52nd City: 52nd City Updates

Comments

Our apologies to folks who've made comments, only to have them bounce back to you. There's been a glitch in our ability to control spam, while still allowing good, clean, old-fashioned comments to go through. We'll sort it out... sometime soon. That's a promise. Of sorts.

But, yeah, sorry 'bout that.

New web content online

So. We released our SEXY edition of 52nd City yesterday, with an afternoon get-together at Snowflake, our favorite mid-century modern furniture store /slash/ minimalist gallery.

In talking to some folks there, it was determined that some knew the magazine, but not the blog, or they knew the blog and thus discovered the mag. We'd also like to note that with each issue, we've got new, exclusive-to-the-web articles, poetry and the like. You can find those pieces at ww52ndcity.com.'s frontpage now, or just follow the links below.

To Remember a Madam | Thomas Crone

Romeo Void | Chris King

Weathering Storms | Judith Kelvin Miller

April Kodiak | by Stefene Russell

O, God Let Heaven Be A Burlesque Show | Melissa Singleton

Gossip | Orhan Veli

One SEXY Party

What's classier than Playboy and Maxim and much easier to hide under your mattress or in your sock drawer? SEXY--52nd City Magazine's ninth issue. Join us at the Snowflake on Saturday, April 26 from 4 to 7 p.m. for some delightfully cheeky food, drink, music, and entertainment. This issue includes a free CD from the SOUND issue--and a party at Snowflake never disappoints.

Sexy brings to mind love and 52nd City is is a labor of love for us; each issue, we cover our print costs by the skin of our teeth. Hence we currently have a little PayPal button on our homepage so that those who would like to support the cause with $1, $5 or, with glitter and blessings upon your soul, $25, you can donate to our general print fund. Our only costs are for the printing of the magazine. We don't pay ourselves, and unfortunately, can't pay our contributors at this point either (someday, oh someday). We will gladly accept your donation to our print fund. Any amount is appreciated and we will acknowledge you on our friends page (unless you ask us not to).

ALSO - this will be our last issue with a cover price. As of our summer issue (FOOD), 52nd City will be distributed free of charge - look for us in venues across the city, including ones thatcarry us now. We are looking forward to widening the exposure of the St. Louis artists and writers who contribute their work to our pages.

Again, everyone is welcome this Saturday, no donations required, and we hope you'll make it out. For more info on the party, the SEXY issue or all things 52nd City related, pop over to our site.

Where: Snowflake, 3156 Cherokee Street
When: Saturday, April 26, 2008
Time: 4:00-7:00pm
Admission: Free

New Writers

We're going to welcome a few new writers to the ranks of the blog in the next couple weeks.

Artist, photographer and man-about-town Dana Smith will be debuting early next week and focusing on local arts. His first piece is written and will be uploaded in a few days' time. We're amped about welcoming Dana, a total mensch and one of STL's real artistic gems.

We're also pleased to welcome our first intern, Rachel Lebo, who's currently a staff member of the award-winning Webster University Journal. She'll be writing on a variety of cultural topics and will single-handedly drop our average blogger age by, oh, a bunch of years. We look forward to reading about what's on the minds of the kids!

A couple other folks may be in the ranks shortly. Check back, yeah?

Seeking: Sexy

Our next planned issue of 52nd City is Sexy.

Really: it's "Sexy."

If you have Sexy stories, photography, graphics or reportage, please let us know. Our hope to avoid a deluge of overheated prose, but the topic's got the potential for all kinds of interesting foolishness.

Send graphics and photography to: andrea@52ndcity.com.
Text to: stefene@52ndcity.com and thomas@52ndcity.com.

Thanks and we look forward to the submissions for this April quarterly.

New Issue of 52nd City & Free Candy - Sunday!

A double-bill, of sorts, this weekend at the Hartford Coffee Company. On Sunday evening, 52nd City will be offering the newest print issue, "Foreign Exchange," with a 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. release event at the little coffee shop at Roger and Hartford. We'll have some mad deals for folks buying multiple copies and/or subs to the magazine.

In the first of our double-dip release events, we're happy to be teaming up with St. Louis favorite (and perhaps only) live, non-broadcast talk show, Free Candy. This special edition is special for many special reasons: a new, special start time, 6:00 p.m.; the special appearance of original Candy co-host Julia Smillie; and some special guests including, but not limited to, Debbie Baldwin of The Ladue News.

For those unable to attend - boo! - 52nd City's should be at the usual spate of bookstores, record shops and other fine retailers by the end of the weekend. Free Candy, though, will only be a memory for those in attendance. We hope to see you there, 3974 Hartford, this Sunday, 5:00 p.m.

Some Li'l Bits (inc. a 666 reference)

We got a plug on the Mayor's poll this week, over at MayorSlay.com:

"Downtown St. Louis – which employs almost a hundred thousand daily workers, entertains and feeds tens of thousands of daily shoppers and diners, and sleeps thousands of nightly loft dwellers, does not currently support a full-service bookstore. And the daily newspaper, which recently dropped the intelligent Prince Valiant comic strip, struggles. The rise of the Internet may be blamed for some of this: We read things on our computers or handhelds, instead of at the library. We also wait for the movie, rather than buy and read the book. And TV neatly clips our news into 20-second nuggets – and never leaves its programs in the bushes.

"There are some life signs. Great independent bookstores, like Left Bank Books in the CWE, offer wonderful book signings and readings. There are still busy branches of the public library in many of our neighborhoods. 52nd City Magazine shows off the talent of local artists. St. Louis Magazine, a revitalized publication, has spawned a competitor called Alive."

Sweet.

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Also, we now have 666 photos in our flickr group:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/52ndcity/

For some reason, that seems notable. Maybe the number. There's something about it.

Remaining 2007 Kick Ass Winners Announced

Happy to have the remaining recipients of the 4th Annual Kick Ass Awards confirmed. Celebrating with us at Duff’s on Monday, November 26th will be these 2007 winners:

Rob Levy on SLIFF

Assuming no mad technical glitches, look for blog entries by KDHX's Rob Levy over the next two weeks, on the topic of the St. Louis International Film Festival. He's blogged on this topic for other outlets in years past and we're happy to have him join us for a November fortnight.

Stay tuned. That is all.

Some 52nd City Meta: King on "Stupid"

I was recently drawn into a long and confusing conversation, not all that unusual, but the core problem was sourcing. A few months back, I posted up a Chris King faux-release on the then-latest 52nd City. A contributor, Googling herself, found the piece and was miffed about my words. Which weren't my words, at all. They were Chris King's.

