All Entries Tagged With: "Berkeley"
Tornado leaves many feeling grateful in Ferguson
Nearly every street in my Ferguson neighborhood suffered extensive tree damage during Friday night's tornado, the worst St. Louis has seen in 43 years.
Wow, it sure has been a long, strange weekend. After a powerful tornado ripped through North County around 8pm on Friday, many areas of Bridgeton, Berkeley, Ferguson and Dellwood were left in complete disarray, with downed trees, sheared off roofs, blocked roadways and no electricity. Homes and buildings were also damaged in Bellefontaine Neighbors, Riverview and Glasgow Village.
Here at my house, the power went out during the storm and just returned after 60 hours of down time, but I’m certainly not complaining. Looking around my community, I feel extremely fortunate today because I know there are lots of people dealing with far worse than a power outage.
When the tornado hit on Friday, I barely heard anything from my basement. In fact, it seemed like such a non-event that I assumed Ferguson had missed the worst of it. Then I stepped outside….
The beams of my neighbors’ flashlights were already cutting through the darkness, revealing tree damage up and down the block. One neighbor lost a 100-foot spruce. Another had a large limb crash through his roof. Another lost a branch so huge that it was blocking the entire street.
Almost immediately, sirens started echoing from every direction…and they didn’t stop all night. Power lines were dangling. Trees were continuing to crack and fall over. Police cars were zipping through the neighborhood, obviously overwhelmed by the number of calls.
It was a scary scene in Old Ferguson West, and continued to be throughout the weekend, but we didn’t have nearly as much devastation as the poor folks along Royal Avenue and Hereford. My heart goes out to them. Clearly the storm went through Bridgeton and Lambert Airport and then followed the path of Airport Road/Hereford/Chambers, causing unbelievable damage pretty much the entire length.
But there is good news: no one was seriously injured.
So while many in Ferguson are still feeling stunned and sad, and countless residents are dealing with tremendous property damage, at least we can all be grateful that no lives were lost. I’m also thanking my lucky stars to live in such a strong, resilient community, where people truly care about one another and are always willing to help a neighbor in need…
Maline Greenway plans to be unveiled 3/24 & 29
Suburban Avenue in Ferguson will eventually rest at the heart of the Maline Greenway, a proposed trail network spanning all across North County.
As I first mentioned back in October, the planning process is officially underway for the new Maline Greenway, an interconnected trail system that will run from the city of St. Louis all the way to Berkeley. Following the length of the historic Maline Creek, it will travel through Kinloch, Ferguson, Cool Valley, Jennings, Moline Acres, Riverview and unincorporated North County, ultimately linking the existing St. Vincent and Confluence Greenways and adding to the 600+ miles of trails that the local nonprofit Great Rivers Greenway has already completed.
Consultants from GRG have been busy soliciting citizen input and hammering out the details on the Maline project, and now they’re ready to share their results. During public open houses that start next week, they’ll lay out conceptual plans for the new trail and offer a glimpse at what each of the participating communities can expect.
“Our plan for Maline Greenway is intended to inspire citizens, developers, community organizations and local governments to work together to form an interconnected trail system along Maline Creek, providing children and families with a safe option for exercise, commuting and outdoor activities,” said Susan Trautman, executive director of Great Rivers Greenway.
The first open house will be held March 24, from 6-8 pm at the Bellefontaine Recreational Center, 9669 Bellefontaine Road, 63137. The second open house will be held on March 29 from 6-8 pm, at Ferguson Middle School, 701 January Ave., 63135. All are welcome. Free snacks and children’s crafts will be available during the event.
If you can’t make it, you may want to check out this video from Great Rivers Greenway. It follows a bus tour of the proposed Maline route, with commentary provided by GRG staff. The sound kicks in around :49.
By the way, the photo at the top of this post shows last year’s Live Well Ferguson 5K. Just wait until this year’s event, when my colorful new Ferguson banners will line Suburban Avenue… Have you registered for the race yet? It’s May 14th.
NoCo Pizza Challenge Round 10: Editor’s Choice
Who had the better pizza this week? K.D. Gray's...
...or Roberto's?
“Roberto’s will rock your world!” That’s what one reader told me when we first started the Great NoCo Pizza Challenge. And alas, here we are at Round Ten, and it looks like that reader was right!
For the first time in ten weeks, my husband and I enjoyed one pizza so much that we actually went back for seconds! Of course, we’re in the middle of gutting a bathroom so we needed the extra fuel, but there’s just no way around it….Roberto’s makes one hell of a pizza.
We went with sausage and mushroom again. The K.D. Gray’s pizza weighed in at 1.9 pounds versus 2.1 pounds for Roberto’s, so both were on the small side. And though K.D. Gray’s did improve since Round Three, reminding us of a super cheesy TJ’s Pizza, I’m sorry to say it just couldn’t top the fabulous flavors that Roberto’s has clearly perfected over the past 48 years.
