Singer-songwriter uses old-fashioned work ethic to create success
Leslie Sanazaro has been crafting an emerging reputation in St. Louis in the most old-fashioned of ways – simple hard work – while applying all the new technologies available to any modern musician. A presence online at MySpace? That’s in place. Forays into music video? On the way. Monthly gig cards highlighting upcoming shows, dropped…
Queen for a Day: Special touches make Mother’s Day more memorable
Sure, you could go out to eat – plenty of restaurants offer nice meals for Mother’s Day. But if you’re looking for an extraordinary gesture to show mom how much you care, options abound, from the classic breakfast in bed to a special stay at a B&B. At home Mary Entrup is a municipal judge,…
Filmmaker finds comedic fodder in Iran’s ban on female soccer fans
Iran isn’t exactly the first place that comes to mind when you think of comedy. Let’s face it, in the 28 years since the Shah was deposed, we’ve come to associate Iran with “angry rhetoric,” not “rollicking satire.” Fortunately for Iran (and for us), its people are far more independent-minded than its government would care…
Review: Twisted Olive in St. Louis
Guy’s perspective Every time I hit The Loop, I remember a joint off OutKast’s best album – 1998’s “Aquemini.” Back when they were good. In “SpottieOttieDop-aliscious,” Dre and Big Boi reminisce about young, wild and romantic nights. Among the great lines (“Her neck was smelling sweeter than a plate of yams with extra syrup”) is…
Review: Balaban’s in Chesterfield
Before the recent changes at Balaban’s, I had never seen such positive buzz or fanfare surrounding an ownership change at a 35-year-old restaurant. There seem to be three big reasons. The first was bringing executive chef Andy White, who rocked it at Harvest Seasonal Market Cuisine, in to helm the kitchen. Next would be co-owner…
A Truly Perfect Lemon-Garlic Roast Chicken
About 2 to 3 servings
Erato in Edwardsville gives its chef plenty of room to play with his food
When the owner of Erato, certified sommelier Tim Foley, decided to expand his Edwardsville wine shop to include a restaurant, he reached out to executive chef Kevin Mark Willmann, whose culinary career includes stints at Mosaic and Lucas Park Grille. The new Erato debuted last November in a new location, with an expanded inventory and…
Brits serve it up – again – with ‘Hot Fuzz’
Imitation. Is it the sincerest form of flattery, or is it just an excuse for being lazy and unoriginal? Off the top of my head, I can’t think of an American horror movie from the past few years that wasn’t a sequel to an adaptation of a Japanese horror movie or (worse still) a video…
Fate tests the resiliency of hometown jazz legend Mae Wheeler
Though Mae Wheeler has carried the moniker of “Lady Jazz” for her multiple decades of vocalizing in St. Louis area clubs, you’d be forgiven for thinking that she’s lately taken on some luster of the blues. A few months ago, Wheeler was diagnosed with colon cancer at an advanced stage. After a sold-out benefit concert…
Conflicting chicken-roasting advice leaves cooks fit to be trussed – er, tied
Cookbooks, magazines and online cooking sites overflow with recipes for roasting a chicken, each with a recipe that purports to be more “perfect” than the next. With so many options, it’s difficult to envision anyone getting into roasting trouble. But, alas, along with these prescriptions for success comes a wealth of conflicting advice about how…
Açai juice and cardamom combine to create Purple Rain
When it comes to mixing drinks, I usually stick to recipes, only taking risks in the interest of fixing something. Too sour? Add a splash of Sprite. Too bland? A dash of bitters. But there are people out there, the equivalent of chefs, who actually create new drinks. Recently, I put myself among them. The…
Local purveyors offer high-quality hams for your holiday table
Every family has its favored flavors and preparations, but whether your clan prefers hickory-smoked or maple-glazed, simply baked or fancied up with pineapple rings, it’s hard to imagine the Easter holiday without ham. It looks beautiful on the table, tastes delicious and doesn’t require much work – unlike roasting the Thanksgiving turkey, cooking a ham…
Kitchen Makeover: The chef at Modesto gets a kitchen she wants to come home to
Ever wonder how St. Louis would fare as the setting for some of your favorite reality shows? “The Amazing Race”? Contestants would have to navigate to Downtown, during rush hour, without using a major east-west artery. “Iron Chef”? Provel ice cream, anyone? “The Apprentice”? Aspiring Trump-ettes would work the line at Ted Drewes. Recently we…
Miss Aimee B’s offers decadent breakfasts in a gracious setting
Imagine spending a spring morning sitting on a shady brick patio, birds chirping, gentle breezes blowing, relaxing with a friend over breakfast. Miss Aimee B’s Tea Room in St. Charles provides that idyllic setting to enjoy a leisurely breakfast or a quick morning business meeting. And in May, this hidden breakfast gem will celebrate 20…
Missouri wines can benefit from glasses designed for European varietals
Wine-lovers are often seen swirling and sniffing and holding their glasses up to the light as if looking for some magical insight into the wine’s character. But all of this presumes something even more fundamental: that the wine in question was poured into the proper glass, the size and shape of which makes a difference…
