Posts Tagged ‘Ferguson’

One of North County's many historic homes: the Bockrath-Weise house in St. Ferdinand Park, as depicted by local artist Daniel Fishback*

Owning an older home can be a great adventure and a rich learning experience. But as I’ve discovered with my own 108-year-old dwelling, it can also be quite a challenge, both to your time and to your bank account. That’s why I’m pleased to let all the historic house owners out there know: Help is on the way!

This Saturday, the Ferguson Landmarks Commission is hosting Renovate Ferguson: Spring Home Design Workshop, where experts will be on hand to answer all kinds of questions: What’s the architectural style of my home? What are the dos and don’ts to retain my home’s value? How do I conserve energy in my older home? Where can I find renovation resources?

You can ask all this and more at this free workshop, and be sure to bring a photo of your house for one-on-one advice! Anyone with a vested interest in preserving North County’s historic real estate is invited to attend – Saturday, March 6, from 9:30am-noon at Ferguson Middle School, 701 January Ave, 63135. For more info, call Ferguson City Hall at (314) 521-7721.

(*Artist Daniel Fishback, whose painting is featured above, can create a one-of-a-kind painting of your home too. Read more about his work here.)

Would you like to run or walk in Live Well Ferguson's Twilight 5K on May 15? Free training for people of all fitness levels starts in March!

One of the best things about North County is the abundance of hiking and biking trails, but of course, you have to be at least somewhat fit to use them. Not being in peak shape myself, I often feel like I’m missing out on so many great adventures right in my own backyard. That’s why I’m very proud to be co-sponsoring an event that has one simple mission: to get the people of NoCo up and moving!

On May 15, Live Well Ferguson is hosting its inaugural Twilight 5K, and not only is NOCO a sponsor but yours truly has volunteered to be a racer in training! Starting this week, Dwayne James, Blue Tapp Scheffer and I (all of whom are at different fitness levels) will be blogging about our progress as we prepare for the race.

Blue, who runs a local website company, is an avid runner and cyclist who is also training for the Go! St. Louis marathon. She’s our “advanced” trainee. Dwayne, a Ferguson city councilman, is our fit but rusty “intermediate” trainee who has run 5Ks before and is looking to improve on his personal best. And me, I’m the “beginner” – an out-of-shape writer preparing to walk the 5K and hopefully lose a few pounds in the process.

Between now and May 15, I’ll be working with personal trainer Lyle Johnson, whose company MVP Fitness runs boot camps right here in North County. My goal in doing this is obviously to improve my own health, but I also hope to inspire other couch potatoes to rise to the challenge and walk with me in the Twilight 5K.

If you’re interested in training, we have two free programs available, both starting in March:

Couch to 5K – As the name implies, this is a proven program to get beginning runners or individuals wishing to improve their fitness level off the couch and onto the streets. The program is progressive, as we will start off slowly and graduate weekly, building both confidence and physical stamina.

This is a non-competitive program as our goal is to finish the race, regardless of time. We will meet Mon./Wed./Fri. evenings at 6:00 P.M. for this nine-week program starting March 15, 2010.  Each session should last no more than 45 minutes, including warm up and cool down. If you can currently run or jog 10 minutes nonstop, this program is not for you. Please contact Pat Shelton for more information.

Saturday Intermediate Training – The Saturday 5K Training Program will be led by Blue and her husband, Craig, who are both currently training for the GO! St. Louis Half Marathon this April. This nine-week program, starting March 20, 2010 at 9am, is intended for beginning to intermediate level runners but is open to all interested participants.

We will meet in various Ferguson locations, depending upon the day’s activity. Each session should last no more than 45 minutes. Activities will include short runs up to 3 miles through Ferguson neighborhoods, hill training at January Wabash Park and Jeske Park, and interval drills at the Florissant Valley Community College track. For more info, contact Blue Tapp Scheffer.

Come on, North County! If I can do this, so can you! Let’s get fit and have fun together!

Mark you calendars! For the next five weeks, there's a fish fry every Friday.

Having grown up Catholic, I’ve attended my fair share of Lenten fish fries, and one thing is certain: not all fish fries are created equally! I’m still lamenting the sad little cod square I got several years ago at one church. Fortunately, I’ve also enjoyed a number of home-style fish fries in North County, where every fillet is hand-breaded and actually looks like a fillet, and where even the side dishes have been lovingly prepared.

With Lent just starting, I haven’t been able to personally test every one of these fish fries, so I’m relying on the recommendations of NOCO readers in many cases. This is by no means a comprehensive list of every Friday night fish fry in the area, but I think it represents some of the best. Prices average $7-8 per adult meal, plus drinks and dessert.

St. Ferdinand: 1735 Charbonier, 63031, 3-7pm

This granddaddy of NoCo fish fries, which the parish has been running for 40 years, is open year-round and always draws a huge crowd. The fish is excellent; the seamless assembly line is even more impressive! Fried and Cajun catfish, fried and baked cod, shrimp, chicken, pie and more

Our Lady of Guadalupe: 1115 S. Florissant Rd, 63135, 11am-2pm, 3:30-7pm

If you like your fish with a Mexican twist, try this fish fry, which draws on the parish’s large Hispanic congregation and is also open for lunch. Fried cod, baked tilapia, fish tacos, shrimp, guacamole, clam chowder, baked apples, mac & cheese and quesadillas

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne: 3500 St. Catherine, 63033, 4-7pm

I’ve gotten LOTS of emails touting the tastiness of this fish fry. Fried Alaskan cod, poppy seed coleslaw, clam chowder, French fries, green beans & hush puppies

American Legion #444: 17090 Old Jamestown, 63034, 4-7pm

Open since January, this fish fry offers a serene setting in the woods! Fish by the pound, plate or sandwich, plus spaghetti, baked beans, coleslaw and hush puppies

Holy Trinity: 3500 St. Luke, 63074, 4-7pm

Another parish with a growing Hispanic congregation, this fish fry features handmade chile rellenos!! Grilled salmon, fried and baked cod, grilled cheese, fried catfish, grilled and fried shrimp, spaghetti, mac & cheese and applesauce

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta: 1050 Smith Ave, 63135, 4-7pm

Drive-thru service is the big draw here, but you can also eat in. I’ve enjoyed this fish fry many times. Cod, shrimp, catch of the day, two soups, pizza and more

St. Andrew United Methodist: 3975 N. Lindbergh, 63034, 4:30-7pm

Fried fish, baked chicken, spaghetti, coleslaw, baked beans and hush puppies

Holy Name of Jesus: 10235 Ashbrook Dr, 63137, 3:30-6:30pm

Baked or fried cod, spaghetti, green beans, coleslaw and French fries

St. Ann: 7532 Natural Bridge, 63121, 5-7pm

Baked or fried cod, shrimp, coleslaw, salad and spaghetti

Knights of Columbus #2951: 50 St. Francois, 63031, 3:30-7pm

Battered cod, jumbo shrimp, spaghetti, mac & cheese, green beans

If you try any of these fish fries, I’d love to hear what you think! Happy eating!

North County native Steve Scorfina, a founding member of REO Speedwagon, is the subject of a documentary playing at The Savoy on March 6.

Bring up the subject of music in Ferguson and it’s only a matter of time before somebody mentions Michael McDonald. The famous singer/songwriter, who played in both Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers, grew up in Ferguson, of course. But the local musicians who collaborated with him back then and who went on to achieve their own successes – that’s a story rarely told. Until now.

On March 6, the life and work of guitarist Steve Scorfina will be showcased in a documentary film called “Old Dog, New Trick,” and wow, is this an intriguing North County tale! Scorfina played with McDonald in a (McCluer) high school band called Mike and the Majestics in the 1960s, then eventually went on to become the founding guitarist of REO Speedwagon and later a member of the popular St. Louis “prog rock” band, Pavlov’s Dog.

During the 1970s, he was thrown full-speed into the crazy world of rock and roll, experiencing all the sex and drugs that went along with it. In the 80s, he penned songs that Alice Cooper and the Smashing Pumpkins would later cover and spent several years collaborating with Mike Somerville of Head East.

