St. Louis Brick

Even more Ink

2012-01-23T18:00:00.009-06:00

I'm so very happy I walked into Tower Classic Tattooing six months ago when Mo Malone was guesting and started a tattoo on my arm. She was called away and I returned to have Sean Baltzell continue the piece. Since then I've been back several times for other work and will never, ever go any place else.

The setting: I've written this before but it's needs repeating. Located in The Grove on Manchester (next to Atomic Cowboy) it's a Preservationists wet dream. The interior is elegant: exposed ceiling joist framing, Hoosier cabinets, dark wainscoting, and antique barber chairs. Very early 1900s complimented with exquisite taxidermy and Sean's stunning watercolor designs mounted and framed on the exposed brick wall.

The sensory aspect of TCT is compelling. The details of the shop resonate with a handcrafted tattoo: hand painted signs, framed tattoo designs by the staff on the walls, tattoo design appliqued pillows by Bruk Longbottom, and vintage taxidermy.

Salon-like.
Thirsty? Handsome men bring cups of water. Uncomfortable on the table? A pillow was provided by Steve Welker the on site ass kicker who just may be a distant relative. My hands were cold and Sean graciously fetched my gloves.

Atmosphere: Being tattooed here provides an encounter with some of the most vibrant wits in STL. Very Algonquin Round Table. Seriously. It's like hanging out with Dorothy Parker (that would be Lauren B), Ring Lardner, and Franklin Pierce Adams. Not quite that literary but they are that funny.

Demeanor: As mentioned it's a witty crew. This needs to be stressed. Freaking hilarious. While working on my back Sean coached me on breathing and relaxing and when I failed at both he threatened to put me out of my (and his no doubt) misery with a shotgun. I found that comforting. He's that considerate.

The entertainment value at TCT rivals Sean's talent which is off the noose and his curiosity reveals a dazzling intelligence. For example, he asked if my velvet jacket was the same material as my corduroy skirt. Both fabrics are brushed cotton so there is a similarity but what (straight) man notices and accesses? This is the critical vision I require to work with my ideas and design. It's precision tattooing with an extreme talent .

Talent: Perfection. I supply concept and imagery and Sean creates a fluid design. He likes to collaborate. I asked about the TCT business logo, the shop's interior design, the etched mirror. They're all collaborations. He's patient during the consultation and attentive to nuance. The symmetry he brought to the two different designs is balanced and poetic.

Thanks for gracing my legs and arms, Sean.

If you can't book with Sean there's loads of other talent at TCT. Walk in and meet Lauren B, Andy, Carlos Perez, and the very gracious Steve and John.

Friend them on FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tower-Classic-Tattooing/146226775448805 or take a tour here:
http://towerclassic.com/

Pop Quiz

2012-01-22T08:48:00.000-06:00

What invention made Skyscrapers possible?

Back to Tower Classic Tattoo

2012-01-13T18:43:00.005-06:00

Swallows on my calf by the exquisite Sean Baltzell of Tower Classic Tattoo.

Momentum: On Being and Recovery

2012-01-07T15:14:00.008-06:00

I've been accused of being mildly obsessed with brick but the realty is I'm fascinated with motion (see an older post called Burn.Question: http://stlouisbricks.blogspot.com/2011/06/burnquestion.html). It started with skating and biking as a child and advanced to hacking my skates and nailing (I didn't know to use screws) the wheels to a 2 x 4 to create a skateboard. I progressed to off road biking and eventually into a gym where after two years of training I could bench press 185 pounds.

I was inactive while working and owning a retail business and then stationary with cancer and treatments.

I gained a lot of weight most of which I've worked off over the last eight months with a goal of 15 more pounds.

A huge part of my weight loss is attributed to a Personal Trainer I've hired at the South City Y: Chip Welsh. He's knowledgeable, diligent, focused, and brings
cardio to circuit weight training.

I've also been consulting Greg Roggeman of Second Sight
Sight Massage. When I had lymph nodes removed due to breast cancer six years ago I lost some use of my right arm. Massage is critical to the lymphatic system and I've been seeing Greg sporadically for the last four years. He's educated, experienced and identified which muscle groups I needed to work on to rebuild strength in my arm. Greg told me muscle can rebuilt over old scar tissue. Welsh confirmed the info. My right arm is now as strong as my left.

After 45 minutes of cardio I do 35 minutes of delts, traps, lats, rhomboid, pecs, biceps, and triceps with free wesihts and have reshaped and strengthened my body. The other 25 mins of my hourly training, 3Xs weekly, I work core and lower body.

As of today I have worked off 57 pounds and while I'm recovering from a shoulder injury I'm planning to continue weight training.

Stained mortar

2012-01-05T09:16:00.003-06:00

Behind the finish of stained or tinted mortar:

Crows

2011-12-26T18:35:00.008-06:00

I'm an admirer of Crows and I'm relieved to see them back in my neighborhood after a 12 year absence. West Nile Virus wiped them from TGS. I see them every day and wake to their calls as they leave the roost.

Meanwhile, back at Tower Classic Tattoo where the exquisite Sean Baltzell kindly tolerated my whining and coached me on breathing while reworking my old tattoo.

Steps to the basement in The Bug Store

2011-12-26T18:33:00.000-06:00

Wheel

2011-12-22T15:55:00.002-06:00

Shopping cart wheel in a fabric store gathering threads. I'm so charmed by this:

A.P. Green Brick

2011-12-07T21:06:00.003-06:00

Click on the title to read about A.P. Green brick plant reopening in MO.

NYE Speakeasy Ball - Deco Fortress

2011-11-29T15:43:00.002-06:00

If you're a Preservationist, appreciate Art Deco, love architectural details, or are enamored with Vintage Style the place to be this New Years Eve is at the Speakeasy Ball. Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will be preforming along with Miss Jubilee.

The Deco Fortress is a massive building that Sarah Jane bought a couple of decades back and has been restoring by hand. Mostly her hands. I've a vague memory of black paint covering walls with mosaic tiles and Sarah Jane cautiously removing the paint. When the Sears on Grand went down Sarah J was there buying the light fixtures which are now installed on the first floor. She has salvaged Vitrolite for decades and created a Deco motif for her bathroom. When the drugstore on Grand and Hartford was 'remodeled' Sarah J bought doors and other pieces and installed them into the Deco Fortress. And then there's the infamous Hadley-Dean building score.

It's an understatement to claim she has vision because the woman - and her spouse - are a design and restoration force.
Read/see more about her building by clicking on the title above.

Speakeasy Ball: 8PM to 3 AM at the Deco Fortress on Broadway and Marine.
Friend the Deco Fortress: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Deco-Fortress/181228588596607
Watch Sarah Jane and Miss Jubilee perform:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXy2eMzdrVw&feature=youtu.be
Event info: https://www.facebook.com/events/182905068464234/

Tickets are currently 75.00.
Some interior photos (not by me)

The 25 foot Deco bar bought on Ebay. Sarah J traveled to pick it up and haul it back to St Louis.

