Axtone Records & Shapov – #CRACKTHECODE

National

Axtone Records, former Swedish House Mafia member Axwell's record label, wanted to launch brand new artist Shapov and preview his first track. Axtone's fan base knows everything about Axtone and its artists, so the label wanted to bring Shapov to the world in a mysterious way to make people ask questions. Since there was close to no budget, the promoters found a way to create an 'interactive YouTube experience' by utilizing functions YouTube already has in a new creative way. (Hint: press the number buttons in order while watching the video to discover the hidden track.)

GO! St. Louis President Nancy Lieberman Will Compete in GO! St. Louis Marathon to Raise Funds for Local Youth Programs

As an industry leader, world class athlete and major proponent of health and fitness for people of all ages and abilities, Nancy Lieberman plans to participate in the 2015 GO! St. Louis Marathon on April 12, an event she founded 15 years ago. This marks the first time she has participated in the Marathon Weekend as a runner. In celebration of the organization’s 15th Anniversary, she plans to raise $15,000 for GO! St. Louis youth running programs, which annually impacts more than 12,000 students in the bi-state metropolitan area. “I’m truly blessed to be able to live an active life and […]

The post GO! St. Louis President Nancy Lieberman Will Compete in GO! St. Louis Marathon to Raise Funds for Local Youth Programs appeared first on Go! St. Louis.

Hempstead Elementary, Hamilton and Minerva Avenues

It’s always fun to come across another Ittner/Milligan school, but in this instance, it was coupled with the terrible realization that the old school had been devastated by fire. Note the teetering dormer. This is...

The Safest Bar In St. Louis

Where to go when you need to drown your sorrows with complete security. In the US, a precinct is a local division of the police department. I don't know if this old building was once a police station but it could have been. Maybe cops hang out there when off duty. Can't say - I've never been in it. The logo resembles a St. Louis police department badge.

Jim Edmonds, the principal owner of the place, was a star center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. He wore the number 15. Edmonds was so full of energy and enthusiasm that he was sometimes called Jimmy Baseball.                      

                    

Video Comes to Twitter

National

You can now shoot, edit and share video on Twitter. Here's how to do it.

Baby 101: Your Guide To Everything Baby

Planning for a new baby brings an endless list of questions: How can we get our baby to sleep through the night? What is the perfect crib? How can we keep our baby safe? We hear you!

Princess

Madeleine is going to her first birthday party today. The daughter of a friend is turning two. All the little girls around here are way into the Disney movie Frozen and the strong princess look. That's going to be the theme. Here, Killian the dog and Ellie's toy sheep watch the dress rehearsal.

Some days you don't know if the sun is rising or setting without a compass. Two things of note happened yesterday. 

My brother-in-law, Jim, died. He was a disabled veteran with serious health issues. Jim had a severe heart attack after his daily morning visit to the convenience store in the little Kansas town where he lived. It was fast and could have been otherwise. We miss him.

We also saw the first picture - well, sonogram - of my very newly-underway second grandchild in Chicago.

The cycle turns and turns again.                               

Goodfellow Boulevard Between Ridge and Minerva

The term “boulevard” in St. Louis streets parlance does not necessarily represent a particularly wide street with a tree lined median (though it certainly does in places like Lindell, Grand or Tucker), but really more...

Starbucks Makes an Almost-Clever MLK Ad

National

This MLK Day print ad in the New York Times is getting quite a bit of coverage this week. On first glance, we went "Hmm... isn't that clever," before thinking about it for a split second more and realizing that, No, it's merely an obvious thought wrapped up in the appearance of a clever, minimal ad.

And it's Starbucks. When is the last time they identified with the idea of looking at things differently? Maybe that's what's itching at us. If it was the Apple logo below - it might work better.
What do you think? Sound off in the comments.

ALIVE Recognizes 35 Bold Minds Creating A Better St. Louis In Its Inaugural Innovation Issue

The St. Louis innovation scene is gaining some serious momentum. And people are taking note—not only locally, but nationally.

Shawmut Place Between Minerva and Ridge Avenues

The eclectic architecture continues up Shawmut Place, with an interesting mix of classical, Gothic, Tudor and little bits of all sorts of different styles. The blocks are long north-south here, which I presume allowed for...

