“You can do anything — grab ‘em by the funding. They just let you do it.”
St. Louis booster. Glutton and wine fiend. Friends Board Member, St. Louis Public Radio. Human Rights Campaign Federal Club Council.
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“You can do anything — grab ‘em by the funding. They just let you do it.”
@miafarrow.bsky.social I thought you could use some good news, so please note that @tcmtv.bsky.social is running an entire night (Monday) of the Tarzan movies starring your mom. I hope you can take some time out to enjoy with your grandchildren.
@mollyjongfast.bsky.social I have this theory that the White House keeps a “recipe box” like my mom’s: some little tin or plastic concern with 3x5 cards — but instead of recipes, the cards say things like “raid Bolton’s house” or “arrange Putin meeting” — things to be used when the news cycle turns.
If you are a VBG (Very Good Boy), Ed will make lasagna alla bolognese (practice for his upcoming month in Bologna): layers of bechamel and ragù w/ a sprinkling of Parm (but absolutely NO melty cheese like mozzarella) between layers of fresh green pasta (mandated in Bologna). Towering and delicious.
I took my statin drug and indulged in what are probably the best chicken livers in St. Louis, with a rich mustardy sauce that doesn’t hide the savory flavor; PLUS the Grace smash-burger (plus mac’n’cheese) with its crispy edges and more secret sauce. If you haven’t been for a while, go! #eatlocalstl
Try to #eatlocalstl this month — this weather isTHE worst for your favorite restaurants. In that spirit, I scored a damn fine muffuletta from Blues City Deli which, like the sandwich itself, has Italian roots. Add their excellent bacon potato salad and you’ve got TWO lunches.
Everyone who has ever worked in an office: “This meeting could have been an email.” www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Today’s lunchtime adventure: The Hebrew Hammer from Nudo House is just about the best “chicken noodle soup” you can ask for — especially if you spring for a dollop of Salume Beddu ‘Nduja!
After three weeks at home, I went OUT to lunch! Like an adult! We made straight for Jack Nolen’s for a double firecracker burger and their hot crispy fries. I am SO happy.
Ed made pasta carbonara with crispy guanciale (pork jowl, from Bolyard’s) using a non-intuitive technique: Boiling pasta in a shallow pan creates tons of starch, which is super-important for all the Roman pastas (cacio e pepe, carbonara, alla Gricia, amatriciana). Thus, silky porky al dente pasta.
Still at home BUT happy to be here if Ed makes me sticky-spicy char siu, a Hong Kong barbeque pork treat. (Randomly, I got caught up rewatching Jason Bourne movies, which remind me to refer to Ed as “The Asset”.)
I’d pay cash dollars to see him swing that big bad boy at the French ambassador in open session. Very on-brand.
@timmiller.bsky.social and @mollyjongfast.bsky.social I think now might be the moment to note that Dean Cain was featured as a gay heartbreaker in “The Broken Hearts Club”.
Being stuck at home (for now) ain’t so bad if your other half serves up a delicious plate of silky-spicy cashew chicken.
Having to stay close to home doesn’t mean doing without treats from favorite restaurants. Last night, that meant STL-style pizze from Guido's Pizzeria and Tapas — salsiccia and jalapeños for me, Italian sausage and artichokes for Ed.
I’m not quite ready for dine-in restaurants, but I CAN do pick-up from favorites, SO I scored the amazing lahmacun from Balkan Treat Box: spicy beef w/ sumac, parsley, and secret BTB sauce, wrapped in a Turkish wood-fired flatbread. Add a glass of their boozy-tart BTB koktel and it’s a treat indeed.
My guess is that, going forward, the new BLS Commissioner will provide a one-pager of top-line numbers with no comment, then deny access to the spreadsheets and databases that would quickly show the real data.
I just assumed they had all joined ICE. The standards on their website are laughably low.
And Jesus never said any such thing. It’s Paul’s ramblings to the congregation in Rome.
@jbf1755.bsky.social Historical Q: There’s such a sneering reaction to “smarty-pants” people and institutions these days (I have my own bias against the former golf caddies in the White House) BUT was there a prior rejection of expertise and knowledge in American history? And what can we learn?
If you haven’t been, you’ll love it. Sensory overload. And if you’re inclined, try to get a ticket to the Tattoo — just magical.
Man, if Michelle Obama had tried something like this, she’d have been pilloried.