Part 2 of Last Weekend

2011-11-21T21:47:00.011-06:00

Laverne Apartments:

These tiles, the marble staircase, and the mail box were the highlight of this excursion.
I was astonished to encounter the original brass mail box unit still in situ:

Sam Meller:

Sarah Jane and The Blue Notes:

Part 1 of the weekend

2011-11-20T19:15:00.007-06:00

Hendrick being tattooed by the exquisite Sean Baltzell of Tower Classic Tattoo:

TGS Lustron House

2011-11-16T10:03:00.024-06:00

A long lost friend moved back to St. Louis some years ago and prior to landing bought a Lustron house sight unseen.
While I've photographed Lustron's from the outside, this was my first visit to an interior.

Pocket doors, enameled steel panels, and steel tiles on the roof. Most of the Lustron's consisted of 10 tons of steel and Bill (owner of this beauty) told me a truck was specifically constructed to haul the pieces to site. The interior is entirely made of steel and the panels were bolted together.

Living room with Majestic Lamps:

Steel ceiling:

Closets:

Bedroom:

Bathroom:

Dining room into kitchen:

Pocket door:

Pale yellow exterior, roof with steel tiles, chimney.

Across the street sits another Lustron:

Sarah Jane at The Mayan Cafe

2011-11-15T21:29:00.003-06:00

Please join us Nov 18 - Friday evening - at 8 PM at the Mayan Cafe to behold the fabulous Sarah Jane and The Blue Notes.

Friend Sarah Jane on FaceBook. Her Deco Fortress can also be found on FB. You may remember her as the former owner of The Looking Glass on Cherokee St.
She's my sister in vintage:

3460 Oak Hill

2011-11-15T07:54:00.009-06:00

Sam Meller's work on 3460 Oak Hill in TGS is moving forward:

Welded iron 'fence' on top of the building was recently added:

Sam said this original front railing had been damaged. It had been removed and placed inside the building and recently was reinstalled.

Walkway laid:

The parking pads are finished:

Sam Meller and his restored Mercury Cougar:

Bettie Page

2011-11-14T19:00:00.023-06:00

A few days ago I met Marilyn who told me she had recently restored a 1951 Spartan Trailer.
The model is a Royal Mansion and the shell is aluminium that Marilyn had professionally polished to near mint condition.
I begged for an invite. I pulled on my hair. I bribed her with vintage crochet pieces that I knew would match Bettie's interior. I considered making demands or crying on the phone when she emailed and graciously allowed me to visit Bettie today.

Bettie is road ready and leaving for a warmer climate in two weeks.

The living room:

It's tragic that I didn't notice the glare across Bettie Page's backside (below) and no, I didn't censor the image.
I can see Marilyn's face in the reflection.
Marilyn named her trailer after Bettie Page. If your the only person in the world who doesn't know who Bettie Page was click on the title.
Marilyn told me she search images on Bettie Page and settles on this one because it resonates with the lamp to the left of the photo.

The honey golden interior wood is Birch:

Inside the front door (there's a back door also off the bedroom):

The kitchen:

Marilyn told me the fabric on the booths is original:

Chartreuse Melmac. Yours truly has a matching set.

The bedroom. Complete with vintage chenille spreads:

The bathroom is also the shower with a drain in the floor and two shower heads:

STL explorer

2011-11-14T18:58:00.001-06:00

This comment just came through and I didn't want it to be buried on an old post. Thanks so very much for contacting me.

I am a huge sidewalk marker fan. I have a pretty decent collection of markers from all over the city, and sometimes post about them on my blog.
http://stlexplorer.wordpress.com/tag/sidewalk-markers/

My photos from St. Louis are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pasa/sets/72157627541089388/

And from all over the country here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pasa/sets/72157627265958809/map/

Sarah Jane Sings!

2011-11-07T17:51:00.005-06:00

Join me to hear Sarah Jane singing with The Blue Notes.
Sunday, Nov 13 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, Urban Eats Cafe, 3301 Meramec Street.

You may recall Sarah from her former retail store, The Looking Glass on Cherokee St. Or, perhaps you've driven by her Deco Fortress (https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Deco-Fortress/181228588596607) on Broadway that she rehabbed by hand.

Attended and be astounded by her sonorous voice as she sings standards like Summertime and St. James Infirmary.

Sarah Jane and The Blue Notes recently played the Venice Cafe:

3

2011-11-06T20:12:00.002-06:00

Knowing my obsession with the number 3, my wife personalized the pot pie she made for me.
Eat your heart out. I am.

Lunch with Virginia Lee Hunter

2011-11-06T12:07:00.004-06:00

Virginia Lee Hunter with Charlie against the brick at lunch last month. Virginia is a photojournalist and author of Carny: Americana on the Midway which you can view on Amazon by clicking on the title above.

Virginia, thanks for tolerating my over caffeinated chatter at dinner last night.

More Ink

2011-10-05T16:37:00.024-05:00

I had eye surgery on Friday so I utilized the down time (no driving for a few days, no gym, but oh yes ma'am to the narcotic pain medication) by hanging out with the gentle and civilized men of Tower Classic Tattooing: Sean Baltzell, John, and Carlos Perez.

Tower Classic Tattooing is located in The Grove on Manchester and is a Preservationist's wet dream. The interior is elegant: exposed ceiling joist framing, Hoosier cabinets, dark wainscoting, and antique barber chairs. Very early 1900s complimented with exquisite taxidermy and Sean's stunning watercolor designs mounted and framed on the exposed brick wall.

During visits to other tattoo shops I was usually uncomfortable with the aloofness of the artists. Being tattooed is an intimate experience with a stranger handling skin and in the past I've always been tattooed by women including Cynthia Witkin and Mo Malone. (I know, I know: Still haven't been tattooed by my BF Pat Fish) I was tattooed a few weeks ago when Mo was in town doing a guest spot at TCT and was impressed with the environment and the friendly men on site.

I've been back twice this week and am extending an endorsement. Sean is focused, accomplished, has developed sensibilities, possessed an immediate grasp of my design concept, and is charismatic. Charm in a tattoo shop.

Sean Baltzell:

Halfway through the outline and before color:

The Fix

2011-10-05T16:36:00.003-05:00

Steve Smith of The Royale gluing a chair. The grilled chicken salad was ever so tasty.

Laced columns, riveted

2011-09-26T17:38:00.006-05:00

Downtown St. Louis.
Laced columns are sexy, you know they are.

Eads Bridge:

Tension Member

2011-09-26T16:50:00.008-05:00

A few weeks ago I was sitting in a Doctor's waiting room looking at a magazine when I noticed an article about American City: St. Louis Architecture: Three Centuries of Design (click on the tile to see the book) and noticed the photographer was William ZBaren, an old friend I haven't see since my 20s. I emailed him through his web site and learned he was visiting St. Louis last week and I met with him and his partner, Robert Sharoff for dinner.

I mentioned to Bill that it was serendipitous that we had both lived on Flad Ave. Flad was Eads chief engineer on the bridge and Bill, knowing my appreciation of the bridge, gave me a print of his photo.
I grinned the entire drive home.

***

Yesterday I drove down to the river just to focus on the eyebars (tension members) on the bridge:

Ohio and Utah

2011-09-05T15:12:00.012-05:00

I strolled the 26 and 2700 blocks of Utah today.

Narrow:

Listing Houses and Chimney:

For Chris over at St. Louis Patina:

Marble staircase:

Fleur-de-lis anchor plate and a building designed to enclose the (original) copper downspout:

Decorative anchor plates or wall washers:

TGS Architecture Walking Tour

2011-09-04T07:52:00.002-05:00

I'm hosting a TGS Architecture Walking Tour on Sunday, Sept 18. The tour will begin at Utah and Grand and will be lead by Architect, David Lott. David has volunteered to conduct two tours, one at 1PM, the next at 3PM.

