost by accident. One summer night the shop was hosting a small Game of Thrones watch party. Roberts was just hanging out on Cherokee Street when he saw Smith, whom he knows from punk shows, walk inside.

“I was like, ‘Where is Ben going?

Where is he going, what is this place?’” Roberts explains. “And then I go in and watch Game of Thrones. And then Jerome is there, and I’m like, ‘Oh hey, Jerome.’ And then like I’m like, ‘Whoa, there’s fucking screenprinting shit back here?’ Because I’d been doing it at my house. Like sneaking in to burn screens at my school.”

When Prater put out an open call for help with a project in

September, Roberts was the first to respond. Since then he has become a constant presence at the shop, pitching in wherever he can in exchange for access to Prater’s high-end equipment and wealth of knowledge.

“I don’t believe in internships,” Prater explains. “I want him here because I think I can help him make a couple of bucks and do art.

He makes awesome T-shirt designs, we print them, he sells them and I dig it.

“His adoption is pending,” Prater jokes. “I’m gonna be his legal father soon.”

To hear Prater tell it, he is down to work with anybody who shows a passion for screenprinting. The collection of artists he’s assembled all pitch in in different ways, some financially, some creatively. Prater’s roster of clients, which he has built up over more than a decade in business, keeps the lights on. “It all started with bands, but every band has five people in it, and those people all have an uncle who has a barbecue trailer or something,” he explains.

So Prater now, again, finds himself in a work environment where he is surrounded by creative people — exactly where he wants to be.

His plans for the future are vague at best, but with as much talent as he has assembled so far, the sky is the limit.

And of course, more creative types are welcome.

“I like doing what I do, but I don’t feel like I have the art chops that some of these guys do,” he says.

“I’m all about like — the door is open for anybody who wants to come here and just do it.” n

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ALEX RUWE BAND CHRISTMAS SHOW 9pm

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MIA BORDERS TRIO FROM NEW ORLEANS 10pm

sat. december 23

AARON KAMM AND THE ONE DROPS CHRISTMAS SHOW 10pm

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51

52

OUT EVERY NIGHT

THURSDAY 21 EL MONSTERO: 8 p.m.; Dec. 22, 8 p.m.; Dec. 23,

University City, 314-421-3600.

[CRITIC’S PICK]

EL MONSTERO: Dec. 21, 8 p.m.; Dec. 22, 8 p.m.;

8 p.m.; Dec. 28, 8 p.m.; Dec. 29, 8 p.m.; Dec. 30,

8 p.m.; Dec. 28, 8 p.m.; Dec. 29, 8 p.m.; Dec. 30,

8 p.m., $27.50-$75. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar

8 p.m., $27.50-$75. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar

Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

HIP HOP MUSIC SHOWCASE: 7 p.m., $10-$15. The

THE FUCK OFF AND DIES: w/ Bruiser Queen, The

Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353.

Radio Buzzkills 7 p.m., $10-$12. The Firebird,

KIM MASSIE: 10:30 p.m., $10. Beale on Broad-

2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353.

way, 701 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-7880.

THE GREEN MCDONOUGH BAND: 3 p.m., free.

NOEL-A-THON: 6 p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues &

Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-

Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.

773-5565.

ONE TOO MANY A CAPELLA: 7 p.m., $12-$15. The

KILBORN ALLEY BLUES BAND: 10 p.m., $10. BB’s

Stage at KDHX, 3524 Washington Ave, St. Louis,

Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis,

314-925-7543, ext. 815.

314-436-5222.

PAUL BONN & THE BLUESMEN: 8 p.m., free.

NOVENA: 8 p.m., $7. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359

Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-

Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100.

773-5565.

PETE AYRES BAND: w/ Fresh Heir, Malena Smith

PETER MAYER GROUP: 7 p.m., $15-$30. The

8 p.m., $10-$12. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St.,

Sheldon, 3648 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, 314-

St. Louis, 314-588-0505.

533-9900.

SMINO: 8 p.m., $21-$26. Delmar Hall, 6133 Del-

ST. LOUIS INDEPENDENT COMEDY PRESENTS: A

mar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

SPECIAL HOLIDAY COMEDY SHOW WITH A RIDICU-

TOM HALL: 7 p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups,

LOUSLY LONG NAME THAT WE COULDN’T FIGURE

700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.

OUT HOW TO SHORTEN: 9 p.m., $5. The Heavy An-

THE U-TURNS: 9 p.m., free. Pat Connolly Tavern,

chor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226.

6400 Oakland Ave., St. Louis, 314-647-7287.

A WINTER WONDERLAND CONCERT: 8 p.m., $12.