First, the crust. Roberto’s has a super thin crust that’s also amazingly pliable and flaky. Very nice. On top of that, the sauce has a rich, slow-roasted tomato flavor with a good bit of garlic. It’s not quite as sweet as Pirrone’s or Faraci’s but it’s definitely delicious. And as for the cheese, it has the stickiness of provel so that’s my guess, but to be honest, I’m not totally sure.
I read an online review of Roberto’s that said they used orange American cheese. No way. I’m thinking it may actually be provolone blended with something else?? All I know is that it’s good!
And speaking of good, I tried Gene Gray’s famous steak sandwich this week, and it’s just as tasty as he claimed. Slow marinated and then grilled over an open fire, his juicy steak is served on a decadent buttered garlic bread with a side of some of the best fries I’ve ever eaten. Seriously, I’m still not crazy about K.D. Gray’s pizza, but the steak sandwich and the hot wings are totally worth a try.
But we’re here to talk pizza, so who gets my vote? I wholeheartedly agree with the readers on this one: Roberto’s. In fact, I’ll even go so far as to say that Roberto’s is one of the best restaurants in North County, and if you live within a five-mile radius of this place and you haven’t been there, you are crazy! On top of great pizza, they also make an excellent roasted garlic salad dressing and some absolutely wonderful fried chicken. And the prices are very reasonable.
Up next in the Great NoCo Pizza Challenge: Cugino’s of Florissant vs. Omar’s of St. Ann…
The Great NoCo Pizza Challenge: KD Gray’s vs. Roberto’s
Holy cow, can you believe we’re at Round Ten of the Great NoCo Pizza Challenge?! That means we’ve tasted 18 pizzas in the past nine weeks! Are you full yet?
This week brings us yet another classic match-up, featuring two hidden North County gems that totally deserve a little time in the spotlight…
You may remember K.D. Gray’s from back in Round Three. Well, I wasn’t too crazy about their pizza, but this cozy little bar/restaurant in Berkeley has definitely piqued my interest. I already mentioned the enticing “fruity shots” on the menu, and how tasty the hot wings are. But what I didn’t mention, because I didn’t know then, is the interesting story of chef/bartender/original owner Gene Gray, who opened this charming hole-in-the-wall in 1989.
A former stockbroker with a Master’s degree in finance, Gene has been working in the bar/restaurant business for 40 years, and spent much of that time in rock & roll bars. He says patron drug use, fighting and general mayhem finally just wore him down, so he wanted out of that scene. And when he went looking for a quiet neighborhood pub of his own, the affordable rent of this tiny former biker bar behind Berkeley City Hall was the best fit for his budget.
“It was that simple,” he says. And apparently it worked.
These days, K.D. Gray’s is officially owned by Renee Laneman, who you might see behind the bar. But Gene is still catering to his steady stream of regulars, and still handling 100% of the kitchen duties. “I’d put my steak sandwich and chicken wings up against anyone,” he says proudly.
Ahh, but we’re here for pizza… Gene uses mozzarella cheese and pre-made crusts from down on The Hill, making his own Italian sausage. You can choose from three specialty pizzas – Cheese, Veggie or Supreme – or pick your own toppings from a short list. All pizzas are 12 inches, with the Supreme, K.D. Gray’s most expensive pizza, starting at $12.95. Other pizzas start at just $8.
By the way, K.D. Gray’s got an exemption from the St. Louis County smoking ban, so if you’re looking for a comfortable, friendly place to light up, this is it. And the jukebox ain’t half bad either.
K.D. Gray’s – 6130 Madison Avenue, 63134, (314) 521-5309. Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:30am to 1:30am, Saturday 6pm to 1:30am
On the other side of NoCo, in an old Florissant strip mall, you’ll find an equally low-profile restaurant – Roberto’s, which has been serving up delicious Italian food since 1962. Founded by Robert and Peggy Camenzind, this neighborhood favorite is still family-run, but other than that, I don’t know much about it.
Ever since announcing the Pizza Challenge, I’ve received dozens of emails plugging Roberto’s. But since the restaurant is only open in the evenings, and I never seem to be there at the right time, I’ve never even been inside, much less sampled the menu. Still, word is the pizza is phenomenal.
You can choose from a typical list of toppings or go with the lone specialty pizza, the Supreme. It has Italian sausage, hamburger, bacon, mushroom, shrimp, pepperoni, onion, green pepper and anchovies. Whoa! Large single-topping pizzas start at $8.95. The Supreme is $15.45.
Roberto’s – 16 Mullanphy Garden Shopping Center, 63031, (314) 837-7674. Hours: Tuesday – Thursday 4-11, Friday & Saturday 4-12, Sunday 4-10
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Cast your vote! Round Ten voting ends Wednesday, March 9, at 11am…
Who has the better pizza?
- Roberto's (77%, 148 Votes)
- K.D. Gray's (23%, 44 Votes)
Total Voters: 192
Loading ...If you need a contest bracket, you’ll find an updated one right here.
