Nicki's Central West End Guide

Oh, my...

The CWE's Boutique Calla Lily for Prom Dresses

It won't be long before we will start seeing formally-attired young couples heading into one of the neighborhood restaurants, or posing for pictures at the fountain on Maryland Plaza, before going off to their high school prom. It may be a surprise to you that there is a boutique right here in the Central West End that caters to the prom dress market.

Boutique Calla Lily has occupied a small shop space at Euclid and Washington for the past three prom seasons. Mother and daughter team Loretta Waheed and Dalila Spencer's original boutique was on N. Boyle near the West End Grill. When the pair decided to close that shop they got so many pleading calls from friends and sisters of former customers urging them to re-open somewhere, they decided to forge ahead and opened Boutique Calla Lily at 4900 Washington, above.

According to boutique-owner Dalila Spencer, shopping for a prom dress is one of the most important clothing decisions a young woman will make---other than choosing a wedding dress of course. Most of Calla Lily's customers from neighboring areas, Illinois, and West County have heard of the boutique through word of mouth. Fashion-saavy customers find Calla Lily after googling their favorite designers like Sherri Hill and Australian Dana Mathers. Most dresses are in the $300 to $500 price range.

Shopping for prom is definitely a mother/daughter activity. In fact, Loretta Waheed said that a group of high school girls may shop together but will wait to make a final decision until their mothers, who would feel more than left out, weigh in.

While you only see dreamy short dresses in the photo, Boutique Calla Lily stocks glamorous long dresses as well. Apparently the decision to wear short or long is evenly split among the shop's customers.

The boutique also carries Alisha Hill shoes, $125, (visible in the first photograph) and a sparkly selection of jewelry shown on the mannequin above.

Dalila Spencer, right, and Loretta Waheed are ridiculously busy women. Both are teachers at an Imagine Charter School, Loretta in elementary school, and Dalila in junior high. That's until 3 o'clock when they come to the CWE to open Boutique Calla Lily until 6 or 7 p.m. Dalila also has two adorable young children and an understanding husband.

During the month of August Loretta and Dalila go to market to select the dresses they will carry. There are plans afoot to stay open year 'round selling not only prom dresses but cocktail, special occasion dresses, and now dresses for the "pageant market," which has become another source of business for Boutique Calla Lily. 

 

Boutique Calla Lily, 4900 Washington Blvd., 3 to 6-7 p.m. Tues. thru Sat., (314) 367-6353, info@boutiquecallalily.com.

Addendum: While I have been working on this post I've been trying to remember what I wore to my senior prom. I've come up blank. In fact the only part I remember, having attended a Catholic girls' school, is the trauma of finding a date. When my children were that age it was refreshing that they didn't see the need to pair off. They got dressed up and went to the prom as a group. I wonder if high school students still do that.

Do you remember what you wore to your prom?

Somethings borrowed...

Photo of Charles, courtesy of Mark Glenshaw

What a long strange week it's been---and it's only Wednesday. Without going into detail, we have had to cancel plans to attend the wedding of a godchild in New York this weekend, and feeling rather drained about the events leading up to that decision, I am borrowing two bird tales I hope will entertain you until I catch my breath.

The first link is to youtube videos posted by the Owlman of Forest Park, Mark Glenshaw, showing owlets Monica and Dalton, offspring of Monica and Charles, the Great Horned Owls that have been featured so often on this blog (see Charles above). You'll hear Mark's voice on the video link describing the owlets' antics and "allopreening."  Watch it here.

The second link is to a live video feed of eagles nesting in a treetop above a fish hatchery in Decorah, Iowa. My dear friend, Charlotte Lyons (mother of the bride alluded to above), who has become a fan of the Forest Park owls from afar, sent me the link. The other evening there were 77,000 people watching the live feed, provided by the Raptor Research Project. One caveat: Only start eavesdropping if you have time to spare---the eagles are mesmerizing. A short ad leads it off. Tune in here.

In the next day or two I hope to be back on track posting news about the neighborhood.

P. S. After reading last evening's post, neighborhood friend Elizabeth Barnes sent the following link to hummingbirds nesting in a rosebush (watch it here). (I have this feed minimized on my laptop right now, and the bird sounds are making our cat very curious.)