TORTUGA CD RELEASE: w/ the Aught Naughts 8

Hell Night. | DANIEL HILL

p.m., free. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-498-6989.

YOUNG ZOO: w/ JABBstract, KingTalbo, BIGG-K, Che Sanchez, Ace Propane, Chino G, Jhane Lashay, Trill Vibez, Scott Hewitt, TripMO, KN5L / Phantom squad, A.MO,, Arlynno Adidas, bloodyjay, CassoTheGreat, Damu Phresh & Da Gang, Domo Ace 6 p.m., $12-$15. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050.

FRIDAY 22 ARISSA BALL MEMORIAL FESTIVAL: w/ Silence The Witness, Hallow Point, Torn at the Seams, We Are Descendents, Summits, Bury Odessa, Marked by Honor, Toddler Fight Club, Hollow, Arkangela, Dr. Dick Ramirez 6 p.m., $5. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050.

COFFEE BREAK: w/ Ken Warner 5 p.m., $7. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100.

EL MONSTERO: Dec. 21, 8 p.m.; 8 p.m.; Dec. 23, 8 p.m.; Dec. 28, 8 p.m.; Dec. 29, 8 p.m.; Dec. 30,

Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050.

SUNDAY 24

Hell Night 8 p.m. Friday, December 22.

The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway. $10. 314-3282309.

Move over Santa, there’s a new annual gift-giver in town — and the presents on offer are way better than that crap your elves have been cobbling. We’re referring, of course, to Hell Night, St. Louis’ premier peddler of metal-damaged hardcore punk. With its “Cancersise” single, the band is now on its fourth consecutive year of Christmastime releases (“The Sequel” is on the b-side).

If Hell Night’s past output is any indication, expect buzzsaw guitars, piercing

vocals and hard-hitting drums running classic rock and hair-metal riffs through a Bad Brains filter. Hell Night is fast, catchy and heavier than a dump truck full of bowling balls — just the music you need to survive this holiday season.

Come Early: Opening the show will be Slow Damage and Dracla. The former is a new project from members of Everything Went Black, Cult Season and Lobby Boxer; this is its first show.

The latter is heavy on the Sabbath worship and fronted by a vampire.

Both demand your attention.

—Daniel Hill

8 p.m., $27.50-$75. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar

BLACK & WHITE BAND: 5 p.m., $10. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-7722100.

ERIK BROOKS: 8 p.m., free. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-773-5565.

IRENE ALLEN: 8 p.m., free. Yaqui’s on Cherokee, 2728 Cherokee St, St. Louis, 314-400-7712.

KEY GRIP: w/ 3 Of 5, Drew Gowran, Paper Kite 8 p.m., free. CBGB, 3163 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis.

LOVE JONES “THE BAND”: 8 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314436-5222.

SOUL REUNION: 10:30 p.m., $7. Beale on Broadway, 701 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-7880.

MONDAY 25 JAKE’S LEG CHRISTMAS SHOW: 8 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.

THE NATIVE SONS: 8 p.m., free. 1860 Saloon,

Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

& Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-436-

THE POTOMAC ACCORD: w/ Catholic Guilt 9 p.m.,

Game Room & Hardshell Cafe, 1860 S. Ninth St.,

THE GOES: w/ Daytime Television, Fragile Farm,

5222.

free. CBGB, 3163 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis.

St. Louis, 314-231-1860.

Grain 9 p.m., $7. The Heavy Anchor, 5226

MARQUISE KNOX BAND: 10 p.m., $10. BB’s Jazz,

ROLAND JOHNSON & THE SOUL ENDEAVORS: 9

SOULARD BLUES BAND: 9 p.m., $5. Broadway

Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314-352-5226.

Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-

p.m., $3. Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St.

Oyster Bar, 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-

HELL NIGHT: w/ Dracla, Slow Damage 8 p.m., $7.

436-5222.

Louis, 314-773-5565.

8811.

The Sinkhole, 7423 South Broadway, St. Louis,

MEMORIAL FOR TOM PETTY: w/ Sean Canan’s Voo-

TEAR OUT THE HEART: w/ Final Drive, For The

TIM ALBERT & STOVEHANDLE DAN: 7 p.m., free.

314-328-2309.

doo Players 9 p.m., $12-$15. Delmar Hall, 6133

City, Make Room 6 p.m., $15-$17. The Firebird,

Hammerstone’s, 2028 S. 9th St., St. Louis, 314-

HO HO HO POP PUNK SHOW: w/ The Zealots,

Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161.

2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353.

