Continue reading

Maggie Pearson is a busy mom, wife, and occasional construction-crew supervisor (she and her husband are still tweaking the renovation of their stunning CWE home), but no matter what else happens during the course of a day, this talented artist carves out some time to draw. Now that her second son Auggie has celebrated his first birthday (the elder, Jack, is almost 5), Maggie is ready to get back to her design business creating art for invitations, birth announcements, weddings, and corporate clients, etc. Maggie's artistic talents can be traced to her grandfather and to her mother who strongly encouraged... Continue reading

It's musical chairs---or a somewhat-stretched version of it---in the CWE "shop news" category. The great news is that Lululemon is returning to the neighborhood, this time to 26 Maryland Plaza, above, where it will occupy the former k. hall designs location and Moris Fashions (don't panic, the men's clothier is staying in the neighborhood and relocating to 226 N. Euclid). In the musical chairs category, k. hall designs left the CWE last month for Plaza Frontenac, where it is tryng the upscale mall experience on for size. Three years ago Vancouver-based Lululemon, which has 201 stores in North America and... Continue reading

Now, with the arrival of another great addition to the neighborhood, renewing your driver's license or license plates will require only a short walk to the new NorthSide License Office located at 625 N. Euclid (at Delmar). The only service that will not be offered at the new office is the driver's license test, which is administered by the Missouri Highway Patrol. Missouri Department of Motor Vehicle locations are not run by the State but are contracted out. The new operation in the CWE is contracted to Mid-America Transplant Services which has another location in Maplewood. Molly Maher, above, Director... Continue reading

4:30 p.m. 4/21/2013 Noon, 5/11/2013...still waiting. Continue reading

There is a heavy infestation of leafminers this spring, see photo above showing the yellow mosquito-like critters (now in their adult stage) on our boxwoods. When I stopped at Bowood Farms Wednesday to talk to horticultural expert Ellen Barredo, a neighbor happened to walk in with leafminers trapped on sticky tape with questions of her own---the bugs had infested her clematis. According to Ellen, this is an insect problem that occurs when Weigelia bloom, see below, around the first of May. Because of the late spring we've experienced, the critters are showing up a little later, though the larvae were... Continue reading

See Alderman Lyda Krewson's comment on what it will take for this program to become the norm, and her comment on a credit card payment system in Argyle Garage. Searching without luck at the bottom of your purse or between the car seats for change will become a thing of the past if the new "No Change, No Problem" parking meters that are being installed on a trial basis on Maryland Plaza are deemed a success. 17th Ward Alderman Lyda Krewson emailed the news: "The new meters will be installed on Maryland from Lester's to York (maybe a little west... Continue reading

Terrie and Arnie Robbins' cat, see above, is on the lookout for the large crowd that is eagerly anticipating next Friday's (May 17) Preview Party in advance of the 43rd annual CWEA House Tour which takes place on Saturday and Sunday, May 18 & 19. The Robbins' house (and garden) is one of six historic homes in the 5000-5100 block of Westminster Place that will be on view. Two landmark buildings in the “Holy Corners” historic district — including the Tuscan Temple (5015 Westminster at Kingshighway), which has never been opened to the general public, are also on this year's... Continue reading

You never know who or what is going to glide past on Euclid. When I observed horse-drawn coaches occupied by ladies in fancy hats and men in "proper" jackets late Saturday afternoon, I surmised they were headed to the Racquet Club for a Derby party. I sped home from Cassie's, where I was buying candles (all the shops need your business with this lousy weather), grabbed my camera and hiked over to the alley next to Mary Jane's. Guests had already alighted from the Claytonshire Coaching Club's coaches by the time I hoofed it up to Kingshighway, and were headed... Continue reading

Continue reading

Ashley Rath, above, says she chose to locate her company, Dishy Weddings, in the CWE because of its central location and charm...and, it's within walking distance of The Cup, one of her favorite neighborhood haunts! The timing of her move operating out of a home office, which necessitated meetings with clients at Starbucks or Panera Bread, to a place of her own was somewhat unusual since she was 8 1/2 months pregnant with her first child. While most women would be thinking of taking some time off, one should never underestimate the determination and stamina of a wedding planner! Ashley's... Continue reading

