Pic Today 1/31/16

 

 

 

HURRICANES

FORECAST FOR

ST. LOUIS MARDI GRAS 

The weather may be sunny,

temperatures in the upper 60s,

but opening weekend for

Mardi Gras in Soulard

calls for hurricanes.

Hurricanes everywhere! 

After all, Southern Comfort

is a major sponsor of this

year's Mardi Gras in St. Louis,

which means every "watering hole"

in historic Soulard is shoving

a Southern Comfort Hurricane cocktail

in your thirsty mitts.

The recipe (more or less)

calls for dark rum, light rum,

Southern Comfort liqueur,

fruit juice, grenadine, lime and ice.

(Today is the Pet Parade.)

Woof!

Pic Today 1/30/16

 

 

 

IT'S MARDI GRAS TIME

IN ST. LOUIS

    It all starts TODAY . . . 

the weather forecast is

warm and sunny!

Today, the 5K marathon will draw thousands,

to run through the streets of historic Soulard.

To be followed by the "Taste of Soulard,"

  sponsored by Southern Comfort . . .

where area bars and restaurants offer

"small plates" and "huge drinks"

to throngs of party people . . .

followed on Sunday,

by the annual Mardi Gras Pet Parade.

This kicks things off for Mardi Gras in St. Louis

with the annual parade next weekend.

Mardi Gras St. Louis is the 2nd largest

party town and parade nationwide,

just behind New Orleans.

Pic Today 1/29/16

 

DUMPSTER DIVE

DAY TWO

Seated Egyptian Cat

Bronze cast statue

11" high, signed.

  (On wooden base.)

Wrapped in plastic trash bag,

at bottom of dumpster,

and now seated in my office

(above the Beatles)

overlooking the living room.

(Maybe I should open a curio shop!)

Pic Today 1/28/16

 

DUMPSTER LAMP

Look what I found in the dumpster!

It was laying on its side,

with this very cool shade attached,

including a working light bulb.

Don't you love it?

(Can't beat the price.)

This is the same dumpster

where I've found Calphalon cookware,

Kitchen-Aid "Artisan" Mixer,

a brand new Weber Kettle Grill,

and a signed bronze cat sculpture.

(And no, I'm not telling you

where it's located.)

Yes, I check it every day!

 

Pic Today 1/27/16

 

FAVORITE NEW DINNER SPOT

As a discriminating bachelor male,

with sophisticated tastes

(and a refined palate),

there are evenings when I choose

to leave the cooking to a local eatery.

Nothing too fancy, mind you,

but a quiet, comfortable table

with a kitchen that

    knows something about food . . .

and perhaps some intellectual stimulus,

like "JEOPARDY".

Imagine my excitement when I discovered

this corner table, with amazing heart art,

and a flat-screen TV, tuned in to

my favorite nightly game show . . .

JEOPARDY, hosted by Alex Trebek.

(I've found my nightly dinner spot.)

Last evening's category was

WHO HAD THE HIT?

The answer --

FROM THE '70s,

"LOVE HURTS."

You've got 30 seconds.

Name the band.

(And your answer must be

in the form of a question.)

Go . . .

Pic Today 1/26/16

 

 

 

 

 

THE MISSING INGREDIENT

When photographing a new restaurant,

the food, the decor, the kitchen and staff

are of course "de rigueur."

But there's one indispensable missing ingredient

   that completes the picture . . . 

and that is the customer!

People, enjoying the atmosphere,

participating in the experience,

ordering and eating the great food. 

That first moment occurred last evening

at the fabulous new restaurant

OLIVE & OAK.

(Now open for reservations and fine dining,

in Webster Groves, Missouri.)

(314) 397-9150 

Pic Today 1/25/16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THERE'S A NEW RESTAURANT

IN TOWN

Mark Hinkle, native St. Louisan and

well known restauranteur, had a vision

to open a very special restaurant,

with his friend and business partner,

   who shared a special bond . . .

 

both their sons were born with 

congenital heart defects, and

both died at a very young age.

