Nicki's Central West End Guide

CWEnder Maggie Pearson and her art

Maggie Pearson is a busy mom, wife, and occasional construction-crew supervisor (she and her husband are still tweaking the renovation of their stunning CWE home), but no matter what else happens during the course of a day, this talented artist carves out some time to draw.  Now that her second son Auggie has celebrated his first birthday (the elder, Jack, is almost 5), Maggie is ready to get back to her design business creating art for invitations, birth announcements, weddings, and corporate clients, etc.

Maggie's artistic talents can be traced to her grandfather and to her mother who strongly encouraged her three daughters in their creativity. Though Maggie wanted to become an urban planner after graduating from SLU with a degree in public policy, she found herself on a different bus after she and her husband Alex moved to San Francisco---in Maggie's words, "right after the bottom fell out in 2001" (I can't even remember that one, there have been so many since!). While working for Conde Nast in San Francisco she learned technical drawing and design, and lost her heart to illustration.

The couple returned to the CWE ten years ago when Alex took a job as Director of the Solution Center at Express Scripts. They lived in a condo on Laclede. Maggie worked for Alive and St. Louis Magazine and ran her design business on the side. They bought their 3-story house on a large lot a couple of years ago, just across the street from her sister Katie and her husband Tim O'Connor.

Front and center in the photo above is the imaginative holiday card Maggie designed for Circus Flora's FloraDora. Design work is squeezed into small bursts of time when Auggie is sleeping or after the children have gone to bed for the night. Her design services, which cover the whole process from beginning concept to finished product, are very reasonable, starting at $50 an hour. Maggie was eager to note that she sources local printers for her invitations and announcements, everything is done right here in St. Louis.

Maggie also enjoys writing and illustrating children's books, which are as yet unpublished. She describes her illustrations, above, as having a "spirit of Halloween" feeling, and finds inspiration from the late author and illustrator Edward Gorey and illustrator Gris Grimley whose drawings lean toward the dark side.

Give this clever woman a pen and paper and she will quickly sketch your home or business, see examples above, which would make a wonderful gift too. One of our favorite drawings from long ago is a sketch of our former Lenox Place home that an artist who lived on Pershing Place gave us.

To contact Maggie Pearson for more information about her design and illustration services, email her at maggiehpearson@gmail.com.

A DMV office opens on Euclid!

Now, with the arrival of another great addition to the neighborhood, renewing your driver's license or license plates will require only a short walk to the new NorthSide License Office located at 625 N. Euclid (at Delmar). The only service that will not be offered at the new office is the driver's license test, which is administered by the Missouri Highway Patrol.
Missouri Department of Motor Vehicle locations are not run by the State but are contracted out. The new operation in the CWE is contracted to Mid-America Transplant Services which has another location in Maplewood. Molly Maher, above, Director of Finance, explained that the license renewal process is an efficient way to sign patrons up to be on the transplant donor registry, which is why Transplant Services has undertaken the operation of the license offices. Molly said DMV offices don't produce much profit, but said any surplus will go to providing services for donor families through their Center for Life.  The services vary from support groups and bereavement counseling to candlelight memorial services.

This new DMV office is geared to providing the best service in the most convenient, up-do-date way. It's no longer necessary to bring a book or pack a lunch to occupy the wait time--as is the case elsewhere--when you stop in. You can even get in line before you leave home by using the "QLess" system (www.mtsdmv.com). Or stop in and use the QLess screen at the entry to check-in and choose the service you need.  If you then decide to run an errand (there is a post office in the building), you'll be notified by text message that your appointment is coming up. If you haven't quite finished your Chapulines (sauteed grasshopper) tacos at Gringo, or trying on skinny jeans at Libby's, you can delay the appointment by text message until you are ready to return.

NorthSide License Office, 625 N. Euclid, Ste. 130, Open Mon. to Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 1st and last Sat. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., (314) 454-1082.

New parking meter program to launch on Maryland Plaza

See Alderman Lyda Krewson's comment on what it will take for this program to become the norm, and her comment on a credit card payment system in Argyle Garage.

Searching without luck at the bottom of your purse or between the car seats for change will become a thing of the past if the new "No Change, No Problem" parking meters that are being installed on a trial basis on Maryland Plaza are deemed a success.