Anyway, here's another of the pot-stirring Chris King faux-releases:

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'Stupid'
Various artists
(52nd City)
$8, 36 pp.

Reviewed by Chris King


'Stupid' is really smart.

It’s the new publication by 52nd City. The editors organize each project by theme, this time 'stupid,' and surely regular readers of 52nd City who were aware of this theme on their editorial calendar expected wonderful things.

I did. I wasn’t disappointed. Yet, 'Stupid' surprised me.

There are stupid and funny things throughout the volume, as I had hoped. Piedmont Chris Johnson imagining an incompetent performance artist who can’t even manage to eat himself alive.

There are hints of sadness and even despair amidst the stupidity, as one would expect. Mike Steinberg discerning the Rilkean angels who sing background vocals on all artistic accomplishment, very much including Gary Coleman's pout.

There is incalculable shit, as one must crave. Aaron Belz breaking rules we didn't know we had agreed upon that govern a game we hadn't yet admitted we all play.

And there is one dangerous excursion into the philosophy that underpins the dualities that make a concept like 'stupid' possible. K. Curtis Lyle explaining the varieties of narcotic experience as both metaphors for psychic states and escape hatches from the burden of experiencing life at psychic depth.

But, actually, it's the visual art that caught me by surprise.

Sara Raischel has done childish justice to the shapes and moods of things we aren’t allowed to notice in clouds on the move, which art director Caroline Huth (presumably) superimposed over an image of clouds on the move.

This thing Caroline (presumably) did with the ending of Piedmont Chris Johnson's skit, you kind of have to see it and experience it in the context of narrative's warp and woof (woof), but it involves a plate, a pattern, shadows, a tea cup, a hammer (all caught in a photograph by Kerry Zimmerman), and the menace that you might mistakenly have thought was missing from the poem.

Wow, Andrea Day's photographs of what must be Curtis Lyle feeling his feet, because he has rooted his existential philosophy in feeling his feet.

And, then, Michael Allen's lead image for his ruined building ruminations, which does such a very fine job of letting blackness speaks for itself. It makes me think, inexplicably, of Mississippi Hill Country country picnics, and the covers of ambitious rock albums back when albums were bigger than cheeseburgers.

Speaking of cheeseburgers, Andrea Avery has a really stupid (smart) drawing of a Mustard King, which illustrates a really stupid (smart) Turkish poem about mustard that I had a tiny role in translating.

Here is what I did. I ordered drinks and sat down in Arlene's Grocery, in The Village, with this Turkish punk rock chick, who didn’t even begin to believe in herself. I believed in her, however, and that kept her turning the pages of Orhan Veli's poems and imagining the English words that the Turkish words wanted to be. I wrote down what she said. Sometimes, I flipped what she said on its head. Then she stole a lid from the tampon trash can. That was pretty stupid. She gave it to me. I moved it here from New York and have it hanging on a wall in my basement, which I call a museum. That's really stupid.

'Stupid,' however, is smart.

That's Stupid

That's right...the theme for the next issue of 52nd City Magazine is STUPID and we'll be celebrating at a stupid fun release party at AMP (4199 Manchester) this Sunday, October 28th. Festivities start at 5pm and we'll have a prize for the stupidest costume/outfit. The swell guys at AMP (former Kick Ass recipients) are providing drink and appetizer specials. Admission is free. Issues of the magazine are $8. Come on down and get plain silly with us.

• Great new cover art by Firecracker Press!
  
• Writing by Michael Allen, Aaron Belz, Chris King, Jim Klenn, K. Curtis Lyle, Piedmont Chris Johnson, April Seager and Mike Steinberg.
  
• Topics like Gary Coleman, wigs, washing machines, mustard, feet and MORE!
  
• Web issue goes live on Sunday with even more writers and artwork.


Posted by Andrea Avery at 05:13 PM | Link & Discuss (0 comments)

Kick Ass Awards: Date Set, (Some) Winners Announced

The - wow - fourth annual Kick Ass Awards are set, at least in terms of a venue, a day, a time and a few winners.

The event will be hosted for the first time at Duff's, the venerable West End restaurant and a venue that's long hosted literary and artistic events on Monday nights, the spot's usual evening of closure.

Ours will be held on Monday, November 26, from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.

A partial list of confirmed winners includes these names:

The Dock Ellis Band: purveyors of classic country music
Bernie Hayes: author, professor, radio vet and all-around great guy
Local Harvest Grocery: South City's hip new spot to shop and nosh
Dana Smith: artist, found online at www.asbestossister.com
Josh Weinstein: jazz advocate and host of KDHX's "All Soul, No Borders"

Check our site for updates between now and event.

Dates to Save: IAM & Kick Ass Awards

Just a couple quick dates to announce, with some-to-many details on the way at future points:

The Independent Art Market will take place on from Friday, December 7 - Sunday, December 9. The venue's still TBD. You can track the event at the website: www.independentartmarket.org.

Also, the Kick Ass Awards are set with a night and a venue: Monday, November 26 at Duff's. Nominees and other specifics (like start time and entertainers) will be rolled out in the next week/two.

King on Sporty

Since Chris King went to the trouble of writing up a mock-release on our new issue, and since it entered the world in the form of an e-mail, may as well close the self-refentialist loop by tossing it on here. Thanks for the kind words, CK.

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Good ‘Sporty’
52nd City has got game

By Chris King

The most entertaining piece, for me, in "Sporty," the latest publication by
52nd City, is a two-liner included in the end-note thumbnail contributor bios:

"Thom Fletcher is a pneumatic fitting salesman from Ferguson, Missouri. He
once won $120 in Detroit betting on a horse named 'Party Bus.'"

I adore the quirky, dry modesty and the suggestion of a life and mind – what
was he doing in Detroit? why did "Party Bus" engage him? – that won't be
revealed to us completely; that will be left, mostly, to our imaginations. This is the difficult art of the fragment, the miniature, the epigram, the short story, even; and, printed on expensive, glossy paper by a startup St. Louis arts group (that is not likely to be included in the regional arts tax district within our lifetime), 52nd City has to content itself with things that don’t take up too much space.

As with its previous publications (which include one CD, the sublime "Sound"), 52nd City defines a theme with the title of "Sporty." The pneumatic fitting salesman from Ferguson remembers his winning wager on Party Bus with its fetching name when writing his bio because his submission, "A Rose is a Rose, Of Course Of Course," concerns the sport of horseracing – more specifically, the names of horses that have won The Belmont Stakes. Presumably art director Caroline Huth (who, we are told, has moved up 50 cities to Chicago) is responsible for the illustration of these horse names fanned out around the image of a rose, interlineated with the names of the American Rose Society's 2006 National Rose Show winners, with silhouettes of horses circling the perimeter of the rose. You can't tell the roses from the racehorses by name alone, and that’s the point, though it seems exceedingly crude and unFletcherian to look for a point in his peculiar, pleasant sport.

