As the 7th inning changed into the 8th friends said we needed to be downtown. They were right! As we parked near AT&T the Cardinals won the game. We walked quickly toward the stadium while asking ourselves “where are the fireworks?” The video explains the rest — taking you through the streets, into the stadium and then back out on the streets again. What a night.
Today the St. Louis Cardinals, The Cordish Company (developer) and the City of St. Louis announced an “agreement in principal” on the much debated Ballpark Village project. The Ballpark Village site is to be located where the old Busch Stadium was located from 1966-2005, currently the mud hole you see at right. To be fair, the new stadium just opened this year with the north facade facing us in this view just getting finished very recently. Clearly, considerable attention and work has gone into the future of the now vacant site. OK, we’ve established they have not been sitting around. What have they been up to?
First, lets get oriented. The view at right is taken from the posh branch office of The Cordish Company located on the 17th floor of the Bank of America tower at the NW corner of 8th & Walnut. The street in the left of the image is Walnut and 8th street is in the right. Clark Street now runs along the north side of the new stadium (Note: I am not sure if this is a “public” street or privately controlled street). At the far side of the image is Broadway in front of the horrible parking garage structure. In the bottom of the image is the roof of the Bowling Hall of Fame. Curving in front of the hall of fame is 7th street with one-way traffic heading north. It should be noted, all the streets mentioned are one-way with the sole exception of Clark.
If I’ve never said it before, I’m a big fan of Al Franken. He tells is like he sees it and is not afraid to call a liar a liar. I met Franken many years ago at a book reading and signing at the former Library Ltd in Clayton. What a funny guy. I really enjoyed the bits he did on the Comedy channel during a couple of campaigns where he and Arianna Huffington were in a bed together doing election commentary. Classic stuff! Somehow I missed Arianna Huffington switching from being conservative to more moderate/liberal, see HuffingtonPost.com.
But, back to Al Franken…
He has a new grassroots movie out and because I was offered a couple of free tickets to the opening on the 27th, I agreed to pass along information about the film. Yes, for Al Franken I can be bought off with two movie passes. Here is the press release:
AL FRANKEN: GOD SPOKE opening in St Louis on Oct. 27th at the Chase Park Plaza Cinemas. <www.chase.stlouiscinemas.com>
“Hilarious!” Salon.com ** “Smartly Satirical.” Variety ** “Fair and Balanced!” Minneapolis Star Tribune **The makers of “The War Room” have made a hilarious new documentary “Al Franken: God Spoke.” From his USO tour in Iraq, to the studios of liberal radio network Air America and on the campaign trail, filmmakers Nick Doob and Chris Hegedus are granted entre to one of the most effective political satirists of our time. Franken fearlessly confronts pundits and politicians, blurring the boundaries between political satire and impassioned citizenry. Featuring a host of beltway big mouths including Ann Coulter, Michael Moore, Al Gore, John Kerry, Robert Kennedy Jr., Sean Hannity, William Safire, Karen Hughes and Henry Kissinger, the film is a look behind the front lines of the media wars during the most contentious election in recent history. But ultimately, the film is a personal drama of transformation, as Al Franken leaves his comedy days behind and moves from his seat in the sidelines to become a contender inside the political ring.
FOR MORE ON THE FILM AND A COMPLETE LIST OF CITIES: www.godspokefilm.com
The showtime is not yet set for next Friday. Check the Chase website for the exact time.
In late August I did a post about the powerful new film entitled, CSA: Confederate States of America. In short, the film looks at what America might be like today if the South had won the Civil War and slavery was still legal. This Thursday evening the film will be presented (free of charge) by the writer & director, Kevin Willmott, at Saint Louis University.
Here is the press release:
CSA: THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA
On Thursday, October 19, 2006, Kevin Willmott, writer and director of ” C.S.A. The Confederate States of America” will appear at the John Cook School of Business on the campus of Saint Louis University for the screening of his film, “C.S.A. The Confederate States of America.” The film, an official selection of the 2004 Sundance Film Festival,” will be shown in conjunction with the current exhibition at the Saint Louis University Museum of Art, “The Lincoln Legacy: Presidential Years.” Willmott will introduce the film and also conduct a post-screening question and answer session.
Spike Lee is the executive producer of “C.S.A: The Confederate States of America.” The film addresses a disarmingly simple question: What would our nation be like if, as the film supposes, Jefferson Davis’ Confederate States had won the battle for independence? The answer as imagined by Willmott is provocative and sometimes uncomfortable and, as the critics at the Sundance Film Festival noted, ” audacious,” and “frighteningly resonant.” See what the critics have been writing!
Willmott is an associate professor in the Film Studies Department at the University of Kansas. He teaches screenwriting, production management and a class in African-American images in film. He co-wrote the NBC miniseries, “The 70’s” that aired in May 2000. His first film titled, “Ninth Street” starring Isaac Hayes and Martin Sheen is a comedy/drama based on Willmott’s experiences while growing up in Junction, KS. His latest scripts are titled “Colored Men” and “Gotta Give It Up. Willmott and his wife, Becky, have five children and live in Lawrence, KS.
WHERE:
Saint Louis University
John Cook School of Business
3674 Lindell Blvd.
Anheuser-Busch Auditiorium (lower level)WHEN:
Thursday, October 19
Film screening begins at 7:30 p.m.NO ADMISSION CHARGE
DIRECTIONS:
http://www.slu.edu/campusmap/cook.htmlINFORMATION:
http://thelincolnlegacy.com/; http://www.csathemovie.com/index2.htmlPHONE:
314.977.2666
Again, I cannot over stress what a powerful statement this film makes. It will leave an impression on you! The Cook School of Business is caddy-corner from the Coronado in one of those new campus buildings designed to look old. Even though I’ve seen the film a couple of times I can’t wait to meet writer/director Willmott and hear what he has to say about the impact of the film. By the way, you’ll want to check your political correctness at the door when you arrive.
Today I am attending the St. Louis Great Streets Symposium being held at the Newman Center on Euclid in the midst of the Washington University Medical Campus. I’m actually writing this from the event — you gotta love wi-fi.
Upon arriving I found an out of the way place to lock my scooter. As I was getting ready to secure the lock a Wash U security person drove by and said the city would cut the lock and tow my scooter. He said I should take advantage of the motorcycle parking a block to the west. I had no idea they had motorcycle parking!
I thanked him and headed over to the area where he pointed. How wonderful to see a special section just for motorcycles and scooters. I’ll have pictures tonight but it was roughly 10 spaces in an unused area adjacent to a building. It is actually covered by virtue of the design of the building. Two motorcycles were there as well as two scooters, one a blue Honda Metropolitan.
So pulling out my computer this morning I began searching the Washington University Medical School website for a guide to motorcycle and bike parking. I found a nice map indicating where parking garages are located but nothing on their very helpful motorcycle parking. What is interesting is this symposium is about great streets. The topic includes making streets open for people, not just cars. But the literature on the event didn’t make note of the fact we are next door to a bus transfer station and MetroLink station. What a statement that East-West Gateway Council of Governments didn’t mention alternative means of arriving and “parking” for the event.
It is encouraging to see Ald. Phyllis Young (D-7th) and from Jim Shrewsbury’s office, Brandyn Jones and Pam Ross attending. It would have been nice to have seen more folks from city hall.