An early evening walk in Forest Park

 

 

Sunday, April 10

Garden Work Day at Boyle/Laclede Community Garden

Heather Navarro of Central West End Families & Friends sent the following announcement from the Boyle/Laclede Community Garden Organization about a gardening opportunity next Saturday. I took the photo above this morning and from the way the plants are growing it looks like the first planting day of the season was a great success. So, as Heather says, "if you are looking for an opportunity to dig in the dirt," join in! You'll notice in the announcement that there is an Herb Gardening Workshop at 11 next Saturday led by members of the Webster Groves Herb Society.

Upcoming Garden Work Day

Saturday, April 16th

9am-12pm 

Come grow with us!

Our first workday was a great success and we are looking forward to building on this at our second workday!  We will be working on our expansion project in the cul-de-sac that will soon become a community gathering space and shady haven from the scorching St. Louis summer.  Bring your friends and family out to help prepare this site for the pergola and picnic table we will be installing later this summer with thanks to funding we received from Park Central Development and the West Pine-Laclede Neighborhood Association.  We will also be preparing to plant two cherry trees and two apple trees, awarded to us by Gateway Greening.

Our new herb beds are installed and are already filling up with everyone's favorite culinary herbs!  Come check them out so that you will know where to find fresh herbs for all of your recipes!  A diagram of the plants in our herb beds will be posted shortly.

New Partnership with The SPOT
We will be beginning a collaboration with the SPOT, which is located just down the street from our garden.  The SPOT will be bringing bagels for everyone as well as youth who are interested in gardening with us, working on beautification projects, or documenting the growth of our community garden with their photography skills! 

Educational Workshop on Herb Gardening
We will also be hosting an educational workshop on herb growing, use and preservation.  We are very lucky to have four members of the Webster Groves Herb Society joining us in the garden at 11am for this workshop.  Bring a pen and paper to take notes as I am sure they will have a multitude of wonderful ideas and suggestions!

To sign up for a volunteer shift, contact Hannah@gatewaygreening.org or call 588-9600 extension 28.

For additional volunteer opportunities with Gateway Greening to help fulfill our 30 hour requirement please see the Gateway Greening Volunteer Page.


Check out our website: www.boylegarden.com
Questions?  Send us an email at: info@boylegarden.com

Local Developer in the News

Regrettably, there is a local version of Thursday's front page story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch concerning the real estate travails of the Roberts brothers. While the focus of yesterday's Post article was largely about a collection of troubled properties located Downtown, there is also substantial dormant real estate located at the north end of the CWE that is owned by the same developer. The sorry condition of these mostly vacant and unkempt parcels serves to reinforce the perception that the "nice" part of the CWE ends at Delmar.

Steve and Mike Roberts, who reside in the CWE, are the owners of the large parking lot at the southeast corner of Euclid and Delmar, which I photographed last summer, shown above. With parking at a premium all over the neighborhood, it seems a shame that this lot has been in the same sad, neglected and unproductive condition for many years. The look of abandonment persists at the former Schnuck's store at the northeast corner of Delmar and Kingshighway.

In addition, there are two vacant lots, one on either side of Washington just west of Euclid that were slated by the Roberts to become townhouse developments. After several false starts over the past few years nothing has occurred and both lots remain unsightly and undeveloped.

The owners of the Mahler Ballroom, whose property abuts one of these parcels, complained several times last year about the condition of the lot next to them, and eventually the weeds were cut. For those responsible property owners who have worked diligently to maintain and upgrade their properties along Washington Boulevard, the condition of these neglected parcels and the alleys behind them is an insult. 

We all know times are tough and financing is difficult to come by, but keeping weeds and litter under control, and projecting a decent image does not seem too much to expect.

 

Brewington Art & Interiors Moves to Loft Space on Washington

Please bear with me while I mention one of the first video games my children played, called "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" No matter how hard I tried, I could never find Carmen. Some might say the same about A. J. Brewington, wondering where in the world she is. Until recently A. J. ran businesses from a couple of different locations on McPherson. She moved there from the DeMun area in the mid-90s, and opened Geronimo's Cadillac which specialized in Mid-Century Modern. Eventually she combined Geronimo's with Brewington's, which specialized in traditional furnishings.