The tours are a fundraiser for the TGS Block Captain Fund and the donation is 10.00 per person.

Please save the date and join us for an hour long walk through TGS and learn about our historic built environment.

Interview with Writer Peter Plate

2011-08-28T20:31:00.001-05:00

Click on the title to read an interview I did in 1986 with then emerging writer, Peter Plate.

Email from my Wife

2011-08-12T07:42:00.004-05:00

During my phone conversation with Sue last night she was telling me about her mice problem and said, It's ON.

In my email box this morning I found this photo with a title that read, See Ya, Sucker!
Followed by, This asshole totally had it coming...

Sidewalk Marks

2011-07-31T10:41:00.003-05:00

Also see the updated article:
http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?nid=67179

Click on the title and thanks to BF Pat Fish for providing the link.

Pat Fish

2011-07-12T20:34:00.004-05:00

Leading Celtic tattoo artist Pat Fish of Tattoo Santa Barbara:

Earlier in the evening

2011-07-08T23:36:00.005-05:00

Dinner with my bodyguard at Three Monkeys on MGF where I spotted these unusual bricks.

Devastation on 4000 Utah Street

2011-06-29T21:42:00.006-05:00

4000 Utah is one of my favorite blocks in TGS and is populated with perfect Craftsman Bungalows. Note that all the trees along the south side of the street have been removed.

The post below was written by Marsha who lives on 4100 Utah.

MSD work on Utah to replace aged storm sewers from Roger to Bent began about two
months ago. Homeowners on the 4000-4100 blocks were notified by a brief letter
that the work was to take place, which included only the name of the contractor
(Gershenson Inc.) and that the work could take up to a year to complete and
would impact Utah, Roger, Oak Hill and Bent.

After the work began at the corner of Utah and Roger, it was determined that
Laclede Gas should initiate work on gas supply lines on the same two blocks of
Utah, ahead of the sewer line replacement work. Since April or early May,
Laclede has been working their way up the two blocks, while MSD remained in the
area of the Utah/Roger intersection.

About 10 days ago I heard via rumor that MSD would be destorying all street
trees on the south side of 40-41 Utah (about 20) while trenching the entire tree
lawn on the two blocks to a depth of 9 ft.

The scope of the sewer replacement project was not shared in any detail at all
with homeowners, or apparently with officials of the City. (Is it true that
there is some kind of covenant that MSD has no obligation to obtain approval
from the City for the scope and method used to make repairs?)

Last night several large sections of new sewer pipe were laid out on top of the
tree lawn heading west from Roger on the south side of Utah. At the end of the
day today, all but one of the street trees on 4000 Utah had vanished, cut to
almost grass level by chain saws.

Is there no other way to accomplish sewer line replacement than to devastate a
neighborhood, destroying decades old trees that provide shade, noise and toxic
pollution reduction, habitat for wildlife and great character and charm to the
homes on the block? The fact that the tree lawn would be trenched and trees
destroyed was never communicated in any way to property owners.

Surely this can't be the only two blocks in the City to require sewer line
replacement -- does the same devastation occur on every block where MSD does
replacement work?

Burn.Question

2011-06-23T20:00:00.065-05:00

I move with a relentless force that radiates while staring out the window at clouds, Cooper's hawks, the limestone cornice, and terra cotta rosettes.

I asked: What is your experience with or how would you define freedom?
You looked back with cautiously expressionless eyes.

This is where I engage movement and it articulates and defines me. This is where I achieve validity with constant motion, constant, and it's my only understanding of being free. It's an abstraction that I glimpse when moving, the abstract movement of contrasts, the gentle rub of resistance that is hot and comforting.

You are extensive like light or gravity, a massive incontrovertible force. Substantial. Fluid. Moving.

This slow motion inspection is driving me insane.

Freedom is just more capitalism.

----------------
Between the idea
And the reality
Between the motion
And the act
Falls the Shadow.
- T.S. Eliot

---------------------------------------

The site:

View from the window:

What's left of Mo State Hospital retains some fascinating details: limestone columns, limestone dentil molding, capitals with melting eagles, rotunda roof (painted, that's not copper patina), massive terra cotta rosettes. The original arched windows are missing. They've been replaced and a concrete lentil rests above each window. Arched windows still remain in the rotunda roof.

I estimate the effing superb limestone capitals on the front of the building to be 5 feet.

Behind the Brick

2011-06-04T23:35:00.008-05:00

Brick awaiting repointing on my back porch after being raked. Behind the fine mortar finish was a variety of small rocks which had me wondering about the mechanics of hand selection in 1912.

Fist size

2011-05-25T21:44:00.003-05:00

My neighbor holding a piece of hail after the storm. More massive chunks can be seen in the background on the lawns.

Two white guys

2011-05-19T21:36:00.005-05:00

Click on the title above for a hilarious story.

My neighbor/friend/contractor being supervised by another white guy:

Gary told me a couple of days ago the world was ending Saturday which made me wonder why both of us were working.
We're cooking up a Rapture Party since I'm taking the pup with me.

First.Light

2011-05-04T00:04:00.005-05:00

The hushed place where I coffee on faint mornings.

Whoops

2011-04-14T19:08:00.002-05:00

No, not there either

2011-04-14T19:06:00.000-05:00

The Kingshighway Viaduct and Skate Park

2011-02-27T22:19:00.035-06:00

I read (click on the title) that the demo of the KHW viaduct is starting soon and wanted to revisit the area below the deck. I had the willies driving down the rumble strewn road along the east side but was enchanted to encounter a large group of friendly men and their underground DIY skate park complete with freestanding ramps and a recently created 'pool'.

I also had a great chat with the author of http://we-are-the-city.blogspot.com/

It was baffling to discover a dumpster under the bridge.
I called my 10th ward alderman Joe Vollmer. He said he's supportive of them being there -hence the dumpster - and wants to work with them to develop skate parks in our ward.

Reinforced piers:

Missing parapet:

In the middle of the photo there's a small figure, one of a group of boys who'd discovered the LRA board up had been removed:

Cracks in the piers

Entrance to the viaduct from South Kingshighway

Downspout encased in concrete:

I'm back.

2011-02-18T22:50:00.013-06:00

I was working.
I worked every single day last year while attending to volunteer business and didn't have much time for brick spotting. I smacked down a lot of debt, did some work on my building, and didn't go on vacation.

My business took me on some long drives on wide highways. I still won't call them interstates. I marveled at expanses of sky while traveling on highway 44. I avoid 40 because it's disorienting. The remodel with its extensive sound barriers is like driving through a courtyard.

Here's a building I encountered on Morgan Ford. The green bricks are spooky and the finish is stucco-ish. Check out the green patina on the original copper gutter and how it matches the green bricks. The original downspout matches and I'm betting that was deliberate.

Gorgeous palette:

Welcome

2011-02-18T22:46:00.000-06:00

Happy Holidays

2010-12-03T16:51:00.001-06:00

I happily found a red and green motif.

Arts and Crafts Homes - Maplewood

2010-10-28T22:51:00.016-05:00

For a tour of exceptional columns and the stucco finishes of local Arts and Crafts influenced buildings start your tour at Lyndover and Roseland Terrance.

