61revised.com

Matt and I went out to the Pink Flamingo Bowl on Washington Ave. last week, and were pretty impressed with what we found:

The place is pretty cool inside, with pink flamingos of various shapes and sizes adorning the walls, the bar, and several other places throughout the place - but somehow, Joe Edwards has managed to cover his new venture with pink flamingos - the very symbol of kitsch, and at the same time avoid a kitschy environment. The place is kind of classy, but relaxed feeling, and definitely aimed at the loft residents, people working downtown, and those with the common sense to avoid the overpriced bars closer to the stadium.

There’s 12 lanes of bowling with projection tvs (usually watching cartoon network when I pass by on my way to work) and surprisingly, the price of a game is about the same as any other bowling alley in town. Of course, you can rent out the lanes for an hour at a time as well (which on the weekend, wouldn’t be a bad idea, this place is usually PACKED Friday and Saturday).

Instead of the usual bowling alley fare, they have a pretty nice selection of sandwiches, appetizers, and pizza (at a fraction of the usual grease) and a well stocked (if upscale priced) bar. In addition to a pretty nice, moderately priced beer selection, they have an ever-changing selection of cocktails, and a list of aged rums as well. Of course, for me the crowning jewel at the bar was that they carry Lucid brand Absinthe (yes, real absinthe. Yes, it’s legal now. Yes, it’s actually real, google it if you don’t believe me), served in the french style at $9 a pop - now that’s a drink I don’t mind shoveling out some change for.

In all, it’s a pretty nice place if your downtown, and don’t mind spending a bit of money (but if you don’t want to lay down too much cash, they’ve got decent prices on pitchers of all your favorite st. louis beers as well). And as much as I’m downtown, I have a feeling this is going to become a new favorite spot of mine. (Hey, if it’s too pricey, they’ve also opened a new location of The Tin Can just down the street on Locust, and who can argue with that place?)

Upon attempting to import two CDs in my music collection into iTunes, “Sound” (compiled) by 52nd City and “In Rainbows” by Radiohead, failed to import album artwork. And while I’m glad that a favorite quarterly publication local to Saint Louis is in the good company of one of the most important bands of our time, it seems kind of a strange coincidence to would pair these albums.

On one hand is the Radiohead album: noted not just for it’s thoughtful musical compositions but also for it’s initial distribution by the band themselves over the internet; now it was being introduced to my iPod even having downloaded a copy already from myself. On the other foot was the issue of 52nd City: a publication I was introduced to because of their internet presence only to be incorporated with their printed issues today. By downloading this physical-media publication on to my iPod, I was completing some cycle of transforming this record originally meant to connect me with the local community and reintroducing it to the subjective listening experience on my own iPod.

Turns out there is supplemental aural media in the online editon of the issue, although no album artwork to be found. Anachronistically there is photography offered online, but nothing to add a cover image to my iPod. Perhaps I should make my own scan, and share it with the community for their own consumption? And if you haven’t already, consider ordering a copy of this back issue for yourself.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLKXMj8J_-Y]

In case you haven’t heard already, hip-hop band The Roots will be performing this upcoming Friday April 18th 2008 on Webster University’s campus. The show, which is open to everyone, will be performed as part of Springfest on a closed-off section of Garden Avenue street for the block party environment. Tickets can be purchased by the general public at the University Center desk for $20 (free for current Webster University students), although we won’t be surprised if the show is sold out already. The show will start promptly at 7:30, but don’t be surprised if you’ll need to stick around for an encore like the medley you see in the above video clip from one of their live performances.

It is only through Hegelianism that we are to know that between Saint Louis (thesis) and Chicago and its great fire (antithesis) we will find “The future great city of the world”; although a baseball philosopher might also be able to make similar deductions, Yogi Berra has yet to make this observation.  To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Hegelians in St. Louis, Webster University has taken it upon themselves to confer not just local philosophers and historians, but has called a national conference to reexamine the philosophical movements spurred by St. Louis Hegelians.  For those of you less familiar with the movement:

The St. Louis Hegelians are one of the most important movements of American cultural history. Founded in the 19th century by an eclectic set of St. Louis school teachers and amateur philosophers, this group helped bring German philosophy (especially the philosophy of Hegel) to the American continent. By adding their own unique American twist to this philosophy, the group is also responsible for taking the first major steps toward producing America’s wholly distinct philosophical tradition of Pragmatism.

Celebrating might not be pragmatic, especially given other social opportunities that Saturday, but it would be amiable to attend the lectures on Saturday April 12th which will begin at 9 in the morning.  And what location to hold this conference would be more appropriate than the Old Post Office in downtown St. Louis, which was a new fixture in the time of the Saint Louis Philosophical Society and today stands restored as a monument to pragmatic reuse.