17th Ward Alderman Lyda Krewson emailed the news: "The new meters will be installed on Maryland from Lester's to York (maybe a little west of York); and on Euclid from Lindell to the alley north of Maryland. I believe it is approximately 60 meters. This is a trial program to further evaluate these meters."

Following is a press release from St. Louis City Treasurer Tishaura Jones' office:

"This Friday (May 10), St. Louis City Treasurer Tishaura Jones will launch a new pilot program which will test 60 new parking meters that accept credit and debit cards in the Central West End. The program is called the "No Change, No Problem" Pilot Program and will kick off with a launch event. During the launch event, there will be a moratorium on parking tickets in the area and Parking Enforcement Officers will be on hand to help motorists use the meters and give out FREE parking minutes - when patrons check-in to a business via Facebook, Twitter, or Foursquare. Businesses, that usually have to provide change to parking motorists, will also get involved with decals and signs promoting 'No Change, No Problem.'"

The new parking meters, shown above, can be spotted on Maryland Plaza ahead of Friday's launch. In the interest of fairness, all meters should also include prominent notice of the hours and days during which violations are enforced (8 a.m. - 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday). I often observe people searching in vain for that information, which is either non-existent, or faded away and impossible to read.

On a related note, perhaps Ms. Jones will consider introducing a credit/debit card payment system for the Argyle Garage (between Euclid & York on Lindell) and the City Hall lot. The current "cash only" arrangement, a holdover from the previous regime, seems archaic in 2013.

Meet Wedding Planner Ashley Rath

Ashley Rath, above, says she chose to locate her company, Dishy Weddings, in the CWE because of its central location and charm...and, it's within walking distance of The Cup, one of her favorite neighborhood haunts! The timing of her move operating out of a home office, which necessitated meetings with clients at Starbucks or Panera Bread, to a place of her own was somewhat unusual since she was 8 1/2 months pregnant with her first child. While most women would be thinking of taking some time off, one should never underestimate the determination and stamina of a wedding planner! Ashley's husband Robin, who designs phone apps for Coolfire, suggested she should wait at least a couple of months after their daughter's birth to move in. But Ashley wanted to get her ducks in a row and move from operating her office from their home in South City's McKinley Heights before the baby's arrival seven months ago.

Ashley cut her teeth in the business working for another wedding planner and ventured out on her own four years ago. This dynamo is well qualified for the task of working with an engaged pair from initial planning stages through the wedding day festivities. She earned a degree in journalism from Mizzou, an MBA in entrepreneurship from Park University, and has a project management certificate in her cap as well. While she was working on her MBA and researching a name for her company, she came across "dishy" (meaning glamorous) in a Thesaurus. She plays up variations on that theme with her wedding packages which suggest a "Main Dish" (a full course of wedding services with Ashley handling every detail from start to finish). "Side Dish" is a "Month of" package which means the couple does all the planning up to the last month, when they hand over the contracts and arrangements they have made, and let Ashley take it from there. It is also possible to build your own custom wedding package.  Dishy Weddings rates start at $1500.

One of the splashiest, most unusual weddings Ashley planned was for a couple in the restaurant industry who had their reception at Lumen, located downtown. Guests were entertained by firebreathers and confetti shot out of a cannon. In June, Ashley is planning a wedding under a tent at a private home complete with paper lanterns and poetry created for the guests by Henry David Goldkamp of freshpoetry.ink (see previous post here). CWE-based Entre. is catering the event.

Ashley's clients find her through word of mouth and the wedding website The Knot where Dishy Weddings & Events has been named in the "best weddings" category for 2013. She recently won recognition from WeddingWire as well, based on positive feedback from her customers.

To contact Ashley Rath visit her website at Dishy Weddings. Her studio is located at 449 N. Euclid, (314) 246-9148.

Graphic designer Diann Cage updates her focus & her environment

I hope you will find the following post about Diann Cage, "the divine Ms. D.," as much fun to read as it has been putting it together. It has taken me forever and a day to get this written, and for that I apologize to Diann. As she said to me yesterday, "you are putting way too much thought into it!"  