So this is Minority Report, right? Homan is running the Pre-Crime Division to arrest people who MIGHT commit a crime someday?
Points for not mentioning that “wasn’t” has an apostrophe.
The Royal Dumpe (on Chestnut?) would have been a good template. Wenches! Sawdust! Tankards! Aargh!
@therickwilson.bsky.social Did we have it wrong all along? Everything Epstein touches dies.
Dear Media (ALL of you): If the President says “bullshit” it’s a Presidential statement. Run it unedited. If the President texts “bullshit” it’s a Presidential statement. Run it unedited. Stop softening his coarseness.
After a visit to El Torito Supermercado, Ed made slow-braised pork shoulder w/ warm Nuevo Mexico chiles, cayenne build-up at the back, Mexican oregano, cumin, cloves, and honey to make a deep rich sauce. AND esquites (street corn) w/ finely-sliced serranos, cotija cheese, cilsntro, and tart crema.
We stopped to sample the wares of Marconi Mercato on The Hill in St. Louis. Beyond the bodega as you enter, there’s a lively bar with high-tops plus a more sedate dining room. Crispy-creamy arancini, a generous beet salad, and perfectly al dente tagliatelle with a porky ragù alla bolognese. Yum.
I’m chuffed to be the inaugural spotlight donor for Planned Parenthood Great Rivers. PPGR and the national @ppfa.org do so much for women AND men who need help with reproductive decisions but also cancer screenings plus assistance for the un- or under-insured. They’re do amazing work for St. Louis.
Hassett is like a used-car salesman, endlessly smiling while delivering a pleasing stream of the old rancid.
I was in a mood for a burrito, and I found a beauty at Locoz Tacoz, stuffed with carne asada, creamy queso Oaxaca, tomatoes, jalapeños, plus a secret sauce (not to mention an eye-watering selection of salsas). Ed got his usual pork tacos al pastor, but I can’t blame him — they’re 😘
In my limited experience, extortionists are never ever satisfied. Once they smell weakness, they always come back for more.
Remember that a clown with a flame-thrower … still has a flame-thrower.
Also, this is a crowd that likes the little outfits — the cosplay.
Sadly, they want it. A reason for martial law. It would solve SO many annoyances for them.
We ventured outside the 270 loop to sample the amazing Peruvian treats at jalea. on Main Street in Old St. Charles. Smooth-as-silk Pisco Sours and spicy yucca-potato croquettes to start, then a bright seafood ceviche with sweet potatoes, and finally a wonderfully-spiced and -sauced lomo saltado.
Mediterranean night a home: swordfish with tomatoes, capers, potatoes, and basil.
At least Cornyn made it to the presser (although he, Noem, and Abbott made sure to stroke Trump’s belly several times while delivering horrendous news).
Our July 4 weekend: chicken shawarma w/ tangy white sauce, tomato / cucumber / feta salad, corn sautéed w/ smoked paprika, and housemade hummus — to illustrate our country of folks who came or were brought here from Europe, Africa, South and East Asia, all the islands, and the rest of the Americas.
Is 8 too young to be told EXACTLY what that implies? (I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt here. 😉)
Why do I think that Trump wants his Megabill signing event to look like the unimprovable Captain America production of “A Star-Spangled Man With a Plan”?
Andy, I have ALL my Legion of Super-Heroes comics from the ‘60s. They’re yours for the asking, because I appreciate your pod so much.
Totally random: it pleases me no end to display the marble fruit that my Aunt Millie sent my Mama from Europe when her husband was stationed in France after WWII.
We have a bumper crop of Balcony Basil, so that means random pesto pasta all summer.
There’s a Rhiannon Giddens special on PBS at 3:30. If you miss it, probably on their app.
If, like us, you get a chance to view #sargentandparis at @metmuseum.org in New York, I recommend reading “The Man in the Red Coat” by @julianbarnes.bsky.social (The Sense of an Ending, Arthur & George). Dr. Pozzi is fascinatingly louche and a creature of The Gilded Age. (I have a copy ...)
Final dinner in NYC. Zou Zou's is a vast, high-energy concern w/ an adventurous pan-Mediterranean menu: turmeric Negroni and sumac spritz, a golden beet salad and grilled artichokes, plus a whole spicy Moroccan fried chicken with yogurt and molasses sauces. Every menu item is for 2 (or 4) diners.
