Ted Wight's St. Louis Style

Sabering a Champagne Bottle

Try sabering a champagne bottle tonight.  Please do it outside and away from people.  I claim no responsibility.  Also look at this first:

Steinberg Ice Rink

I am a bad local.  I had not been to Steinberg Ice Rink in Forest Park until last Sunday evening.  It was so much fun....the rink is so large....a bonfire.....and a Jacques Lipchitz sculpture!

Thank You Notes

A couple of years ago I made the commitment that I would send thank you notes to hosts after parties and when I received gifts. In this day of text messages and e-mails, the thank you note is very rare. If you want to set yourself apart try sending one. Maybe this year my goal will be to improve my handwriting!

 

Paperwhites

Now is the time of the year to start thinking about starting your paperwhites. Paperwhites are just what you need in the winter to lift your spirits! I love the smell and it is fun to see them grow! They make wonderful gifts for the Holidays! You can even find them at Target in the Smith Hawkins section.

Find out more here.

Now is the time of the year to start thinking about starting your paperwhites. Paperwhites are just what you need in the winter to lift your spirits! I love the smell and it is fun to see them grow! They make wonderful gifts for the Holidays! You can even find them at Target in the Smith Hawkins section.

Find out more here.

Yule Log

This Christmas I decided to attempt making a Yule Log.  It turned out more like a slab of bark.....though so yummy!  I think my problems were too much chocolate mousse filling and the cake was too thick to roll into a log. It broke apart on me.  Next year I am going to order one from my friend at Cravings in Webster.... Tim Brennan.

My Yule Log:

This is what it should look like:


 

Merry Christmas

VP Queen's Supper Tables

With my iPhone handy you now are going to be treated to more fuzzy pictures.  Here is a glimpse at The Queen's Supper at the Veiled Prophet Ball last Saturday.

Holiday Greetings

This year I used my Flickr account and www.qoop.com to create my Holiday card.

George Clooney Coming to St. Louis

George Clooney will be in St. Louis for several weeks this winter shooting a new film: Up in the Air.

Find out more HERE.

Hotel Indigo on Lindell is Open

Last night was the opening party for the Hotel Indigo on Lindell.  The Roberts Company took the old Best Western and renovated it. 

I think it missed the mark a little on being a hip, boutique hotel. If you have stayed at some of the fun hotels in New York, Los Angeles or Miami...you will be disappointed. The guest rooms are nice, though they have pergo laminate "wood" floors. The hallways look like they are out of a bad Orlando hotel.

Oh well, it is better than tearing down this fine mid-century building.

That is artist Jeff Kapfer who was demonstrating his painting skills at the opening.

Joe Papendick Bird Extraodinaires!

I spent a lot of my late childhood years watching birds. I have a life-list of birds I have seen.  I am not as passionate now and don't even have a pair of binoculars. A few years ago, on a trip to Belize, I wanted to see the rare red-footed booby.  Every morning for a week I would go to the dock to see if the waters were calm enough to go or if there were enough people for the excursion to take place.  It never happened.  I don't remember if the waters were too rough or there were not any people interested in seeing red-footed boobies. Sometime in my life I am going to make it back to Ambergris Caye in Belize and see them!

Oops...back to my point on the blog...Joe Papendick is a local artist who make these cool, modern bird feeders.

Find them HERE   Thank you to reader Dave for pointing them out.

A Red-footed Booby

Mid-century Brentwood Building

Over the weekend one of my sons needed to go to Radio Shack. He ran in and I waited in the car. This gave me a moment to look at the building and appreciate the interesting architecture.

When I was growing up, I thought buildings like this were ugly and should be torn down. Unfortunately many other people thought the same thing and did tear down many fine examples of mid-century architecture.

Now I have come to respect and love these buildings.  I think it is much like appreciating diversity ...people of all sorts. Wouldn't it be boring if every house was Georgian....or all of your friends were...

Mid-century Birdhouse

Maybe you have always wanted a mid-century home, though have not had the nerve to give up your colonial column.  Well you can at least give your birdy friends the pleasure of modern!  Find out more HERE.

The Market @ Busch's Grove is Open!