Hand-in-hand with plotting a new focus for her graphic design business based in the CWE, Diann Cage, above, has given her 350 s.f. studio at the Pierce Arrow Building a makeover too. Diann started her own business, Diann Cage Design Co., three years ago, and has worked with a variety of clients including the St. Louis Beacon, Central West End Association, and Magnificent Missouri, the organization formed to support Missouri's conservation groups. She also worked on a rebranding project for Stevens Institute of Business & Arts (formerly known as Patricia Stevens College), and has designed websites for small businesses and authors (William Adler & CWEnder Nick Reding).

While she will continue to work on these types of projects, she has also started connecting with companies in the home and leisure markets (sports, garden, recreation). Diann has recently completed a website and branding project for The Refined Room, a vintage and used furniture store located in Brentwood.

To me, one of the most exciting projects this talented graphic designer has picked up is an assignment from a Chicago publisher who is relaunching December, a literary magazine that flourished in the 60s & 70s. Diann is designing the new magazine from cover to cover. The first issue of the revamped December will be released in (you guessed it!) December, 2013. Diann forwarded covers from past issues of the magazine, which I've added to the post shown below.

A 1966 issue of December featured Marilyn Monroe on the cover, and contributors to a later issue included cartoonist R Crumb, below.

THE STUDIO:

Diann shares space with another CWEnder, Suzanne Miller, founder of Magellan Communications, a company that focuses on business communications strategy, particularly in international, cross-border communications and multi-market campaigns. Diann said she hasn't the foggiest idea what Suzanne is talking about when she is on the phone with her clients from around the world. I plan to figure it out and do a post about Suzanne sometime soon.

At some point Diann and Suzanne decided they wanted to redecorate the space, as creatively and inexpensively as possible. The pair picked furnishings from IKEA in Chicago and Target online. Carpet squares came from overstock.com.

The paper lantern, above, is from Ikea.

Diann is a Gossip Girl fan and said the paper butterflies she purchased on Etsy, right, remind her of art on the wall in a bedroom featured in the t.v. series.

The initials on the wall represent the four basic colors used for printing color images: cyan, magenta, yellow, & key, which is black. Framed art was purchased at Urban Outfitters.

Examples of some of Diann's work are displayed on a wall in the studio, above.

 

Diann's work for the St. Louis Beacon was recognized by the St. Louis Chapter of AIGA, the organization that recognizes great design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neighborhood residents may remember Diann's fabulous poster for last year's 4th of July Children's Parade, below.
We can thank Diann's husband Lance, the new marketing principal and senior vice president at HOK, for initially luring her to the CWE from Seattle. Her first job here was at Falk-Harrison Creative, which was located on West Pine. While planning her wedding, she decided she wanted to be a wedding planner and make pretty things like invitations. To that end she started a custom stationery business and, in her words, "failed miserably." Diann did, however, build a high-end photo album company and also did freelance work for Seattle-based Artefact working out of a 2 x 3' closet outfitted as an office in her CWE home. Five years ago when she was working as a graphic designer for a company based in Las Vegas, she took the leap and opened a studio right around the corner from her home. We're so glad she's here and that she has become such a strong presence in the neighborhood.

Diann Cage, Diann Cage Design Co., 4814 Washington, Suite 130, (314) 503-4001.

Berger Memorial leaving CWE

Berger Memorial, which has been located at 4715 McPherson for nearly 100 years (since 1916), is moving to Olivette. According to an article published last week in The Jewish Light, Berger Memorial will occupy a portion of the Kriegshauser Mortuaries West facility at 9450 Olive Street Road.

Richard Stein, whose family owned Berger Memorial until it was sold to Dignity Memorial Network, a Houston-based firm under Service Corporation International, said in the article that the new location is more convenient for the majority of the Jewish population in St. Louis. Stein, who is now the location manager, added that many key installations and historic fixtures at the present Berger facility will be transported and installed in the new location in Olivette. The move should be completed by this September.

The property on McPherson, east of Euclid and just west of Walton, will be offered for sale.

Meet CWEnder & environmentalist Heather Brouillet Navarro

 

What was a dream as early as 8th grade for CWEnder Heather Brouillet Navarro has turned into an exciting new career as director of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, the oldest and largest environmental organization in the state of Missouri.