Second floor recessed porch:

Check out the buff color half circle brick wall on the left side of the porch.

Ghetto on Ghetto?

2010-10-27T12:06:00.007-05:00

But wait, I was thinking as I skimmed the article (click on the title), Christo already did that. I mean, the man invented the medium.

I started a mild burn...Historic BRICK house but OK, in a depressed area where hey, no worries over a further drop in value. FYI: Depressed area doesn't always mean black folk live there or that they wear gold chains which looks more like a 80s Versace scarf print than wrapped rapper.
Please.

Here's some tedious rhetoric from the artist statement:

...The house, wrapped in gold chains, will flaunt itself to locals, while simultaneously finding itself bound and gagged by its own design.

I'm gagging.

How rude

2010-10-18T16:44:00.006-05:00

Never mind that Morgan Ford is once again a thriving business district just resolve your tuckpointing issue with white vinyl siding over historic brick.
Congratulations dimwits, you've just won the hoosier rehabbing Award of the Year!

STL Brick Rustling in the NY Times

2010-09-20T07:20:00.001-05:00

Click on the subject line and thanks, Jeanne.

Morgan Ford In Motion Festival! Sept 25th

2010-09-17T22:54:00.002-05:00

Save the date and come out to the Morgan Ford In Motion Festival Saturday, September 25 · 12:00pm - 9:00pm

I'm sharing a booth with my lovely friend Bruk Longbottom of Rodeo Revival fame and the founder of Maid Rite.

A fraction of what I'll be selling can be seen by clicking on the title or cut and paste:
http://christian-herman.blogspot.com/ which includes felts, knits, crochet, and handmade jewelry.

Here's a list of the Bands:
12:00 - 12:45: The Ten Cent Looseys
1:15 - 2:00: Bullet Pop
2:30 - 3:15: One More Round: A Tribute to Johnny Cash
3:45 - 4:30: Last Nights Vice
5:00 - 6:30: Steve Ewing
7:00 - 8:30: Jon Bonham &Friends

This is a FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT: FUN, FRIENDS and FESTIVITIES are planned for the Morgan Ford in Motion Music &Street Festival on Saturday, September 25th. Bring your family for a full day of great bands, booths and incredible food on Morgan Ford.

What's Wrong with this Picture?

2010-09-11T00:17:00.006-05:00

As a kid I loved What's Wrong with this Picture? it would display two images that were close but didn't match and the objective was to locate the differences.

Location: The Hill.
Of course.

I went looking for Riley

2010-08-29T01:55:00.004-05:00

And only found these outstanding 'bark' bricks

On this building at Miami and Morgan Ford:

Walkability - The Chippewa Viaduct

2010-08-22T12:26:00.028-05:00

Over dinner last night Tim and I discussed Walkability.
What does Walkability mean, I demanded, I used to walk a total of four miles every day to and from work. How is this new?

It's true: I walked from 4350 McPherson to the Cardinal Glennon Hospital in most weather. I walked on sidewalks, did the two mile route in 28 minutes, and didn't own a car. I bought my first car 20 years ago and am still driving the Saturn (currently at 92,000 miles). I didn't want to buy a car - I mostly walked or used BI-State.

During my brief stint at Roosevelt High School I also walked the 1.5 miles every day in all weather. When I attended DuBourg I walked from McDonald and Roger to the BI-State bus stop at Chippewa. I walked the five blocks from and to Holy Family school every day.

What are those 20 somethings talking about, I asked Tim, and what do we call them?
Yuppie puppies, Tim replied.

Walkability has infiltrated ads on Craigslist for apartments in my neighborhood: Walk to Tower Grove Park! Walk to S. Grand! I've been walking until recently and am snickering at walking being a marketing concept. Since when is walking a few blocks trendy? Perhaps for those whose parent's bought them a car at age 16 'cause I'm just not getting it.

Walkability is subjective. It's also a consideration in sustainable design.
It means sidewalks and once meant to me destinations within two-three miles.

St. Louis City is walkable and always has been if you chose to stroll or economic circumstances demand you hoof it.

Which reminded me about the Chippewa viaduct so I rode my new electric bike over last night and discovered the street has never been asphalted. The viaduct functioned as a train spur overpass for our former manufacturing neighbors. The tunnel beneath was a nifty alternative for those wanting to avoid crossing the busy tracks.

I call the original pavement granetoid (google image it) and Tim calls it exposed aggregate concrete. This is what our streets looked like in TGS when I was a kid. They were very large slabs of a nearly white mortar and rock mix which made skateboarding down the 3900 block of McDonald a delightful challenge. I had made a skateboard by removing the wheels of my metal kiddy skates and nailing them to a 1x4.

Eventually thawing snow froze into the crevices around the rocks, formed pocks, and then small holes. The streets were still drivable but the first layer of asphalt went down on TGS in the early 70s. It's still recklessly used and many streets are pointlessly being repaved this week in TGS.

Walkable also meant use of the pedestrian tunnel under the railroad which was closed in the late 60s. During the time it was built very few people had cars, traveled by street cars and walked.

I used the tunnel under the Chippewa viaduct in the 60s with my sister and would often pass other people. We liked to lean on the railing and watch cars. It reeked of piss and was eventually closed because people were being mugged.

Similar tunnels were also under streets in downtown St. Louis.

Granetoid street:

The top of the parapet has a very fine mortar mix almost sand castle-like in appearance.

Side view of the tunnel entrance.

Overhead view of the pedestrian tunnel:

Exit on the other side of the train tracks:

My electric bike. Eight years of ripped and torn knee tendons before a jerk doctor acquiesced to my demands for a MRI. I was in surgery twice within a year. This is an embarrassment for someone who used to ride Chubb Trail to Cool Valley and back every weekend. It weighs 75 pounds and is a bitch to get up and down the front steps.

Stone on Stone

2010-07-09T11:34:00.004-05:00

Exquisite foundation and retaining wall on Brannon.

3964 McDonald Ave.

2010-07-06T23:36:00.004-05:00

This is a reprint of my first blog post from 7/10/04.
My old girlfriend Chris Deckard was on site and set up this blog. He also kindly tolerated drives down alleys and aided in brick spotting.

This is where it all began, 3964 McDonald Ave in the Tower Grove South area of St. Louis. My childhood home!

I love the brass mailbox and beveled glass address plate. I used to polish it when I was a kid. I would run my fingers over the surrounding brick, fascinated with the crevices and various values of color.

I loves me some brick.

Pop Quiz

2010-07-06T22:49:00.011-05:00

Occasionally I come upon a brick street that hasn't been covered with asphalt. It's a wonderful experience and I like to imagine how horse hooves sounded traveling over the bricks.

These streets also remind me of the movie King of the Hill which was filmed in St. Louis when I lived in the CWE. If you haven't seen the movie rent it ASAP. Part of it was filmed in the old apartment building on the NW corner of McPherson and Taylor (it went condo shortly after and the building was severely altered).

OK, so watch the film then take a stab at the neighborhood where the brick streets were located.

This one is located at Tennessee and Winnebago

Detail of the street, perfectly placed Hydraulic pavers.
Dreamy stuff.

Around the corner on Chippewa I encountered this overgrown lot:

Is this sign ever going to be removed?

