Delmar Loop

The Scoop: Jon Parker to open Delmar Farm and Food in spring 2011

2010-12-06T12:43:00.000-08:00

The Scoop: Jon Parker to open Delmar Farm and Food in spring 2011

LOOP GROCERY PROMISED BY 2012

2010-12-01T19:57:00.001-08:00

Hey, maybe 2012 won't be the end of the world as we know it after all! (Had the ancient Mayans visited our lovely neighbourhood, they might have changed their prophecy, right? ;o)

By the end of 2011, as St. Louis Today promises, we will have a grocery store of our own!

Delmar Farm and Food, brought to you by Loopie Jonathan Parker!

Yay Jonathan!

See you in the Loop!!!

http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/dining/restaurants/off-the-menu/article_89706ea0-f1ce-11df-a809-0017a4a78c22.html

SUBTERRANEAN BOOKS

2010-09-08T13:18:00.000-07:00

Subby is on YouTube!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrLksaE3oGo

And isn't owner Kelly Von Ploski looking lovely?

See you in the Loop!

LOOP OFFICIAL WEBSITE

2010-08-07T20:28:00.000-07:00

The official Loop website has become very up to date and comprehensive! Events in the Loop are regularly posted, and categorized as in "gallery openings" "live music" etc.

Bookmark it and check it frequently, because there is always something going on in the Loop!

See you (where else?) in the Loop!!

VINTAGE VARSITY THEATRE

2010-08-02T15:06:00.000-07:00

Former Rocky Horror Picture Show alumni will enjoy this. Lupe remembers the red-haired manager, Dennis, handing these out when he tore your ticket stub.

See you in the Loop!!!

TAXI STAND

2010-07-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: The sign had been delayed but it is up now and the stand is fully operational!

There is a new taxi stand in the Loop. It is right next to Brandt's, and is a joint effort between the Loop Special Business District and County/Yellow cabs. (Brandt's does not run the taxi stand, it's simply located in the parking lot next to them.)

You can call a cab and tell them you are in the Loop and they will dispatch from the stand (saving you wait time), or you can simply go to the stand.

It's nice to have taxi's back in the area. When Lupe was young they used to park over in the old North Loop where the buses all turned around (now the Cicero's parking lot).

314.993.TAXI (8294)

PS- Don't forget that parking meter regulations changed July 5th!

See you in the Loop!!!

NOODLES & COMPANY'S NEW SANDWICHES

2010-07-27T11:55:00.000-07:00

Lupe's favourite Loop fast food chain, Noodles and Company, now has sandwiches.

Lupe has tried the Med Wrap and the Spicy Chicken wrap and both are good and worthy of the Noodles and Company name. Both have been added to the Lupe Consumption List.

Not only do you get the wrap (in that yummy flatbread that they sell as a side), but you also get your choice of side salad or side caesar salad, and for less than $6! (And don't forget that Loop employees and office workers get the 10% Loop discount!)

Lupe also learned that, contrary to Loop rumours, they are not now- nor have they ever been- owned by Pepsi. They are a small chain originating in Colorado.

Lupe is pretty sure that she pays someone's salary there, as she eats there so frequently, and really that is about the best recommendation she give.

See you in the Loop!

KARAOKE

2010-07-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

Karaoke at Brandt's has been moved from Monday nights to Sunday nights! (Brandt's is closed on Monday nights, currently.)

It is still great! Just a night sooner!!!

See you in the Loop!

I LOV IT!!!

2010-06-02T15:20:00.001-07:00

Ever noticed "Tivoli" backwards (or upside down) spells I LOV IT!!!!!

LUPE LOVES IT!!!!

(Loopie The Mad Russian actually pointed this out to Lupe.)

See you in the Loop!!!

PARKING METER CHANGES

2010-06-02T12:21:00.001-07:00

Lupe had forgotten that the parking regulations in the U City portion of the Loop had changed. She had forgotten because the signs have not changed.

However, an article in the West End Word reminded her.

The new parking meter regulations are:
8AM to 8PM Monday through Saturday
and it is going to be 75 cents per hour instead of 50 cents.

These will go in effect June 17th, Lupe supposes. Hopefully U City will get the new signs put in before then.

See you in the Loop!!!

VINTAGE VINYL AND RECORD STORE DAY

2010-05-20T10:54:00.000-07:00

Much respect to Vintage Vinyl!!! Much respect to Papa Ray and The Prince!!!

They have out survived all of the other locals and even many of the chain music stores! After watching this feature it is easy to see why!

All of the in-stores they have done; all the promotion of local music and musicians; the shows they have sponsored; labels and promotional companies and record shows (including Papa Ray's on KDHX); and then there are all the musicians that have found employment haven at Vintage Vinyl!

MUCH RESPECT!

Living St Louis Video- Vintage Vinyl- Record Store Day 2010

See you in The Loop!!!

LOCAL LOOPIE PUBLISHED IN NOIR CRIME MAGAZINE

2010-05-18T12:50:00.000-07:00

Meshuggah barista, writer, and all around great Loop local Jedidiah Ayres has been published in the magazine Needle: A Magazine of Noir.

Lupe found the story so compelling that she had to read it straight through in one sitting. (About 40 minutes including coffee drinking, croissant eating, hi to everyone walking by in Meshuggah, time.)

If Lottery author Shirley Jackson and Quentin Tarantino had had a love child and then Russell banks had taught the bastard to write, you would have this story.

Chilling, disturbing, and impossible to put down.

See you in the Loop!!!

MOTHER'S DAY IN THE LOOP

2010-05-12T15:02:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day in the Loop was quite spectacular! The drum circle was back on, and Craft Alliance had a fabulous outdoor pottery sale!

The most wonderful discovery for Lupe, however, was the uniquely personal, unbelievably affordable, and artistically designed bouquet that Lupe procured at Blooms in the Loop for her mother.

Not only is this a great florist-- plenty of fresh cut flowers, cards, ribbons, vases, etc-- but it is so clean and well kept up! No easy feat in a store with a lot of glass and shelves!

Having discovered this wonderful gem, Lupe wonders how she lived without it. Hopefully, now that you have read this blog, you won't suffer as Lupe has...

See you in the Loop!!!

GUERRILLA FLORIST STRIKES AGAIN!

2010-04-22T19:12:00.000-07:00

Lupe loves the Guerrilla Florist!! Lupe did not think that a chance afternoon errand would turn into an adventure!!! But, of course, this IS the Delmar Loop, where magical things are mundane!

So as Lupe adjourned her business at Screenz, she thought to stop at the Loop farmer's market for some fresh fruit.

In front of the Klinge sculpture, just a few feet away from the site of the very first Guerrilla Florist installation, was a new "bouquet" of corn husk rings and beautiful textured dried flowers, pods, leaves, vines, and a red plant that looked like a sea anemone. (This installation has amazing visual texture.)

The Guerrilla Florist website has photos of the twin installation on the other Klinge sculpture in front of Craft Alliance.

See you in the Loop!!!

Edit: The installation in front of Craft Alliance is truly a work of art! Very beautiful and stunning textures, colours, and arrangments!!!

BLUEBERRY HILL'S PANCAKES

2010-04-20T19:45:00.000-07:00

Monday is Lupe's day off. An ideal Monday off for Lupe begins with pancakes at Blueberry Hill.

Lupe did not think she would like Blueberry Hill's pancakes as much as she likes IHOP. But she does. So amazing Lupe does not have words.

And they serve them all day. Lupe has them at dinnertime, sometimes, after a stroll in Forest Park. Or she eats pancakes at midnight, after singing karaoke at Brandts.

So if you think Blueberry Hill is all cheeseburgers and beer, think again!

Think pancakes!

See you in the Loop!

UNIVERSITY CITY SCULPTURE SERIES

2010-04-15T17:58:00.000-07:00

Re: Lupe's previous post

EDIT: http://www.ucitymo.org/DocumentView.aspx?DID=1321This is the link to the series.

"Whale Forest" is an art installation!! Lupe is not very observant in the morning. There is a sign that clearly states this. Lupe had not had her coffee.

There is also another one in the park: A Meeting of Individuals. It is so cool Lupe hopes they leave it there forever. If you walk up on it at night it looks like aliens or angels. The figures glow with an otherworldly intelligence.