Andrea Day also is up to horses, or cows, or bulls – some animal involved in
the leathery and dusty sporting life of cowboys, for her submission is a beautifully lit and shaded photograph of five cowboys (four white hats and
one black) caught from behind, peering into a corral. Other than a small
glut of baseball meditations, each of which also isn’t really about baseball
at all – "Second Case," Aaron Belz in his funnyman mode, writing about
clichés and the strutting cliché that is Barry Bonds; "Fastball," Greg Ott on refinements and their discontents; "St. Louie Louie," K. Curtis Lyle on our town and its juiciest African-American dynasty, the Troupes; and "Sporting Pain," Brett Underwood on the art of the hangover and the illusion of resolutions – the editors seem to have made an effort to include as many sports as possible and repeat none.

K.E. Luther, in the nimblest writing in the slim volume, tracks her fascination with NASCAR. Emily Shea Fisher, in another personal favorite, remembers games we play in the street (and performs the impossible feat of getting a completely fresh laugh out of the poorest sport of our day, K-Fed). Franklin Jennings, rumored to be a 52nd City regular wearing the fake moustache and rubber nose of a nom de plume, snags a wincer from the archives: "Anthropology Days," native peoples on display as primitive
athletic curiosities in St. Louis in 1904, throwing rocks, fighting in the mud and, yes, chucking spears. Dana Smith paints skateboarders (and really makes me wish a Pulitzer would give these guys enough money, occasionally, to print in color). Stefene Russell takes a swing at lady’s golf outfits, I think; I seldom understand her poems, though I always "get" them (I think). I can't help you, however, with Jessica Baran's "The Narrative of Nagel Messenger of Acme, IN.," of which I am certain of nothing except that it starts with a skating rink. Richard Newman, from the hoops-centric state of Indiana himself, plays a game of "Horse" while talking shit with a playmate. Yours truly writes about getting chased by a bully out of sex and drugs and into soccer and safety. (It’s fiction; I dislike soccer and play it very poorly.)

As with the other 52nd City productions, I find myself sitting with "Sporty" and flipping through it at odd times, rereading and savoring passages and images, proud of its editors Andrea Avery, Thomas Crone and Stefene Russell and happy with this puzzling city where we all have washed up, together.

I"ve no choice but to close with the inevitable groaner: "Sporty" is a winner.

(See www.52ndcity.com on how to order and where to buy "Sporty" and the other 52nd City releases. Collect them all!)

Variety Park of 52nd City Updates

Greetings. A few different notes for a hot Saturday afternoon:

1. 52nd City will be splitting a merchandise table with our friends at Firecracker Press on Saturday, August 25, for the Metropolis Lot festival. You can find the lineup of The Lot here. If you happen by the event, drop by our booth and say "hello."

2. By the end of the weekend, we hope to be selling magazines at the wonderful new-ish coffeehouse the Mississippi Mud House, located at 2101 Cherokee, in the heart of the antique district there. The venue, which is applying for a liquor license to sell wine, has breakfast, lunch and light dinner, with hours now stretching to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, one of the few businesses with the lights on in that part of town on the weekend. You can also find former Hartford Coffee all-star barrista Kal there during those long afternoon shifts. Stop by. You'll be impressed.

3. We also welcome Christopher Thiemet of Circa Properties as a web advertiser. Thanks, much, CT. And if you want to check out: a) a house for sale in the Tower Grove Heights/Fanning neighborhood; and b) how far a website can go in promoting a single property, see this website, about 3618 McDonald. Very sharp.

"Sporty" Release & BBQ!

Thanks to several local bloggers for posting this info over the past couple days, during the Great Site Blackout of '07. With the blog back online, here are some updates for the next two weeks. We hope to see you at one of them!

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52nd City "Sporty" Release Party
Where: Riley's, 3458 Arsenal, 314-664-7474
When: Saturday, July 28, 3-6 p.m.
No cover, free food and drinks, all ages

This afternoon will mark the release of our fifth print issue, along with our previous effort, the CD "Sound." The new mag features a variety of St. Louis writers, illustrators and photographers musing on the topic of "Sporty" and will be on sale for $8, with all previous issues available, as well. Expect a few sporting events to be held in-and-out of Riley's on Saturday. Owner Bill Kapes is generously offering some free food and drink... while supplies last. Our new web issue will also go live on this day.

Chippewa Chapel BBQ Benefit
Where: Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp, 314-773-3363
When: Thursday, August 2, 8-10 p.m.
No cover, BBQ for sale, 21-up after 10 p.m.

The hosts of the Chippewa Chapel and Off Broadway have generously offered to host a BBQ benefit for 52nd City. Bring a few dollars for BBQ and your guitar: enjoy a bite, then sign up for the Chippewa Chapel's open mic, the most-popular open mic and jam in South City. The open mic ordinarily kicks off at 9 p.m., but we'll have music on the gorgeous Off Broadway stage beginning at 8 p.m. this evening. Some 52nd City giveaways will be peppered through the evening.

"I Love St. Lou!" (@ the Record Show)

Instead of simply noting that the St. Louis Record Show is taking place tomorrow at the American Czech Center, 4690 Landowne at Kingshighway, I will spike this post with

A GIVEAWAY

yes, a giveaway. While at KDHX the other night, Amanda Doyle spied a long, cardboard box of worn 45s. Some of them looked, at worst, as if they'd undergone some "light wear." Others seemed as if they'd been plucked up by birds of prey, dropped on rock beaches, left to molder in the sun, then picked back up the offspring of said birds, these second-generation raptors dropping them onto highways, where trucks ran over the singles, only for them to be found by a vinyl fan who wanted to save them for KDHX family members. Or some such. They're beat up, yo.

Three of the rougies were "I Love St. Lou!" a 1985 cut recorded by Phillips and Wall of then-radio superpower Y-98. The track - which is also the b-side - is mostly about baseball, though there's also some general musing about St. Louis, such as the line about "the funny boys in Forest Park."

I simply must keep one copy, but the other two are up for grabs. Write: thomas @ 52ndcity.com with your favorite vinyl memory and a copy is all yours.