This Saturday the Market at Busch's Grove opened. There were so many yummy things to sample...I skipped lunch. I was little in a rush going through and need to go back soon. I can tell you that the Oyster Brie was delicious. I was at a Birthday Party last night and some guests brought a chocolate mousse cake from Busch's Grove and it was yummy....so good things can be found there!  Located at Price and Clayton Roads.

I still miss the old Busch's Grove....before it was fancied-up by Lester Miller.  The food was not that good, though the drinks were strong and you always ran into friends there.

(Pics are a little fuzzy...taken with my iPhone)
 

Needlepoint Pillows

The Holidays are only days away....and here is another gift idea....Jonathan Adler needlepoint pillows! 

If you have lived in St. Louis for very long, you will know that we are the needle pointing capitol of the world....I guess next to whatever 3rd world country has children making these pillows.

My mother has been needle pointing belts, pillows, cummerbunds and Christmas stockings for years.  When you would travel around the country and see someone in a needlepoint belt...you almost knew that they had a St. Louis connection.

Find more information on these pillows HERE.

The Ultimate Office Chair

This Holiday Season you need to ask your boss for this!  Seen HERE

Stray Rescue Holiday Gala

Saturday night I popped into the Stray Rescue Holiday Gala that was held at 3rd Degree Glass. What a fun idea that you can bring your dog to a party. Could you imagine coming to a party with your cat. My cat, Boo would rip the place to shreds.  The last pic is of my cat under the Christmas tree.

Ernie's 32 Degree

Ernie's 32 Degree bar opened in The Grove at 4199 Manchester. It took over the old AMP Bar space.  This Jimmy Jamieson designed bar is very swank and features a walk-in 32 degree vodka room.

 
 

Sasha's Wine Bar

Sasha's Wine Bar opened a second location on Shaw in the Tower Grove neighborhood. What a fun place to try new wine and nosh on yummy snacks.

Green Holiday Gift Guide

I ran across this site that had some nice idea for economical Green gifts.  Below are some of the glass items made out of wine bottles and windshield glass.

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO TOMORROW NIGHT?

HOLIDAY GROUP SHOW

Opening Reception, Friday, December 5, 6-8 p.m.

Lore Bert, "Golden Plan" 2002  handmade Japanese paper and goldleaf   47 1/4" x 47 1/4"      Please join us for a HOLIDAY GROUP SHOW.  Opening Friday, December 5th in our gracious new gallery will be a group show featuring recent work by six artists, Lore Bert, Suzanne Caporael, Peter Charlap, Fredrick Nelson, Jeanine Coupe Ryding, and Katy Stone.  Interesting and intriguing new pieces from Germany, New York, California, and Chicago as well as St. Louis will be featured.  These are exciting works brought together to celebrate the holidays with ART.  Included is a large Bert piece done with handmade paper and gold leaf, several drawings, prints and woodcuts as well as sculpture done with acrylic on pieces of Duralar.       Opening Reception, Friday, December 5, 6-8 p.m.  The exhibition will run through January 10.     Please note, Sunday, December 7th will feature a Euclid/McPherson Holiday Stroll, 11-5 with galleries, shops and restaurants welcoming visitors for special events and treats.  Atrium will be serving special refreshments, and offering an opportunity to meet with Father Terry Dempsey from MOCRA at 2:30 and hear about their 15th Anniversary Show, "Pursuit of the Spirit." Gallery Hours are Wednesday-Saturday 10-6, Sunday, noon-4 and Tuesday by appointment. 4728 McPherson Ave. St. Louis, MO 63108 P: 314-367-1076

St. Louis Powerhouse

I always loved this building near the Cupples Station complex. It was on the market forever and I cringed when I saw trees growing out of the brickwork and roof.  Cannon Design renovated the building and moved into it.  It is like a ship in a bottle how they built a structure within the historic shell.

Here is some information on the project from Downtown St. Louis' website.

The following pic is from before and after...just the interior.  I need to go down and take one from the outside.




ll be restored, the windows replaced maintaining the original masonry openings, and the interior space com

Holiday Gifts

I stumbled across these lovely candles HERE.  A perfect gift that is well priced. They would also be smart host gifts.