Nicki's Central West End Guide

Food trucks find niche at BJC

The corner of Euclid and Forest Park Boulevard, next to BJC's Center for Advanced Medicine, has become the food truck mecca of the neighborhood. As you must be aware from the press this craze has garnered (both pro & con), mobile dining is hot from coast-to-coast. Not surprisingly, it enjoys a following in the CWE too. Last summer, Pi's Pizza Truck pulled up to the WU Medical School Campus on Scott Avenue (see post here). This summer, there is a different food vendor--and on some days several--attracting diners to this busy intersection Tuesdays through Friday from approximately 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

If it's Friday, it must be Wanderlust Pizza with its wood-burning oven onboard, serving a variety of cleverly-named pizzas (see menu below) prepared on the spot. 

Chef/owner Erik Jacobs, above, who claims his address to be "on the road" can be followed at wanderlustpizza@gmail.com; twitter@wanderlustpizza, or on facebook: wanderlustpizza.

Just pulled from the oven is Wanderlust's "Chow Italia" pizza sprinkled with fresh basil, $9, cash or credit cards.

On Tuesdays, it's MangiaMobile owned by CWEnder Catherine Daake, below, and her brother Thomas. I mistakenly assumed MangiaMobile was associated with Mangia Italiano on Grand. It isn't. The sibling's cuisine is inspired by the streets of Sicily and Macaw (their grandmother), who taught them many authentic Italian recipes.   
Choices include freshly prepared paninis, including chicken and caprese, $7, Sicilian arancini, $3.50, and cheese or meat-filled ravioli, seven for $7. Orders come with chips or fruit, cash only.

Next up: If it's Wednesday, it must be Cha Cha Chow, Falafel Wich and Sarah's Cake Stop. And Thursdays belong to the neighborhood's Pi, whose mobile truck also travels the streets of Washington, D.C., where its newest restaurant will open in the nation's capitol soon.

Sunday, July 17

 

Who benefits from St. Louis Magazine's A List Party?

 

Following the festivities of St. Louis Magazine's A List Party Thursday night, a welcomed calm settled over Maryland Plaza in the early hours of Friday morning. The only remaining vestige of the event was a shuttered ice truck parked across from Bissinger's. As I took pictures on Thursday evening before the party began, I wondered, for the first time in the three years the party has taken place on Maryland Plaza, who benefits from this event?  Which led me to wonder why a permit was issued to close a public street for twelve hours for a private party? Perhaps, if St. Louis Magazine were located in the CWE, or even in the City of St. Louis, the merchants (who lost business because of the street closing), and residents (whose peace was disturbed by the super-loud music that shook windows until 11 p.m.) might put up with it because it somehow added value to the community.

Maybe it's time for this event to move on to a new venue--downtown perhaps, or Clayton, where they might welcome some nightlife. It's tricky enough to maintain a day-to-day balance between the interests of the merchants, including restaurants and bars, and the residents, without adding a private  event that impacts the public arena in a less-than-desirable way. 

Shouldn't there be basic groundrules for the use of the public space so all interested parties know what to expect? I may rattle some Blackberrys with this post, but as my version of the disclaimer goes: "the opinions expressed belong to those of the blogger." What do you think?

 

St. Louis Magazine "A" List Party on Maryland Plaza Thursday

 
Frances Thompson, Marketing Director of Maryland Plaza, sent the poster above and the announcement below about St. Louis Magazine's A-List Party scheduled for tomorrow night, July 14, 2011 7:30pm - 11:00pm. See third paragraph concerning closing part of Maryland Avenue for the event.

"There's still time to buy tickets to the can't-miss party of the summer...St. Louis Magazines A-List party at Maryland Plaza. Join us in celebrating this year's winners...St. Louis' best food, nightlife, fashion, culture and more. The evening includes great people watching, entertainment, food, music and open bar. General admission tickets are $40 and VIP tickets are $85.

Like years past the street directly in front of Maryland Plaza (from Crepes, etc to Moris Fashions) will be closed from Noon to Midnight. Access into and out of the Chase parking garage on Maryland will not be affected. York will also be open.

For more information on the event and to purchase tickets, visit www.stlmag.com."

The street poet

 
Henry David Goldkamp works in his family's heating and cooling business by day. Most nights he is on a city sidewalk writing poetry. I first heard about Henry from CWE-based interior designer Renee Celeste Flanders, whose daughter, Emily Yonker, is a friend of Henry's and fellow poet. The Post-Dispatch published a feature about this pair of literary entrepreneurs last month, so I was delighted to find Henry last Friday night happily ensconced at his "Fresh Poetry, Ink." office setup alongside the Maryland Plaza Fountain. The poet has developed several steady customers on his visits to our neighborhood, as well as on South Grand, near where he lives.

Emily and Henry met at Tulane, and though Henry said he took some wonderful English classes there, he says he actually learned the most from his teachers at SLUH. Emily recently moved back to New Orleans, leaving Henry to write solo these days. His clever business card for "Fresh Poetry, Ink." advertises "your topic, your poem, your price," while the message on the back says: "Bad poem? No poem? No problem. Poetical financing for everyone." Henry tells customers to pay what they will for a poem...or nothing at all, though you'd have to be pretty heartless to take the poem and run.

When I found Henry in his pop-up office on Friday evening, he asked me to name my topic. Instead of waiting for a poem on the spot, I asked him to send one to me after the evening was over. I suggested that he write something about the neighborhood (of course)---the fountain, the evening---whatever inspired his poetic heart. And here is what he created:

CWE NIGHT ON FRIDAY

 

It turned out real nice,

but the first few minutes were trouble

--the wind seemed light

with a breeze that was subtle.

 

Alas, the airflow picked up,

as well as the fountain.