There are also a few more sculpture installations along Delmar around City Hall. They seem to be a series called "Reflections." Each one is an historical photograph printed on a glass panel and then situated so that you can look through it at the site of the picture today. Lupe finds it muy awesome!

The Sculpture Series is just another great reason to visit the Loop!!!

See you in the Loop!

WHALE PINATAS AT LEWIS PARK

2010-04-10T13:01:00.000-07:00

A wonderfully pleasant way to spend an early spring morning is to walk west on Delmar, through the Lion gates, to the park just passed Big Bend.

Lupe did just that the other morning. She likes to watch the ducks. Currently, a male mallard and male wood duck are in residence. Either their mates are hidden somewhere near by, or they await the women. (As all men do... and should...)

As Lupe was leaving, she noticed a number of whale and dolphin pinatas up in one of the oak trees. Now, there were about four or five, and they were up too high for anyone to break them open. They were also quite buoyant in the breeze, which made Lupe think perhaps they were empty.

Perhaps this is another stealth artist, like Guerrilla Florist? Lupe does not know.

Maybe a reader knows?

See you in the Loop!

BRADFORD PEAR TREES

2010-04-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

The trees that line Delmar are Bradford Pear trees. When they first bloom they smell like semen and everyone complains.

Then they start snowing petals and they are so pretty no one remembers the smell... well, no one tries to remember the smell...

HONOURS TO LUPE'S BLOG!!!!!

2010-04-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

Lupe is so honoured to be mentioned by the fabulous Tammie Holland. Seems Lupe's blog was the sole reporter of the guerrilla florist installation in the Loop! Yay Lupe!!

Thank you Tammie Holland for the great compliment and the well wishes!! What an honour!!!

http://kmjm.com/pages/TammieHolland.html

See you in the Loop!!!

GUERILLA FLORIST STRIKES IN THE LOOP!!!

2010-03-23T13:41:00.001-07:00

EDIT: The link works now and there are some GREAT photos!!! Guerrilla Florist is awesome!!!

Guerrilla Florist has delivered a heavy bouquet of nature appreciation to the Loop!!!

A beautiful creation of painted bamboo, calla lilies and black ring ties is on display in the Loop market area near the old Racanelli's.

The card says that if it remains Guerrilla Florist will remove it in three days.

The domain name on the printed card http://www.guerrillaflorist.com/ does not work for Lupe. A Google search leads her to some marketing sites. Hopefully this is not just some lame corporate marketing technique and is instead a true artist!!!!

One thing is for sure, either way, the Loop always has something interesting, exciting and unique going on!!!

See you in the Loop!!!

PS-- Lupe needs a camera!

SUBBY GIVES LOOPIES A DISCOUNT

2010-03-22T12:59:00.000-07:00

Lupe was very thrilled to learn that all Loop employees receive a 10 percent discount at Subterranean Books!

6275 Delmar

314.862.6100

IRON AGE TATOO: MEMORIAL BENEFIT 14 MARCH 2010

2010-03-10T16:20:00.000-08:00

Iron Age tatoo is hosting a benefit for the Siteman Cancer Center, in honour of Loop local Karl Kaltenthaler.

Ribbon tattoos will be $50 and proceeds will be donated to Siteman.

The benefit is from 12-8PM.

http://www.ironagestudio.com/news.html

It's for a good cause, and in memory of a great guy!!!

See you in the Loop!!

THE OSCARS AT THE TIVOLI

2010-03-08T12:24:00.000-08:00

Lupe and about fifty other people gathered at the Tivoli's main theatre to watch the Oscars last night. Admission was free and they also showed the Red carpet special before the Ceremony began.

It was a great venue for the Oscars because the big screen made it seem like you were sitting in the audience at the Kodak theatre. (Lupe was about 6 rows behind George Clooney. ;o)

It would have been even more fun if there had been a big party with a red carpet and stuff. Maybe next year this idea will catch on.

Lupe will let other bloggers comment on the Oscar's themselves. She just wanted to commend the Tivoli on a fabulous Oscar viewing experience!!!!

See you in the Loop!!!

LOOPIE'S IN THE NEWS

2010-03-06T16:20:00.000-08:00

If you haven't already seen this week's issue of the Riverfront Times, three of the bloggers featured are "Loopie's".

On page 11, the title page, is Adam Shriver, sitting in Meshuggah. On page 12 take a gander at Mike Flynn, standing in front of Fitz's. On page 16 Kelly Von Ploski, Subterranean Books proprietor and blogger extraordinaire; and on page 17, is Joe Stumble photographed in Riddles?

If that wasn't enough to distinguish this already distinguished neighbourhood, the West End Word also featured Loop events.

The front page previews the page 6 article on Brittany Woods middle school's attempt to bring a double decker bus to the Loop. The photograph also features Loop local Tony Street.

Lupe appreciates Tony's sax playing a lot. Street musicians contribute greatly to the lively and creative atmosphere of the Loop, and Tony is a great musician! He is always tapped into the "tune" of the day!

Congrats Loopies!

See you in the Loop!

EASTGATE & WESTGATE: THE LOOP HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PLACE FOR FUN

2010-03-05T15:09:00.000-08:00

A friend of Lupe's informed her the other day that Eastgate and Westgate were not named for entrances to Parkview, as she (and many others) had assumed.

True, Lupe had always wondered why "Limit" was where Eastgate should have started. She thought that the name had been changed at some point to reflect the city boundaries.

Apparently, they were so named for a racetrack that was horseshoe shaped. You could enter from the east gate or the west gate. The track was one of many features of Delmar Gardens, an amusement park with many attractions and places to eat.

Historical Background

“(In 1901) a new racetrack and an amusement park just across the city line brought a lot of city folk out west. The racetrack straddled the boundary between the country and the city on the north side of Delmar. The entrances to the grounds, or gates, were the source of the names of two streets. Delmar Gardens, at the loop of the Delmar line, was one of several amusement parks or resorts at the ends of the street car lines....Delmar Gardens boasted of “magnificent theaters presenting star performers in opera, dram and vaudeville.” The park had a variety of restaurants where a visitor could even get caviar...A series of wet summers around World War I and changing tastes, forced the closing of most of the street car line amusement parks including Delmar Gardens.” From Legacy of Lions, A History of University City, 1981, Historical society of University City, St. Louis, MO. The race track itself closed down after 1905 because of a crackdown on gambling.

“Delmar Gardens (Amusement Park) was located along Delmar Boulevard between Kingsland and Skinker. Built before the St. Louis World's Fair, it was a popular entertainment spot until 1911. In addition to the scenic railroad, it had a large merry-go-round, music halls, beer gardens, band pavilions, picnic areas, theaters and a nearby race track. The entrance and exit to the Gardens gave their names to the present Eastgate and Westgate Avenues.” From A University City Album, The Citizens Committee for the Seventy-Fifth Anniversary

The Loop has always been a place to have fun!!!

See you in the Loop!!!

AL TARBOUSH DELI

2010-03-04T13:10:00.000-08:00

This little spot on Westgate is true gem for anyone that lives in the Loop!

Not only do they have THE BEST falefil sandwiches and other Middle Eastern "deli" foods, but they also have a small grocery section that includes coconut juice (healthy and super low in calories, plus it is delicious!), pita bread, turnip pickles, hotsauce, and tabuoli.

There is a big hookah pipe and tobacco selection for all the hookah fans in the Loop.

This is a family affair and everyone there is so nice and friendly! The food is always good no matter who makes it. And everyone who has dined with Lupe at Al Tarboush loves it and becomes a regular customer!!!

Nothing on the menu is over $6.

Lupe's favourite meal? Falafil sandwich with enough turnip pickles to be in every bite, plus a little extra tahini than they would put on usually, and a coconut juice drink. If you still have room try a walnut or almond baklava. (They have pistachio baklava, but the nut does not compliment the pastry, in Lupe's opinion.)

Lupe also frequently enjoys a meal of lentils and rice, with a side of tabouli, and a mango nectar.

See you in the Loop!!