Sound CD in the RFT

Christian Schaeffer of the Riverfront Times - whom I met in person for the first time at last night's excellent St. Vincent/John Vanderslice show at the Billiken Club - added some nice words about the Sound CD in this week's edition of the Riverfront Times. If interested in finding the cyber-version of the piece, it's located here:

http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2007-05-02/music/homespun-various-artists/

CD Noted in the STL American

Some kind words on our latest project in the latest edition of the St. Louis American:

K. Curtis Lyle, a native of Los Angeles, once again makes St. Louis his home after sojourns in Brooklyn and Oakland. An intimate of many legendary black artists from the ‘60s, Curtis has worked through a wide variety of poetic styles. His mature approach is to write long narrative poems about strange, prodigious characters, such as the odd brothers profiled in his most recent art poetry chapbook, The Epileptic Camel Driver Speaks to a Refugee Death, which was edited by Chris King of the American and published by the local arts group Poetry Scores.

Curtis also has an astounding piece of performance poetry, “Nut Check,” on a remarkable new CD, Sounds, published by the local arts group 52nd City. “Nut Check” takes as its departure an obscene anecdote by Richard Pryor about white people having the impression that black men tend to clutch their groin. His performance of this hilarious and biting poem is accompanied by local saxophonist Dave Stone.

Sounds also features new, previously unpublished voice recordings of the great jazz creator Ornette Coleman talking about music in a way it has never been described before. This piece was recorded and edited by Josh Weinstein, producer of All Soul, No Borders on KDHX FM 88.1, which airs Thursdays from 10 p.m. to midnight.

Get the SOUND

Our Saturday CD Release Party at The Royale was a fabulous way to whittle away a rainy Saturday afternoon. If you missed us, you can get your copy of the 52nd City SOUND issue ONLINE via Paypal at or one of these local fine establishments. We are very excited about this issue. The interview with Ornette Coleman is such a nugget and the rest of the tracks are well worth the $8 price. Eric Hall put a ton of work into the organizing local musicians for The Phil Sessions guerilla recordings. Check out the track listing and the online edition of SOUND at www.52ndcity.com.

Events: SOUND release and fundraiser

Sent this to the blog a couple days ago and - lo! - the entry's been whacked from the record. So sad.

The needed details on two upcoming events:

SOUND release event:
Saturday, April 14, The Royale, 3132 S. Kingshighway
4 - 7 p.m., free, CDs on sale for $8

SOUND/52nd City fundraiser:
Sunday, April 1, Mad Art Gallery, 2727 S. 12th
5 - 8 p.m., $5 cover/$10 with issue

Details for both on the main site: www.52ndcity.com.

New Web Issue is Live

A nice, well-rounded batch of stuff on Stuff. Click over to our main site at: www.52ndcity.com to read and view these:

Galen's Stuff | Jess Dewes
Photo Essay

Streetside Pick Up | Elie Gardner
Photo Elie Gardner

The Gift and Burden of Possession | Ari Holtz

Franklin Visits eBay! | Franklin Jennings

The Book| Luby Kelley
Illustration Matt Kindt

Killed By Their Own Art | Byron Kerman

Liberation | Julie Newberry

Bless This Mess | Claire Nowak-Boyd
Photos Michael R. Allen

Best of Mississippi Nights | Jim Utz

STUFF IT

This Saturday 52nd City Magazine will celebrate our one year anniversary and the release of our latest print issue, STUFF, at a swinging little party at SNOWFLAKE (3156 Cherokee).

MYSTERY SACKS OF STUFF
Free mystery sacks of stuff to all who attend—while they last!

SHOW & TELL STUFF
Bring your favorite stuff or interesting collection and share a story...sort of an open mic night show-and-tell for your marbles, matchbooks, and memorabilia. You may even get a sneak peek at some of our own STUFF, hear some STUFF-like music, eat a little STUFF.

MAGAZINE STUFF
Get the latest edition of 52nd City magazine, which is entirely devoted to STUFF—prose, poetry, and artwork by local talent exploring the mysteries of why we just can't seem to let go of our material things. Only $8 and something worthy of piling up around the house! And don’t forget that while the print edition and online edition explore the same theme, the content is entirely different. Pick up a hard copy!

ADMISSION
Free, but we'll accept spare change donations (in our legendary TRASH CAN OF CHANGE) and would be delighted if you purchased a magazine. You will be delighted as well.

Thanks to our contributors, advertisers, subscribers, and everyone who has helped make our first year a success and an especially big thanks to our party hosts from SNOWFLAKE.

WHEN: Saturday, January 13, 2007
TIME: 2:00-5:00 PM
WHERE: SNOWFLAKE, 3156 Cherokee, St. Louis, MO 63118

Print Edition: POETRY & PROSE: Andrea Avery, Diana Benanti, Thomas Crone, M. Davis, Heidi Dean, Amanda E. Doyle, Joe Esser, Chris King, François Luong, L.A. Ramsey, Stefene Russell, Steven Schreiner, and Erik Smetana. PHOTOS & ILLUSTRATIONS : Andrea Avery, Thomas Crone, Bill Cable, Jess Dewes, Katy Fischer, Jane Godfrey, Dave Gray.
Online Edition: Jess Dewes, Elie Gardner, Ari Holtz, Franklin Jennings, Luby Kelley, Matt Kindt, Byron Kerman, Julie Newberry, Claire Nowak-Boyd, Michael R. Allen, Jim Utz, more...

52nd City in the P-D

Mary Delach Leonard of the P-D's Everyday staff wrote up a nice piece on the magazine, which was published in this morning's edition. Of course, you can find it at stltoday.com. But as the piece is kind enough to mention - several times, at that - print has advantages over digital, so I'd certainly encourage you to spend the 50-cents for today's edition. In fact, I'm walking up to Grand right now to do the same...

Shopping the way it ought to be

Let me get all sappy for a second. For over twenty years I’ve gone Christmas shopping the first weekend of December with my mom, three aunts, and two cousins. We gather together in St. Louis from across the Midwest and tear up the town. For me, the camaraderie of this event is way more important than the actual shopping. We laugh and cry more than we buy, but I haven’t missed a shopping weekend with my family yet.

I also never miss an Independent Art Market, and one takes place this weekend at Shaw’s Gallery. This is where I really seriously shop for the holiday season. I’ve bought pottery, stationery, and cookies for in-laws, a silk-screened t-shirt for my brother, jewelry for friends, and I confess—I’ve treated myself to some pretty swank silk-screened tea towels. If you prefer high-quality, hand-made, unique, affordable gifts, there is no better place to drop your hard earned dollars than with local hard-working artists.