Back down to Gramercy Park for an excellent lunch at Rezdôra Osteria Emiliana. Insalata cacio e pepe followed by Ed’s gramigna giallo e verde and my own tagliolini al ragù. A nice bottle of wine from Emilia-Romagna, and we were all set.
We spent a pretty amazing afternoon at @metmuseum.org viewing the #sargentandparis exhibit. The louche Dr. Pozzi and the aloof Madame X were there, along with Sargent himself (looking remarkably like Cousin Dashiell from The Gilded Age).
Truly excellent Indian dinner at GupShup near Union Square. The number of Desi/Indian patrons was a good sign, as were the hipster downstairs and the elegant upstairs spaces. But the star was the food: a beautiful biryani, butter chicken, spicy cauliflower with molasses, and crisp garlic naan.
Manhattan bars are PACKED this week due to the heat (also because, well, Manhattan) but our reliable standby —Danny Meyer’s The Modern— made room for two St. Louis boys in need of a cocktail.
We scored tickets for the @frickcollection.bsky.social in the freshened-up and expanded Henry Frick Gilded Age mansion on Central Park. No photos allowed beyond the central courtyard, but it’s a dizzying array of Turners, Monets, Goyas, Dutch and Flemish masters, and five (count ‘em, five) Vermeers.
After a morning visiting “old friends” at MoMA, we settled in at another old friend: Balthazar is an institution that never disappoints, is always lively, has excellent service, and can treat us to escargots, a perfect omelette, an oniony goat cheese tart, pommes frites, and even a pavlova.
Wonderful birthday dinner at St. Louis homeboy Danny Meyer’s Gramercy Tavern. Really exquisite food plus friendly and attentive (but not over-powering) service. We couldn’t have asked for better.
He thinks he can strong-arm the Nobel committee by sheer force of will.
😍
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No judgment. My boyhood was spent debating the best boyfriend possibilities from “Here Come the Brides”.
Here’s me and my peeps at our 50-year reunion — and at the Tom Thumb wedding that we were in at 7 years old. Call on your old AND new friends when you need a boost. You know which ones.
Dear News Media: This is a statement by the President. Run it unedited.
He is SO desperate for a Nobel Peace Prize. It’s his white whale — all because Obama has one.
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis has now given us delightfully silly productions 3 times out of 4. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is beautifully sung and inventively scored, but totally true to the Shakespeare source material. BONUS: STL favorite son Leonard Slatkin conducts the SLSO with expected elegance.
We leave for NYC on Primary Day. Could get spicy.
Steve Gontram’s @noordinaryrabbitt.bsky.social is a tapas-forward pan-Mediterranean experience w/ adventurous cocktails (Another Acid Flashback 💋) & plates full of warm spices. The onion rings sold out fast, so we snacked on duck rillette, chorizo-date meatballs, and gnudi w/ herb chicken sausage.
And the lack of detectable radiation thus far could mean that all the materials were spirited away to another storage site recently.
Notice that no one is talking about tariffs right now. Speaking of which, the entire DeCecco pasta section at Dierberg’s was empty yesterday, but Barilla was fully stocked. Possibly coincidence, but DeCecco is imported from Italy, while Barilla is made in the US.
We previewed the WildCare Park developing in North County in cooperation with our beloved @stlzoo.bsky.social The WCP will treat visitors to in-the-wild animals with a variety of viewing experiences. No photos — it won’t be ready until 2027, but the ibexes, addaxes & zebras are settling in already.
SO, a story: Our elevators seized up (trapping Ed for 20 minutes, after which he climbed the stairs to the 21st floor), which meant we weren’t going ANYwhere all evening. Instead of our planned evening out, Ed set to work making excellent meatballs and a rich tomato sauce. He amazes me sometimes.
And if you are a VERY good boy, at the end of the day you get a towering spinach-cheddar soufflé at home.
Despite a second full-time job at No Ordinary Rabbit, Steve Gontram has sacrificed none of the quality and hospitality at 5 Star Burgers. A creature of habit, I scored my usual cheeseburger w/ both chopped and fried hatch chiles, pepperjack cheese, and chile mayo (plus their amazingly crispy fries).
Ed added extra basil and didn’t stint on the cayenne.
Summer has finally arrived, which means fresh local corn is on the way with local tomatoes not far behind, SO: Time for my annual posting of the amazing corn relish recipe from the late lamented Riddles Penultimate. You can serve it any way you want, but it’s best over thick tomato slices.
A highlight of my 50th HS reunion this past weekend: In second grade, we surprised our teacher at her bridal shower by enacting a “Tom Thumb Wedding” — and for the first time in 60 years we were all together again (although Debbie did double-duty for her twin Gina).
@jbf1755.bsky.social My lapsed Catholic partner just said that Renaissance families purchasing plenary indulgences is like the tech bros buying Trump meme coin. I need an historian to weigh in.
Errands are often just an excuse to grab soothing treats at Soup Dumplings STL: First, the clearest, most flavorful consommé you can imagine. Then snag a pork dumpling onto your spoon, make a hole, pour the soup into the spoon and slurp, then dunk the remainder in your sauce of choice. Repeat.
@daniellemoodie.bsky.social
Sad fact: Until native-born white people start feeling “inconvenienced”, nothing significant will change. Until their lawn / pool care stops because there are no mowers and skimmers. Until their favorite restaurants close because there are no busboys and dishwashers. Until the car wash closes. Etc.
Think opera is boring? Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Don Pasquale is a gosh-darn HOOT! (“Gosh-darn” is a euphemism.) Set in a super-fun ‘60s La Dolce Vita milieu, the spotlight ignores the ineffectual men in favor of a super-sexy comedienne with a stunning voice. Trust me: bigtime fun!
I sobbed thru the last 10 minutes of This House. Mary Schoolman and Evelyn Cohen were worried about me. 😉
@clairecmc.bsky.social I didn’t see you at OTSL’s Don Pasquale Sunday evening, but if you get a chance to go, it’s a HOOT! Try to see it, and take fun friends. On a different note, their premiere This House is emotionally devastating, with a last-minute twist worthy of The Sixth Sense.
For all my former Twitter peeps: @andystoys.bsky.social Andrew Tolch and I decided to do an ad hoc Twitter meet-up at @fountainstl.bsky.social The Fountain on Locust this Thursday 6/12. No need to RSVP — show up for a few minutes between 5:30 and 7:30 for drinks and hugs and memories.
So, that would include ICE agents and the HSI bozos, right?
Same. I’m such a sucker for hot chicken, and Southern had different heat levels available. (I never quite made it to the 🔥 one.)
So happy that Byrd & Barrel found a new home, nestled inside the venerable Tamm Avenue Bar. We snagged the snot-inducing Nashville Hot Chicken (huge compliment) plus “nugz” with house-made hot honey. How hot must their oil be to produce these crispy wonders (plus some of the best fries in town).
I needed to “hide out” for a few hours, so I took a book to Anthoninos Taverna, ordered a glass of Chianti and some t-ravs (with their rich marinara), and settled in. (Before going home, I snagged one of their great pizzas for a cozy evening.)
Thank you @cameronkasky.bsky.social for pointing out that Trump and Elon were always doomed to a Real Housewives-level break-up because “they are SUCH messy girls.”
One good thing about the Mean Girls spat roiling the country right now: It’s unlikely that we will be treated to “Elon! The Musical” starring Scott Baio at The Kennedy Center. (Apologies to @jessecannon.bsky.social who I know had a couple songs teed up.)
I mean, I wanted him out of Missouri, but what a trade-off.
Plus the AI business going elsewhere. And did he really think Trump might gift him NASA?
Make pesto, but put 2-3 tablespoons into each square of a flexible ice mold. Freeze, pop out into plastic bags, then back into the freezer. Each one is the perfect amount for a dinner for two. (Note that we keep one dedicated to pesto — the aroma persists.)
It’s not just a remake of Triangle of Sadness?
@mollyjongfast.bsky.social I’m the poster boy for waiting too long. Here’s me and Lucky (and we BOTH were SO lucky) on his last day.
To celebrate #PrideMonth I’d like to share my favorite cartoon of all time. (And a reminder that whenever possible, be Sparky.)
I saw Footloose. I know how this ends.
My weekend home treat is palline al verde (which sadly translates to “green balls”): a vegetarian dinner of delicate ricotta-spinach globes gently boiled, then served over a tomato-basil sauce. Yes, I know how lucky I am.
Agreed. And important not to lose yet another institution.
Putting my money where my mouth is (or is it the other way around?): I reposted an “ask” from O'Connell's Pub because their business is down due to construction and annoying street patterns. Make the effort. If you haven’t been in 25 years, nothing’s changed. Pure St. Louis comfort.
