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Salon Soha

We were on our way from Murdoch Perk to PrinHi to watch A&K's DVRed Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony, when we noticed a huge ruckus on the left side of Macklind Avenue. Gobs of people were hanging out on the sidewalk, drinking wine and celebrating around a sweet window graphic for "Salon Soha." One of the gals waved us over and tried to talk us into stopping, but we were already late, having stopped at the Macklind Deli to look for Unibroue beer products (denied, but Molson's did fine in a pinch) so we had to scurry on. Laine didn't whip out her camera and take a picture, sorry, but it looked like a cool party. Kelly, the owner of Salon Soha, is doing an EXCELLENT job getting her new business off the ground. We're default clients, since our stylist, Teresa Saputo, gave up her salon last week to be one of Kelly's girls, instead of the other way around. I'm excited, because I can walk down for a haircut. The new place is really only a couple of blocks closer now, but since it's on our side of Hampton, it might as well be in our front yard.

You've probably walked past this building tons of times. It's a corner house with a storefront basement at street level, with a big round window out front. It was a beauty parlor for many years, and then was empty and dusty for a long time, too. As usual, I'm so happy to see our neighborhood hold onto its businesses. Thanks Kelly and Teresa! Welcome to SoHa!

neighborhood jinxes

I'm following a fiesty e-mail chain in response to a young gal moving from rurual Missouri sticks to the big bad city. She initially posted to find out if anyone could recommend apartments for rent near them, so she could save gas when she came into the city to apartment shop.

A lot (any is too many) of people chose to direct her to Richmond Heights or Maplewood (hello?) rather than live in the city, because they were worried for her safety. This sparked a rousing debate about crime rates and city pride that's continued for a couple of days now.

This listserv is attached to what used to be St. Louis Freecycle, now ReUse it St. Louis (more on those shenanigans at another time) so a lot of the participants are, how to put this delicately, pancake afficianados. They're the same people who gripe about loud music and "riff raff" on the SoHa neighborhood listserv. I cannot resist an aside here, The 7-11 at the corner of Brannon and Chippewa getting a license to sell alcohol does *not* threaten your well being in any way whatsoever. "Riff raff" will find its way to our neighborhood without the help of a convenience store's liquor selection. I'm sure if Joe Boxcar really wanted to, he could set up his cardboard chair out on the 7-11's corner right now with the 40 of Olde English he picked up at the 7-11 at Macklind and Chippewa, which, hello, is also in our neighborhood.

ANYWAY. This was said in a wise response to the gloomsprinklers' pessimism: Crime happens anywhere and everywhere it's allowed to flourish. Living in the city is no more dangerous than living anywhere else, as long as you're aware of your surroundings and intelligent about your habits. We keep our eyes open and our ears open and we look out for each other even more than subdivisions in the counties. Just yesterday, someone knocked on our front door, and since I never got around to putting up the sign that reads, "We don't answer the door unless you call first," (without the phone number published), I almost answered it, but then thought better of it. They didn't stick around and I went out to see if they left a political flyer or weird neo-nazi newsletter (haven't gotten one of those in a long time, ha) and there between the door and storm door was a gigantor cardboard box from Amazon with my new laptop case in it. One of our neighbors had been outside watering their lawn or something when UPS came, and they signed for the package for us and dropped it off once they knew we were home. I felt like a jerk for not answering the door after that, but I got over it.

This city is full of great people who want nothing more than to smile at you over a fence and nod at you at the grocery store. We don't meddle in each other's business, but we keep an eye out for trouble and we watch each other's backs. As the economy continues to crap out, I imagine people will start to get desparate, but the likelihood of that outcome will be lessened significantly if we try to do our part to take care of each other. If a black kid hanging with her friends on your street keeps getting the evil eye from the old folks in the neighborhood, why shouldn't she just go ahead and swipe your purse if you think she's capable, guilty even, of far worse.

I *love* seeing kids goofing off in our neighborhoods, whatever color, age, or ethnicity. It tells me their parents feel safe enough to leave them out there. So welcome to the city, Amanda. Whatever neighborhood you choose to settle in will be lucky to have you. We need all the pioneering idealists we can get.

Oh, Onesto...

So last night (Sunday), Onesto Pizza and Trattoria opened at the corner of Finkman and Macklind. No matter what anyone tells you, this restaurant is NOT in SoHa. It's in Princeton Heights, PrinHigh, if you're sassy. Sassy like a couple of the ladies we went to dinner with last night, who walked there from their PrinHigh house. Not that we SoHa folks don't want to claim the place, because it's destined to be ridiculously successful. We waited for a table for nearly 45 minutes on its inaugural evening, not too shabby for a Sunday night. It's totally non-smoking (Yay!) and according to the SoHa neighborhood listserv, they applied for their 3 a.m. liquor license months ago. Right now, their hours are a little less decadent, but that's okay.

This review is part one of 3, because opening night isn't really the greatest judge of a place. And I'm dying to go back anyway.