The restaurant's name -- Olive & Oak --

short for Oliver and Oakes, the boys' names,

will officially open this week.

It will seat 80 people, and feature amazing

casual food, prepared with local ingredients

by well known chefs who have joined the team.

Aside from ultra-delicious foods

and modern interior design,

the walls feature candid black-and-white

photos of Oliver and Oakes,

in their memory.

My favorite dishes (as I was shooting)

were the triple-cream Trillium cheese

and sliced pickled cheese sandwich,

a cocktail called the "25" which

held a nutmeg and star anise ice cube,

and an Orange Pop Float

(made with Fitz's orange soda and

Clementine's Madagascar Vanilla ice cream,

each produced locally.)

Yum!

Double Yum.

(Hungry yet?)

  

Pic Today 1/24/16

 

THE PARTY'S OVER

Party lights and table favors

are all that's left

      from a fabulous party . . . 

plus happy memories and

  taking it slow the next day. 

Real slow,

  and a little under the weather! 

(Ugh.) 

Pic Today 1/23/16

 

 

MY KALDI'S COFFEE FAMILY

Pic #1 -- These are the people at Kaldi's Kirkwood,

                who brew and serve my morning coffee. 

Pics #2 -- These are the wonderful people at the

                 Kaldi's Coffee Roaster headquarters who

                 support my family with great coffee.

      I was invited to their annual holiday employee party.

   (A good time was had by all.) 

Pic Today 1/22/16

WHAT TO DO

WITH THIS ICE

 

. . . IF YOU'RE A DUCK

 

. . . IF YOU PLAY ICE HOCKEY

(Just don't try driving on it.)

 

Pic Today 1/21/16

 

WHY I LIKE SNOW

1.  It slows everything down.

2.  The world becomes quiet.

3.  And more beautiful.

4.  They close schools.

5.  Kids get to stay home.

6.  And build snowmen.

7.  I love shooting black-and-white.

Pic Today 1/20/16

 

NIGHT SNOW

It snowed last night.

Big cold flakes.

It felt good

  to look up, 

feel it melting on my face

. . . and my camera lens!

(oops!) 

Pic Today 1/19/16

 

 

THE HARD PART OF WINTER

These are the bitter cold days,

so hard to get used to.

Winter coat, hat, scarf, sweater, gloves.

Nothing keeps the 15-below wind-chill

from freezing my bones! 

 Snow storm forecast for this evening.

Brrrrrr!

Pic Today 1/18/16

 

 

 

ANCIENT CAVE SCENE

 PAINTING ON DISPLAY 

A small portion of a giant painted panorama

is on display in the main lobby

of the St. Louis Art Museum.

Monumental Grandeur of the

Mississippi Valley,

(oil on muslin cotton, c. 1850)

was painted by John J. Egan

as part of an enormous 55-foot wide

traveling archaeological lecture display,

to show 19th century audiences

natural wonders of the Mississippi Valley.

The 8-foot high panorama section above

shows Cave-in-Rock along the Ohio River,

which includes cave wall drawings and artifacts.

The cave was used as a hideout for bandits

and river pirates in the early 19th century.

Today the cave is a protected natural feature

at Cave-In-Park State Park in Illinois.

 

Pic Today 1/17/16

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 MODERN MASTERPIECES

BORN IN ST. LOUIS

 The current exhibit at the St. Louis Art Museum

features objects and creations

designed and/or created in St. Louis,

from a modern period, mid to late 20th century.

Two famous masterpieces caught my eye:

1.  A 1954 Corvette, credited as the first

    mass market sports car, and built 

    here in St. Louis -- symbolizing

   postwar American properity.

and

2.  The St. Louis Gateway Arch, tallest man-made

     monument in the U.S., stainless steel riverfront

attraction on our riverfront,

      and celebrating 50 years since its completion

October 28, 1965.   Designed by Eero Saarinen.

(Engineering achievement, 630-feet high, 630-feet wide.

1500 visitors can ride the internal elevator cars

to the top to a commanding view from

our "gateway to the west.")