St. Louis-born artist Martyl Schweig Langsdorf's obituary appeared recently in the London Times, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and St. Louis Beacon, but none of those publications enjoyed the privilege of viewing the wonderful collection of her work hanging in the home of her brother, CWE photographer Martin Schweig. An example of the many paintings in Martin and his wife Teri's collection is shown above. The charming oil painting depicting a scene from a town in Greece hangs over the fireplace. Martyl and Martin Schweig grew up in an artistic family in a house just east... Continue reading

Continue reading

Continue reading

I hope you will find the following post about Diann Cage, "the divine Ms. D.," as much fun to read as it has been putting it together. It has taken me forever and a day to get this written, and for that I apologize to Diann. As she said to me yesterday, "you are putting way too much thought into it!" Hand-in-hand with plotting a new focus for her graphic design business based in the CWE, Diann Cage, above, has given her 350 s.f. studio at the Pierce Arrow Building a makeover too. Diann started her own business, Diann Cage... Continue reading

Berger Memorial, which has been located at 4715 McPherson for nearly 100 years (since 1916), is moving to Olivette. According to an article published last week in The Jewish Light, Berger Memorial will occupy a portion of the Kriegshauser Mortuaries West facility at 9450 Olive Street Road. Richard Stein, whose family owned Berger Memorial until it was sold to Dignity Memorial Network, a Houston-based firm under Service Corporation International, said in the article that the new location is more convenient for the majority of the Jewish population in St. Louis. Stein, who is now the location manager, added that many... Continue reading

I realize it's a business, not a popularity contest. Nevertheless, when I saw the last of k. hall designs' shop-props pulling away in the back of an open truck on Maryland Plaza last evening, reality struck. Pop-ups are temporary by design, but I had hoped k. hall's first retail shop, launched in the CWE, would become a permanent fixture. Perhaps it will, some day, but not for now. In May 2012, Kelly Hall-Barr and John Barr opened their pop-up shop at 26 Maryland Plaza. The successful company, which has a retail outlet at its Brentwood facility for its line of... Continue reading

The St. Louis Earth Day Festival, which was held this past weekend on the grounds of The Muny in Forest Park, is 24 years old and the third largest in the country. Read article in Thursday's article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. A "Stop the Drones" booth, above, sat next to one devoted to meditation. There was a display of electric vehicles including a 1974 VW Beetle that had been converted from a gasoline engine to electric power at a cost of $6000. Continue reading

Continue reading

I'm too distracted by weather and news to focus on a serious post this afternoon. Instead, here are a few pictures of tulips planted in the neighborhood. The blooms on the "Daydream" tulips, above and below, were a pale yellow before they opened, and have taken on an orangey hue as the days go by. A beautiful mixture of tulip varieties planted in pots and planter boxes brighten Maryland Plaza, above and below. Here's to brighter days ahead. Continue reading

Photo courtesy of Brenda Hente After yesterday's tragic events in Boston, I hope you can find a little solace in this simple post about a collaboration between a teacher, Brenda Hente, above right, and nature photographer, Danny Brown, above left, that led to an exhibition of art by 7th & 8th graders from Olivette's Immanuel Lutheran School in Forest Park. "Six degrees of separation" may be an overused expression, but it explains how these connections began. They revolve around Mark Glenshaw, the Owlman of Forest Park, and his seven-year study of the Great Horned Owls he observes and writes about... Continue reading

Continue reading

Put artist Bill Smith's exhibition at the World Chess Hall of Fame on your "must see," "to do," "just get there!" list(s). His work, Beyond the Humanities, is on view until September 15, which allows plenty of opportunity to stop by the neighborhood museum more than once. Go especially when you need some quiet reflective time. It's that magical, and calming. In the opinion of Amanda Cook, spokesperson for The World Chess Hall of Fame, people from this area are not as familiar with Bill Smith's art as those from other parts of the country. The O'Fallon, Illinois native, who... Continue reading

It took a great cause, a benefit for Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, to finally get some of my neighborhood friends through the door at the CWE's Dazzle Me Twice. Admittedly, when Marty London first re-opened her consignment shop at 4632 McPherson in 2011, the hours were extremely limited, but that has changed (see end of post). Last Wednesday evening an enthusiastic group of Shakespeare board members and supporters enjoyed wine and delicious appetizers while perusing the beautiful two-story shop's offerings. Marty provided the refreshments, which were passed by a charming waiter (who also offered approval as shoppers modeled their potential... Continue reading

Continue reading