As I write this post, following a fact-finding lunch with Heather at 2Schae Cafe (Pershing & Union), it is so obvious that the path she is on was more than "well chosen," it was meant to be. In grade school Heather learned about environmentalist Robert Kennedy Jr.'s organization Riverkeeper, New York's clean water advocate, and was excited to learn that you could actually do something to help the planet.

Heather and her husband Diego, who teaches theology at St. Louis U. High, met as students at Washington University, where she majored in environmental studies. Following their marriage they went to Guatemala to volunteer for Christian Foundation for Children and Aging and then came back to St. Louis and settled in the CWE when their first child was on his way.

Later, Heather attended WU law school part time, as she had a second child (the children are now 7 & 9) and limited time to pursue her degree. While there Heather was able to gain valuable experience working in an interdisciplinary environmental clinic which was monitoring the Missouri River.

Many CWEnders know Heather as a neighbor, one of the founders of CWE Families & Friends, through her committee work on the creation of Kennedy Park at Washington & Olive, or as a former board member of the CWEA. Before being appointed director of the Coalition, Heather worked for the law firm of Thomas E. Kennedy III on civil rights and special education issues. She said she was sad to leave Kennedy's firm, as she loved her work there, but the opportunity to be the director of the Coalition was a dream come true.

On its website the Missouri Coalition for the Environment (MCE) is described as a non-profit, non-partisan, 501(c)(3) that educates and activates Missourians to protect our natural resources." Founded in 1969 by Kay & Leo Drey, Lewis C. Green, Barry Commoner and others, the organization's many accomplishments are documented on the website. The Coalition concentrates on education, public engagement and legal action.

At the conclusion of our visit I asked Heather which of the many issues MCE has on its plate she finds the most challenging. Here is her reply:

"One of our biggest issues is that the State is decades behind in complying with the Clean Water Act. The state was to have classified all of the US waters in Missouri with a specific use (swimmable, fishable, etc.) and then apply criteria and pollution limits based on the classification..." "The big take home," Heather continues, "is that over 80% of the streams and lakes in Missouri have no criteria or pollution limits on who can dump what into them... " (read more here).

Heather ended with the following: "If there is one issue for me, that would be it (above)...or the removal of radioactive waste from Westlake Landfill Superfund Site in the floodplain in an unlined, uncapped landfill, 1,200 feet away from a smoldering, uncontrolled, underground landfill fire. Whew!"

While these are such overwhelming issues, it's comforting to know there is an organization that is paying attention and trying to do something about them.

Membership in MCE starts at $40, or you can make a donation to help the organization continue its valuable work. Visit the website here.

Exploring "Aging in Place" in the CWE

As a CWE "Lifer," I could not imagine living anywhere else as we get older. My sisters, brother and I recently went through our 90-year-old mother's difficult decision to sell her long-time home on a quiet street in the county and move to a retirement home in Clayton (which, by the way, she just loves). That experience made it even more obvious that living in an urban neighborhood where there is age diversity and proximity to just about everything you need is, in our case, the way to go.

The "Aging in Place" movement is a hot topic across the country and one that, if all goes according to plan, will be instituted in the CWE by 2014. A group of neighbors has been meeting for the past six months to explore the formation of StL Village, a not-for-profit, grass-roots, member-driven community for people who want to stay in their own homes and remain active in their communities as they age.

The first "VIllage" model began in the Boston neighborhood of Beacon Hill over ten years ago. There are now 90 such Villages operating across the country including Washington, D. C., San Francisco and Lincoln Park in Chicago. The Villages offer a cost effective way to avoid or delay the expense and dislocation of moving to a retirement community.

I attended January's meeting of the Exploratory Committee, chaired by "Urban Farmer" Arthur Culbert, at Bar Italia. Committee member and dynamo Gloria Gordon, a self-described 97-year-old "provocateur," says she has too many connections in the CWE to move to the East Coast where her children are located, even though they are pressuring her to do so.

For a yearly fee, StL Village will provide a full range of cultural and social activities; volunteer opportunities for sharing one's interests and special talents; services such as volunteer-staffed transportation, shopping and errand service; resources for home repair and computer assistance; discounts from selected businesses; support in obtaining health services, and much more. 

The Exploratory Committee meets on the last Wednesday of every month at Bar Italia from 4 - 6 p.m. If you are not able to attend tomorrow's meeting, plan on hearing more about StL Village on Wednesday, March 27. For more information, email arthur.culbert@gmail.com, (314) 249-8500. 