Al Tarboush 602 Westgate 314.725.1944

MISSOURI HISTORY MUSEUM RACE EXHIBIT

2010-03-01T11:39:00.000-08:00

(Edit: Lupe incorrectly identified this museum, Missouri History, as the Natural History Museum, and that mistake is still reflected in blog post url. But is corrected in the body of this post.)

One great thing about the Loop is that you don't have to travel very far to get to the cultural and relaxation headquarters of St. Louis: Forest Park.

Forest Park is 500 acres larger than Central Park. It is home to the St. Louis Art Museum, Zoo, Municipal Opera, Jewel House atrium/greenhouse, 2 golf courses, the Planetarium and the Science Centre; The Boathouse with paddle boat rentals and a great little restaurant; the original 1904 World's Fair Pavillion, and the Missouri History Museum.

Both Museums and the Zoo are free, except for special exhibits, and the RACE exhibit was only $8!

The exhibit is part science and part cultural attitudes about race, and the history of racism in America. Lupe could not absorb all of it in one visit. It was an emotional as well as intellectual/cultural experience. Some of the exhibits and photographs could make a person feel a little "verklempt."

Lupe learned a lot, too. For instance, high blood pressure affects African-Americans in higher numbers than other Americans. However, when Africans with similar biological profiles were tested, their blood pressure was not comparable. In other words, high blood pressure in African-Americans is not a genetic trait. (However, sickle cell is a genetic trait. It protects against malaria in Africa.)

Lupe also learned, that unfortunately St. Louis has the distinction of being the first city to file for segregation laws. And that many tricky laws were passed that did not allow former slaves from occupying any neighbourhoods but the original 14 blocks that formed "North" Saint Louis. (#5 on the headphones.)

Another interesting feature was the list of how skin colour and "race" are perceived in Brazil. There are over 100 ways to describe skin colour in Brazil. The family photographed said that they leave the U.S. as one race, and enter Brazil as seven! Each member of the family has a different skin colour.

Lupe was very glad to see how well attended it was. And the museum was hopping! The Katherine Dunham exhibit is still going strong. There was a performance in the lobby of a local high school band and cheerleaders and baton girls.

Sunday was the last day for the "Race" machine. The machine was like an old photo booth with a big screen inside. A camera took your picture. Then you used a toggle stick to mark points on your face (eyes, nose, mouth, etc). The machine then showed what you would look like as another race. (Lupe looks fabulous in all colours!)

The exhibit runs through April 4th and Lupe suggests hopping on the train to Debaliviere. If you walk across the bridge and squint your eyes and generally pretend, it is kind of like the walk across the Pont Alexandre III bridge to the Place des Les Invalides in Paris.

Okay... maybe you have squint your eyes ALOT! But the comparison is there, and Lupe is confident that someday a city planner will see it, too. Besides, Lupe had France on the brain because of the French Festival that was going on this weekend!

Maybe next year, French Festival! It was worth it for Lupe to see herself as the strong black sister she knows she is!!! (Also got to see Asian, Hispanic, and herself aged 20 years.)

Be sure to ask for the headphones with the additional information. There are markers throughout the exhibit for when to tap into the extra information.

Also, if it is a sunny day, consider going to the Boathouse before or after. Lupe recommends the fried greens & calamari, greek salad, and the bread pudding a la mode. The Boathouse bar is not very good however. The bread pudding is so good, though, it makes up for the watery drinks.

See you in the Loop!!!

SMOOTHIE KING SKINNIES

2010-02-28T11:28:00.000-08:00

Bikini season is coming, and, of course, we could all use a little more wheatgrass in our lives, so Lupe is substituting breakfast for a smoothie from Smoothie King.

The folks at Smoothie King really know their stuff. They can always answer questions about supplements and powders and such. (Just like a mediaeval apothecary, except the treatments are yummy and don't involve leeches and dried bat dung!)

Sometimes they can answer questions you didn't know you had. Like, "how can you make this smoothie with fewer calories and yet take away almost no flavour?"

Why, you take out the turbinado! (But not the honey-- Lupe still wants a little something to satisfy her sweet tooth.)

Lupe has been stuck on the Almond Mocha with a banana for a while now. Today she had a "Peach Slice Plus" (minus turbinado) and it was so good she doesn't know how she lived without it!!!

So if you are in the Loop and you want to have something delicious and nutritious, try Smoothie King, with or without the turbinado.

And get a card, every tenth smoothie is free! And Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays you get a double punch on every medium or large smoothie!

See you in the Loop!!!

DELMAR LOOP COFFEE HOUSES

2010-02-08T16:10:00.000-08:00

There are three coffeehouses in the Delmar Loop. Two are corporate: Starbucks and St. Louis Bread Company/Panera. The third, Meshuggah, is independently owned.

Lupe is willing to retract her rants against the corporate chains in the Loop. Especially Chipotle and Noodle House. In fact, she eats at both quite often. (Noodle House gives a ten percent discount to anyone who works in the Loop!)

MESHUGGAH

However, Lupe does still prefer "the local indies" in all aspects of businesses and stores. And Meshuggah is a great "office" for the student, writer, freelance businessperson, and gentleman/lady of leisure. Meshuggah is a true neighbourhood "public house." (And like a pub, they will serve you a beer at 6AM with your coffee, if you so desire.)

Meshuggah's strength is in their regular coffee (actual watered down espresso), which is rich without being bitter or having that awful burned aftertaste that Starbucks always has. They are also cheaper than both chains, ounce for ounce.

Meshuggah has great salads, and they sell beer and wine. Their space is in the last hippie/indie/boho building in the Loop, with Plowshares, Subterranean, and MacroSun as their neighbours. And the cafe is old-school beatnik coffeehouse-- wood floors, a loft, and local art work on the walls.

The staff is usually UMSL students, and there is usually an interesting book on the counter. (100 Years of Solitude and Smonk in my last two visits.) Meshuggah has a culture of book lovers and readers, even among the non-students. You can always eavesdrop on the most interesting conversations with your coffee.

They are also very "green." Every effort is made to recycle and green activities are encouraged. "Local Energy Supplier" is their slogan. They have cute t-shirts and commuter mugs that Lupe likes a lot. More than the Starbucks stuff.

Lupe has heard every kind of music and music genre in Meshuggah. She has also heard NPR and KDHX and staff members putting their iPod on random play. And sometimes there is just silence, especially during finals. Every now and then a singer songwriter will perform, or there will be a movie night or other special event or series.

The drawbacks are that they are often very slow. Everything is made by hand in the manner of a home kitchen. Sometimes there is only one person there, making all of the sandwiches and coffees. The staff puts the cream cheese on your bagel, and the milk and sugar in your coffee. If you are very particular this might annoy you.

But you will get used to it. And perhaps even come to appreciate it. Lupe recalls that in England when you ordered a cup of tea, you would be asked if you would like it "as it comes". This meant with milk and two sugars. Lupe thinks perhaps Meshuggah owner Patrick Liberto is simply reproducing this concept.

And the unhurried preparation actually serves to remind us all that we are not fast food, assembly line, corporate automatons, shovelling Soylent Green in our mouths without thought. No! We are humans, and human beings are preparing our food and drink in a civilized manner. And that means you might have to wait a minute and stop being so impatient.

Meshuggah doesn't allow cell phones at the counter, either, probably for this same reason. In this day of texting, and social networking, we have almost forgotten how to interact with each other as people. At Meshuggah, we are reminded of this.

Besides, these few minutes of waiting allow you to perhaps overhear a snippet of interesting conversation, or read a bit of an interesting book, or peruse the New York Times. Or just stare off into space, as Lupe often does, in the morning before drinking her Cafe Du Monde, as it comes.

PANERA

Panera has a great bakery and a lot of really good salads and sandwiches. The old St. Louis Bread Company was of a higher quality, but for a chain Panera is very good. Lupe eats there very often and also likes the chess tables and the fireplace.

Several staff people at Panera are counted among Lupe's favourite people in the Loop. Unfortunately Panera suffers from bad management at the corporate level. This translates into wildly fluctuating standards of service (and sometimes cleanliness). Lupe never knows what to expect from shift to shift, and from week to week.

Lupe cannot recall every noticing if music is ever played in there, but it is definitely the noisiest (and largest) of the three.

Generally, you can count on the bakery (and bakery staff!) to be good, and they have decent coffee.