And to enhance your shopping experience, this year the Art Market team is offering a sake, sushi and fashion cocktail reception, a broad range of musical performances, poetry readings organized by Observable Books, and a variety show organized by 52nd City. (Yes that’s us—we’ve attended Art Markets of the past, so we were delighted to be invited to be a part of it this year’s event.)

The Independent Art Market proves that holiday shopping can be fun.
Get out of the malls and into the galleries this season!

What: Independent Art Market
Where: Shaw’s Gallery, 2 blocks east of the Botanical Garden (4065 Shaw Blvd. 63110)
When: Friday (6pm-midnight), Saturday (noon to midnight), and Sunday (noon-6pm)
Schedule of Events
Participating Artists

Gavin Tartowski Signs On

For those of you familiar with the film "A. (anonymous)," no introduction of Gavin Tartowski will be needed. Those unfamiliar should head to his website, www.myspace.com/gavin_tartowski, though we'd note that you should adjust your computer's volume, as you'll be greeted by a blast of pure, pop bliss in the form of the Tight Pants Syndrome's "Your Buzz is Safe with Me."

Okay, so back to Gavin.

He'll be hosting the 52nd City Variety Show at the Independent Art Market on Friday, December 8. Several august St. Louisans will be taking part, dispensing their talents in equal measure. (I, for example, will be reading a book about whorehouses in 19th century St. Louis. Really. Chris King, meanwhile, will dust off his kid's finger puppets for an abridged reading of "Hamlet." Really.) Despite Gavin's coming aboard, we note that several slots are still available and we'd love to fill them with you. Or your accordian-playing twin brother.

Gavin's also promising "audience interaction," so please, you are warned.

Where You'll Find Us ...

For those who walk through the valley of moderation between Buy Nothing Day and the brain-eating zombie frenzy of post-Thanksgiving mall shopping, there is an entity known as The Rock & Roll Crafts Show, which will take place this weekend at Mad Art Gallery (2727 S. 12th Street). We will have mags there, including three-fers of all past issues, bundled at a kerraaazzy low price. Many Southside compatriots, including Marie Oberkirsch and Peat Wollaeger, will also be in attendance & selling their wares. From sweet little baby dresses made from old embroidered pillowslips to punky journnals made from old books, it's a large spread of merch, price-wise and sensibility-wise. Hell, there is even stuff there that's worthy of office Secret Santa, if you really want to make someone's day ... buy them some pirate stickers instead of Dr. Pepper-and-rum flavored lipbalm from Deals.

Watch With Us & DRINK

Don’t forget you can watch the game (or the rain) with us tonight at Riley’s Pub (3458 Arsenal) as we celebrate the release of our DRINK issue of the magazine—which really is a nice cool one, deserving of a cheer—and only $8. There will be pizza and drink specials at this cozy tavern in Tower Grove East. And while the online edition of DRINK is up at www.52ndcity.com you really need to get your hands on the printed version, which is a gem. Please stop by.

Contributors to the print and web editions include: Aaron Belz, Chris King, Tom Weber, Jennifer Gaby, Nick Findley, Bill Chott, Brandyn Jones, Richard Newman, James Weber Jr., Adam Scott Williams, Michael McCarthy and Julia Smillie, among many others. Thanks again to all of our contributors, supporters, advertisers and the like. Or should I say love?

Buy Us

52nd City will be splitting a tent - with the Hartford Coffee Company - and a table - with Observable Books - this weekend at the Tower Grove Harvest Festival, which runs from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day. In addition to our mags and the Observable chapbooks, we'll have some other items for sale, like pins from the Firecracker Press and autographed DVDs of the recent doc by Michael Steinberg, "Stan Kann: The Happiest Man in the World." And, maybe, some other odds'n'ends.

We're also adjusting our subscription price, to $40 a year, which is good for four issues of the mag and any other pieces published during the year. Please drop me a line at thomas @ 52ndcity.com for details.

Folks, let me put it this way: our next issue, released this coming Thursday, is at the printer. In order to get the finished product out of the shop, we need to sell some dadgummed mags in the next week. If you've been on the fence about a purchase, would like to get one for a friend, would be so kind as to prepay for the coming issue, or would care to share multiple copies with co-workers or others, this is the week to snap up some deals. Thanks for the consideration.

Recipients and Details of Third Annual K.A. Awards

Third Annual St. Louis KICK ASS Awards
The Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester in “The Grove”
Thursday, November 9, 2006; 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
(Event is immediately followed by the Chippewa Chapel Traveling Guitar Circle & Medicine Show)
Sponsored by 52ndCity.com and The Atomic Cowboy
Admission is free (but we request all the change you can donate at the door – really!)
Info: thomas @ 52ndcity.com; 314-776-6929

The third annual Kick Ass Awards will be offered to 13 St. Louisans, collaborators and organizations, dedicated to quietly improving the civic life of this City and region. The event will celebrate the works of the 12 nominees listed below – along with a special, mystery award going out to conclude the night.

The Kick Ass Awards were begun in Austin, TX, in January 2004, by noted journalist, author and educator Spike Gillespie. An erstwhile St. Louisan, Spike gave out awards to deserving local folks who didn’t always get a public nod of appreciation for the work they were doing around her community. A fourth ceremony will be held at Austin’s amazing bookstore, Book People, this coming January, but not before St. Louis’ third annual event, now at the Atomic Cowboy after two great years at the late Gallery Urbis Orbis.

Over the past year, the event’s organizers have formed a website, quarterly magazine and specialty publishing company, 52nd City Media, currently represented online at 52ndCity.com. The publishers of the site and a small committee of volunteers selected the nominees for 2006.

Admission to the event is free, but… we’d love donations in the form of change. Literally, we possess a “Trash Can Full of Change,” which appears at various civic and cultural events around town. We’d ask that those attending the event check their change at the door. Otherwise, the event is FREE for all.

Note, too, that the event will be immediately followed by the Chippewa Chapel Traveling Guitar Circle & Medicine Show; you can find information on this weekly, eclectic, nomadic open mic night at: www.chippewachapel.com.

Here are the 13 winners for the Kick Ass Awards for 2006:

Advocates of youth cycling and computer education, BIKEWORKS
The venerable urban educational institute, CROSSROADS SCHOOL
KAREN DUFFY, namesake of Duff’s and a longtime champion of the CWE and River Styx
SCOTT EMANUEL of the ACLU of Eastern Missouri
Singer, songwriter and recording artist STEVE EWING
World class poet and member of the Hoobellatoo collective K. CURTIS LYLE
The ever-evolving, ever-growing NON-PROPHET THEATRE COMPANY
STUDIO STL, a local organization dedicated to children’s literacy
Cherokee’s metal/punk/hard rock emporium TENSION HEAD
Writer, bartender, KDHX late night host and more… the one-and-only BRETT UNDERWOOD
The East Loop’s movers and shakers, the salon V-VEGAZ STYLE
DOUG WHYTE of KDHX-TV, a leading proponent of documentary and “challenge” films
Plus a special MSYTERY winner!