773-5565.

Sleepwell, Common Curtesy, Cedar Green, Dear

PHAT BUDDHA 2017 HOLIDAY BALL: w/ Ol Skool,

TIM PILCHER & MONICA LORD: w/ Solid Waste,

TOMMY HALLORAN: 8 p.m., free. Yaqui’s on Cher-

Agony, Titians In Time 7 p.m., $10-$13. The Fire-

Zion, Nite Owl, The Scandaleros 8 p.m., $5. The

Oxherding 9 p.m., $5. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359

okee, 2728 Cherokee St, St. Louis, 314-400-7712.

bird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353.

Bootleg, 4140 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314-

Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100.

KENNY GEORGE BAND: 8 p.m., $10-$12. The Stage

775-0775.

at KDHX, 3524 Washington Ave, St. Louis, 314-

PILCHER / LORD: w/ Solid Waste, Oxherding 8

SATURDAY 23

925-7543, ext. 815.

p.m., $7. Foam Coffee & Beer, 3359 Jefferson

BANDTOGETHER HOLIDAY CONCERT 2017: 8 p.m.,

p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broad-

LEROY JODIE PIERSON: 7 p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues

Ave., St. Louis, 314-772-2100.

free. The 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity Ave.,

way, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.

52

RIVERFRONT TIMES

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

riverfronttimes.com

TUESDAY 26 BLIND WILLIE & THE BROADWAY COLLECTIVE: 9:30

[CRITIC’S PICK]

K NEW YEARS EVE

elly s

Sean Canan’s Vood Players. | THEO WELLING

Sean Canan’s Voodoo Players Tribute to Tom Petty 8 p.m. Friday, December 22.

Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Boulevard. $15. 314-7266161.

Look at local show calendars and you’ll note the number of venues packed with either holiday-related shows or tribute concerts — to wit, the pig-flying, wall-building behemoth that is the El Monstero Pink Floyd tribute will be setting up camp at the Pageant until the new year. Right next door at Delmar Hall comes a tribute on a smaller scale but with a big heart; Sean Canan’s Voodoo Players pay tribute to

the dear, departed Tom Petty and his Heartbreakers with an airing of his best-loved songs. The Voodoo Players have had a characteristically busy year, with weekly rotating cover sets at the Broadway Oyster Bar each Wednesday and some larger scale shows throughout (including a memorable memorial for Prince in April). But given Petty’s sudden and still-shocking passing this fall, this weekend’s tribute will have special resonance.

Voodoo, Who Do? Canan’s roster is constantly churning, often bringing in members of the Mighty Pines, the Provels and the Dogtown All-Stars.

314-436-5222.

Witz, $5/$10. Elmo’s Love Lounge, 7828 Olive

BOONDOGGLE: A TWO-MAN COMEDY SHOW: 9 p.m.,

Blvd, University City, 314-282-5561.

$5. The Heavy Anchor, 5226 Gravois Ave., St.

KIM MASSIE: 10:30 p.m., $10. Beale on Broad-

Louis, 314-352-5226.

way, 701 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-621-7880.

POKEY LAFARGE: 8 p.m.; Dec. 28, 8 p.m., $20-$22.

LADY RE’S “JUST FOR LAUGHS”: 7 p.m., $10. BB’s

Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis, 314-

Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis,

498-6989.

314-436-5222.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT JAZZ CRAWL: 5 p.m. continues

POKEY LAFARGE SOLO PERFORMANCE: 8 p.m.,

through, free. The Stage at KDHX, 3524 Wash-

$25. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave., St. Louis,

ington Ave, St. Louis, 314-925-7543, ext. 815.

THE UNDERDOGS: 7 p.m., $10-$12. The Firebird,

THIS JUST IN

2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353.

BEARINGS: W/ Hold Close, Name It Now, Tue.,

WEDNESDAY 27

Feb. 6, 6 p.m., $13. Fubar, 3108 Locust St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050, fubarstl.com.

BIG RICH MCDONOUGH & RHYTHM RENEGADES: 7

BILL FORNESS & ONE MORE ROUND: A TRIBUTE

p.m., $5. BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broad-

TO JOHNNY CASH: Sat., Jan. 13, 6 p.m., $49.50.

way, St. Louis, 314-436-5222.

Liuna Event Center, 4532 S. Lindbergh, St.

BOB “BUMBLE BEE” KAMOSKE: 10 p.m., $5. BB’s

Louis, 314-226-1010, liunaeventcenter.com.