My typewriter got soaked!

...I started pouting.

 

Another gust came through,

causing catastrophic paper tornadoes.

At this point I'm thinking,

"Oh, so this is how tonight's gonna go."

 

Lucky for me,

it turned around quick.

Soon I was bombarded

by children's quick wits.

 

On top of the all-smiles kids,

there was a gracious gift of Bissinger's chocolate.

So my concrete office settled down,

& finally was no longer upset.

 

Verses were written on giraffes,

fishes, and dragons alike.

Cute hipster girls were chatting me up

on fixed gear bikes.

 

After a poem was writ upon

a dear woman's brother, recently deceased,

we shared a strange cry

in the middle of the street.

 

Then two women with dogs claimed that

they wanted a dirty poem..

(Oh, brother, did I have

something to show 'em.)

 

Sunlight went out,

streetlights switched on.

I couldn't see a thing

so the typos got strong.

 

But it was a marvelous night,

with goulash subjects galore;

once the juices start flowing to fingers,

wayfarers want more & more.

 

The smell of food from the street

gave me a feeling real swell;

the perfect evening weather

held me under its spell.

 

I didn't want to close shop,

but I had to adhere to horse sense,

as I had friends waiting to barbeque

at my house, texting in protest.

 

Ultimately, I'm human,

so I had to pack up and stop it.

In the meantime, all you reading this,

think now about your topics!

Visit Henry on his website or better yet head over to the Maryland Plaza Fountain around 8:30 or 9 this Friday night to ask for a poem of your own---and some interesting conversation too!

 

9 a.m. Saturday morning, Tower Grove Farmers Market

I did a double-take when I saw the familiar Martha's Vineyard "Black Dog" t-shirt on the man at The Big Cheese table.

If I hadn't been in such a big hurry, I would have stopped to order a crepe from the mobile creperie, owned by Anne Sidel & Nicole Shelledy. The son of one of the owners is visible through the window taking orders, while his mother is in the back of the bus making the crepes. Look for the Holy Crepe truck on facebook.com/HolyCrepeSTL, or twitter.com/HolyCrepeSTL

Just south of the farmers market, a huge group of enthusiasts practiced yoga under the shade of the towering trees in beautiful Tower Grove Park. 

The Tower Grove Market is a quick trip down Kingshighway from the Central West End; and the oldest farmers market in St. Louis, the bustling Soulard, is well worth checking out on a Saturday morning too.

Sunday, July 10

Getting around the neighborhood...

Over the course of the summer I plan to share photos of different modes of transportation we use to travel the neighborhood.  Here then is a favorite snapshot of Peter and Margie Williams' adorable grandchildren driving down the sidewalk toward Kennedy Park one recent morning.

Health Literacy Missouri's Community Garden

Mary Scheuermann, above, a graduate student at Washington University's George Warren Brown School of Social Work, is studying public health with an emphasis on community food systems. This happens to be a win-win for the CWE as Mary is currently interning at Health Literacy Missouri, an organization I have mentioned several times (look here and here). Last summer, as an intro to community gardening, Mary interned at City Seeds, a City of St. Louis gardening program under the umbrella of Gateway Greening.

With assistance from Health Literacy's CEO and President Arthur Culbert and Associate Megan Rooney,  this delightful intern from the D.C. area has started a community garden just west of Kingshighway at 5055 Waterman (across from the fountain). Mary lives up the street from the garden site, which has serendipitously served both to deepen her commitment to the neighborhood and as a catalyst to meet her neighbors.

Health Literacy chose the Food Pantry at Trinity Episcopal Church, Washington and Euclid, to be the recipient of the garden's bounty. Patrons of the church's food pantry were asked for a wish list of produce for Mary to plant. The list included tomatoes, peppers, collard greens and, for the children,  watermelon. Health Literacy provides some of the funding for the garden, supplemented by donations (the City of St. Louis donated compost when the beds were dug in April).

Signage in the beds identifies the garden's beneficiary, and passersby have been respectful. It takes Mary about ten hours a week to maintain the garden. Volunteer workdays to assist with weeding and general garden maintenance are scheduled on Saturday mornings. The next workday is set for Saturday, July 16, from 9:30 to 11. To sign up, email Mary Scheuermann at the address at the end of the post.

Radishes and lettuces were the first vegetables harvested in early Spring.

 

There is a sense of community that has developed around Health Literacy's garden. Neighbors with gardens of their own have offered advice to Mary and Megan Rooney, left. Mary was able to share tips with a neighbor on Westminster Place who was having trouble with okra seedlings. Ref Braun donated 30 tomato plants, and President & CEO Arthur Culbert donated trees.

Zinnias and marigolds are planted around the perimeter of the beds to keep harmful critters at bay. The gardeners have learned how to repel rabbits with some creative guidance from Wolfgang's at 330 N. Euclid. The pet store and groomer has beaucoup dog hair that can be put into mesh bags and placed around the garden to keep those cute but voracious bunnies at bay. The bags aren't the most attractive addition to the garden, but the experts at Health Literacy say they seem to do the trick.

Health Literacy Missouri, 325 N. Euclid, (314) 361-9400. To volunteer: mary.scheuermann@gmail.com

Au Revoir Terrene

I am very sad to report that neighborhood favorite Terrene has closed. The award-winning restaurant had just been named to Sauce Magazine's list of favorites as the "most vegetarian-friendly restaurant" in its current Readers' Choice issue.

The restaurant's website has the following statement from owner John P. McElwain:

Terrene Restaurant has closed. The owners have decided to close the restaurant to start a new adventure, with an emphasis on raising and spending time with their newborn daughter.

And the following notice is posted on the front door at 33 N. Sarah:

.