Winners in 2005: Dylan Hassinger, Teresa Mithen, the Webster University Film Series, Peter Venezia, Pat Brannon, the Publishing Group, Ivy Cooper, John Burse, Michael R. Allen & Claire Nowak-Boyd, Ann Haubrich, Margie Newman & Alan Brunettin and Cynthia Daly.

Winnters in 2004: Luigi Larhman, Fort Gondo Compound for the Arts, Maid Rite, Andrea Dunn, Mary Sue Rosenthal, Aaron Belz, Brandyn Jones, Andrea Avery, Kraig Schnitzmeier, Terrell Carter, MoKaBe’s and the Alternative Music Pub.

52nd City has been supported by: the Hartford Community Café, The Royale, Firecracker Press, the Independent Art Market, The Time, Mad Art Gallery and Fred Hessel of Edward L. Bakewell Realtors.

DATES: "Drink" Issue Release/Kick-Ass Awards

A pair of dates to keep in mind when planning your social schedule for the next month-and-change:

Thursday, October 26: 52nd City's third issue, "Drink," will be released with a casual affair at Riley Irish Pub, 3458 Arsenal (314-664-7474), 7-9 p.m; come for the new mags, as well as pizza and drink specials at this cozy tavern in Tower Grove East. In addition to the print edition, for sale at the event, the same day will debut our latest web issue at: www.52ndcity.com. Contributors to the print and web editions include: Aaron Belz, Chris King, Tom Weber, Jennifer Gaby, Nick Findley, Bill Chott, James Weber Jr., Adam Scott Williams, Caroline Huth and Julia Smillie, among many others.

Thursday, November 9: The Third Annual Kick-Ass Awards will be held at the Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester in the Grove (314-775-0775; www.atomic-cowboy.com). The event, from 7:30-9 p.m. will highlight the accomplishments of a variety of community members and organizations, who've added to the region's health and vitality over the past year. Adapted from a similar program founded by writer Spike Gillespie in Austin, TX, the St. Louis Kick-Ass Awards was hosted at the late Urbis Orbis for two years, with past winners including: MoKaBe's, the Alternative Music Pub, Ann Haubrich, Margie Newman & Alan Brunettin, The Publishing Group and Fort Gondo Compound for the Arts. A full list of this year's winners will be announced next week. In addition, we will precede the Chippewa Chapel's weekly event at the same venue that evening.

52nd City Sells Out

Well, we certainly hope to. Buy issues at the Firecracker Press booth both tonight at tomorrow night, at the Schlafly Bottleworks "Art Outside" festival; it's booth #9 for you organized folks. This is apt, because everyone that's picked up the mag has commented on the lovely covers, executed by the Firecracker.

Now, we also should note a couple more sign-on's for the 52nd City Variety Show, including: Tom Weber, who'll be dramatically reading the lyrics of popular television shows (really); and the performance art of Typewriter Tim, who'll be performing in-and-out of a bodybag, with his slot a more firm 8 p.m. Other talented acts will rotate in as the evening progresses.

The potential for a beautiful trainwreck! Gotta love it!

Also, we should note that slam poets would consider the room "blessed," now that Eugene Redmond and Michael Castro have spoken in the Crown Room, part of last night's Observable Readings series. Our friends at Observable kicked things off with two local legends and an attentive crowd was on-hand for some entertaining and evocative work. We'll note, too, that Aaron Belz will have poetry at the Crown Room of the Bottleworks just prior to our event, at 5 p.m. with some new emerging poets taking the mic and stage.

That is all.

Variety Show Cometh

Taking the subtler approach of late, we've not bombarded you with announcements about the FREE 52nd City Variety Show taking place this weekend at Art Outside. We've not noted, as well, that the MAGAZINE will be SOLD at several of the vendors, or that our friends (and advertisers) at The Time will be hosting a fashion show on Friday evening.

But we must note today that the 52nd City Variety show, a FREE event on SATURDAY evening is right around the corner, with much merriment to be had, inside the Crown Room of the Schalfly Bottleworks, from 7-9 p.m. At least, it'll start at 7 and will run until our guests are out of top-notch material.

Though we've been subtle in booking our entertainment for the spectacular, earlier conversations suggest that:

Aaron Belz will read some words
Michael Allen will read some other words
Claire Nowak-Boyd will do the "banana dance"
Brian Marston will debut his human beatbox
Stefene Russell will serve as David Letterman, myself as Paul Schaeffer

And this, from Chris King:

I go on first with the following madness: “Goodnight, mother: Selected incest scenes from Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” by William Shakespeare, chopped & screwed and performed by Pickers & Stealers Players, which is me with five finger puppets on the fingers of my left hand (Hamlet described his fingers as “pickers and stealers” in Act III, Scene 2). As for the incest, blame Shakespeare! He wrote this filth!

Family entertainment, for certain.

Be a part of our show? Let me know.

52nd City Fashions

Now be the coolest kid in the 52nd city by sporting your own 52nd City t-shirt, jersey—or even barbeque apron! A portion of any branded item you buy from our Café Press store will go into our production fund so we can continue to bring you a high quality print magazine--no cheap endeavor.

We not only care about you—we care about how you look! The first time I see a stranger sporting one of these will be a happy day indeed. 52nd City Store

FAITH and Guillotines

Just two days until our superfab Bastille Day Trivia! (Powdered wigs are optional, of course; cake is also optional; outdoor liquor is absolutely restricted).

I thought I would give a run-through of the groovy raffle & door prizes just to get everyone salivating. A partial list, but still:

Gift certificates for Mimi's Subway Bar
Gift certificates for Pasta House
Gift certificates Culpepper's
Some Bob Reuter photo books.
Some Bob Reuter/Thomas Crone photo books.
Some odd STL-related books.
Pageant tix for Reel Big Fish/MxPx;
Tix to the City Museum;
Tixto see the Chihuly exhibit at the Garden;
A '50s b-b-q set, with steer-head salt & pepper shakers and "chunks of meat" markers with little cow heads on them, so you can mark which cuts are roasted rare, medium & well-done, to avoid complaining guests (comes with a three-fer of Maull's);
A very peculiar set of lantern lights, to be given away with a peculiar colored-glass apertif set;
possibly some goth-y severed doll head lantern lights;
A big, brand-new cooler full of many flavors of Vess soda;
A gold mystery box, containing something I guarantee you have never seen in all your days. You want to know what's in the box? Play the raffle!