Fashion Week Season Kicks Off All Over The Globe

Fashion Week season is officially here, folks, kicking off at major cities across the globe.

Blackstone Avenue, Between Ridge and Minerva Avenues

Continuing down Blackstone, you come to the realization that the infamous Delmar Divide does not extend to architecture. Houses just as beautiful (and in many instances, identical) to houses in the Central West End or...

Bud Draws The Line in the Sand: St. Louis is "The Best Baseball Town in America"

Local

Welp there you have it. Suck it Deadspin.

Via RFT

Ho Hum, Another St. Louis Cathedral

I've been in three St. Louis Cathedrals. Back home, of course, Versailles and this one in New Orleans. Worth a visit if you are in town - it's right on Jackson Square in the heart of the French Quarter. There were a lot more tourists than the devout when we were there.                         

Grammy Award Nominee Frenchie Davis To Perform At The Vital Voice’s FIVE

Making plans to attend FIVE: The Vital VOICE & St. Louis Effort For AIDS Anniversary Event? Party-goers can expect singer-songwriter and The Voice star Frenchie Davis performing pop and rock hits straight from the soul.

NBA Spot Shows the Barriers They've Broken with Help from MLK

National

The NBA has a strong history of firsts when it comes to breaking down racial barriers and proverbial glass ceilings. In this spot, we explore the strides made within the NBA that not only embody Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, but the overall guiding principles of the Civil Rights movement.

New Puss in Boots Cartoon for the Kids

One of my all time favorite Dreamworks characters is Puss in Boots…and now he has his own cartoon series on Netflix! Netflix and Dreamworks are working together to bring original children’s programming right to your house via Netflix streaming. They started in December with King Julien, which was pretty awesome. Now we have the solo […]

The post New Puss in Boots Cartoon for the Kids appeared first on StLMotherhood.

Cotton Belt Mural

The Cotton Belt’s eastern, river side has been spruced up with this great mural. More in the future on this.

4 Mardi Gras Events in St. Louis this January

Mardi Gras celebrations start off this January with everything from athletic events to family activities and alcohol tastings

It Doesn't Look Like Much, Does It?

confluence

[kon-floo-uh ns]
noun

1. a flowing together of two or more streams, rivers, or the like:

"the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers."

2. their place of junction:

"St. Louis is at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers."

 You wouldn't think it to look at the picture but this is the most important river junction in North America, the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi in the northern part of our area. The Missouri and its swirling ice is in the foreground with the clear Mississippi behind. The view is a bit more dramatic in the old photo of the point of land between the two, taken on the spit in the center of this picture:

Clearer still on a map. Lotta water                     

Internationally Renowned Dancers Move to St. Louis

Recently, COCA called a news conference to make a big announcement: Two of the world's most renowned dancers are moving to town to lead the COCA Dance program.

The Smithsonian is cleaning St. Louis’ favorite plane

The real Spirit of St. Louis is kept at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC as a national treasure. Normally it’s displayed hanging from the ceiling, but for the next eight months it will be kept at floor level. Why? It needs a little spring cleaning. It’s 87 years old after all, […]

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What’s New in St. Louis Education: 8 Standout Schools You Need To Know

When you’re faced with the task of choosing an educational path for your child, making a decision can seem impossible.

#ShitToHit TONIGHT: The Tower Sessions - The Art of Tower Classic Tatto by @BCummingsPhoto

Local

One of our favorite STL-based photographers, Brian Cummings, has a show tonight showcasing the tattoos of Tower Classic Tatto with an interesting twist on the typical printing process: the photographic prints of tattoos (and their owners) are printed on leather, matching the concept with the execution. Pretty solid idea.

Tonight at Mad Art Gallery
7:00 - 11:00 p.m.
RSVP on Facebook.

From Brian Cummings:

The art of tattooing has experienced a renaissance of sorts in the last decade. Previously relegated to the fringe of society, tattoos are now accepted as part of mainstream culture. In past generations, only sailors, bikers and convicts would be expected to adorn their body in ink. Now it's teachers, lawyers and chefs.

As the popularity of tattooing has grown, so has the skill and talent of the artists practicing the craft. Tower Classic Tattoo of St. Louis is a model of the modern evolution of tattooing. Owner and artist Sean Baltzell has built a loyal following and a stable of diverse and talented artists in his shop. His approach is true to the history of tattooing, while taking it beyond.