Auto Glass Installed

2010-07-06T11:21:00.003-05:00

I had a darkly hilarious phone conversation with Dale Sweet on the Fourth. He lives in Gravois Park and I could hear the fireworks in the background. These weren't firecrackers mind you but professional fireworks.
He told me about this car and wondered how many times it would be ticketed before being towed.

Email from Rantoul, IL

2010-06-29T23:50:00.003-05:00

I know!
I haven't been posting photos and stories about bricks. I've been busy with various distractions. In the interim this email arrived from Rantoul, IL.

Hello,
I am a bit surprised to learn that the Hydraulic Press Brick Company still exists. I grew up in Shale City, IL which at that time was a "company town" for one of their brick plants.

I was about to send a query to "History Detectives" at PBS and thought I should Google "Hydraulic Press" first and so am glad to find your blog.

Have you ever heard of Shale City? The plant and town there were opened about the time of World War I, closed in the late 1960s and bull-dozed to the ground.

Local stories had it that brick made at Shale City were used to build the Emprie State Building. Do you know if there is anything to that story or even how one might go about even attempting to find out?

I appreciate any guidance you might be able to offer.

Sincerely,

Paul Maher
Rantoul, IL 61866

Hello Paul.
Thanks for the email.

I'm really an amateur when it comes to brick, there's actual historians out there.
Hydraulic Brick no longer exists. I live about two miles from its former site.

I did google Shale Brick Empire State Building and found this link and a few others: http://www.qconline.com/progress99/1mercer.shtml

I have never heard of Shale City. I would love to publish what you know about the brickyard on my blog if that interests you.

Paul responded:
I was wondering if there is any documentary evidence for the claim about the Empire State Building. There were some stories and claims about Shale City that I have read which I knew first hand to be a bit of a stretch.
What I know about Shale City is a mixture of hand-me-down stories, a little research and personal observation. A nephew of mine once wrote up a history of Shale City as a school project, but I have it packed away in preparation for moving. Once I move I will try to locate it and then get his permission to copy it and send to you.

This is what I understand in broad strokes:
In the 19th century Hugh Gilchrist of Scotland immigrated to Illinois and started a coal mine near the tiny village that now bears his name. It is just off route IL-17 between the towns of Viola and Aledo. When his coal mine closed, the wood frame houses from the mine workers were moved to Shale City. This would have been about the time of the World War I. Most of the houses I remember had a distinctive design--the sides were all covered in green roofing shingles, and the roofs were all comprised of red "roll" roofing. I have read newspaper stories that said all the houses were made of brick, but that was purely "imaginative reporting!" The office building was made of brick, however. Most of the houses had no plumbing of any kind. Some had water that was supplied by a cistern. In our house dad had rigged up an electric pump to the cistern and a water heater, so we actually had an inside bathroom in addition to the outhouse! However, the cistern water was not potable and each neighborhood (the "west hill" and the "east hill" where I grew up) shared a well for drinking water that was pumped by hand. The heating consisted of a coal stove in the kitchen and an oil burner in the living room. Mom had propane for cooking. The roads into Shale City were all gravel roads, so dusting could easily be a daily chore!

My father began working there when he was 15 years old, about 1919. As I remember his telling it, his first job was to sweep out the tunnels between the coal-fired kilns and the smoke stacks. He eventually became the assistant superintendent of the plant and oversaw its closing in the late 1960s.

The clay was dug by an electric shovel and hauled to the "making room" where it was first ground up and then pulverized into a fine dust by a large rolling stone (it could have been concrete for all I know). As my grandfather who also worked there explained, "you could write your name in the air" because of the dust. The finely crushed clay was mixed with water and chemicals (?) and extruded through a hydraulic press--hence the name of the company! The extruded clay was cut by a machine with wires and then they unbaked brick were stacked for drying or "pre-baking". After a couple of days in the "drying room" the bricks were stacked--by hand!--in the kilns. Each kiln could hold approximately 40,000 brick, if I remember correctly. I believe it took about a day for the coal-fired kilns to reach temperature (1000 - 1200 degrees Fahrenheit), they stayed at that temperature for approximately a day and a half and then a considerable time to cool. The bricks were, often as not, again stacked by hand on to pallets until they were shipped.

I hope this gives you what you might need!

I have a personal question for you if I may... I am familiar with "X" as the symbol of the Greek letter Chi and as an abbreviation in nomina sacra, but I am also familiar with "Xian" as a Chinese name ...

With kindest regards,

Paul

Paul,
Thanks for emailing and sharing this personal history with me.

I can't imagine working in front an old brick kiln. Not just the heat on a hot day but loading and unloading the kiln.

I assume the bricks that were used in my building were made in the very early 1900s and delivered to the site by mules or horses. I live in a house literally built by many hands with very little technology. It's a daily marvel.

It's interesting that the Shale City Brick closed in the late 60s: frame houses are cheaper to construct.

Email from Independence

2010-06-21T08:23:00.004-05:00

Dear Christian Herman,
I was enjoying your website while researching "white brick."

I just purchased a "duplex" i.e. a converted old neighborhood 20x32 brick store and was considering bricking in the two north windows, the two having no reinforcing iron, into fake windows with white brick trim and blue sky interior. The exterior is highly painted pale yellow brick and is the building in the movie "Kansas City" that was a neighborhood store. My challenge is to come up with a system of sealing the seam between the roofing inside the brick box and the roof proper. Fr. Donnelly, who more or less developed Kansas City in pioneer days, made many brick structures with roofing to the inside and lost many because they are so hard to maintain. I am hoping to clamp some kind of urethane membrane between angled boards to stop the tarred seams from inevitably leaking.

A young girl in the neighborhood has had a recurring dream about gold behind a freezer that has frozen treats so I hope the City of Independence--the building is one block east of Kansas City's city limits--will eagerly approve any such arrangement. Thanks for your website. I started out as a ceramics major and switched to sculpture and now do water-based oil on paper. Any marketing advice for that will be appreciated. I share your insurance appreciation and work half-years in downtown KC at the IRS schlepping paper. Blessings!
Ann Gerard Francke
Independence, MO

Hello Ann!
Can you send photos of your building and of the windows?
I'd also like to see some of your art work and am curious as to how you treat the paper. Gesso?
Etsy.com is a great site for marketing your work.

Permastone or more hoosier rehabbing

2010-05-26T22:47:00.002-05:00

This building had a face lift:

Permastone was added to the facade to bump it out and create a frame. I'm guessing it was done because the building owner grew weary of rocks being tossed into the original plate glass windows.

Brick with Black Holes - Pop Quiz

2010-05-17T12:00:00.004-05:00

How is it these bricks have black holes?

Check out the original mortar with its flecks of quartz and feldspar. It's almost 100 years old and remains perfect.

The Chicken Coop Tour Photos

2010-05-16T23:13:00.007-05:00

Click on the title to see the photos from the tour hosted by TGS resident Gary Pey who wrote:

I think a good time was had by all!

Despite the light rain we had a good turn out, over 20 people. We first went to my humble Recession Tribute coop, where Wilhelmina (a mongrel Americauna) and Miffy ( a Salmon Faverolle high maintenance French chick) held forth. Wilhelmina did her only trick which involves sort of jump flying up about two feet to snatch a grape out your fingers. I showed the folks the difference in color from store bought and free range eggs.

Then it was on to Annaliese's and her home brewer husband's coop (funny, I can't remember his name but I know he home brews). They have sort of a chicken tractor and a lovely collection of a Barred Rock, Buff Orpington, and I believe a Rhode Island Red.

