It’s Official July 8, 2008
We are off to Phoenix in less than 3 weeks. Wow.
My birthday used to be awesome…. July 2, 2008
now its not. And it isn’t b/c I keep getting older…I kinda like that. Its because my birthday is on July 4th and EVERYTHING is closed!!!!!!!! When I was a kid…that was cool….no school EVER on your birthday…..everyone came over for a BBQ…you watched your Dad and Uncles get drunk and set of fireworks. But that holds no appeal for me now. Or…you would go to “The Lake” and God knows that is NOT an option for me. I’ll pass on an overly crowded, disgustingly polluted, oil slicked man made lake.
All I want is a nice dinner…bottle of wine…maybe a few good beers….but NOOOOOOOO…..it’s America’s birthday too and we close everything down! Stupid. Stupid Stupid. I don’t want a backyard BBQ….jam packed with over cooked meat and pedestrian side dishes….I want to inhale a tasting menu at one of my favorite spots. Enjoy being served in a beautiful restaurant. This will not come to pass. Guess I’ll have to celebrate on Thursday.
pity party for one.
I don’t get out much… June 30, 2008
but when I do…I try and make it as meaningful as possible. With school, long work hours….being social is getting trickier and trickier….but when I do have the opportunity to go out for the evening…..I like to make it count, ya know. And that is exactly what I did on Saturday night. Have you ever been to a perfect party? They are often unattainable…..and few and far between. But the gods were smiling on me this past weekend. I was a guest at a perfect party….the weather was perfect….the guests were so social and welcoming….everyone was just really really nice to talk to–genuinely good nice folks …..amazing food…good music….cold and tasty beer…and the host is one of our favorite people. Before I knew it…it’s was 1:30 in the morning….wow. I haven’t stayed up that late in a really long time…especially out at a party. I wanted to bottle up that night and keep it in the fridge so it would last longer.
perfect party.
Sick June 26, 2008
do you want to know whats gross? when someone googles ’shaved wife photos’ and get’s my blog.
ugh.
i’m proud of myself June 19, 2008
got an “A” on my advanced patho paper….i really am proud of myself if I do say so….treated myself to some good beer up at the Duck with my hubby. well deserved.
now…looking forward to the Stable opening up on Friday……
Cella bids for Busch’s Grove…. June 13, 2008
Another tidbit from Peterson’s Post column:
CELLA IT TO ME: Charles Cella, 71, a prominent St. Louis businessman, has made an offer to Lester Miller to buy Busch’s Grove, which closed in May. Miller did not return calls Thursday; Cella said only: “We do not have a deal. I’m hanging up now.” He would not disclose details of the offer. Miller is a self-made multimillionaire who reputedly spent $8 million to revamp the 111-year-old Clayton Road restaurant, which he reopened in 2005. The Cella family owns Southern Real Estate and Financial Co., which holds commercial properties around the country. Locally one of the properties is the Clayprice Shopping Center in Ladue, just west of Busch’s Grove. That’s where Truffles restaurant, which Cella bought for his daughter, Harriet, is located. Cella oversees the business, which is run by his sons John and Louis Cella. The family’s history is steeped in horse racing. More than 100 years ago, brothers Charles and Louis Cella began a horse racing dynasty here. Today’s Charles and Louis Cella are named after their ancestors. The family owned several St. Louis racetracks that no longer exist, including the Fairgrounds Racetrack on Grand and the Delmar Racetrack in University City. The Cellas also opened Oaklawn Racetrack in Arkansas, which is still operating.
Could be an interesting deal. For the sake of our city…I hope the Cella’s can pull this off. In the wake of losing this landmark….and possibly AB….we need a boost.
Another St. Louisan take a Beard win June 12, 2008
From Deb Peterson’s daily:
HAUTE CHEF REDUX: Patrick Connolly — son of Manchester Police Chief John Connolly — won the Best Chef of the Northeast award at the 2008 James Beard Foundation Awards on Sunday night in New York City. Patrick was one of five finalists competing for the prestigious award. He is the chef de cuisine at Radius in downtown Boston and is remembered locally for his prowess on the gridiron at St. Louis U. High.
Can you beat the Beards??? June 5, 2008
Beat the Beards and Win Free Tickets to the Highbrow Backyard Barbecue
Do you have what it takes to beat the Beards? You do? Who do you think you are? Professionals and pundits, the cream of the food-media aristocracy, try to pick the major winners every year, and every year they fail. And yet…if some discerning Grub Street reader can correctly guess the winners of Outstanding Restaurateur, Best Chef NYC, Outstanding Restaurant, and Best New Restaurant, you will win two tickets to New York’s Highbrow Backyard Barbecue event later this summer. (We’ll give you a pass on the Rising-Star Chef award.) It’s not enough to pick the right nominees, though; you have to tell us just why you think they will win. In the event of a tie, the best, or most eloquent, reasoning will determine the victor. Below are the nominees. Put your thinking caps on and get cogitating: Entries are due by Saturday at midnight, either as comments in this post or via e-mail at the Grub Street in-box.