Cleaning up after the big snow

Starting late Thursday afternoon and continuing into the wee hours on Friday, sidewalks in CWE North were cleared of snow following the big storm. CWEnder Steve Neels (post here) ran his Arctic Cat up and down the sidewalks of the CWE North commercial district clearing the way for pedestrians by sunrise. 

Funding for this service, which benefits the entire community, comes from a special 1% tax collected on all sales transacted at any of the shops, restaurants, galleries, The Chase Hotel, Straub's, Reliance Automotive, etc., within the CWE North District. The tax is collected by the state and returned to the neighborhood to be used by the CID (Community Improvement District) for marketing efforts and for landscaping and beautification projects, including plowing the sidewalks. Do you remember what a challenge it used to be to walk along Euclid after a snowstorm?

This is yet another of the many reasons why it is important to support neighborhood businesses. Revenue generated by your purchases is used to improve the district, which in turn will make the CWE an even more desirable place to visit or perhaps locate a new business. As the saying goes, "what goes around, comes around"---this time in the most positive sense.

In the short time since Mikes Bikes opened at 324 N. Euclid, fun-loving proprietors Eric Schlling and Matt McRedmond have demonstrated that they can be counted on to add color to the street scene by bringing their whimsy out front.

Moving on, moving up & moving in

Next week Dawna Sturdivant, proprietor of Borough Vintage, is closing her shop at 447 N. Euclid and taking her business online. She emphasized over and over that she is not going out of business--she has always offered her pieces online---just presenting her well-curated collection of vintage clothing in a completely new way.

The email that Dawna sent to her customers recently announced that she will be offering VIP shopping, allowing customers to shop new merchandise before it hits the online store. She will also offer personalized recommendations via email.  Clothing will be sent directly to the customer's home, and whatever doesn't work can be sent back. Borough Vintage will also offer Vintage Shopping Parties (you tell Dawna the theme and clothing sizes of your party and they'll bring the merchandise to you). 

I am purposely trying not to editorialize regarding this change, as I respect Dawna's decision. But I have just loved going into Borough Vintage to browse and shop. Borough Vintage, which has to be one of the best-looking vintage clothing stores around, will truly be missed. But I understand...it is not really closing.

Borough Vintage is currently open by appointment only (314) 884-8436.

Moving UP: Never fear, fans and customers of The Apparel Doctor. Jennifer Ingram, whose business is currently located within Borough Vintage, is moving upstairs to a space just above the vintage clothing store, where she will continue to offer her expert services. She has built up a loyal following and loves doing alterations in the CWE on the days she is not teaching design & construction in the Fashion Design School at W.U. Jennifer will be open the same hours for now, Fridays from 9-1 p.m., and Saturdays, 1-5 p.m. Look for her sign on the side of the building. Entry is from the parking lot.

The Apparel Doctor, 449 N. Euclid, (314) 884-0739.

And Moving IN: Karen Halper, proprietor of Enchanting Embellishments, is relocating her store from Des Peres to the former West End Galleries location at 4732 McPherson. I wasn't able to reach Karen before posting this announcement but I understand that after extensive renovation of the space, Enchanting Embellishments, which carries home furnishings, gift items, and apparel will open in May or early June.

Karen is also planning to open Mary Ann's Tearoom in the greenhouse at the back of the location. If you have been in the neighborhood forever and a day, you may remember Witek's Florist with its large greenhouse in the back of the store. Over the years I've heard people say the greenhouse would make a lovely restaurant. Now Karen is planning a version of just that, bringing new life and a great idea to the neighborhood.

On the subject of tearooms: Years ago the late Jimmy Aumon had a tearoom on Euclid where Duff's is now located. "Jimmy Auman's Tearoom" was a charming spot (decorated as if it were a stage set) with pink tablecloths, fresh flowers, and heavy draperies on the windows.

The proprietor was quite a character, and resourceful! Though primarily a tearoom with no real kitchen, the menu included a few sandwich selections. When a food order was placed, Jimmy would duck out the back and go next door to Europa 390 where proprietor Frank Mormino would fill the order. Frank's delicious pastrami sandwiches were not on the tearoom menu.