This series, "THE TOWER SESSIONS", is a working portfolio of the artists of Tower Classic. The process of getting inked happens over a period of sessions. The complexity of the tattoo dictates the length and number of sessions. In a way, it's similar to a therapy session. The client sits in a chair and begins to reveal their true self, the part that no one sees.

I photographed each model (client) in a series of my own sessions. Each subject was a study of the human form, the story behind the art and how it reflects or contradicts the model.

Each image is printed on leather -- skin on skin, if you will.

Photography: Brian Cummings
Tattoo Artists: Tower Classic Tatttooing / Sean Baltzell (owner)
H&M: Brandie Marsden
Retouching: Curt von Diest
Logo: Jake Houvenagle

Skeletons

Local Homebrewer’s Winning Beer To Release On Tap At Ballpark Village

Local homebrewer's American IPA will debut at the Budweiser Brew House in Ballpark Village this Sunday.

Falstaff Plant No. 1, Revisited

The old Forest Park Brewery, just west of Grand on Forest Park Avenue, became the center of the Falstaff rebirth. These original images from Alvin Griesedieck’s book show that much of what was originally part...

Where I Work

After I left the pantless crew at Pi I walked back to my office building to get my car. Just a block away. Another International Style office tower, nicely rehabbed in recent years, convenient, reasonably priced. The owner is in the building and he's a really great guy. That's different.

I've been going to an office almost every day for 40 years. It may stop in two or three years. I wonder how it will feel.                   

Alvin Griesedieck Book on Falstaff Story

The Central Library has an extensive collection of rare books, many of which are extremely fragile due to age. But Special Collections also has books from the Twentieth Century that are in perfectly good condition,...

Captain Morgan, I Presume?

So all the goofy sans-culottes climbed out of the subway downtown into the winter night air and headed into Pi, a sort of upscale pizza joint. I don't think they were expected but they were welcomed anyway, uniform of the day notwithstanding.

One of the participants was dressed up like Captain Morgan, without the pirate trousers, of course. It's the name of a popular brand of flavored rum. (Never tasted it. I'll have a Carneros pinot noir, thank you.) Pictures of the captain always show him standing in the same pose, with the left foot on the side of a rum barrel. Name your poison.                            

McDonald's New 'Signs' Ad. Lovin' it?

National

A lot of people are up in arms over this ad that premiered during the Golden Globes last night. They think McDonald's is bragging about its corporate kindness, when in actuality it's just a big money-printing machine that doesn't pay employees enough and spreads poor health. What do you think? For us, it was the best piece of advertising on the air last night. If only because it's the first time in a decade that a McD's ad actually grabbed our attention with a differentiating statement — in this case, the care and community-mindedness of its franchisees.

Via

Beaux-Arts Silhouettes

Fusion Is Pranking their Digital VP with Help From You & #FusionGun

Local

Brad Harris, VP of Tech at Fusion, is away at CES - the biggest tech trade show of the year. Unfortunately for him, he left the rest of his team back at work and seething with jealousy. As a result, they decided to prank him in the true spirit of technology and inventiveness – by using the hashtag #FusionGun to fire packing peanuts into his office every time someone uses it in a tweet.

Let 'er rip.

4 Visual Arts Exhibits to See this January in St. Louis

Art is thriving at the beginning of 2015, and it’s a perfect time to check out some of the best new exhibits around town. Below, find our list of the top four art exhibits to go see this month. “Designated Areas“ Jan. 9-March 1, Craft Alliance With works from numerous… more …

Cold Day, Empty Park 4

Tennis, anyone? The last of this series. Based on the week's visits I should go back to color. Desparately need new material.
           

5 Theater and Dance Events To Entertain You This January

heater and dance events take over St. Louis this month with everything from drama to musicals. Check out our list of the top theater and dance picks below, and then go enjoy a show.

Thursday Arch Series

So Mrs. C sends me a text in the late afternoon - look at the sunset colors! Well, um, since our firm moved a year ago my office is in a northeast corner. We used to get some rip-snorting sunset views from our old building, like this. No more. Well, just look to the south, she said. Really can't do even that from my windows, but I had the little Olympus and craned around the desk as far as I could.