Jazz, Blues & Soups, 700 S. Broadway, St. Louis,

& KARAOKE

PARTY

—Christian Schaeffer

JAMAICA LIVE TUESDAYS: w/ Ital K, Mr. Roots, DJ

314-498-6989.

DANCE

NO COVER - NO PACKAGE NO RESERVATIONS

JUST GREAT TIMES AT GOOD TIMES LIKE & FOLLOW US on FACEBOOK @goodtimes.patio.bar

Continued on pg 54

riverfronttimes.com

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

RIVERFRONT TIMES

53

WAITING FO

THIS JUST IN Continued from pg 53

Sat., Jan. 1

mar Blvd., com.

WORLD WA

Fri., Feb. 2

Louis, 314

YOUNG ZOO

Che Sanch

Lashay, Tr

/ Phantom

bloodyjay,

Gang, Dom

Fubar, 310

fubarstl.co

[CRITIC’S PICK]

THIS W Mia Borders. | ZACK SMITH

Marked by

Arkangela

10 p.m. Friday, December 22.

Unless you’re an obsessive follower of New Orleans music, you get a pass on not knowing Mia Borders from M.I.A. But given her decade-long career and prolific recordings (nine releases in as many years), Borders deserves a bigger audience outside the Big Easy festivals and juke joints. With a deep, supple tenor voice, somewhere between a young Irma Thomas and Etta James wandering into a jazz lounge, and a

The Witne

We Are De

Mia Borders Trio Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 South Broadway. $8.

314-621-8811.

ARISSA BA

restless, at times blasphemous way with roots music styles, Borders is the real deal. Last year’s Fever Dreams has a cool pop sheen (drum machines!) and a flirtation with reggae-funk, but mostly serves to showcase her ever-maturing songwriting and instinctive phrasing. See her now before she takes over the neo-R&B world.

Tattoo You: On her guitar-slinging arm, Borders sports a defiant Che Guevara quote: “Better to die standing than to live on your knees.” —Roy Kasten

p.m., $5. F 289-9050,

BANDTOGE Dec. 23, 8

Trinity Av

BIG RICH M

Wed., Dec.

Soups, 700

bbsjazzblu

BLACK & W

Foam Coff

Louis, 314

BLIND WILL Tue., Dec.

Soups, 700

bbsjazzblu

BOB “BUM

10 p.m., $5

When it comes to crafting real taste in our blends, two ingredients are all we’ve ever needed.

Tobacco Ingredients: Tobacco & Water Discover our difference at AmericanSpirit.com*

CIGARETTES *Website restricted to age 21+ smokers 54

RIVERFRONT TIMES

St. Louis Riverfront Times 12-21-17.indd 1

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

©2017 SFNTC (4)

THE CLASSIC CRIME: W/ Matt & Toby, Wed.,

Jay Vee, Tue., March 13, 8 p.m., $15. The Fire-

Broadway

Feb. 28, 6 p.m., $22-$40. Fubar, 3108 Locust St,

bird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis, 314-535-0353,

soups.com

St. Louis, 314-289-9050, fubarstl.com.

firebirdstl.com.

BOB “BUM

GAELIC STORM: Tue., Feb. 27, 8 p.m., $25-$30.

THE OLD SOULS REVIVAL RECORD RELEASE: W/

p.m. Beale

Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-

Pono A.M., Sat., Jan. 13, 8 p.m., $10-$12. Old

Louis, 314

588-0505, oldrockhouse.com.

Rock House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-

BOONDOGG

HARMS WAY: W/ Ringworm, Vein, Queensway,

0505, oldrockhouse.com.

Dec. 27, 9

Sat., March 17, 7 p.m., $15. Fubar, 3108 Locust

PALLBEARER: W/ Ruby The Hatchet, Fister,

Gravois Av

St, St. Louis, 314-289-9050, fubarstl.com.

Thu., March 1, 8 p.m., $15-$18. The Ready

heavyanch

KAHSAN: W/ Jhai, Iso, Travis Teel Page, Sat.,

Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-

COFFEE BR

Jan. 27, 7 p.m., $15. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar

833-3929, thereadyroom.com.

5 p.m., $7.

Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161, delmarhall.

PETTY CASH JUNCTION: Sat., Feb. 10, 8 p.m.,

Ave., St. Lo

com.

$15-$17.50. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd.,

EL MONSTE

LIL XAN: Sat., Feb. 17, 7 p.m., $15-$18. The

St. Louis, 314-726-6161, delmarhall.com.

8 p.m.; Sat

Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis,

RHEA BUTCHER: Fri., April 13, 8 p.m., $20. The

Fri., Dec. 2

314-833-3929, thereadyroom.com.

Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis,

$75. The P

LUH HALF: W/ 3 Problems, Benji Brothers, Fri.,

314-833-3929, thereadyroom.com.

314-726-61

Jan. 26, 9 p.m., $15-$25. The Ready Room,

SAM BUSH: $25. Old Rock House, 1200 S. 7th

THE FUCK O

4195 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, 314-833-3929,

St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505, oldrockhouse.com.

Radio Buz

thereadyroom.com.

SISTER HAZEL: W/ Carbon Leaf, Thu., Feb. 22,

The Firebi

MELVIN SEALS & JGB: W/ The Travelin’ Mc-

8 p.m., $25-$28. Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar

0353, fireb

Courys, Sat., March 17, 8 p.m., $30. Old Rock

Blvd., St. Louis, 314-726-6161, delmarhall.com.

THE GOES:

House, 1200 S. 7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505,

THE DOUBLE DOWN SHOWDOWN: CHILI & MAC N’

Grain, Fri.

oldrockhouse.com.

TODRICK HALL: Sat., April 14, 7 p.m., $30-$35.

chor, 5226

MIPSO: W/ Ben Sollee & Kentucky Native, Tue.,

Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis,

theheavya

March 6, 8 p.m., $15. Old Rock House, 1200 S.

314-726-6161, delmarhall.com.

THE GREEN

7th St., St. Louis, 314-588-0505, oldrockhouse.

THE UNDERDOGS: Tue., Dec. 26, 7 p.m., $10-

p.m., free.

com.

$12. The Firebird, 2706 Olive St., St. Louis,

Louis, 314

NOTHING,NOWHERE.: W/ Shinigami, Lil Lotus,

314-535-0353, firebirdstl.com.

HELL NIGH

riverfronttimes.com 11/9/17 9:46 AM

SAVAGE LOVE LOVING LESBIANS

BY DAN SAVAGE Hey, Dan: I am a 22-year-old Italian man, 100 percent straight, sensitive and sporty. I have been reading Savage Love for years in Internazionale.

I have one question for you: Why do I always fall in love with lesbians? Why do I instantly fall in love with girls who have that something more in their eyes?

Something melancholy and perhaps insecure? Girls whom I’d rather protect and embrace than take to bed? The last three girls who fit this description all turned out to be lesbians. The last girl with whom this happened told me it was my “Red Cross” mind-set that made me fall in love with girls who are insecure/ sad/melancholy, so I have a sort of selection bias that excludes most straight girls I meet. I do not believe this, because the world is full of straight girls who need saving. So why then, Dan? WHY? I have a girlfriend. I truly love her. I am afraid that one day she is going to tell me she’s gay too. She always talks with me about a new super-cute female friend. Is she a lesbian? I have recently met another girl, super empathetic. She is gay, and I knew it after an all-night conversation in my car listening to Cigarettes After Sex. Why do I always fall in love with gay girls? Can I love two people at the same time? I’m freaking.

Increasingly Tormented About Lesbian Yearnings There’s a lot going on in your letter, ITALY, so I’m going to take your questions one at a time…

1. Maybe you always fall in love with lesbians or maybe this was a series of

coincidences — by pure chance you fell for more than one woman who turned out to be a lesbian — and, hey, since you’re probably going to love a few more women over the course of your life, ITALY, that “always” seems a bit premature. It’s also possible you find women with a certain degree of masculine energy and/or swagger attractive, and women with that swagger are somewhat likelier to be lesbians, slightly upping your chances of falling in love with four girls-who-turned-outto-be-lesbians in a row.

Personally, ITALY, I’m attracted to guys with a certain degree of feminine swagger and, needless to say, these guys are likelier to be gay. But while almost all effeminate guys are gay, masculine swagger in women is less stigmatized and therefore somewhat less likely to correlate as strongly with lesbianism. Women with masculine swagger and men with feminine swagger are also likely to be self-conscious about their gender-nonconforming traits, particularly when they’re young and/or not yet out, and that can read as melancholy and/or insecurity.

2. Women don’t need “saving.” They need respect, they need to be taken seriously, they need bodily autonomy, and they need loving partners and political allies.

3. Your girlfriend may be a lesbian — anyone could in these highly fluid days, even me. But if your girlfriend isn’t straight, ITALY, she’s likelier to be bisexual, seeing as there are roughly three times as many bi women as there are lesbian women. And if she seems gayer now than when you met, that could be because you landed a straight girl who had been suppressing her masculine swagger — which many

men don’t find attractive — and she’s consciously or subconsciously come to the realization that she doesn’t have to play the girly girl around you to hold your attention. Quite the opposite, in fact.

