Category: Life Style

Farewell, Mr. Orange: A master film projectionist, father, and lover of baseball caps tilted up

July 26, 2021

“Smile! It’s good for ya!” Last week, I was at a movie screening with a few minutes to spare. As 10 turned to 15 and that escalated into 30 minutes, a delay brewed and audience members wondered what was happening. There aren’t projectors up there anymore at Ronnies or Esquire, just a digital machine with … More Farewell, Mr. Orange: A master film projectionist, father, and lover of baseball caps tilted up

500 words about my love affair with Stella Artois

January 31, 2021

“Give me a beer.” One of the simplest, most-easy-to-understand phrases hits like a blunt request. It’s synonymous with baseball for me. A cold one at the ballpark always felt very Don Draper to me. As Mike Shannon would eloquently put it on a blazing hot Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium, a cold, frosty Budweiser. Once … More 500 words about my love affair with Stella Artois

The simples of rules: Follow the COVID-19 guidelines, or you’ll get shut down

January 21, 2021

Some things in life shouldn’t need explanation or that much oxygen to understand. They are called rules. COVID-19 has taken a pound of flesh, in some way or another, from most of us; some more than others. Local businesses-the lovely family-owned and staffed comfort shacks spread out across Macklind Avenue-have taken a particularly nasty beating … More The simples of rules: Follow the COVID-19 guidelines, or you’ll get shut down

Rest in peace, Jerry Berger: St. Louis’ gossip king was one of a kind

January 6, 2021

Imagine being 17 years old, sitting on a weight machine at the gym for the first time, and turning to your left to see Jerry Berger next to you. Back in the late 90’s, when I started working out for the first time, I went to the Mid-County YMCA. I was a sophomore who stuttered … More Rest in peace, Jerry Berger: St. Louis’ gossip king was one of a kind

Why Panda Chinese Restaurant in Kirkwood is a classic hole-in-the-wall favorite

January 5, 2021

It all comes down to two things with a Chinese food restaurant for me: How is their Crab Rangoon, and can they make a great batch of chicken fried rice? Luckily for my St. Louis county readers, there’s a place where you can acquire both things every single time. Allow me to introduce you to … More Why Panda Chinese Restaurant in Kirkwood is a classic hole-in-the-wall favorite

Charles “Ed” Brown’s death is proof that we never quite know what’s going on with someone

October 30, 2020

A lawyer with an eye patch. What could go wrong in a courtroom? I always got a solid kick out of Charles “Ed” Brown, the personal injury attorney of the law practice Brown and Brown who built a reputation as a strong yet sweet presence in St. Louis before his suicide this week at the … More Charles “Ed” Brown’s death is proof that we never quite know what’s going on with someone

Why you should be inspired by a kid named Gauge taking down cancer

September 3, 2020

On July 21, a kid named Gauge rang a bell. It wasn’t just any bell. The now-seven-year-old didn’t get a big, new loud addition for his bike, or have a new alarm clock in the morning for school. This was The BELL for cancer survivors, something the young Gauge took down this summer. A story … More Why you should be inspired by a kid named Gauge taking down cancer