Slay’s on Zaytoon June 4, 2008
Another Slay opens shop downtown
St. Louis Post-DispatchWith a father that was a state representative and a grandfather who was an alderman, it’s easy to assume that Mayor Francis Slay’s family business is politics.
It’s not.
Before Francis moved into Room 200, the Slays were far better known for their accomplishments in the kitchen than in elected office.
Slay cousins David and Lisa are both chefs - the latter who wears the toque at Remy’s in Clayton, the former whose restaurant empire spread to Los Angeles.
Slay brothers Michael and Raymond are also both experienced in the hospitality business.
The newest addition to the Slay culinary legacy comes from another mayoral cousin, Dennis, who, along with wife Nancy, earlier this year opened up Zaytoon, a Lebanese lunch stand that caters to downtown’s office dwellers. (The name means “olive” in Arabic; fittingly, it’s located at the intersection of 7th and Olive Streets.)
Zaytoon, which replaces a Mexican restaurant that had been at the location previously, offers traditional Middle Eastern fare with a twist. The menu includes Mediterranean staples such as shawarma and falafel, along with crossover items such as a “Bavarian ham” sandwich and the “Zaytoon Poor Boy” wrap.
Enjoying the cuisine on Monday was none other than mayoral pop and 23rd Ward Committeeman Francis R. Slay, who, of course, has run the banquet hall at St. Raymond’s Church for many years.
The new eatery is just a few blocks from City Hall, making it easy for the mayor not only to support family, but also downtown, which has been a priority of the Slay administration.
But don’t reserve a table for hizzoner just yet - the famously health conscious mayor is known to favor protein shakes and apples over hummus and fried chickpeas.
It’s very hard for me to leave work for lunch…but if I could I’d go to here. Has anyone been??
Balaban’s will open for ONE more night June 4, 2008
From Deb Peterson’s column:
OF LATE NIGHTS AND CIGARETTES: There’s good news for those who get misty-eyed when the name Cafe Balaban surfaces — plans have been firmed up to revisit the site of so much revelry and glory in the ’70s and ’80s. When Balaban’s closed in January, many of those who spent a wasted night or three at the CWE bar and eatery didn’t get to say au revoir. Now, thanks to a crew who may have epitomized those days — Pete and Donna Rothschild, Kim and Sharon Tucci, Paul Zemitzsch, Lou Hamilton and Alderman Lyda Krewson — Balaban’s will be open June 27 for one night only. Original staff, bartenders and music will set the mood. Proceeds from the evening will go to Mayor Francis Slay’s re-election effort. Among those on the guest list: Karen Devine, David Guempel, Sean Gallagher, David Moore, John Sullivan, Lee Redel, Madt Mallinckrodt, Steve McIntyre and Bryan Young.
It’s amazing what you can do when you have lots of cash.
my life is sooooooooooo hard…… June 2, 2008
i whine that blurb often these days.
With working full time, being on call, going to school full time and taking the hardest course I’ve ever had to take…EVER!….i just can’t do all the stuff i want to to. Like sleep in, keep the house clean so it will sell, go to all the farmer’s markets, lounge at Veruca, hang out at the pool, go to Wisconsin for our annual fishing trip (plus see Grandma and Grandpa), cook, go to movies, ride my bike or drive to Edwardsville for dinner. Pity Princess…party of 1. 
It will get better (i keep telling myself that)
Straight from the horse’s mouth June 2, 2008
Barb Hillebrand, owner of Prairie Grass Farms say thus regarding the eggs:
Now for the chicken rumor…something did get into our new batch of young hens (probably our young Anatolian sheperd GUARD DOGS) they were to start laying in late July so production will be WAY down in late July(around 200 eggs per day or around 120 dozen per week!!) and we had just sold 300 older hens because their production was down and we can’t afford to feed them at the cost of feed if they are not producing.
new products from Prairie Grass Farm May 30, 2008
Bill Burge just posted a rumor that the Hillebrands raised a grass finished head of cattle to be sold at Clayton Farmer’s Market. Lucky for me that is the market I will be attending early tomorrow morn. I guess I’ll let you know what I find.
One down…3 to go May 29, 2008
Got an 87 on my first advanced patho exam. It was the first exam I’ve taken in over 10 years. Not bad for an old gal.