Our party of five tasted the following:

House Salad--delicious mixture of fancy spring greens and grape tomatoes + provel, baby!
Salami Roll--delicate, subtle, too small for 5 people! Great preview of the spot-on red sauce.
Red Wine--Il Bastardo, Mmmmm.
Meatball Stromboli--excellent crust, makes delicious leftovers
Lasagna--Frickin huge. Solid. But kinda cold.
Eggplant Parmesan--Frickin huge. Different. Zesty. Also kinda cold.
Fettucini Alfredo--Reasonably portioned! Served with a perfectly cooked egg yolk on top...unfortunately, the Alfredo eater also has an egg allergy.
Tiramasu--direct quote--doubtful claim: "I've had better tiramisu than this once." Incredulous challenge: "Oh yeah, Where???" Sophisticated answer: "Rome!"

We closed the place down with the two squares of tiramisu and five forks, and nobody licked the white chocolate or raspberry sauce (I assume) off the plate, but only because we were all too full.

Overall, our appetizer came 1 minute before our entrees, which were on the cold side, they forgot my salad until after my entree came (but it was free!), our doggie bags got mixed up a little (and I hardly ate my eggplant parmesan so I could warm it up for lunch and enjoy it hot! :(  ) and it took our charming waiter a little while to get our check right, but it was still totally worth the 45 minute wait to get a table (did I mention it was it's FIRST night!) and I believe this summer is going to be a lot of fun.

Wuv, Twoo Wuv.

Once upon a time, waaaay back over a week ago, we gathered in the warmly lit, romantic atmosphere of the Royale. We threw back a couple 'weizens and watched as our friends, colleagues and total strangers performed the lyrics to their favorite love ballads and kiss offs. We laughed, we cheered, we plotzed. We nosed our beer, we ran to the potty, and we had a wonderful time.

Believe it or not, people actually showed up!

The highlights:
We cried a little on the inside for Kim H.'s stunning portrayal of Michael Martin Murphy's "Wildfire"

We nosed our beers at Byron's epic interpretation of Jermaine Stewart's "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off."

We giggled profusely at Lynn's charming and adorable performance of Sesame Street's Ernie singing "I Want to Hold Your Ear."

There wasn't a dry seat in the house after Tina's stalker set, which she dedicated to American astronaut Lisa Nowak.

I cried like a little girl with a skinned knee and shit when young David Brinker brought Lynn back for an encore with a duet of Streisand's "You Don't Bring Me Flowers."

I think it was Janet's version of the kicked to the curb anthem "Santeria" that was weirdly synched up with the Ren and Stimpy episode playing in the bar.

So many memories. Who could forget the three dramatic costume changes of "The Vagabond"? Sasha's tribute to Sir Mixalot's "Baby Got Back," or Craig's off-color nailing of Led Zeppelin's "Dina-moe-hum."

But my personal favorite performance of the evening, hands down, was diminutive, blonde-haired Emily, holding her cell phone at arm's length, reading the lyrics to Old Dirty Bastard's, "Baby I Got Your Money." Hey. Dirtay. You did a damned fine job.

To the weird guy who wanted us to look up the lyrics to "Dick in a Box," uhh... And to everyone I didn't mention, it wasn't 'cause you sucked, it was 'cause I had two beers and you know what that does to my memory.

Here, have some pictures:

 

Love, Exciting and New

I'm more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants sort of gal, but for all you planners, here's the fudge on St. Valentine's Day, Wednesday, February 14, 2007.

Love is Observable: Observable Readings Does Valentine's Day @ the Royale, 8:00 p.m.

I've been through diamonds, I've been through minks, I've been through it all: love stinks. Are you single? Cynical? Both? Come congregate with your kind at The Royale on the night of Valentine's Day, with your Delilah-style hostess, Julie Dill. Sign up to vent your spleen on stage, or just watch as the loved and the lost render their favorite love songs, torch tunes, and kiss offs into performance poetry. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll drink beer and cocktails. And you'll forget all about what's-his-name. Come because you're angry, come because you're bored, but most of all, because love is like a cloud, it holds a lot of rain, oooh, love hurts.

Seriously, though the catharsis is more complete if you pick a gutwrencher, your song doesn't have to be a downer. We'll need a change-up after one of us polishes off her Debbie Gibson hat and lays her pain on the stage.

I'm stopping by Costco for a case of Kleenex. 

Tell your friends! Even better, bring them and don't tell them what it is! And who really needs an excuse to go the Royale?? Good food, great drinks, and superb company. You are welcome.

Quick Southampton List Serv Roundup

1. The Unidentifiable Ringing Noise on Neosho Between January and Macklind.

2. Referrals to Reputable Babysitters.

3. Neighborhood Potluck Wednesday at the Southampton Presbyterian Church.

4. The Attempted Break-in at our House on Monday.

5. The 60 pets removed from the condemned house at on Macklind that was apparently stinky every summer, but I never noticed.

6. The exercise equipment place at Kingshighway and Murdoch shut down and is being replaced with a donut shop. 'Cause I was just thinking, you know what St. Louis really needs?? Another 2 bit donut shop!