Once again, the details:
• Date: Friday, July 14, 2006
• Time: Doors 6:30pm / Trivia 7:00pm
• Price: $100 for a table of 10. (Sorry, but no partial payments accepted. Your table must pay in full at the door. Cash/checks only.)
• Place: Mad Art Gallery, 2727 S. 12th Street, St. Louis, MO 63118
• Reservations: Thomas@52ndcity.com or 314-776-6929
• Details: You can bring your own snacks, but there will be a cash bar. (No outside liquor of any kind.)

Of course, this is also the first chance to get your mitts on our next issue, themed "Faith." Authors & artists featured include Patrick Landewe, Andrea Noble, K. Curtis Lyle, Randall Roberts, Eric Erfan Vickers, James Weber, Franklin Jennings, Aaron Belz, Lindsey Durway, Kerry Zimmerman, Jane Linders, Carmelita Nuñez and Andrea Day. Watch for the updated website, too. Viva #52!

Bastille Day Trivia/"Faith" Issue Release

Though Bastille Day is traditionally associated more with the loss of one's head (at least if you are a monarch) rather than the use of one's head, we here at 52nd City have decided to be contrary. We're throwing a Bastille Day trivia night/2nd issue release party at Mad Art Gallery (2727 12th St.) on Friday, July 14. We'll post details as we have 'em. Price is the usual - $10 a head, or $100 a table. To clarify, showing up for trivia doesn't mean you are obliged to buy a mag - and if you'd like to come down and see the new issue right off the presses, there's no obligation to play trivia.

If you do want to play trivia, we are taking table reservations right now, so email us post-haste and let us know that you'd like to come play (all proceeds, as always, go to the production of our little mag). We may not have fireworks, champagne and the Tour de France like they do in Paris, but it should be a fun time. And if you've been on the edge of your seat waiting for our second issue (themed "Faith") this will be the first place to get your hands on it.

Operation Tiny Storm

52nd City's boldest -and first - advertising campaign begins this weekend, with Operation Tiny Storm. Please keep an eye on the nearest wall, telephone pole, corkboard or other location where fliers are hung, taped, plastered or affixed. If so moved, take a flyer and reproduce/rehang, as you wish.

Thanks for your awareness of the upcoming Operation Tiny Storm.

Hit the Streets

PRINT ISSUE is here...
Where can you find ruminations on hookers, hair stylists, shoes, barges, wrestlers, running moonshine, DJs, opossums, and those who have left all this for the otherworld? In the debut print edition of 52nd City Magazine hitting the streets this week. Please join us at the Launch Party at Atomic Cowboy on Wednesday, April 12th from 7-9pm. You can get your copy, rub elbows with (or razz) the editors, mingle with some of the contributors, and enjoy the fine food and libation offered by our generous friends at Atomic Cowboy.

BOOK SALE is coming...
And speaking of uncovering the esoteric…where can you find a manual with illustrated calisthenic exercises to warm up your fingers before you start hitting the keyboard? At the 52nd City Book Sale, this Saturday, April 15th from 11:30am to 4:00pm at The Royale. We have plenty of non-fiction and civically-oriented texts, along with poetry, coffee table-worthy art books and even some comic stylings from Woody Allen. Subterranean Books in the Loop has even donated some titles. Proceeds help with print/production of our magazine.

So come out and visit with us—or check out the 52ndcity.com website, where we have preview articles from our “Work” themed issue, the list of contributors to our print edition, and more information on how to subscribe, advertise, or contribute.

A big thanks to all of our supporters!

Hit the Streets

PRINT ISSUE is here...
Where can you find ruminations on hookers, hair stylists, shoes, barges, wrestlers, running moonshine, DJs, opossums, and those who have left all this for the otherworld? In the debut print edition of 52nd City Magazine hitting the streets this week. Please join us at the Launch Party at Atomic Cowboy on Wednesday, April 12th from 7-9pm. You can get your copy, rub elbows with (or razz) the editors, mingle with some of the contributors, and enjoy the fine food and libation offered by our generous friends at Atomic Cowboy.

BOOK SALE is coming...
And speaking of uncovering the esoteric…where can you find a manual with illustrated calisthenic exercises to warm up your fingers before you start hitting the keyboard? At the 52nd City Book Sale, this Saturday, April 15th from 11:30am to 4:00pm at The Royale. We have plenty of non-fiction and civically-oriented texts, along with poetry, coffee table-worthy art books and even some comic stylings from Woody Allen. Subterranean Books in the Loop has even donated some titles. Proceeds help with print/production of our magazine.

So come out and visit with us—or check out the 52ndcity.com website, where we have preview articles from our “Work” themed issue, the list of contributors to our print edition, and more information on how to subscribe, advertise, or contribute.

A big thanks to all of our supporters!

Seeking Books/52nd City Events

We're looking for books. To sell. At the patio garden of The Royale on Saturday, April 15. The books we've collected so far are a pretty good lot, with plenty of non-fiction and civically-oriented texts, along with poetry, coffee table-worthy art books and even some comic stylings from Woody Allen. Subterranean Books in the Loop has even offered some titles, thanksverymuch.

If you're looking to unload some dusty jackets on us, please let us know via e-mail: thomas@52ndcity.com.

Here are the upcoming 52nd City events:

Thursday, February 23: Timesaver Trivia @ Hartford Coffee Company, 6:30 doors, 7:00 game (a few tables still available; $20 per four-player team; 314-776-6929 for details)

Wednesday, April 12: Magazine issue #1 release @ Atomic Cowboy, time TBA

Saturday, April 15: 52nd City Book Sale @ The Royale, 11:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m., 3132 So. Kingshighway

And in the fall, with time/location TBA, the Third Annual St. Louis Kick-Ass Awards.

52nd City's Mini-Trivia Night

“Timesaver Trivia”
Sponsored by 52ndCity.com

Where: Hartford Coffee Company, 3974 Hartford, 314-771-JAVA
When: Thursday, February 23; game @ 7:00 p.m., check-in @ 6:30 p.m.
How much: $20 per team of four players
Why: To benefit the publishing efforts of 52ndCity.com

What: If you’ve played marathon, night-long trivia contests, don’t fear. This one’s a quick-moving, pop-culturally-themed evening of trivia, with four-person teams. Game’s beginning at 7:00 and we’ll roll through 50 quick questions, which a heavy emphasis on that pop-cultural clutter in your head.