Slywinn was next and has a chick in the oven so to speak and has a nice coop with some Americaunas and some other chickens I can't remember.

Next up was Naomi's brood (literally), she has some adorable children and some ever so cute chicks, which she hatched from eggs using an incubator. Unfortunately, she is leaving the hood and moving to Eugene , Oregon, taking her chicks with her. Best of luck. Everyone liked getting out of the rain for a while, and her house was redolent of strawberries due to a jam session.

On to David Kraus's girlfriend's house (sorry I can't remember her name). They have some Barred Rocks and Australorp pullets.Their coop was a work in progress, and had some nice features, including the use of synthetic nesting material. That was the end of the neighborhood part of the tour.

Quite a few of us went on to view Brandon's coop. The house part was well constructed out of fir flooring and nifty doors with windows. The chickens hate it and prefer to live outdoors in the run and only run in to grab a bite to eat and lay their eggs. He has a Barred Rock, Buff Orpinton, and a Polish chicken with a wild hairdo. I think he also had a Rhode Island Red.

We were down to six when we showed up at the Slow Rocket Urban Farm, on Cherokee in the historic antique section. They were having some sort of history day. There were bands and we saw a couple of women dressed in period costumes: hoop dresses, bonnets, and parasols. Very vibrant neighborhood that I've never been to before. Jaffa and Joss weren't home but we could see their colorful coop from the street. Best of luck.

There were just four of us that made it to Greg Weiland's coop in Shaw and it was probably the fanciest coop on the tour. He has a lovely house and beautiful back yard. He had never hosted a chicken coop tour before, and didn't know what to expect so he had wine, coffee, crackers, and cheese to knosh on (this is the part where I say HA HA). He has three Australorps, one full grown and two that are between pullet and hen age.

We never made it out to Tom Niemeier's coop in Webster Groves. He's an architect, so I was imagining that it had an elevator or something in it! Hopefully next year.
Segwaying nicely into next year, I hope to have another tour next year. Bigger and even better, maybe more area wide and self guided. I learned that there is a St. Louis Backyard Chicken Meet Up Group, so maybe they can take up the cause. I'm hoping that some of the people will now take the plunge into chicken raising, and together we can network for support in husbandry, feed, and innovative coop construction.

I would like to thank my second oldest son Tyler for doing the Flicker thing (I just know it's a woodpecker). All that money we've spent on his education is finally paying off.
Best, Gary Pey

Front Yard

2010-05-13T12:02:00.010-05:00

Last year I decided maintaining a lawn was comprising my precious time so I laid down layers of wet newspaper and mulched. Several plants were transferred from the back garden. No more mowing.

Peony and lariope beds:

The tree lawn has been planted with lariope and mulched.

Beau waited on the steps while I did photos and didn't budge. He's an surprisingly obedient dog.

Back Yard

2010-05-12T18:01:00.024-05:00

I do a yard share with the vegetable garden in the back of the yard. Nine neighbors invest 35.00 and get to share the bounty. This year I've planted snow peas, beets, various broccoli (including Violet, Cheddar, and plain old white), peppers, zucchini, and cucumbers. The zucchini is growing in the front yard to prevent cross pollination with the cucumbers.

Hosta and fern bed

South view of The Veranda

Hosta, iris, and a potted elephant ear

Another hosta bed. I'm waiting on the calidiums, elephants ears, and canna.

Hosta, iris and peppers.

Part of the vegetable garden:

Snow peas and beets. These were elevated because of losing crops to the rabbits. They are on top of cinder blocks on a piece of left over concrete board and the pea pods look quite healthy thanks to the rain and contributions from the floor of my neighbor's chicken coop.

This is a tomato arbor that I made a couple of months ago. There's 18 Early Girl tomato plants on either side. Not pictured is the rest of the vegetable garden which includes 24 pepper plants and even more tomatoes. BTW, I draped and secure netting around the tomato plants. Buy it it a fabric store: 72 inches width and it can be bought for less than a dollar a yard on sale.

One of three Japanese maples in my yard. I raised this one from a seedling.

Stone steps through the iris and hosta beds.
This area used to be all bed but when Beau's friend visited they didn't have leg room so I opened the area. Now Beau and his freinds run around the veranda in large circles.

The Veranda.
Tim calls it the Tea House. I don't drink tea, it makes me hurl.

Back porch

Chicken Coop Tour this Saturday May 15th

2010-05-11T23:14:00.002-05:00

Take the free tour!
Hosted by my fabulous neighbor and erstwhile contractor, Gary Pey or Gray Pet as I inadvertently typo his name.

"Don't forget to mark your calendars for the Couped Up chicken coop tour! It's May 15th, 10:00 AM . We'll meet at the GOH Center at Juniata and Bent. I could really use some more hosts. So far including myself, I only have three. One is in Webster Groves, but he is an architect and might have an interesting looking coop"

Poster designed by Tyler Pey.

St. Louis Brick Confidential

2010-05-06T16:07:00.004-05:00

Last week I was staring at the bricks on the wall of my former grade school here in TGS and thinking again about doing paintings based on bricks.

I've arthritis which has reshaped my hands and mutated my feet: the stuff literally grows on the bones so the thought of stretching canvas onto supports was alarming. It occurred to me to collaborate with another painter which was initially exciting: we would share the concept, supplies, and work so I called another painter I know and left a message before leaving for a day of errands.

Once on the road I had second thoughts.
A male painter collaborating with a woman? I already sensed the answer and wondered if he'd recall that we've been in shows together.

Female artists just don't have any credibility in the art world and their work is undervalued. I'm convinced the only reason any of my work sold - and it did sell - is because my name is Christian. I mean, I get calls and mail for Mr. Christian Herman every week.

The Painter returned my call and was intrigued with the concept but balked at collaborating: If you give me the materials I'll do my own paintings.

Screw that, I'm hiring someone to help me stretch the canvas.

The Monte Christo

2010-05-06T15:01:00.007-05:00

These magnificent bricks slay me with their rough finish and subtle range of hue. The original mortar was finger tooled into the crevices.

I showed this photo to Tim over lunch and he announced it was the best cornice in the neighborhood.

These photos are of the Monte Christo apartment building near Wyoming and s Grand in TGE.

Storm Damage

2010-04-26T15:36:00.004-05:00

Damage to the stone wall in McDonald Park:

Just spoke with the Parks Commissioner who is rounding up engineers as I type!

The storm also deposited about 4,000 maple tree seeds on my front yard and steps and an equal amount in Marti's garden. I swear I pulled 300 maple tree saplings out of the garden last year.
After the first storm ended on Saturday I was driving east of 44 and drove under a huge rainbow.

Digging a Foundation

2010-04-25T20:26:00.003-05:00

Located in TGS, this hole was created last week. Click on the title to see the plans.

Some of the soil slipped during yesterday's rain storm:

There's goes the Neighborhood

2010-04-19T12:22:00.006-05:00

Ouch!
On my block so I now walk west.

Stone steps - River Des Peres

2010-04-17T11:19:00.002-05:00

Homage to Felix Hoenikker

2010-04-03T01:54:00.004-05:00

Outrageous Brickwork

2010-03-25T12:40:00.006-05:00

I spotted this dreamy little house in the Southampton neighborhood. Click to enlarge the photos. The bricks were laid on an angle creating a 'perforated' look.
January and Goethe.

