March 2006

March 31, 2006

Local Hotspots in the Gray Lady!

"36 Hours" in the NY Times Travel section came to our burg lately, and the write-up includes lots of our favorites, from Red Moon and Nectar to Sweetie Pie's, Grbic, World's Fair Doughnuts and Crown Candy Kitchen (and the notation, much appreciated, that north city's "reputation as a no-go zone is undeserved.")

(There're also shout-outs to, you know, The Arch, the Old Courthouse and Chuck Berry, but when we travel, it's all about the next meal, baby.)

March 28, 2006

UMA Scoots, Circles Lands

A move earlier this month put downtown purveyor of the fun and sleek, UMA, in its new, expanded digs at the corner of 11th and Locust, neatly vacating the former space (at 313 N. 11th) for impending occupation by Circles, Etc., a women's boutiquery (clothes, accessories, some artwork and whatnot) that's headed east from DeMun.

March 24, 2006

Hi-O! What Gives with KYO?

Not yet open and already rebranding: we alerted readers here not too long ago to the long-anticipated rebirth of the former Tangerine/Hungry Buddha/Infierno space, transforming into a swank joint called Koi. Or, as we must now report, more accurately to be known as "KYO," with a cutesy long-O bar.

Either website gets you the same basic info, but new materials circulating out there are now all about KYO.

March 09, 2006

Serious White Sale

If you've not yet discovered Le Blanc Boutique, well, there's no time like this weekend: Saturday, March 11, is the date of their big 1st Anniversary sale. This is a cozy, out-of-the-way sorta shop, where everything is pristine white. We're talking luscious pajamas, waffle spa robes, heavenly scented candles, all manner of bath and body products, crisp linen shirts, picot-edged camis and much more. (Okay, they've bent a little for the season, and current inventory includes some "winter white"...)

The sale means this: $10 off purchases over $50, $15 off purchases over $75. It's a super-friendly shopping experience, there's complimentary gift-wrapping and you will feel so in-the-know.

7647 Delmar, @ North & South Rd., 314-863-4155
Su-F 10-5, Sa 10-3

March 06, 2006

Casting On, and Binding Off

Fans of the needle arts (that's crocheting, hooking and knitting, not, say, tattooing) have a lot of scene changes to keep up with:

*In Kirkwood, the beautiful Knit & Hook opened right after Thanksgiving, and has a good selection of supplies for knitters and rug hookers, including yarns by Reynolds, Schaffer, Plymouth and Fiesta, Namaste cases, needles by Lantern Moon and lots of affordable, pre-printed hooking patterns. Find them at 249 N. Kirkwood Rd., next to Sunset 44 restaurant.

*But two bow out: both the oddball Eye of the Needlecrafts (to my knowledge, the only combination needle-arts store and optician office anywhere) in downtown's Chemical Building, and the Beaded Fiber Patch, across the river in O'Fallon, IL, are shuttering soon. Rumor has it that the BFP will reopen in some form at the owner's home.

March 02, 2006

Hipster Tears for Rock Star Rags

"Where will the kids get their ironic t-shirts?"

That's the first thing we wondered when we heard that low-life favorite (and we mean that in a good way) Rock Star Rags, home of the thrift-clothes-by-the-pound concept in a nondescript warehouse in north city, will be shuttering in June. The building's being sold, and about the only twin silver linings on this retail cloud are:
a) there will be some kick-ass bag sales before then (get on the list by requesting so from rockstarrags at sbcglobal dot net)
b) we hear manager Deb Johnson may be spinning some of that schlock stock into her own vintage business.

We'll keep you posted if we hear more, and see you at St. Vincent de Paul in the meantime...