This is what I found, with the orange lights reflecting off the windows of an apartment building and the Arch itself.                                         

Now Hiring Locally: Copywriter - @NewHonorSociety

Local

Description:

A Copywriter is an experienced creative storyteller who knows the power that well-crafted words can wield.
YOU WILL:
Work directly with art directors to concept ideas together
Present said ideas internally – and eventually to clients
Contribute to ideation process and bring unique ideas to the table
Work strategically to meet client objectives
Ensure quality control through copy editing
Write everything from headlines and body copy to concept white papers and creative rationale

See the full details

Please Note: You must become a member to see jobs posted within the last three days.
*Note to Agencies: The 'find a job' link is the most clicked-on area of our site by readers.*

Now Hiring Locally: Marketing & Design Manager - @Launch_Code

Local

Description:
LaunchCode is solving the tech talent gap and paving new pathways to economic opportunity and upward mobility through apprenticeships and job placement in technology. LaunchCode seeks a highly motivated person to lead marketing and design for our St. Louis office.

See the full details

Please Note: You must become a member to see jobs posted within the last three days.
*Note to Agencies: The 'find a job' link is the most clicked-on area of our site by readers.*

Cold Day, Empty Park 3

Nil - nil.                    

Now Hiring: Design Associate Intern - @Launch_Code

Local

Launch Code is hiring: Design Associate.
Please Note: You must become a member to see jobs posted within the last three days.

ALIVE Chats With ‘America’s Got Talent’ Host Nick Cannon

When the America’s Got Talent auditions roll into the St. Charles Convention Center on Jan. 26, host Nick Cannon will be on hand to be “shocked and amazed by what you can do in 90 seconds.”

LEGO Freebies are BACK

The LEGO free mini builds are BACK at your local LEGO store!!  The next free LEGO build is coming up Tuesday, Jan. 6, at 5pm. This is a nationwide event, so if you have a LEGO store in your mall, you’re good to go. The St. Louis LEGO store is in West County Mall. Kits are […]

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Nobody Tells This to Beginners

National

Here is a video of content we've shared before (a quote from an interview by Ira Glass discussing the gap between the work that you do and the work you want to do), yet one that still resonates upon watching in this new format. It's sage wisdom that doubles as an excellent way to start off the new year, every year.

This Week’s Dish: STL’s Family-Owned Grbic Restaurant To Compete on ‘Guy’s Grocery Games’

Family-owned and operated Grbic Restaurant will compete on Guy's Grocery Games this weekend and Brasserie will be offering Bratwurst Tuesdays.

Looking East From Strauss Park

Arch Construction will close museum this spring

This year the Gateway Arch turns 50! Happy Birthday Arch!!  As all my local peeps know the Arch grounds have been undergoing major construction as they spiff up the place in honor of it’s big 5-0. So far the construction has just been an annoyance for driving downtown, but now things are getting serious. The […]

The post Arch Construction will close museum this spring appeared first on StLMotherhood.

Madeleine SLAMs The New Year

Mrs. C, Emily, Madeleine and I took a swing by the St. Louis Art Museum on New Year's Day. Once again she confronts the work of Donald Judd, this time more aggressively than their previous encounter. Still no clear winner.

Ms. M found it terribly difficult to sit still at lunch. It was so much more fun to try those new skills in the galleries, surrounded by Do Not Touch signs.                   

Photo(s) Of The Year

On New Year's Day, City Daily photobloggers post their best work from the year just ended. The photo above is my favorite of 2014. It was taken in Paris from the clock tower of the Orsay Museum, looking back across the Seine to The Louvre.

But I'm greedy and I have to allow myself some runners-up. Your opinion may differ but here is what I think is my best stuff in various categories.


Best portrait: music student in Liberia, Costa Rica.                           

Best landscape: railroad crossing near Marysville, Kansas.

Best picture of a performance: member of Alarm Will Sound in the new Media Commons.

Best architecture shot: STL's new bridge over the Mississippi.

Best black and white for its own sake: Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.

Best humor shot: tourists in the Louvre.

Best travel shot other than the top one: Mirror of Nice.

Best wedding photo: my son and his new bride in the CTA.

Best attempt at self-immolation: St. Louis Renaissance Faire.

Best picture of Madeleine: introduction to guacamole.

Okay, I admitted I was greedy. Happy New Year to all you shooters. See all the other CDP photos of the year by clicking here.