In December Brewington Art & Interiors opened in a spacious light-filled loft space on the second floor of The Pierce Arrow Building, on Washington just east of Euclid. As A. J. is fond of saying of the new space, "It is so big city...and I am just where I want to be." You won't spot A. J. in these photos either, she would have none of posing for the camera. "It's not about me," she said, "it's about the  merchandise."

Having been in business for more than 23 years, A. J. knew exactly the look she was after in her new space. Her merchandise is organized and displayed in vignettes, which serve to divide the large space into a series of small rooms. Three photographs of The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, shown propped on the east window above, are by Webster Groves native Bill Mund, $500. A photograph by Kirkwood native Ray Meibaum hangs on the wall beneath, $425. A pair of contemporary candlesticks, $80 for the pair, sits on a vintage red lacquer low console, $1200. 

 
Shown in the foreground, a tooled leather-top mahogany game table made in New York is $750. Resting on the table are crystal-handled contemporary salad servers, $45, a dresser tray, $28, and a vintage red hat, $20. Also shown on the table are an example of Brewington's cut-crystal candlesticks, $25 to $95. On the table to the left there are two examples of 19th century Japanese Blue and White pottery, and three bright blue African woven and beaded baskets, $45. A. J. loves to mix elegant to eccentric, antique to modern.

This Friday night there is a dual-purpose opening at Brewington's. A. J. has represented artist Jim Pegg for years, and this Friday's event is her first large-scale exhibition of his work. Pegg's nude, "By the Light of the Silvery Moon," peeks out from behind the column above, $2,000. Friday also marks A. J.'s 23rd year in business, so it's an anniversary celebration as well.

A. J. has traveled as far as Southeast Asia, and all around the U. S. on buying trips. She has also purchased items from St. Louis estates. The fine antique Japanese cloisonne vases shown in the cabinet above came from a local collector. The antique ivory necklace and link bracelet from the 30's and 40's are $245 each; the opal and amethyst necklace, right, from the 20's or 30's is $145.

 

Two more examples of Jim Pegg's paintings hang to the left of the display case above.  A. J. has a wonderful collection of vintage glass, including two colorful Italian pieces and a Rosenthal vase, top shelf left. The middle shelf holds a Steuben bowl, a Waterford powder box, and an antique painting in gold leaf frame.

As A. J. says about herself on the invitation for Friday night's opening , "still crazy after all these years." Come see for yourself on Friday between 6 & 9 p.m. If you can't make the event this weekend, stop by Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10:30 to 6. There is lots to see and you'll have a great time.

Brewington Art & Interiors, 4814 Washington Ave., Suite 230, (314) 361-5373, divaloco@gmail.com.

Meet Photographer Gail Fleming

Last fall photographer Gail Fleming leased a small studio at 449 N. Euclid. She photographs her subjects on location, so the tiny space serves as a place to meet with potential clients and display her work. The Consulate Building, at the corner of Euclid and Washington, is populated with small businesses like Gail's, including fashion boutiques Borough Vintage and Calla Lily (for prom & special occasion dresses), Christiane Fine Jewelry, Jennifer Walker Jewelry, The Purple Door Salon, and Lorrice Edwards Design & Interiors.

Gail graduated from Webster University in 1998 with a Fine Arts Degree in Photography. Immediately after graduation, she started her business operating out of her home. Gail leased a space on Brentwood for a while, but when her son entered kindergarten closer to her home in South City's Francis Park Neighborhood, she re-located her business to the CWE, which was where she wanted to be all along. Gail and her husband Robert, who is Art Director of Stealth Creative downtown, met in a martial arts class.

Gail specializes in wedding and children's photography. Her customers find her through word-of-mouth and from websites such as stlouisweddings and stlwed.com. A list of her many photography awards can be found on her website. In the "most unusual wedding" category, she photographed a couple who met at a Star Trek Convention and staged their "Star Trek Wedding" at the St. Louis Science Center. The wedding party dressed in character, and the wedding cake was in the shape of---you guessed it---the Starship Enterprise.

She finds that children photograph more naturally where they are the most comfortable--- at a playground, playing in a pile of Autumn leaves, or in their own backyard. To see more of Gail's work, her price list, and calendar of available dates, check out her website here.

Gail Fleming Photography, 449 N. Euclid, (314) 518-9921.

Sunday, April 3