Today, at age 60, Scorfina is still rockin’ but he also works as a scrappy antiques dealer and flea market vendor, which makes for quite a compelling documentary. Filmmakers Thomas Crone and Mike Steinberg have created an entertaining, very personal flick that reveals someone who has seen and done an awful lot in his lifetime, but who, at the end of the day, is really just a guy who loves music.

When “Old Dog, New Trick” premiered at last fall’s St. Louis International Film Festival, it was one of the “top ten must-see” entries. For the March 6 showing, filmgoers will not only be able to watch this celebrated documentary (and spot some area locations), they’ll also be treated to a live concert by the guitarist himself!

Scorfina will perform songs from his CD “Dog Trax” and will be joined by special guest Ave Maria Clay and members of Good Feelin’, his 1970s St. Louis psychedelic band.

If you like great storytelling and good old-fashioned rock and roll, be sure not to miss this exciting event! Tickets are $12 in advance ($15 at the door) and can be purchased at the NAC Gallery, Thyme Table Cafe, CORK Wine Bar, Scotty’s Music, Euclid Records, Star Clipper, Glad Rags, and all CD & Music Reunion stores.

“Old Dog, New Trick” will play at 7pm on Saturday, March 6, at the historic Savoy, 119 S. Florissant Rd, 63135. Doors open at 6pm.

OLD DOG NEW TRICK trailer from Mike Steinberg on Vimeo.

If you’ve driven along Elizabeth Avenue in Ferguson, chances are you’ve seen the picturesque garden of Jeanne Garofalo. Started 25 years ago as a buffer between the busy roadway and Jeanne’s charming 110-year-old home, this colorful space proves that you can achieve big impact even in a small yard.

The style of the garden is definitely “cottage,” marked by casual drifts of heirloom flowers and a rambling, informal layout. But there’s also a strategic plan at work…more garden beds mean less lawn to mow!

Jeanne, a retired teacher and master gardener, has reserved one little fenced area for her dogs, but otherwise nearly every inch of her property offers some kind of blooming delight. What’s incredible is that she not only built the entire garden by herself, but she managed to do so while also raising three children and staying very active in the community.

She taught in the Ferguson-Florissant School District for 27 years, then went on to serve on the school board for another ten. Now she’s just enjoying the fruits of her labor, eagerly awaiting another growing season!

I took these photos of her garden in June 2004, so some things have changed since then. But I promise, come summer, this little jewel on the corner of Robert Avenue will still offer a beautiful bounty of both sun- and shade-loving plants. Be sure to keep an eye out for it!

At the Challenger Learning Center in Ferguson, you can take a journey to outer space and work inside the space shuttle without ever leaving North County.

The space shuttle Endeavor launched successfully this morning, carrying North County native Robert Behnken. But did you realize that NoCo also has another astronaut claim to fame?

The Challenger Learning Center in Ferguson is a hands-on space education facility for both kids and adults, where visitors can take a simulated trip to the space shuttle and discover what it’s like to work in mission control. One of only two such facilities in the state of Missouri, it’s part of a larger network of 47 Challenger Centers founded by families of the astronauts killed in the 1986 Challenger space shuttle disaster.

The St. Louis center, which hosts school groups, scout troops, summer camps, birthday parties and occasional public missions, is a partnership between the Ferguson-Florissant School District, Cooperating School Districts of Greater St. Louis and the St. Louis Science Center. It’s also THE place to be if you’re looking for a unique Valentine’s Day destination!

Mission control at the Challenger Center is modeled after NASA's Johnson Space Center.

This Saturday, February 13, the Challenger Center is holding its annual Fly Your Sweetheart to the Moon event, a couples-only mission that includes a two-hour moon orbit, light snacks and a flower for your favorite lady. Space is limited to only 15 couples, and half the seats are taken already, so sign up today if you’re interested! Tickets are $50 per couple.

To register, contact my good friend Heidi Lung, lead flight director, at (314) 524-3490 x103 or heidi@clcstlouis.org. The Challenger Learning Center is located at 205 Brotherton Lane, 63135. After Valentine’s Day, its next public mission will be held in April.