Gas Tank removal on Morgan Ford

2010-03-14T01:36:00.004-06:00

A few days ago I noticed the gas tanks at Morgan Ford and Oleatha were being removed. I stopped to talk with some of the worker's who told me the removal was 'financed by Obama's stimulus package.'

An environmental scientist was on site and said his job was to test the soil
for contamination. The huge hole was about 15 feet deep. Every few feet of digging the work would stop and he'd take a sample from the bucket. He'd put it in a zip lock bag and let it sit to let any gas evaporate. Then he inserted a probe for a reading. When the soil starts testing clean they'll stop working.
The probe:

The hole is filling filled with the white gravel on the right side.

Joe goes to Haiti

2010-02-24T10:56:00.001-06:00

One of our Tower Grove South neighbors is currently in Haiti volunteering with the Relief Effort. You can read his blog by clicking on the title of this post.

Leaves

2010-02-20T00:31:00.003-06:00

These photos are from last fall.
I arrived at the garage door where I found my neighbor's kids on leaf disposal duty.

Jumping on the leaves packs the dumpster.

Aleisha with leaves in her hair.

Southwest Garden - Mosaic

2010-02-18T01:20:00.011-06:00

One of my favorite buildings in Southwest Garden and not just because of the sun beam.

This side door and porch is so elaborate that the building may be a duplex:

Art Nouveau glass tile mosaic:

No asphalt! Paver street:

The original arch door is framed by triple arches:

Stone Walls

2010-02-13T12:54:00.006-06:00

Along Lackland

Ice Storm

2010-02-10T17:25:00.008-06:00

These photos are from 12/1/2006

Morgan Ford and Juniata

Sky Dome on Morgan Ford

2010-02-07T03:35:00.003-06:00

I found this photo on FaceBook.
It was located on the north east corner of Hartford and MGF, right across the street from my grandfather's bicycle shop.
Th Skydome

3171 S Grand

2010-02-07T03:24:00.005-06:00

Photo of my Mother in front of 3171 S Grand with a reflection of the building that now houses Jay Asia. I date this photo to 1948.

She was employed as an illustrator, had a boat load of talent, and defied fashion dictates by wearing sandals with fur.
She was seriously original and one of the smartest people I've known.
I was graced by her presence.

Train overpass Columbia Ave

2010-02-07T03:21:00.001-06:00

Beau goes for a ride

2010-02-07T03:02:00.005-06:00

Beau is my canine companion who rides in the back seat and stares out the widow.
Here's proof:

Every single time I drive past a field, any park, or even a parking lot I am treated to a scolding from the back seat. I'm on business and he wants to ROMP. After a series of errands he'll gently place his head on my right shoulder to remind me to head for the tracks where he gets to run.

The head drop on the shoulder cracks me up.

Urban Farming

2010-02-06T12:54:00.006-06:00

I've visited a few coops in TGS during the last two years and this one wins the prize for deluxe accommodations. It's right across the alley with a standing offer of eggs but of course I am allergic.

My neighbor didn't want to be in the photo so the rake is for scale:

How to Eliminate Lawn Mover Emissions

2010-02-03T20:59:00.007-06:00

Because I am old and preparing for the inevitable infirmary last summer we eliminated the front lawn:

This was achieved by putting down layers of wet newspaper and covering them with mulch. The tree lawn has been planted with drought tolerant laripoe. No more mowing.

Here's an extreme example of eliminating mowing, pave the damn yard!
Cute, that the asphalt was painted green.

This house is located in Southwest Gardens but it's still The Hill to me.

The Clean Energy Jobs & American Power Act

2010-02-02T21:31:00.009-06:00

A few days ago I was dining at Bread Co. with a friend.
We finished our meal and I looked at all the 'trash' we had left on the table: plastic utensils, cups, and containers with no recycling bin on site.

This is bullshit, I told Friend, I recycle at home and generate one blue tub per week but very few businesses in the city recycle. It should be mandatory.

City Hall has started recycling again, he told me, apparently some grant was reinstated. This was surprising to me. I thought City Hall would have been the recycling leader in St. Louis City.

There's a couple of businesses in my neighborhood that recycle. Remains on Morgan Ford Rd is in the business of post consumer products. Along a recent walk through the alleys behind MGF I discovered the only business using a blue recycling dumpster is Local Harvest.

Of course Local Harvest pays for this service. With the current government chatter on GREEN (this post title is linked to a video) why aren't we implementing programs for business? There has to be a plan in place that rewards recycling.

Next time you're at Home Depot on Kingshighway, drive around to the back. There's a huge cardboard baler they use and it's probably sold for profit. But what about their paper, plastic, and discarded wood cuts? Profit has to be the incentive.

Asking small business to incur yet another cost in a down economy isn't feasible. As a former brick and mortar business owner and I know about the costs.

My small business generated a lot that could be recycled buy it didn't always make it into my car for a ride to the off site bins.

Please join me in emailing our alderpeople, state reps, and the mayor to ask for tax credits for all businesses that use recycling services. Let's establish and implement a plan and make it reality within a one year deadline and stop paying lip service and continue spending our dollars where blue dumpsters are housed.

I'll be posting the response I get from my alderman. I'll post yours also.

Bodacious Terra Cotta

2010-02-02T11:00:00.009-06:00

I wish somebody would turn on the lights outside.
The winter gloam is way past tedious so I'm roving neighborhoods and fortunately encountered this building in Princeton Heights. Stellar brickwork. Bodacious terra cotta that resonates with Arts and Crafts motifs.

Click to enlarge. These bricks are the first I've encounter that have flecks of feldspar to compliment the mortar.

Che McPherson

2010-01-29T01:56:00.019-06:00

I lived in this 3 story Federal style house with its spicy iron ore spotted face brick for twelve years. 43 McPherson in the CWE.

During the years I lived there the block changed from rooming houses and collectives to single rehabbed homes. We were an artist collective and the Block Association (they incorporated!) sarcastically referred to my house as Christian and Her Community.

I lived with a cast of characters. Seriously. Characters.
Famous and infamous visitors were frequent, some were serious (visiting writers lecturing on tour) but mostly it was a gleeful and talented freak parade.

Armin would be in the basement fixing the isolation tank or helping me frame pieces. I would try to tame the massive over grown yard. A sink fell off a bathroom wall. Part of the house was rehabbed, the other in decay. Sub Genius ruled and Philo Drummond (who I met when he was living in St. Louis) visited. Wade Rathke spent a week in a first floor room. Geoff Dugan visited and various other artists and writers. Not a party house but a Haute House where living was an adventure.

Charles the dog got into the act by swiping a plate of brownies off the top of Dobbs (he owned the house) car one day while he was unloading. Dobbs had placed the plate from Cookies, Cookies, and More on the car roof and when he exited the car he found Charles on top chowing down. I witnessed this event and it was hilarious.

One early morning the high heel of my shoe poked through the layers of ancient linoleum on the kitchen floor and I was stuck for one minute. I was chatting with a house mate Paul in this kitchen one night while he was baking and I saw a rat cross the floor. He noticed me tracking the rat, jumped up on a chair, and told me to hand him the bowl he was stirring.
Ellen had a baby grand piano on the first floor.