We found this flyer from iClips.net around Webster University, and even though it was probably meant to solicit student applications I think it might be of interest to you, our loyal readers.  iClips is a source of original, high-quality videos online, available for public consumption, who are suprisingly active in the St. Louis music scene.  I also happen to know they have their foot deep within the campus of Webster University.

For graduates looking for work as a developer, iClips is looking for add to their team someone who has:

• Fluency in C++
• Ability to make use of object oriented design
• Interest in game programming
• Ability to work well with a team.

If this sounds like you, or you’re interested in another job at iClips.net (and there are more than few of them), you might consider applying. Please consider this as part of 61revised.com’s public service to employable students all over the St. Louis area.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ7S2w6v2No]

For everyone who has been left stranded when their concert was canceled tonight, we thought we’d give you a show of our own; the video above is of Bessie Smith performing the “St. Louis Blues“.  This clip is from a 1929 film of the same name (ironically filmed in Queens, New York City) is the only known footage of the late Bessie Smith, who would eventually have her life taken by the Blues Highway, in a tragic car accident and subsequent mistreatment on US Highway 61.

If you’re not in the mood for that epic recording, we offer this classic music of the Dave Brubeck Quartet performing their rendition of the “St. Louis Blues“.  It may not be as hip, but you can’t deny that the sounds of that critically-acclaimed jazz group will ironically cheer you up.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBgR3bTcXLg]

xmas tree (peppers)

Originally uploaded by Skewgee

Happy Holidays! Sorry for the notable absence of updates. Let’s play an old favorite game: Good News, Bad News, or No News.

Good News:
Our old freinds (aka the young ones) in Tomko Bomb Co. will be plyaing two nights of back to back local goodness this weekend on Off Broadway. Friday night - The Bureau, The Hibernauts, Witch’s Hat (of Columbia, MO actually), and of course The Makeshift Gentlemen. Saturday night - So Many Dynamos, Gentleman Auction House, Light Pollution (of Dekalb, IL actually), and also Laite. With a show by Videology. 52nd city has a few more details for those interested. See you there.

Bad News:
Remember that rumor about Streetside Records closing this year? Scrooge is locking the doors after December 24th. Turns out this loop mainstay is in limbo as much as Crestwood Mall (a ghost town these days). Share your memories of the Loop’s original record store on Playback STL (yes, they’re compiling memories).

No News: It’s the last weekend to see “The Santaland Diaries”, the David Sedaris Xmas classic, as brought to life by the Stray Dog theater. Beware the hidden 2pm matine showing this Saturday, December 22nd. The Vital Voice has a preview for those who are interested.

So it’s really nothing like that, but the Wash U’s Kemper Art Museum (Skinker and Forsyth) is hosting a showcase of Korean comics. From their description:

Korean Comics: A Society through Small Frames features works by twenty-one of North and South Korea’s most talented cartoonists, drawn from the 1950s to the 1990s. On display in the Museum’s Teaching Gallery, this collection of comics provides a decade-by-decade glimpse at the evolving social realities in contemporary Korea, ranging from popular children’s entertainment to aggressive forms of political commentary.   

  The exhibit is open until December 17th, so take your time. If you want company, I’m planning on going fairly soon. 

IMG_3333

Originally uploaded by Skewgee

Next to the historic H Sam Priest Center on Webster University, this detached garage has turned into collapsing storage space. The glass garage door has had its glass broken in the foreground, but also note the collasped roof on the left in the background. This building is home to broken chairs/desks and even some old PCs that could be donated or at least recycled.
I pass by this buildiong nearly every day at class, and the building has been slowly deteriorating in this condition for at least the last 3 years that i’ve noticed. The H Sam Priest Center is a beautiful sprawling mansion with stuccos walls merging with brick bases and perimeter walls. This garage was built similarly, with the same terra cota tiled roof, so it’s a shame it’s fallen into disuse (unless you count the stray cats that run in and out of the shelter). Even on a well managed campus, grand older building can fall into disrepair.

Forest Park SE 1990

Originally uploaded by Skewgee

According to an article titled “City still No.1 in Crime, but tunrabout is on” in the Post Dispatch today, St. Louis police figures indicate the lowest crime figures for the month of August since 1990. And although that somehow still puts us among the most crime addled cities in the nation, isn’t it comforting to know that the National Night Out probably works?

The National Night Out, marked here in a comemorative sign in the Grove near La Dolce Via, is a annual celebration that usually takes place in the first week of August. It’s probably more of a correlary to mention, but should serve some example of what reclaiming your block can do for your community, much less crime statistics.