4. It’s entirely possible to love more than one person at a time. Just as we are capable of loving more than one parent, child, sibling, friend and television show at a time, we can love more than one romantic partner at a time.

But we’re told that romantic love is a zero-sum game so often, it has become a self-fulfilling/relationship-destroying prophecy. It’s a myth that harms not just people who might want to be with two people, but partnered monogamous people as well. A person who is convinced he can feel romantic love for only one person at a time will doubt his love for a long-term partner if he develops a crush on someone new.

He’ll say to himself, “I couldn’t possibly feel this way about this barista if I was still in love with my partner of 10 years.” But those feelings can exist side by side — stable, secure, lasting love for a long-term partner and an intense infatuation (most likely fleeting) for a new person.

5. Cigarettes After Sex were on a boat in the Arabian Sea — they sent the pics to prove it—when I reached them about your dilemma. Drummer Jacob Tomsky said: “About loving more than one person at the same time, a Gabriel García Márquez quote from Love in the Time of Cholera comes to mind: ‘My heart has more rooms than a whorehouse.’ Your heart will surprise you with its duplicity.” Or its capacity. Keyboardist Phillip Tubbs wanted to share a Morrissey line with you: “’Cause I want the one I can’t have

55

and it’s driving me mad.” Lead singer Greg Gonzalez declined to comment.

6. Maybe it’s not an accident that you keep falling for lesbians. There are lots of straight men out there who have a thing for dykes. It’s entirely possible that you aren’t worried your girlfriend is a lesbian, ITALY, but secretly hoping she is. Good luck!

Hey, Dan: My boyfriend and I have been together for five years. We have had an open relationship from fairly early on, but it’s only in the last six months that he’s started using various gentlemen’s apps for meeting new guys. We don’t share apps or have threesomes; our dalliances are solo affairs and that works for us. I snuck a look at his phone and I was horrified — the dick pics he’s sharing are terrible. Poorly lit and with bad angles, they completely do not do justice to his cock. His face pics are great, but I really feel like he’s underselling what else he has to offer. How can I help him take better junk shots without revealing that I’ve been looking at his phone?

Doesn’t Instinctively Capture Photographic Instant Classics, Sadly You could tell your boyfriend you made a joint appointment with a photographer — perhaps as a Hanukkah/ Solstice/Christmas/Kwanzaa/Ramadan present — because you thought you should both have Sears-Portrait-Studio-quality-or-better dick pics to share with your prospective hookups, DICPICS, or you could let your boyfriend’s hookups be pleasantly surprised when your boyfriend drops his drawers. mail@savagelove.net @fakedansavage on Twitter

STREAK’S CORNER • by Bob Stretch

riverfronttimes.com

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

RIVERFRONT TIMES

55

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56

RIVERFRONT TIMES

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10210 page ave.

314-423-8422

FREE 24/7 SEX HOT, BEEFY BI STUDS 800-GAY-MEET (429-6338)

100 Employment 187 Part-Time Jobs $$ NEED EXTRA CASH $$ Food Service staff @ schools 20-25 hrs/wk $9.00-9.75/hr BG ck req. For intv times: StLouis@LGCAssociates.com

800 Health & Wellness 805 Registered Massage

A New Intuitive Massage Call Natalie 314.799.2314

www.artformassage.info CMT/LMT 2003026388

810 Health & Wellness General

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You’ll Come Away Feeling Refreshed & Rejuvenated.

Call 314-972-9998

Health Therapy Massage Relax, Rejuvenate & Refresh!

Flexible Appointments Monday Thru Sunday (Walk-ins welcome) 320 Brooke’s Drive, 63042 Call Cheryl. 314-895-1616 or 314-258-2860 LET#200101083 Now Hiring...Therapists

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Call Cynthia today for your massage. M-F 7-5, Sat. 9-1.

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500 Services 530 Misc. Services

317 Apartments for Rent

5073 Ruskin-1BR $375 deposit

~Credit Check Required~

JENNINGS $600 314-395-8800

WANTS TO PURCHASE MINERALS

6040 Goodfellow - 2BR, C/A & Heat, All Appliances, Off Street Parking, On Bus Route.

uuu Send details to P.O. Box 13557 Denver, CO 80201

5073 Ruskin-1BR $375 deposit

and other oil & gas interests.

600 Music 610 Musicians Services

NORTH-CITY $295 / $375 314-921-9191 4008 Garfield-1BR apt. $295 deposit.

Do you have a band?

We have bookings.