STARBUCKS

If you want a fancy coffee-like drink and to sit and people watch, Starbucks is the place. It is all glass windows inside and big patio outside. As far as the drinks go they are quick and professional and consistent. The music will be something corporate packaged, but probably eclectic and decent.

(Lupe has had too many bad experiences with Starbucks pastries and food in too many different locations, so she does not eat at any of the chain.)

Hope this was helpful!! Lupe is off to get a Cafe du Monde from Meshuggah!

See you in the Loop!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!

2009-12-31T12:27:00.000-08:00

Lupe feels that wherever she is, on ANY day of the year, that is just where the party is happening, or about to happen. Therefore, usually she does not celebrate "Amateur Night."

This year, Lupe got all dressed up at 11 o'clock in the morning. Hopefully her premature costuming will help overcome the lack of holiday cheer. She understands not celebrating the consumer frenzy of America's cultural holiday, Christmas. But she is not sure why so many people are ignoring tonight's annual Bacchanal?

Three months from now you probably won't remember the reason that made you decide to not do anything for New Year's. In three months you will remember, however, the stunning get up you pulled together out of nowhere, the invitation you accepted at the last minute... and perhaps the hangover you had, coyote ugly "date" you woke up with... okay, well, go out and be fabulous, but don't overdo it!

It's not too late to put on a crazy New Year hat, throw together something dressy, or a full-on masquerade ball costume. Then, come on down to the Loop-- there are plenty of places to join the party!

Lupe thinks it is even more important to celebrate when times are lean than it is to celebrate when times are fat!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

EDIT: What a fabulous celebration at the Delmar Lounge!!! Yummy garlic fries, jerk chicken, and those delicious grits! No cover, free glass of champagne, plus plenty of red, white and blue hats, noisemakers and tiaras. (I won't say "leftover Fourth of July" if you won't ;o) Rail drinks were $3 and the place was well attended. Everyone was merry and bright and there was much laughter!!!

Lupe did not get as bedazzled and bejeweled as she had planned, as the evening turned into a night more about relaxing and enjoying the company of friends and loved ones, and texting Happy New Year's wishes to Los Angeles and other parts of the known and unknown universe.

It was a wonderful and promising night here in the Delmar Loop!!!

BACK IN THE LOOP

2009-12-03T14:28:00.000-08:00

Lupe is finally back in her beloved Loop after a 16 month absence!!!

So much has changed! The Moonrise for one thing!! Lupe loves it and cannot wait to eat at the Eclipse restaurant! (Everyone says the lobster pot pie is delicious!!!) Lupe has spoken with a number of Missouri "tourists" who have chosen the Moonrise as their weekend romantic, getaway destination. So it is nice to know that it is bringing lots of people to enjoy the Loop, as well as giving seasoned visitors a close place to stay.

And it looks like Joe Edwards will finally get that Loop trolley, and Lupe can't wait to see it. The maquette in Blueberry Hill's window is very promising. And it will certainly cut down on drunk drivers leaving the Loop. The trolley will go the Deballivere Metro stop, so that either train can be caught after enjoying a late night in the Loop.

The street looks so pretty-- all dressed up for the Holiday Season! Lupe heard a rumour that decorations will be replaced next year, as this year's budget did not allow. But even though they have seen many a solstice, the street looks wonderfully cheerful and festive.

The Loop is definitely a woman, if neighbourhoods had to choose a gender, and like a woman she likes to get dressed up! The new (but retro-looking), uniformly placed, green streetlights from the University City Hall all the way to the Delmar metrolink station, add to the beauty of the street!

Yummy Loop meals that Lupe has enjoyed since returning include a type of samosa or rangoon appetizer at the Thai pizza place next to the Delmar Lounge, and a "grits" dish at the Delmar itself. (Lupe would have used the word "polenta" instead, but the recipe is sooooo delicious no matter how you nameit. ) Also the wonderful pies at PI have been keeping Lupe satisfied.

Light Up The Loop is this Saturday, December 5th, all afternoon, and Lupe sure hopes that everyone is coming! All the stores are dressing up their windows, and it promises to be as beautiful as the Champs Elysee's!!!

See You In the Loop!

LUPE HAS GONE TO LALA LAND

2009-02-05T22:15:00.000-08:00

Sadly, Lupe has had to leave her beloved Loop and travel to LaLa Land for a bit.

She will be posting Loop nostalgia and events reported second hand, but no Meshuggah Honey Vanilla lattes for Lupe until late Spring 2009. Feel free to peruse the archives or send Lupe an email.

:o(

MARGHERITA SALAD

2008-06-11T07:13:00.000-07:00

The weekly specials at the Delmar included a really delicious Margherita salad. A mix of aristocratic greens like bibb lettuce, frisee, radicchio, topped with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and drizzled with a yummy balsamic vinaigrette.

Lupe enjoyed it so much on Sunday she went back to have it again on Tuesday, but they had taken it off the menu because of the salmonella-infected tomato scare. Lupe offered to sign a waiver. The salad was worth the risk. Alas, they turned Lupe down, so she had a Kingsland salad. Yummy, true, but not the delicious Margherita she was yearning for.

The bartender assured Lupe that he was campaigning to get the Margherita put on the menu permanently. Hopefully after the tomato scare is over they will offer it again. It is the perfect summer salad.

A PERFECT LOOP DAY

2008-05-29T14:48:00.000-07:00

The sun is shining but it's not too hot. Down in front of Ben & Jerry's a sax player is tooting out Dave Brubeck's TAKE FIVE. On Westgate next to Blueberry Hill the St. Louis Symphony Street Team is spray painting a street mural. (And you thought that only hip hoppers and indie rockers had street teams.)

The sidewalk tables at Blueberry Hill, Meshuggah, El Maguey, Brandt's, and even the neglected Starbucks are filled. (Lupe's random, sporadic, and unscientifically conducted poll has statistically determined that the Starbucks customers are not usually Loop locals or regulars. If you are in the Loop, skip the homogenized, bland chain and head on down to Meshuggah for some real coffee.)

Plenty of bare legs and bare arms as summer weather finally makes it's debut. You don't have to walk far to hear someone laughing. Or come across a chess game (mostly at Bread Co.) or a really interesting conversation, or see someone reading a book you've never heard of.

Lots of beautiful and stylish young muchachas are out shopping. Let New York keep Fifth Avenue, and L.A. can have Rodeo Drive. Loop ladies have something you can't buy from a designer: fearless personal style. (And if you do need to buy it, or at least be inspired, go to Ziezo's. You won't find one on Fifth Avenue, or on Georges V in Paris, or anywhere else on the planet.)

The world is here in the Loop, and the Loop is "u"-nique in all the world. There is no other neighborhood like it. New York has it's Greenwich Village, Los Angeles has Melrose and Venice Beach, Chicago has Belmont, New Orleans has the French Quarter, London has King's Road and Mayfair, Paris has Rive Gauche and Champs Elysee. But those places are like a rich man having money to spend.

For a city of two million to have such a wealth of culture and counter-culture, fashion and style, interesting and interested people; to have so many unique and one-of-a-kind businesses, and in a stretch of city pavement that barely measures a mile- well, that's like a poor man who knows how to spend a hundred bucks like it's a million dollars.

Stroll down past Napps Hair Salon and you will hear the lyrical tones of African women talking as they take a break from dreadlocks and braids. At El Maquey you will hear food ordered in staccato Spanish. Down Westgate and there is the Lebanese grocer and falafel restaurant.

Have a yen for some japanese sushi? There's Seki's. How about delicious garlic laden Middle Eastern food and belly dancers? Right across the street at Saleems. Want some Ethiopian? There's the Red Sea. Greek gyros, an abundance of Thai restaurants; toasted ravioli and St. Louis Italian style pasta at Cicero's.

There are American cheeseburgers and root beer at Fitz's, and plenty of eclectic choices at Blueberry Hill. (Mmmm, Lupe loves BH's mac and cheese. They have good jerk chicken, and BBQ beef sandwich, too. ) And fine dining is available at the Delmar Lounge and Riddles.

You have hippies, rappers, bohos, hip-hoppers, punk rockers, fashionistas, emos, rastafarians, trend-setters, collegian grungers, and enough tourists from the county to remind all the rebels what they are rebelling against. You can hear jazz, classic rock, reggae, soul, r&b, and indie rock at the different clubs. And you can find all these different kinds of music, and more, at Vintage Vinyl for a reasonable price.

Whenever Lupe shops at her favourite bookstore, Subterranean Books, she is always amazed at how refined it is. Every book Lupe wants is there. And a thousand she never would have found at a big chain- even if they'd carried it. Because Sub Books, like the Loop, has sifted through the fluff and down to just the best, the most interesting, the most provocative. There is no excess, just counter-culture excellence.

The City Planning Association was wrong. The Loop isn't one of the ten best neighborhoods in the U.S., it is the best neighborhood in the world!

And one of the best thing about the Loop, that is not true in any of those other places (except Paris), is that any restaurant will be happy to give tired doggies a complimentary bowl of water.

See You in The Loop!

UNIVERSITY CITY MEMORIAL DAY RUN

2008-05-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

The Memorial Day run is actually three events. Since gas prices are so high, and alot of people can't afford to go out of town, this seems like it should be well-attended.

The 5K starts in front of Blueberry Hill, the 10K starts in front of the library.

For more info:
http://www.ucpl.lib.mo.us/memorialdayrun.aspx

And remember you won't be able to park on parts of Delmar from 2AM to 12 Noon on the 26th. (There are signs posted already.)

BREAD CO @ 10 AM

2008-05-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

The Bread Company this morning looked like the set of a movie. In addition to the always colourful and interesting Loop locals (including a lovely African woman wearing a full length dashiki and headdress), there were three men wearing balloon animals on their heads and carrying baloon paraphanilia. They were accompanied by a magician in a sparkly top hat.

They were promoting a new movie at the Tivoli: TWISTED A BALLOONAMENTARY. The movie runs from today through the 29th. It looks good. The ad postcard quotes "James, A Grandfather" from Atlanta saying "I do balloons because I wanted to find something to show the kids that everybody don't have to be a drug dealer to be successful."

This reminded Lupe of Tommy the Clown in South Central Los Angeles, and the dance craze Krumpin', documented in the movie RIZE. Lupe had to watch RIZE twice in a row it was so good and awe-inspiring. Hopefully TWISTED will be just as good.

THE GREENING OF UNIVERSITY CITY

2008-05-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

UCity United has started a Cool Cities Committee. There is a meeting at 7PM at Heman Park Community Center. Door Prizes and everyone is welcome, says the flyer.

Apparently Joe Adams, Mayor of University City is "now stepping up to meet that "Cool Cities" challenge."

If you are worried about global warming you can go to the meeting to learn what you "can do to make your household greener - while saving money doing it."

The Sierra Club and City Manager's office will be involved.

For more info call 314-644-2629 or check out www.ucityunited.org.
and
www.coolcities.us

MARKET IN THE LOOP

2008-05-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

Lupe loves summer at the Market in the Loop. The plaza fills with vendors selling jewelry and clothes, tarot and psychic readings, books, and homemade items. The drum circle resumes. Aspiring musicians serenade the crowd with their best performance. Artists bring out their canvases, to sketch the scene and try to sell their work. Little children laugh and play while their parent's shop, browse, and people watch. Teenagers swarm back and forth through the shoppers, filling the air with youthful hormones and high spirits.

If Venice Beach in California and the Bastille Saturday market in Paris had an illegitimate child, it would be the U. City Market in the Loop.

The Long Acre Farms at the market is open three days a week year round. Lupe tries to shop there as much as possible. They are so much cheaper than the grocery store, and it is really important to support local businesses and also local growers. (Locally grown produce, even if it isn't organic, is better for you. It comes from the same environment that you in live in, and therefore can nourish you more.)

They also have great honey from Gibbons Bee Farm. Honey bees pollinate about 2/3's of our food. Lately they have been disappearing. They aren't finding the bodies. It's all very X-Files. (What ruined the X-Files movie for Lupe was the use of bees. Corn is self-pollinating.) This phenomenon is called Colony Collapse Disorder. They think the bees are getting lost on the way home. Orperhaps a virus or fungus.

If you haven't had a chance to enjoy the Market in the Loop, find a sunny Saturday this summer to check it out. Lupe guarantees you will enjoy it as much as she does.

DELMAR LOUNGE

2008-05-15T17:44:00.000-07:00

The Delmar has two really great dishes Lupe likes a lot. The Delmar Penne: delicious penne pasta with shrimp and spinach, and the Blackened Tilapia. Lupe has a hard time trying new things when she eats at The Delmar. Both items are so good.

The Ravioli di Portabello is delicious but really rich. The salad with goat cheese, walnuts, and raspberry dressing is a great accompaniment to any entree. The scallops are a good appetizer for one person (only three scallops). The regionally popular spinach-artichoke dip appetizer is above average. The pizzas on the after hours menu are really yummy.

Some of the tables and the bar are smoking, but there are enough fans that the room never gets smoky. (This is one of the reasons many locals migrated from long-time Loop favourite Riddles. Riddles has jazz and great food,too, but Riddles can get "make your eyes water" smokey.)

The Delmar has great jazz bands several nights a week, and on weekends they have dj's after midnight. The music they play during the dinner hour is very eclectic. One night Lupe heard David Bowie's Low, a Scissor Sister song, the "u"-biquitous Nelly, and Jeff Buckley's Last Goodbye.

Girls, this is a great place to have your Sex In The City movie after-party. Cosmopolitans and Manolo's fit right in at The Delmar. The atmosphere is very Greenwich Village, and all of the tables and booths are comfortable. The crowd is always very diverse, and usually a mix of Loop locals, West County tourists, and jazz lovers from all parts of Saint Louis. Even on weekend nights it manages to satisfy the intimate outing, the family and/or friends gathering, and serious party-ers that don't turn into drunken buffoons.

The only drawback is the wine list. They need a decent sommelier to seriously re-do their wine selections. But that isn't a big enough flaw to keep Lupe away.

The Delmar is actually located in St. Louis city, not University City. (U. City ends at Limit Avenue.) Therefore, they are able to stay open every night of the week until 3 AM. They don't open until 5 PM, though, so no delicious Penne for lunch.

Delmar Restaurant and Lounge
6235 Delmar
St. Louis, MO 63130
314.725.6565

SHRIMP NACHOS

2008-04-23T16:36:00.000-07:00

El Maguey has the best shrimp nachos. They put about $8 worth of shrimp in them, so it is worth the $9. (And they just put a half order on the menu for $6, but they are so good it is worth it to get the whole order.)

They use a Margarita mix, though. Lupe likes real Margaritas. Get the nachos to go.

THE SOUTH LOOP

2008-04-08T07:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, Lupe is really tired of cars zooming around those corners up at the post office. Crossing the South Loop at Kingsland is a suicide mission. That trellis that is supposedly some sort of art installment blocks the view of the traffic coming down Kingsland, and there are no stop signs or even yield signs at any of the corners. (Not that any driver in St. Louis knows what those yellow signs are for, as far as Lupe can tell.)

Que pasando, Esse? Lupe thought the Loop was supposed to be pedestrian friendly?

REMEMBER THAT BIG SNOWSTORM IN 1982?

2008-01-16T19:39:00.000-08:00

Lupe really likes this story. This place sure sounds a lot like the Delmar Loop. Lupe thinks maybe the names have been changed to protect the innocent, or at least anyone that might sue. Lupe thought her readers might enjoy this, too, and if this chica Rudie has anymore stories about the old days in the Loop, she might post those, too.

SIXTEEN INCHES

Once Upon A Time, In a Land Far Away, When I was still a Magical Princess and ruled a Kingdom of my own…

Okay, next to King’s Road in London, or Saint Mark’s in New York’s Greenwich Village, or any of those clubs in Los Angeles from the movie THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION, the coolest place in the world is The Loop in College City. Just one block west of the City Limits its about as urban and hip as this small Mid-western city can get.

I’m almost 16 and it’s Tuesday night over Christmas break. I am hanging out with my best friend Matthew Jeffries. Matt is gay. Matt is a fag. Matt is as queer as a three-dollar bill and damn proud of it. We are in the lobby of The Copenhagen Theater scamming free cokes and popcorn from Sean, the surrogate Daddy to all the Loop kids who need one. And that’s really most of us, except for the rich kids, who all have two Daddies and two fifty dollar allowances every week to prove it.

