R.I.P. 'GENTLEMAN' JOHN, HEART AND SOUL OF THE LOOP

“All I ever really wanted to be was a nice person,” he [John Thompson] said. “I believe in the old adage that what you aspire to be is what you are. I'm going to have them carry me out of here on my shield, just like an old warrior."

The heart and soul of the Loop neighbourhood has passed away.  John Thompson, who worked at the Tivoli for 35 years, died on February 12, 2014.

If you were lucky enough to know John than you know that the outpouring of love and praise for him is not exaggerated or undeserved.  He was a genuinely warm and kind person, very intelligent, interesting AND interested-- in everything!-- and a true Loopie.

We were lucky to have him with us for 74 years.  Even as unique as the many stores and businesses that have had Loop addresses over the years, a person like John is what really makes a community a neighbourhood. 

“He was the kindest person I’ve ever known,” said Tivoli Theatre manager, Tom Anson. It was a widely echoed sentiment.

He managed to spread joy without a computer or answering machine. “We bought him one (of the latter) – twice,” his brother laughed, “but if your birthday or anniversary was coming up, you got a card from John. He had a manual calendar and every year he’d sit down and fill it in for the New Year. There’s a card shop somewhere in St. Louis that may go out of business.”

Both the quote from John and from Tom Anson are from this article:
http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/john-thompson-legendary-tivoli-theatre-ticket-taker-dies-74

The memorial is at St. Roch's on Waterman, February 22 at 10 AM.  

You can read more about John in these links:

http://business.highbeam.com/435553/article-1G1-97011148/ticket

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/obituaries/john-thomson-dies-at-longtime-doorman-at-the-tivoli-was/article_c5693151-c5bc-5459-bf38-e5357adf8b24.html

http://www.riverfronttimes.com/bestof/2000/award/best-movie-theater-30519/

http://www.umsl.edu/studentlife/current/974/features1.html

Please comment or email if you have any other links on John to share. 

LOOP DE LOOP

There is so much going on this weekend Lupe doesn't know what to say!!!

Did you miss Tim Lane's awesome movie at Noir at the Bar on Wednesday? You can see it again tonight! And Joe Meno is there too!!!!

http://store.subbooks.com/event/joe-meno-tim-lane-book-signingfilm-premier

Lupe is posting to late for Art D Tour. They met at the Art Museum at 5:30. One of the tours comes to the Loop for the Regional Arts Commission and Craft Alliance.

http://stlouisartistsguild.org/new/artdtour

Former Loopies Deb Douglas and Amy Bautz are part of Mad Art Six. Both are great ladies and really wonderful artists!!! Their eyes see things much more beautifully than most of us!!! The opening reception is tonight!

http://www.madart.com/eventsexhibitions/artexhibitions/sixworkbyamybautzdebdougla.htm

Tonight and tomorrow night is the "so bad it is good" movie Birdemic at the Tivoli's midnight movie.

http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/movies/joe-williams/article_49855a0a-a050-11df-9598-0017a4a78c22.html

You will want to go tonight because tomorrow is the big Reggae Fest at Atomic Cowboy in the Grove, featuring Loopies Papa Ray (Vintage Vinyl, KDHX Papa Ray Soul Selector),  and DJ The Mad Russian!

And tonight at Blueberry Hill's Duck Room is the Delmar Kingz! Also featuring Loop local DJ Chilly C!!!!!

http://www.blueberryhill.com/

See you in the Loop!!!

WORLD CUP FEVER AT MESHUGGAH

Lupe had too much fun at the 48 Hour Film Project last night and FORGOT about the World Cup! Can you believe it?

Anyhow, in Meshuggah this morning there were a lot of unfamiliar faces wearing football shirts from different countries. (Lupe uses the term "morning" very loosely to mean "when Lupe eats breakfast"--- whatever time that happens to be!)

So, if you want to watch the World Cup, head to Meshuggah early in the morning!!! Lupe will be drinking beer (can you watch football and NOT drink? Lupe has never tried), not a honey vanilla latte.

See you in the Loop!!!

"U"-NIQUE HAPPENINGS IN THE LOOP THIS WEEK

EDIT: The film was 74 minutes, not 7. The flyer had a typo. The film was very good and well-attended! Best of luck to the filmmakers!


As usual there are WAY too many great things going on in the Loop to keep up!

Here a few things Lupe wanted to be sure you know about.

A local St. Louis filmmaker will be presenting his indie short film at the Tivoli tonight and Sunday. IT SOOTHES MY SOUL. Lupe met the writer/director, Michael Larnell and was very impressed. She will be attending the Sunday screening. (Lupe is going to see L.A. ska stalwarts Fishbone at City Museum tonight.)

Screening times are 7 PM both days. Tickets are $7, which comes to about one dollar a minute for a seven minute film.

(7/7/7, hope this is lucky for the filmmaker!! The cost of an indie film to make is about $10,000 a minute. So the price to see this is worth every penny!)

Also tonight is Noir At The Bar, the monthly meeting of St. Louis crime and mystery writers at the Delmar Lounge. (Writers like Jedidiah Ayers.) Again, Lupe wishes she could be in two places at once!

Two other quick comments: the drum circle has vanished. Pushed out perhaps by the expansion of the Market Pub House. Or perhaps all things Bohemian and "cultcha" are leaving the Loop and migrating to the lower-rent South Grand area. She is very sad that this decades long tradition is leaving the Loop!

Finally, it appears that the Horse and Carriage rides were for that one weekend only. Which is really a shame. Because Lupe would like to ride from the Loop through Forest Park. Maybe it will become a regular feature soon!!!

SEE YOU IN THE LOOP!!!

I LOV IT!!!

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!!!

THE OSCARS AT THE TIVOLI

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!!!

BREAD CO @ 10 AM

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.