Call for information (314)781-6612 Mon-Fri, 10:00-4:30

MUSICIANS AVAILABLE

Do You Need...

A Musician?

A Band?

String Quartet?

Call the Musicians Association of St. Louis

M-F, 10:00-4:30

Involving Corruption & Illegal Incarceration in St. Louis County Please respond to: 3427 Washington Ave, Apt 413 St. Louis, MO 63103

Call Cynthia today for your massage. M-F 7-5, Sat. 9-1.

314-265-9625 - Eureka Area #2001007078

HHHHHHH

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H H H WINTER SPECIAL H H H FIRST MONTH FREE!

CALL ANGELA JANSEN 314-645-5900 BANKRUPTCYSHOPSTL.COM THE CHOICE OF A L AWYER IS AN IMPORTANT DECISION AND SHOULD NOT BE BASED SOLELY ON ADVERTISING.

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SOUTH CITY $400-$850

OVERLAND/ST. ANN $585-$625 314-995-1912 SPECIAL-1 MONTH FREE! Great location near Hwys 170, 64, 70 & 270.

10 minutes to Clayton.

Clean, Safe, Quiet.

RICHMOND-HEIGHTS-MAPLEWOOD $555-$645 314-995-1912

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SPECIAL-1 MONTH FREE! Near Metrolink, Hwys 40 & 44 & Clayton.

Clean, Safe, Quiet!

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314-771-4222

1-3 BR Apts. Many different units.

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220 Commercial

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FIRST MONTH FREE! WINTER SPECIAL! FIRST MONTH FREE! AFFORDABLE

AFFORDABLE SENIOR LIVING (55+)

SENIOR1 Bedroom LIVINGApartments (55+) $510 Newly Renovated Newly Renovated 1 Bedroom Apartments $510 Appliances • Energy Efficient Appliances • Energy Efficient Laundry On-Site Laundry On-Site HERITAGE SENIOR APARTMENTS HERITAGE SENIOR NORTH COUNTYAPARTMENTS AREA

NORTH COUNTY AREA 314-521-0388 314-521-0388

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DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

RIVERFRONT TIMES

57

H VOTED BEST STEAKHOUSE! ••••••••

GET READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS! FFF

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-2017 Best of St. Louis Readers Poll

Lose weight permanently with Ultrasonic Cavitation, a non-invasive procedure that melts fat away.

TUCKER’S PLACE Soulard u South County u West County

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VOTED BEST CHINESE!

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~2017 RFT Best of St. Louis Poll~

WONTON KING

If You Witness An Overdose

Dine-In~Carry-out 8116 Olive Blvd~University City 314-567-9997~wontonkingstl.com

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DON’T RUN, CALL 911

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DATING MADE EASY... LOCAL SINGLES! Listen & Reply FREE! 314-739-7777 FREE PROMO CODE: 9512 Telemates

Missouri’s “Good Samaritan” law protects people who call 911 from arrest & prosecution for possession of drugs or paraphernalia.

Hope for a bright future

Dog Sports at Kim’s

IN SEARCH OF CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY

Here’s what you’ll find tttttttt Competitive obedience and rally Basic pet obedience/Canine Good Citizen Purebred and mixed-breed dogs Rescue dogs a specialty Puppy classes Just 9 Minutes from Downtown STL 1951 Townsley Ln • Caseyville, IL 62232 (618) 293-1750• dskdogs.com

Involving Corruption & Illegal Incarceration in St. Louis County Please respond to: 3427 Washington Ave, Apt 413 St. Louis, MO 63103

EarthCircleRecycling.com

Earth Circle’s mission is to creatively assist businesses and residents with their recycling efforts while providing the friendliest and most reliable service in the area. llll

Call Today!

314-664-1450

AUDIO EXPRESS!

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Lowest Installed Price In Town — Every Time!

Awesome 99 $

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Gifts!

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NEW YEAR’S EVE BASH! 11am - 2am Live Music All Day

Call 314-367-3644 for more info & reservations

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File Bankruptcy Now! Call Angela Jansen ~314-645-5900~ Bankruptcyshopstl.com The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertising.

Four-Sensor Parking Assist!

While Limited Stock Lasts!

Audio and visual alerts on dash-mounted monitor let you know what’s behind you.

Rear View Package!

See a bright, clear image from the included camera on a big 4.3” monitor that can be mounted on the dash, visor or anywhere you want it.

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1 Installs Remote Start!

Remote start integrates with virtually any vehicle so you can be warm in winter and cool in summer. With two keychain transmitters.

Promotional price includes labor to install core unit. Some vehicles require interface modules at added cost with added installation charges.