Sean is updating us on important Loop happenings: who came to the John Waters film festival last week, which films they came to see, and if they dressed up. Leather Loretta was in a lobster suit for MULTIPLE MANIACS and David Divine dressed in drag as Liz Renay for DESPERATE LIVING.

Matt and I exclaim in ecstasy over this news and mourn that we could not attend! Sean smiles his patient, amused smile at our childish delight. You are so young, his smile seems to say. Your world is still so easily joyful, so grand and great!

Sean is in his forties and looks like an Irish cop. He has one of those cop moustaches that come down over the corners of the mouth. But you can tell by Sean’s eyes that he isn’t a cop. Cops eyes are cynical and sharp and judgmental. Sean looks tired and a little sad, like he has seen too many things he didn’t want to see.

But Sean never judges, just accepts. He is always patient, or at least tolerant. And he knows everyone: young and old, bums and businessman, drunks and drug dealers, punkers and burn-outs. He has been around The Loop since it was just a couple of greasy coffee shops and a Laundromat and the bus and taxi loop that gave it its name.

Now it’s trendy bar and grill Heartbreak Hotel and hundreds of University students every night of the week. There are several record and comic book stores, a book store for Black Nationalists, another for Lesbians, and two movie theatres. One is The Copenhagen, and the other is The Sophmore.

The Copenhagen is an art house, but both theatres are cool. The Sophmore runs ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (which Matt and I have both seen over 150 times) every Friday and Saturday night. The Copenhagen is the only the theatre in St. Louis that would show THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILAZATION, Penelope Spheeris controversial documentary on Los Angeles’ punk rock scene.

Sean must leave us to go upstairs and count the night’s receipts. We bow and curtsy to him elaborately, making him laugh. Matt and I begin dancing around the lobby, doing Bob Fosse from SWEET CHARITY and ALL THAT JAZZ and Jerry Robbins from WEST SIDE STORY. And doing them badly.

We’re ignoring Karin, who works at the concession stand. She started it by ignoring us, because she is showing off for her new boyfriend, a black guy who dresses and acts like he thinks he’s Prince, but honey; he doesn’t look a thing like him!

But when Karin starts singing the theme from FAME it doesn’t matter if we are bad or good, or who is ignoring whom, because we are all jeteing and pirouetting around the lobby and singing along at the top of our lungs. Jennifer, little Miss “I’m a real dancer”, comes down from the projection booth, (where she has most certainly been flirting with the projectionist, Eric, who is good-looking beyond words, but way out of our league) to see what all the noise is.

When she starts spinning around, “this is how you spot” --giving us ballet lessons! The prima dona!-- Karin abruptly stops dancing to clean the popcorn machine. Prince stamps his feet and shakes his forelock of hair in front of his face and pretends he’s not watching Jennifer. Matt and I sniff angrily at such an affront and leave without saying goodbye.

Outside it is so very, very cold. Alternative Albums, the best and coolest record store in the world, is closing; we don’t have enough change between us for even one cup of coffee at Cyrano’s. Heartbreak Hotel cards everyone, even old people, like our mothers.

We head up to The Late Edition to see if anyone left a quarter in the Centipede machine (“Spendipede”) and to look at The Face magazine imported from London. There aren’t any quarters, but we bump into Scooter’s dad on his way to work. He informs us that Scooter is up at Dairy Queen, hanging out.

I have a boyfriend, Rick. He is from New York and goes to college. He is the bitchinest thing to ever happen to me, but I’ve known Scooter forever, or at least since I was fourteen, and I’ve always had a crush on him. Scooter is sans girlfriend right now.

Cosmo magazine uses sans a lot, and I explain to Matt that it means “without.” He curtly informs me that he took French in Junior High, and besides, he reads Cosmo, too.

Scooter has left Dairy Queen by the time we sing and jete our way up there. I want to go to Scooter’s house but Matt wants to go home. Besides, he wonders, weren’t we going to cut your hair? So we walk toward Matt’s, the snow crunching underfoot, the sky clear and bright above us. There is supposed to be a big storm coming in, but we think it must have passed.

We pause in front of the Lesbian bookstore and Matt jokes that he should go to one of their meetings in drag. I say "I’ll go too and wear something low-cut." He says "lesbians aren’t into big boobs the way straight guys are." I counter "oh, yes they are!" And just as we are saying these things two women come out of the door. We shriek in mock horror and run off down the alley.

We both know the women, Sheila and her girlfriend Terry, but we are high on ourselves and being free from school and the cleverness of our conversations when we are together. We cannot imagine that our catty remarks wouldn’t offend-- that they could be dismissed as youthful high spirits. Or that our incredibly cool and humorous opinions could be dismissed at all!

As we run we try to sing CONCRETE JUNGLE by The Specials, but we both smoke and our lungs finally decide either running or singing must stop. We run to the end of the alley and when we reach the street we start to sing again. A police cruiser slows to pace us and Matt starts yelling after them in his best cockney accent.

“Off the pigs! Eat the rich! Anarchy in the UK and the US!”

We defiantly serenade the coppers with The Sex Pistols’ ANARCHY IN THE U.K. The cruiser moves back into the flow of traffic. We are no threat, at least not at that moment. Both of us have seen the back of a police car, usually for indecent exposure leaving ROCKY HORROR, or underage drinking, and the reasons will only increase in the coming years.

After they are gone we break into The Clash’ LONDON CALLING. We always try to come up with new lyrics to songs, to better suit our purposes, but we are too soon back on residential side streets and must be quiet, unless we want the cruiser called back to us. Besides, it’s hard to re-write The Clash, we agree. Joe Strummer is a genius.

We pause to light cigarettes and make fun of Karin’s new boyfriend. Does he know how stupid he looks with that backward mullet hanging down his forehead? We skirt around the real issue: that Karin hardly paid either one of us any attention at all. Matt has known Karin since grade school and he tells me how she is really deeply in love with him and crushed that he is queer! I staunchly believe every word my friend says, even though common sense and my own observation would say otherwise.

We arrive, eventually, at Matt’s apartment. We don’t have to put out our cigarettes, like we usually do when we see someone’s parents. Matt’s mom doesn’t care if we smoke, because she smokes too, but we have to go in his room, because we can’t smoke around the baby. Matt’s half-sister is half-black. In College City this isn’t unusual. This is partly because The Loop slices the city in half, North and South. North is black and South is white, so all of us freaks meet in the middle. Matt and I discuss this quietly in his room while we prepare for our beauty makeovers.

First my hair must be cut. Matt does a terrible job, but not as bad as I would have. The only important thing is that it is short short short but not shaved, and spiky. Then we decide to do facials.

I am very much into Marilyn Monroe. I have read several books about her and know that towards the end of her life she would rub Vaseline into her face at night. This was to make the light hairs on her face grow. She believed that those fine hairs on her cheeks and forehead were what gave her that glow, and I believe it, too.

Matt thinks this is bad idea, but what does he know? He likes Jayne Mansfield! I rub it on my face, and then I decide to do my hair, too. Matt thinks this is an even worse idea, but his knowledge is shrinking every time he disagrees with me. We have a spat.

The Vaseline is a disaster. I can’t get it to wash off or rub out of my hair. Matt feels bad for me and he says it really doesn’t look so bad and it will wash out in a few days anyhow. I am somewhat consoled and we are friends again. We sit on his bed and eat cupcakes his mom brought us, and stare at his David Bowie posters.

David Bowie is a God. A God! And anyone who thinks different is an idiot and deserves only contempt! Matt puts on a Bowie record. We stay up until two in the morning talking about David Bowie and Marilyn Monroe and if I could, and if I would, and when we will this, and when will we that, and if if if if, and when when when when. And we need no How? Because we know that our destinies will unfold before us effortlessly.

When we decide to go to sleep it is snowing. Matt asks me would I sleep with him? At first I think he means in his tiny bed and then I say "What? No. No! Forget it, besides aren’t you gay?" And he says he wants to know what it’s like with a girl and I am the only girl he can do it with. I tell him he’s crazy and there is no way, besides, I have boyfriend. He says “uh-huh” and I say what does that mean? And he says “nothing.” But then he adds “Scooter” under his breath.

I ignore the implied insult and tell him, “Matt you’re my best friend and I don’t want to sleep with you!” He asks me to marry him! He tells me that I am the only girl he could go straight for. I tell him he is really insane.

Plus I call him on it. He has stolen something I told him in complete, total, cross-your-heart-hope-to-die, never to be repeated confidence: when I was a runaway in California a gay street hustler named Tony begged me to marry him. Tony got on his knees and begged me because I was the only girl he’d go straight for. Those exact words! This was before I was into punk rock and still a burn-out, so it didn’t really count. But still! How low is that? To steal my best confidence!

Matt gets sad and melodramatic and tells me things about his life and how depressed he is and how he hates his Mother and stepfather and this apartment. I think to myself that he is a total drama queen and out loud I tell him forget it! I am still not sleeping with him! Besides, he should have sex period first before he goes and decides he is missing something with me! Or any girl!

He says “Fine!” in a whoosh as he turns over on his side facing the wall, his back to me. I curl up inside the sleeping bag on the floor and dream about Scooter, and David Bowie. I am drifting off when Matt says “Rudie?” I know he is really sorry when calls me that, the nickname I chose for myself because I am a Rude Girl, not just a Punk Rocker. So I answer “yeah?” instead of pretending to already be asleep.

“I really would marry you, you know. You’re the only girl I’ve ever loved.”

It doesn’t sound like a scam this time, so I tell him thanks, I love him too, but not in that way. He agrees, “yeah, I know,” and we both fall asleep.

When we wake up we find it has snowed sixteen inches overnight! Because of wind and drifts, and all the snow from before, it is up to the windowsills! We are so excited we can hardly wait to get outside! But Matt’s Mom wants us to eat breakfast and his stepfather says Matt has to clean the bathroom before he can go out. Matt is mad but I help and soon we are free! Free! Except for the milk Matt must buy at the Quik Mart on his way home.

Matt wants to leave immediately and foregoes decorating his own face, but I make him wait while I put on eyeliner, thick and black, around my eyes, and purple frosted eyeshadow, but on my lips, like lipstick. I start to draw in a black beauty mark on my cheek, but Matt tells me it looks like I have skin cancer when I wear that thing! Secretly I think he is just impatient, but I decide I look okay without it.

We run outside only to stop dead, staring in delight. The world is still and silent and it is almost noon on a weekday. There are no noises from traffic. There are no colours but grey and white. No one is out except for us. The snow is waist deep. We can barely make it to the street, and even there it is above our knees.

We are so excited that we want to run, but it’s like running hurdles in heavy quicksand just getting one leg in front of the other. Matt clasps my hand in his and starts singing Bowie’s ROCK AND ROLL SUICIDE at full voice. I try to join him at the chorus. We are not very musical under such circumstances. We shout breathless non-musical lyrics in between gasps as we plough our way down the street.

Karin comes out on her porch in a robe yelling to us, “where are you going?” “The Loop!” We answer in unison, and struggle on. She shakes her head you-guys-are-crazy and goes back inside. Nothing can stop The Loop; it will not fail us. The rest of the world may be shut down, but not The Loop! We persevere against the unyielding snow.

We make it to the main road after two more Bowie songs. It hasn’t been ploughed either! We are delighted to find a police cruiser stranded in the middle of the road, right near the alley. Could it be the same one that slowed to scrutinize us last night? Yes! It must, how could it not? Matt writes “Pig” in the snow on the windshield. We are triumphant. Then, suddenly, we become scared someone has seen us, and hurry away as fast as the thigh high snow will allow.

We wade through the drifts in the alley until Matt notices that The Loop has been partially ploughed. We make it to the road and walk in snow that comes only above our ankles. There are no cars out driving, just big, motionless lumps of white on the side of the road where the curb should be. When we get up near The Copenhagen there have been enough feet before us that we no longer sink, the snow is packed down. University students and neighbourhood regulars swarm in and out of Alternative Albums and the coffee shop.

On some subconscious level there is an understanding in every nod, and hello, and wave of a mittened hand, that only those that truly belong to the Loop are there. That no one who is not a local is present. No lame West County kids, no poseurs, no rich kids slumming. The snow has made all the businesses honest. The greasy spoon coffee shop is open, but the trendy pastry shop is not. Alternative Albums is open, but the chain record store is not. This magical day belongs wholly to the neighbourhood.

As we pass The Copenhagen, Roland, the janitor, waves to us from the lobby and pushes open one of the glass doors. “What are you kids doing?” He asks, fiddling with the expensive watch on his wrist. Roland is sixty years old and cannot read. He cannot recognise the alphabet or numbers. Roland was born to sharecroppers in the South and never went to school. He works four janitorial jobs and probably has never slept more than few hours a night in his whole life. But he drives a Cadillac and has put all of his children and several of his grandchildren through college.

After a few minutes of pointless conversation and more watch fiddling, I realise that Roland needs to know what time it is. I ask him for the time and then read the clock face out loud, as if to confirm it for myself. Roland becomes immediately and visibly nervous. The day is getting away from him, he remarks. He needs to get to his next job. He’s not sure how since he can’t get to his car. We say good-bye and leave him to his dilemma.

Matt and I decide to go into Alternative Albums and look through the Punk section. This is proof positive of Alternative Album’s coolness; they have a Punk section. The Sex Pistols and PIL each have their own dividers and they are cross referenced for the really lame West County kids who don’t know that Johnny Rotten, the ex-lead singer of the Sex Pistols, is the founder of Public Image Limited. And that, further, if you are referring to PIL you should call him by his birth name: Johnny Lydon. In our world this is very important information.

I used to argue with Vaughn, one of the owners, that Ska should have its own section until he pointed out that Jamaican Ska did. Vaughn informed me that Rude Boys (and Girls) used to be Jamaicans in London, and that we white suburban kids had just stolen the title for ourselves.

So The Beat, called The English Beat everywhere in America except The Loop, sits in the Punk Section, right before the Buzzcocks. I console myself that at least they aren’t in the E’s.

Joel King, the other owner, lives in The Loop, and is holding court behind the counter. He is telling everyone that if this kind of snow fell in New York City no one would even notice. The snow-ploughs would come out and get it all cleared up before anyone was inconvenienced. Joel is from New York City and never lets you forget it. He and Vaughn met there years ago and went into business together.

Usually I believe everything Joel says-- I love him and Vaughn fiercely and never question anything they say---but I look outside at the trapped cars and the drifts as tall as I am and I wonder. I think even the Big Apple would have been slowed down by this storm. But Joel believes that New York City is invincible, and wouldn’t have listened to my reasoning, anyhow.

Joel sees me and winks. I give him a big smile in return. A rare and wondrous feeling of belonging washes over me. I am at home here. These are my people. They all know who I am, and they like and accept me-- purple lips and Vaseline hair included.

When there are no customers at the counter I ask Joel if he has any change I can have? He gives me four quarters and a few dimes and Matt and I run off without thanking him to buy a real breakfast of Mello Yellos and candybars.

I want to go to The Late Edition but Matt wants a candy bar that they don’t carry, so we head across the street to the Quik Mart. We stop in surprise as we enter. There are over a hundred people in line! It stretches all around the aisles to the back of the store! Matt and I check the milk case but it is empty. Matt is glad, we have more money for candy and we can go get coffee and cheese fries at Cyrano’s if and when they open.

We are in the candy aisle looking for Matt’s candy bar when a man bursts through the door and runs to the counter screaming. At first everyone stands shocked, until we collectively realise he is robbing the store!

The robber grabs the woman behind the counter and starts shaking her. Matt and I look around and see that no one is breaking the line to go stop the robber! Matt and I are the youngest people in the store, and we are scared, but we decide to go up there. After all, there are two of us and he doesn’t have a gun. We creep down the aisle as swift as snails.

We are almost there when a man comes through the door, just to shop, and, seeing what’s happening, runs and tackles the robber. Matt and I are simultaneously relieved and disappointed. The man shouts for someone to call the police. Then the man yells at the line, why didn’t anyone do anything? No one notices our pre-empted heroism or us. We leave, dejected. We stand outside, not sure what to do next. Tom, the owner of The Late Edition, comes out of his store across the street and waves us over.

Tom is one of the first black businessman in The Loop. He is quiet and smart, and he always has time to listen to us talk about boyfriend troubles. He frequently advises us to never get married. He does not believe that the government should regulate love.

We always nod in vigorous agreement, even though we are going to be big stars and probably marry many times (well, I will anyhow) and have many lovers. We adore Tom as much as we adore Sean, The Loop’s surrogate daddy, or Joel and Vaughn, the New York City daddies.

We run across the street and begin breathlessly telling him our story. It spills out of us before we can stop it. As we tell it we realize that we are heroes. Us! Kids! Heroes! We were braver than anyone in the store was! Tom is smiling at us. “Well, that’s what you get for not coming over here to spend your money,” he chides us. “Why were you there in the first place?”

Exasperated, I explain that we needed milk, which his news-stand and video arcade does not carry. Tom agrees with a “yeah, okay.” But Matt pipes up that he doesn’t carry enough kinds of candy bars. Tom says he’ll get more, if we tell him what we buy. Tom loves money, and if he thinks he can get more of yours, he will do whatever it takes to get it.

But today, because we are heroes, he gives us free sodas and doesn’t yell at us for getting thumbprints on the New Musical Express. He still won’t sell us cigarettes, though. Tom doesn’t love money enough to do anything illegal or unethical. All of the kids find this annoying, rather than inspiring. It doesn’t matter; we’ll just come back when his brother is working. His brother will sell us anything in the store, cigarettes and dirty magazines included.

The police are out in front of the Quik Mart with the robber. The robber is in handcuffs, but the police just stand there. They are on foot. We leave The Late Edition and go outside to see what is happening and why everyone is just standing around. One lone cruiser is inching its way down the snow slick street, doing a Dorothy Hamill every few yards.

Ruth comes up behind us and asks us what is happening? Ruth is terrified of police, or anyone in uniform. She is old and Polish and spent her youth in a Nazi concentration camp. She has numbers on her arm that won’t wash out and voices in her head that tell her what she can and can’t do.

Most of the Loop’s older Jewish inhabitants have the numbers, but if they hear the voices they keep them in their own heads. All of them but Ruth carry bags of food from the Farmer’s Market with them everywhere they go, as if they are afraid they will never be able to get any again.

Ruth comes into The Copenhagen every night with a glass and gets free Diet Coke. No one minds giving Ruth free soda. Inventory is done with cups, and no one misses the few ounces of carbonated water and flavoured syrup.

But Ruth doesn’t like charity so she brings in cake that she has baked herself. We used to eat it. But one night Ruth came in angry and disoriented. The Magic, as she calls the voices in her head, would not let her go home and she had been sleeping in the Laundromat and eating at Dairy Queen.

That night, Sean asked her who The Magic was? She said that they had killed her family. Ruth has only a son who lives in Hawaii, and he never visits or calls. Everyone else in her family died in Nazi concentration camps. After that night we could never bring ourselves to eat Ruth’s cake again. What if The Magic told her to poison us?

And Ruth knows that we don’t eat it, and it makes her angry, so she doesn’t always speak to us now. Some nights she will come in with her glass and set it on the counter and wait for her drink and leave, all without speaking a word. But today she is scared, so she talks to us.

We tell her that the Quik Mart was almost robbed and she lets out a sigh, as if she has been holding her breath. The Copenhagen will be open today, yes? Because of her English we aren’t certain if it is question or not. She repeats it again and gestures towards the theatre. We see a line at the box office and realise it is open. We are thrilled; we have somewhere to go until Cyrano’s opens up!

Matt and I decide to go see if we are needed for questioning. We will set aside our dislike of the lackey oppressor pigs to do our duty, and, of course, to tell our heroic story. As we cross the street we discover that under the snow there is ice, and we can slide. We abandon our civic duty and go sliding up and down the street, past Alternative Albums, past The Copenhagen, down to the parking lot, and then turning around and running and sliding back up again.

Matt starts to sing one of our favourite songs, about Jackie Onassis and wearing dark sunglasses, but he has come up with new lyrics. Both of us had recently read Marge Piercy’s novel VIDA, about the Weather Underground, and Matt is a sixties aficionado. He sings “I want to be like Kathy Boudeen/I want to carry an M-16/ Oh yeah/ Oh yeah/ I said I’d be happy to be Kathy.”

I join in after the first refrain. One of the policemen turns around to stare at us, confounded that anyone would be shouting such words. This makes us ebullient! We sing louder. We run faster. We are sixteen! We are amazing! We are triumphant! We rule The Loop! And that is to say, we rule the whole world!

We do not know what lies ahead. We do not know that The Sophmore will close and ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW will move to The Copenhagen. That the next generation of audience participants will ruin the ROCKY experience by acting out the entire movie in The Copenhagen’s aisles, and by not allowing more than one costumed main character per audience.

We cannot foresee that Alternative Albums will expand into three large stores, the Loop location moving into the Sophmore’s space, and then as MP3’s and downloads become popular, shrink back to just the one Loop location. As of January 2008, they will be the last remaining music store in the Loop.

Heartbreak Hotel will expand into Cyrano's space, and Cyrano's will move up the street and become the largest bar, restaurant and nightclub in the Loop. Heartbreak Hotel will refurbish the street to the point that the lame West County kids’ and all of their spawn will crowd the neighbourhood on weekends, mostly walking back and forth, wearing Clash and Sex Pistols T-shirts, and eating at the hideous fast food restaurants.

We have no way of knowing that The Late Edition will fail, and that Tom will marry, divorce, and then brutally murder his estranged wife. We do not even guess that Ruth’s son will eventually come for her and take her to Hawaii with him, and that she will die there. Or that both Karin and I will move to Los Angeles, a few years apart, and that I, in a stupid rivalry over a boyfriend, will end our friendship.

Or that Sean, twenty-five years later, will have survived four sales of The Copenhagen-- until it is finally purchased and renovated by Heartbreak Hotel and declared a city landmark. Only to be repurchased by Landmark Theatres—with ROCKY showing on Saturday’s at midnight, until the millennium. (And once a year, “on a night in November”, after that.)

In many ways, Sean will become a kind of custodian and guardian of The Loop and its’ history and inhabitants. Sean will become the link that keeps all of us Loop kids in sporadic, third-party contact. And there will be times, many of them, when Sean’s letters and checks will be the only things that keep me alive.

Matt and I do know that one day we will become singers, but neither of us knows how short-lived or unremarkable our separate careers will be. We know that we will have many affairs, but neither of us knows how much heartbreak we will suffer.

We pointedly do not see the years of addictions ahead of us, and the many more years of methods and meetings struggling to rid ourselves of them. Neither of us could have foreseen that 18 years later I would turn this moment into a story during a dark and near-suicidal period in my life. Or that writing this story would save my life, the way that writing always does.

And we have only begun to feel the dark spectre of AIDS that, at that moment, has already fallen across Matt’s community, taking many of our friends and acquaintances without warning. Or, that within a generation, this horrifying disease will have become, if not commonplace, than accepted. Or that Matt himself will eventually succumb to HIV, but thankfully living with it, mostly healthy, for the rest of his still-continuing, and hopefully very long, life.

We do not know that in just three short years we will lose track of each other, and only see each once or twice in the next twenty five years, until I return here in 2007, to make peace with my old karma and the ghosts that have haunted me across two thousand miles and two decades.

We don’t see any of that, not at that moment. The real future has no place in our world yet. Only our dreams of the future.

What we do know at that moment-- at that perfect, beautiful, eternal moment--- is that we are perfect! That we are beautiful! That we are eternal! That we are heroes! And that David Bowie is a God. A God! And anyone who thinks differently is an idiot and deserves only contempt!

And that, at least, will never change.

THE END

Copyright 2000, 2008

WELCOME TO DEL LUPE!

2007-12-27T18:54:00.000-08:00

I cannot wait to share all of my exciting adventures in the greatest neighbourhood in the world: The Delmar Loop in University City. Bookmark this page and check back frequently! It is going to be a Great '08 in the Loop!