Some particulars:

Teams need to pay the total of $20 before the game’s start. No individual payouts of $5 per player, please! Registrants/team captains are responsible for entry fee.

Though alcohol is not sold at Hartford Coffee Company, you may bring your own. Because we’re not paying for space usage, please patronize the HCC counter for all your other drink and food needs. Can’t stress it enough: BYO beer, wine and spirits, but no outside food and liquid refreshments.

Winners receiver their cash back, plus absolutely fabulous, yet-not-necessarily-expensive, STL-related gifts.

Full rules will be provided at the door, which opens at 6:30 p.m.

Only 15 tables of four are available, so please register early.

Please contact 52nd City for details (rather than the good folks Hartford Coffee). Direct questions and registrations to: thomas@52ndcity.com or 314-776-6929.

Thanks!

Live Event: Friday, Dec. 30

Contrary to anything you may've read, the LAST public event at Gallery Urbis Orbis will be the 52nd City "release" party at the soon-to-be-shuttering Downtown space, on Friday, Dec. 30, from 7-9 p.m., with a $5 cover. Catering by Hartford Coffee Company, with light refreshments served. Funds will help several publishing projects in 2006.

We've got a few things on tap for the evening, including:

Live improvisational music by Eric Hall and Jason Hutto.

Experimental video in Van McElwee's "Heliogos."

Accompanied poetry and jazz by Stefene Russell and Dave Stone.

A first look at 52nd City's e-magazine.

Hope to see you there.

Kick Ass Awards: 11/11 @ 7

Tomorrow, 12 St. Louis individuals, organizations and couples (along with one mystery winner) wil receive the second annual STL Kick Ass Awards, a recent tradition begun in Austin, TX. We'd certainly invite you to attend this event, held at the Gallery Urbis Orbis, at 10th and St. Charles.

Light refreshments will be served. Seating is limited, though standing room is ample. And attendance will cost you - literally - change. So please empty out your car's ashtray, check the gaps in your couch and sacrifice that coin-filled piggybank in your bedroom. Monies will go to funding this event and future publishing projects in 2006.

Here's a suitably-esoteric note from founder Spike Gillespie:

A couple of years ago I started the Kickass Awards in Austin because I was inspired by the kindness of Stella, a wonderful employee of the St. Louis Bread Company in Webster Groves. On my annual visits to Webster, Stella always treated me like royalty, clutching my hand, looking in my eyes, passing along something besides bagels whenever we met. I’d been cynical and sarcastic most of my life, but Stella helped open my eyes to all sorts of kindness in the world. And so, to celebrate the good people in my community who aren’t always recognized for their goodness, I started the Kick Ass Awards to offer a little recognition and good cheer. I also think that taking the time to acknowledge the goodness in others prompted me to try to do more good in the world. This year, the whole look-for-good/do-good took on a life of its own for me.

I’m so delighted the Kick Ass tradition has spread to St. Louis. Thanks to Stella for starting it all and to Thomas for making it happen up there. Y’all are invited to our awards— January 10, 2006 at BookPeople in Austin.

2005 St. Louis KICK ASS Awards

Second Annual St. Louis KICK ASS Awards
Gallery Urbis Orbis, 419 North 10th Street
Friday, November 11 @ 7 p.m.
Sponsored by 52ndCity.com and Gallery Urbis Orbis
Admission is all the change you can donate at the door – really!
Info: thomascrone@yahoo.com

The second annual Kick Ass Awards will be offered to 13 St. Louisans, collaborators and organizations, dedicated to quietly improving the civic life of this City and region. The event will celebrate the works of the 12 nominees profiled below – along with a special, mystery award going out to conclude the night.

Trivia Results

A somewhat late but very heartfelt thanks goes out to everyone who participated in our Trivia Night last week. I know I’ve been a little slow in recovering from the packed house crowd. Steve Smith’s Skizzys team won with 93 points. Chris & Julia Carey’s team came in second with 88. And with 86 points, Dawne Massey’s team narrowly beat out the Fletchers.

One of the trivia questions of the night was about the local children’s quiz show D.B.s Delight. I found out later we had a two-time D.B.’s Delight champion in the audience that night. Sitting at the Square Pegs table was my friend Julia Funderburk (Julia Hunziker on the show), who represented Kimmswick’s St. Joseph’s grade school in 1984-85. Viewing that video is going to require some major sweet talking, but should prove to be worth the effort.

I was secretly quite happy to see that the Mr. T Chia Pet and the giant inflatable Helmann’s mayonnaise jar went to good homes.

Again, we appreciate the support and don't forget to drop some change in the can if you visit Urbis Orbis on Friday. I'll be at Mad Art, where as Thomas mentioned in a previous post, we have a great show opening as well. Take advantage.

Trivia Update

We are over the 50% mark for sold tables at the Mad Art/52nd City Trivia Challenge, with nine groups committing. Boy, we sure appreciate the support! Your money will go towards our first project, which is a quarterly print magazine showcasing St. Louis talent in the areas of fiction, poetry, illustration, and photography. Please continue to encourage your colleagues and friends to reserve a table for this special night of trivia and fun. Email tcrone@sbcglobal.net or call 314-776-6929 for more information.

Book it: Trivia Night - Aug. 26

To raise some funds for a variety of upcoming, artistic projects, the little crew behind 52ndcity.com is throwing a Trivia Night at the Mad Art Gallery, 2727 So. 12th Street, on Friday, August 26. The questions begin at 7:30 p.m.; the registration's at 6:45. Tables are priced at $100, with up to 10 players assigned per team; in fact, our first table's just been secured by the good folks at Gallery Urbis Orbis. Food is BYO, while drinks will be available via the Mad Art's full, cash bar.

Though trivia nights are no stranger to the local entertainment calendar, with competition for teams fierce, we believe that our set of 10 rounds will offer some intriguing twists on the usual topics. Think of the name of the hosting organization. The name of the venue. What used to happen at the venue. Those hints'll give you a little taste of the eclectic nature of our game, augmented by the likes of 50/50s, an arts raffle and the like.

With limited seating available, we'd invite you to book a table early, by calling 314-776-6929. Operators are currently standing by.

Greetings, readers!

In coming weeks, we'll roll out considerably more info on what we're up to with this blog and the affiliated 52ndcity.com website, which is currently in that notorious, "under construction" phase.

Expect, though, a variety of comments on local pop cultural topics, penned by Andrea Avery, Stefene Russell and, um, me. You can access us, currently, through blog.52ndcity.com or through stlsyndicate.com, whose Kingpin, Brian Marston, enabled all the technology to make this here thing happen. Grazie.

Here's to many happy posts ahead!