SOUTH: 5616 S. Lindbergh • (314) 842-1242 WEST: 14633 Manchester • (636) 527-26811 HAZELWOOD: 233 Village Square Center • (314) 731-1212 Mon. - Sat. 9 AM - 7 PM; Sunday Noon - 5 PM Unless otherwise limited, prices are good through Tuesday following publication date. Installed price offers are for product purchased from Audio Express installed in factory-ready locations. Custom work at added cost. Kits, antennas and cables additional. Added charges for shop supplies and environmental disposal where mandated. Illustrations similar. Video pictures may be simulated. Not responsible for typographic errors. Savings off MSRP or our original sales price, may include install savings. Intermediate markdowns may have been taken. Details, conditions and restrictions of manufacturer promotional offers at respective websites. Price match applies to new, non-promotional items from authorized sellers; excludes “shopping cart” or other hidden specials. © 2017, Audio Express.

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

Shop Patricia’s

South City 3552 Gravois at Grand Mid County 10210 Page Ave (3 mi East of Westport) St. Peters 1034 Venture Dr (70 & Cave Springs-Outer Rd)

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VOTED FAVORITE INDIAN RESTAURANT! -2017 RFT Best of St. Louis Readers Poll

9720 Page Ave ~ (314) 423-7300 havelistl.com

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LET’S SAVE SL Riverfront Times — SANTA THE TRIP & BE NAUGHTY!

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AUDIO EXPRESS!

Lowest Installed Price In Town — Every Time!

WINTER SPECIAL FIRST MONTH FREE AFFORDABLE SENIOR LIVING 55+

Newly renovated 1 bedroom apartments in North County.

Heritage Senior Apartments 314-521-0388

2012 Winner 2012 Winner

BestLAWYER Lawyer BEST AGGRESSIVE Criminal Defense on YOUR Behalf

AGGRESSIVE CRIMINAL DEFENSE YOUR BEHALF HIRE AN EXPERIENCED DWION ATTORNEY

HIRE AN EXPERIENCED DWI ATTORNEY Get the knowledge and experience YOU need.

GET THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE YOU NEED

Honors and Awards:

HONORS & AWARDS

• Charles Shaw Trial Advocacy Award • Missouri SuperAward Lawyers •Charles Shawand TrialKansas Advocacy •Missouri and Super Lawyers • St.Kansas Louis Magazine, •St.Lawyers Louis Magazine, Best in St. Louis DWI Best Lawyers inTimes St. Louis • Riverfront BestDWI Lawyer •Riverfront Times Best Lawyer • Best Lawyers in United States •Best Lawyers in United States • BestLawyer Lawyertotocall callfrom fromaaDWI DWIcheckcheckpoint, •Best inin Missouri for point,asasvoted votedbybylawyers lawyers Missouri MissouriLawyers LawyersWeekly Weekly for Missouri

Proven Defense by a Former Law Enforcement Officer Proven Defense by a Former Law Enforcement Officer Experienced and Focused winning Cases EXPERIENCED & FOCUSED WINNING CASES They Say Can’t Be Won Missouri Drunk Driving Attorney Missouri Drunk Driving Attorney

They Say Can’t Be Won

TRAVIS NOBLE, P.C.

Don’t trust just anyone with your DWI defense. Contact the law firm of Travis Noble, P.C., by e-mail or call us at 314-450-7849 or 866-794-0947 to schedule your free consultation with a St. Louis DWI lawyer to discover that you have more options than you imagined. We 8000 MARYLAND AVENUE, SUITEDiscover 350 accept all major credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.

ST. LOUIS, MO 63105 PHONE: 314-721-6040 Travis Noble, P.C. TOLL FREE:Suite 866-794-0947 8000 Maryland Avenue, 350 | St. Louis MO 63105 Phone: 314-721-6040 | Toll Free: 866-794-0947 The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.

This disclosure is required by rule of the Supreme Court of Missouri.

riverfronttimes.com

The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. This disclosure is required by rule of the Supreme Court of Missoui.

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

RIVERFRONT TIMES

59

SEASONAL SENSATIONS

g n e n i p v i O g s k n s a a h T m t s i r h C &

HOLIDAY DRINKS Peppermint Mocha Gingerbread Latte Salted Caramel Apple Cider Toffe Nut Latte Frosted Mint Frappe

In The Central West End

Coffee Cartel #2 Maryland Plaza OPEN 24 HOURS

Look on our sleeves for "season of giving"!

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RIVERFRONT TIMES

DECEMBER 20-26, 2017

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