My first floor art studio was a fire waiting to happen where I blasted Patti Smith and Nick Cave while painting. The second floor studio was where I published Velocity magazine.

Hide and Seek was the game of choice in our house. From my third floor window I would watch hundreds of crows roost at twilight in the dozens of trees in the back yard. Race Young once lived in Hampton Hall and would call and ask me to wave to him from my window. I waved.
Daily performances were common and you'll have to click to biggify to see the guy on the john reading the paper.

80s with purple hair in San Francisco and accomplices:

Deconstructed self portrait with cigarette.

With my sister Efficient in front of The Avon in Tampa. Glistening black vitrolite.

Thanks Dobbs, those were some of the best years of my good life.

Just arrived, an email from Dobbs, my former and dazzling landlord:
I wish I could have made the cast of characters in the background a little more prominent– Paul on the crapper, Ellen with the tv magnifier, the MLK t-shirt on the clothesline and the washing machine it, and what's hiding behind me that can't be seen at all is about a size 50 pair of jockey shorts hanging on the line. And we tried to get Alex to stand on the hood of the car but it was a hot day and he kept jumping off because of a serious case of the hot foot. At least Grace Jones mounting the steps is clearly seen.

And speaking of cast of characters, we really did have a few rotating through that place, though I've forgotten probably half of 'em.

One of the more interesting moments happened before you were there when I was coming out of the kitchen one evening and met my cousin Jay walking down the steps with a strange black chick. He properly introduced us and said he was driving her "home" and would be back in a few. When he got back I asked him who she was and he said she was a hooker he'd picked up over on the stroll.

Did you know Robert Anton Wilson spent 4-5 days in your old room when we brought him to town for a lecture?

Those were some of the best days of my life too. I kinda wish I had a do-over on my time there.

Window from the old Gateway Hotel

2010-01-29T01:36:00.006-06:00

Paul Hohmann recently did a great post on Downtown St. Louis.

I worked Downtown for almost two decades. I was there prior to the building of the heinous St. Louis Centre and took a load of film photos of the buildings prior to the demo. I aim to find those photos someday.

I took photos of the two lead bas relief windows at the Gateway prior to the fire...the other window photo is will be posted when recovered.

Spendid glazed terre cotta

2010-01-25T17:54:00.010-06:00

Wowsa:

Located (I think, I've misplaced my notes) in the Princeton Heights neighborhood.
Dreamy Art Deco styling terra cotta with wire cut brick and stained pick mortar.

Too bad the original store front windows were 'remodeled'.

Black brick with red trim house

2010-01-24T01:46:00.003-06:00

This is the first house I've encountered made of black brick. It's in the Princeton Heights neighborhood just east of Hampton.

Brick hot line UPDATE

2010-01-23T11:46:00.003-06:00

As requested: the before photo sent via email by the astonishing Lynn Josse:

Brick hot line

2010-01-22T23:18:00.006-06:00

My neighbor Mel called today with a hot tip about hearing a huge KABOOM. A building on her block lost the outer wythe of brick at the top.

In this photo you can see a previous repointing job that can only be tagged hoosier rehabbing.

I'm thinking this was a combination of less than amateur tuck pointing combined with the recent freeze/thaw. There had to be water behind the brick that froze, expanded, then blew the course out.

Permastone Tsk, Tsk

2010-01-16T19:41:00.004-06:00

There we were trying to figure out what what wrong with the facade of a store front on Virginia when I spied the side: Permastone!

I assume the wood frame went up to protect the plate glass windows.
This side shot shows the original face brick.

Candlelight Vigil for a downspout

2010-01-14T01:32:00.016-06:00

Every year during a thaw my downspout freezes. It's on the North side of the building so it's shaded during the day and presently frozen solid. The thawing snow on the 1,400 square foot graded roof melts and rushes to the gutter where it drops into the downspout.

Five years ago this wasn't a problem since my original copper down spout looked like this:

The above is a photo of my neighbors down spout.

Four years ago I had the gutter replaced. The price was 100.00.
I came home one day to find two guys on the roof and the copper downspout in the yard. They replaced it with an aluminum downspout with an elbow that catches thawing snow and causes it to freeze at the joint creating a dam. They also neglected to replace the gutter on the side of my building.

Less than a year later I was in small claims court with the owner Paul Wilken of Wilken Seamless Guttering and his two 'witnesses' -- his employees who stole my downspout and sold it for scrape. They told the judge they scraped it for 140.00.

Paul argued he couldn't attach aluminum to copper. I agreed and mentioned I was aware of galvanic action but that a piece could have been used to prevent the metals from meeting and removing the downspout had never been discussed.

I won the case but only the 100.00 I originally paid. The original downspout had been anchored into the brick. These chumps drilled into the mortar and the freezing water is popping out mortar joints. Oh yeah, I also have gaping holes in brick.

Yep, that's a lit candle under the joint. Talk about hooiser rehabbing!
I took this photo yesterday and the ice was gone within an hour.
What worked best was pots of boiling water slowly poured onto the metal from both floors.

The ice along the outside of the downspout is a result of thawing snow dripping from the above gutter. Had I not found a way to melt the ice on the inside and outside there would have been more water damage inside the house. Yes, it did cause damage to an interior wall.

Mortar joint popping out from ice:

1893 world's fair paver brick

2010-01-13T12:57:00.002-06:00

Click on the title to jet over to ebay to view a rare paver.

Frozen fountain in TG Park

2010-01-12T14:41:00.002-06:00

Photo by UPI/Bill Greenblatt from
http://www.ecoworld.com/photos/cold-weather-st-louis.html

Hotel Saum

2010-01-10T13:16:00.013-06:00

1919 S Grand Blvd.
The Saum was built in 1926 as a luxury hotel and at the time was the tallest building in the area.

Vintage post card. I love these vintage cards that were printed on a linen blend stock. I like the scale of the streets which were brick pavers and had street car tracks. In this old 'photos' the streets have been airbrushed into obscurity.

From a page of an old architecture magazine:

The steps in my house

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Check out the trends on the stairs that leads to my basement.
Each one is different and was cut with a hand saw 95 years ago to fit snugly against the foundation stones. I get it enjoy this craftsmanship daily.
I know I need to sweep the stairs.

Diamond Brick

2010-01-07T12:51:00.011-06:00

I spotted these outrageous 'diamond' bricks on a house in Holly Hills. I've seen them on two different houses in TGS as detailing but this home is a tribute to the rarely seen bricks.
They're rose in color and have matching stained mortar.

Diamonds are a girl's best friend

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But only if they're brickwork.

Holly Hills

2010-01-02T14:13:00.009-06:00

Two weeks ago I caught a holiday cold and was on lock down in the house for a few days where I whined about being house bound and not outside. I worked every day since my monthly health insurance premium has jumped to a staggering 560.00 monthly. I whined about not having a day off for months and the cold to anyone who called.

I consoled myself with the realization that I am surrounded with elements of nature in my home:
Brick walls, wood window frames, joists, doors, floor boards and stairs, mortar, glass, and the original plaster walls with strands of horse hair.

Having a fever I marveled at this for hours while staring at a corner of the carpet then headed out for a delirious drive (I had to get out) and landed in front of this home in Holly Hills on Leona. CRAZY! The bird bath, barrel tiles and brick had me squealing.

Triple arch alert!

Check out the beefy terra cotta and the course of bricks at the base of the building: