A Madrigal Evening with Julie and Joan

Last night (30 November), right after work, I drove to Julie and Joan's apartment. There, we got into Julie's SUV and headed to Eliot Unitarian Chapel in Kirkwood for the 46th annual Eliot Chapel Renaissance Madrigal & Christmas Rout. This year's show--which runs from 30 November to 2 December-- is "A Chaotic Christmas."

The three of us found our table in the sanctuary and were later joined by the six other guests assigned to our table. There were nine tables with up to nine guests each for this show. Each table was serviced by a volunteer wench, who poured drinks and served cake to us. Musicians from the St. Louis Recorder Society played through much of the evening. The sanctuary was decorated with holly boughs and tapestries.

The program began with the procession of The Not-Ready-For-Reformation Players into the sanctuary. This was followed by a wassail toast, in which we sipped from cups of apple cider. The Boar's Head was brought to the principals, Sir William Cecil and Queen Elizabeth I; however, they passed on eating it. The Fool and Lady Beatrice, along with several castle guests, were in the thick of the action, which displayed much wit.

We (Julie, Joan and I) didn't know that we could bring our own food in to this event. Fortunately, one of our fellow table guests had a box of peanut butter cookies, which she shared with the rest of our table. It did well to satisfy us. There was water at each table to drink.

The Greenleaf Singers performed madrigals during the show. They performed traditional music of Renaissance Era England, along with a couple of surprising tunes. One was a madrigal arrangement of the Bee Gees' 1977 hit "Staying Alive." The other was "Good King Kong" by P.D.Q. Bach (a fictional composer created by satirist Peter Schickele). They definitely added to the lighthearted feel of the evening.

After the intermission, the Yule Log was brought into the sanctuary accompanied by song. Each table received a Yule Log cake, a chocolate cake with chocolate icing. The wench cut the log at each table and gave a plate with the slice to each guest. It was most delicious. Hot coffee was also served with the cake.

The Greenleaf Singers sang three carols before the players led us all in singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and "Silent Night" to conclude the program. This was my first time attending a madrigal and Julie, Joan, and I sure enjoyed ourselves.

The three of us then got into Julie's SUV for the drive back to her place, where I got out after a good night kiss with Julie and got into my car to drive home. It was a long night after a long day of work, but it was a great evening and a wonderful way to usher in the Christmas season. The madrigal will return next year on 5-7 December 2024.

Later.

Websites of Entities Mentioned in This Post:

Eliot Unitarian Chapel: Home (eliotchapel.org)

Eliot Chapel Madrigal: ELIOT CHAPEL MADRIGAL - Eliot Chapel Madrigal (weebly.com)

St. Louis Recorder Society: ST. LOUIS RECORDER SOCIETY - St. Louis Recorder Society (weebly.com)

Greenleaf Singers: Greenleaf Singers

Cheers to CITY with Julie and Volunteering with SLIFF

After taking care of some home chores yesterday (18 November), I picked up Julie that afternoon to CITYPARK. St. Louis CITY SC was holding a Holiday event for its season ticket holders, "Cheers to CITY." 

After parking by Schlafly Tap Room, Julie and I walked to the southeast gate of CITYPARK. During the walk, we met my neighbors Paul Trelford, his wife Laura, and their daughter Lily. They were also attending this event. I introduced the Trelfords to Julie.

Inside CITYPARK, Julie and I navigated among the large crowd in the concourses. The souvenir stand was open and doing great business. Several Christmas Trees were displayed, decorated by club sponsors and attendees could vote for their favorite tree. Christmas music was played over the public address system.

Julie and I stood in line to get our picture taken on a sleigh parked on the edge of the pitch. It was about a 45-minute wait before we were able to get in the sleigh for the picture. The photographer took a shot of us in one take. It came out great.

After a bit more browsing, Julie and I left CITYPARK to get back to our car. The Trelfords met us as we crossed the street. (Their car was parked behind mine.) After saying our goodbyes, I began to drive Julie home.

Right after dropping Julie off, I headed to Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, located at City Foundry in Midtown St. Louis. I arrived early that night for my first volunteer assignment at this year's St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF). (I was supposed to have gotten there in late afternoon, but the Cheers to CITY event and going to Julie's apartment and back pushed back the timetable.) After reporting to the venue captain, I prepared for my role.

I was assigned to a theater where the narrative feature The Shade was being screened. I scanned the attendees' tickets and gave them ballots for rating the film. I also provided demographic surveys for those who had not done so yet at this year's festival. After making sure everyone with a ticket had shown up, I was able to enter the theater to watch the movie. This drama told of a young man dealing with the death of his father and serious mental health issues. It was quite harrowing at times, but very well made by a first-time narrative director. Thus, it was up for SLIFF's New Filmmakers Forum Emerging Director Award.

After the movie and a brief question and answer session with the film's director, Tyler Chipman, I collected fan ballots and demographic surveys filled out by the audience. I brought these items to the venue captain's table, where I helped count the ballots and made sure the tablets used for scanning tickets were delivered to the Alamo Drafthouse's manager for safe keeping. It was my first time both at this venue and at City Foundry, and I really liked what I saw.

Midday today, I was at Brown Hall on the Washington University campus for my other SLIFF volunteer assignment. I welcomed audience members attending the screening of the documentary feature "A Mother, Youngsoon," a South Korean film about a woman who defected from North Korea with her younger son and how the two were trying to make a new life in South Korea. It was quite a fascinating film.

After my shift ended, I drove away from Washington University to get a late lunch. I ended up getting it--a smashburger and fries--at The Post Sports Bar & Grill in Maplewood. Most patrons there were watching NFL games on several TVs in the restaurant. I barely paid attention to the action.

I enjoyed my lunch and then went to a Dairy Queen in Webster Groves to get a Blizzard concrete for dessert. After stopping in a shopping mall parking lot to enjoy my Blizzard, it was time to go home.

Later.

Links to Websites of Entities Mentioned in this Post:

CITYPARK: CITYPARK | St. Louis CITY SC (stlcitysc.com)

St. Louis CITY SC: St. Louis CITY SC (stlcitysc.com)

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: St. Louis | Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

St. Louis International Film Festival: 32nd Annual SLIFF | Cinema St Louis

City Foundry: Home (cityfoundrystl.com)

Washington University: Washington University in St. Louis (wustl.edu)

The Post Sports Bar & Grill: Restaurant Bar & Grill in Maplewood and Creve Coeur - The Post (thepostsportsbar.com)

Dairy Queen: Dairy Queen®: Burgers, Blizzard® Treats & More. Happy Tastes Good®

Scale Modeling Saturday in Topeka; Soccer and Julie on Sunday

Early Saturday morning (11 November), I started the long drive to Topeka, Kansas. I was attending the third annual show by Ad Astra Modeling Club, which became an IPMS/USA chapter earlier this year. After some 4.5 hours of driving, I arrived at the show site, Fairlawn Plaza Mall.

After paying the registration fee, I placed my five contest models in their respective categories. I made my way around the show site, browsing among the vendors and admiring the other models in the contest. Additionally, I bought some raffle tickets and chatted with fellow scale modelers I know at the show.

I had a mishap in the morning when the Jupiter-C rocket fell off the contest table, splitting into three major components and two fins coming off the base. Fortunately, one of the Ad Astra members had super glue and accelerator he loaned to me and I was able to make repairs on the model and keep it in the contest.

There was lunch with homemade chili for the contest judges--among them me--and I was assigned to a three-person team judging automotive models. It went well and we determined the award winners in each automotive category.

Even before the contest results were announced, I was not leaving Topeka empty handed. I won three items in the raffle--two aircraft kits and a book on air warfare. I also bought an aircraft kit from one of the vendors. At the mall, there is a hobby shop, Dee & Mee Hobbies. I shopped there, buying a few sanding sticks. I also chatted with the shop owners, who knew about the St. Louis area shops. I left them an IPMS/Gateway business card.

Contest results were announced late that afternoon. I earned two awards for my entries. My T-55 took First Place in Armor: 1:35+ Closed Top Other after 1945. (To be fair, it was the only entry in this category.) My Prinz Eugen took Third Place in Naval 1/700 and Smaller. 

 

After packing up my models and loot, I said my goodbyes to the hosts before heading to my car to go home. I arrived late Saturday night after a journey of 638.4 miles (1027.4 km). I went to bed tired but happy.

Sunday morning, I was driving to Eureka Soccer Park to officiate three SLYSA youth soccer games. I had the middle on the first match, an under 13 girls' contest. It went smoothly, with no issues from players or coaches. I then ran lines on two under 14 girls matches and they also went smoothly. I was refereeing on a scraped right knee, having injured it from a fall on the sidewalk while running the previous Wednesday. It didn't bother me the whole set of matches.

After getting a post-game snack, I bought some groceries before coming home to shower and change. Late that afternoon, I picked up Julie and took her to Texas Roadhouse in Kirkwood for dinner. She had some gift cards from there that her realtor, Donna Flamm, had given Julie. We had a wonderful meal and conversation.

The day before, while in Topeka, I got an email from Michelle at Unbridled Focus that the photos she took of Julie and I at Zenhorse the previous Sunday were ready. I got the link to the site with the five photos Michelle selected for us. I downloaded the pictures and emailed them to Julie.

After dinner at Texas Roadhouse, I drove Julie back to her apartment and I then went home.

Later.

Websites of Entities Mentioned in this Post:

Ad Astra Modeling Club:  Ad Astra Modeling Club – Dedicated to the hobby of creating scale models

IPMS/USA: IPMS/USA Home Page | By Modelers... For Modelers (ipmsusa.org)

Fairlawn Plaza Mall: Fairlawn Plaza Shopping Center - Fairlawn Plaza Mall, Topeka KS

IPMS Gateway Chapter: IPMS Gateway Chapter (google.com)

Eureka Soccer Park: Facilities • Eureka, MO • CivicEngage

SLYSA: Home - St Louis Youth Soccer (slysa.org)

Texas Roadhouse: Homepage | Texas Roadhouse

Unbridled Focus Photography:  Missouri Equine Photographer/Unbridled Focus Photography

Zenhorse: Zenhorse | equine assisted therapy | Marthasville, MO, USA

Weekend: Scale Models in Columbia; Sunday with Julie

Early Saturday morning (4 November), Don Will came over to my house from his residence in Carlyle, Illinois. He then rode with me to Marion Morris' house in Maplewood. The three of us, and two more from IPMS/Gateway, rode in Morris' minivan to David H. Hickman High School in Columbia, Missouri. This school was the venue for TigerCon, the annual model contest and swap meet put on by IPMS/Central Missouri Scale Modelers. Besides the five of us who rode together, seven other Gateway members made the trip to Columbia.

After paying the registration fee, I entered my two aircraft models in the contest. The MiG-19 and the Ryan NYP "Spirit of St. Louis" were two models I had built some years ago, but not entered in a contest. I realistically didn't consider them serious award contenders, but I at least wanted to have some models to enter.

I spent time shopping among the vendors, entering the raffle, admiring the other contest models, and chatting with fellow scale modelers I know. The vast majority of attendees came from around Missouri. I bought a book and kit from a vendor and won two aircraft kits in the raffle.

Late in the morning, I joined with other contest judges for a meeting with catered lunch that featured brisket and barbecue pulled pork. It was tasty and I headed a team judging armor and figures. There were some tough calls to make in judging the categories, such was the quality of models entered in this show.

Four of my Gateway chapter mates won contest awards. The biggest was by Jim Triola, whose 1:200 scale Bismarck won its ships category, Best of Ships, People's Choice Award, and Best of Show. 

After the show, most of us went to a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Columbia for dinner. It was a special meal, for this was the last show that Jim Victor would attend with us. He is moving out of state in a few weeks. It was a most satisfying meal with club mates before we returned home. After arriving at Morris' house, I drove Will to my house so he could return to his vehicle to go home to Carlyle.

Early Sunday afternoon, I picked up Julie from her apartment and drove us to Zenhorse, an equine rehabilitation facility in Marthasville, Missouri. It was hosting a photos with Santa event. Julie and I had photos taken there last year, so we decided to do it again. My friend Kit Maxwell, who runs Zenhorse, was dressed as Mrs. Claus, with her son as a Victorian gentleman and her husband as Santa.

Julie and I sat in a sleigh, flanked by Santa and Mrs. Clause. A horse from the facility was dressed as a reindeer. Michelle Huelsman from Unbridled Focus Photography took the pictures, as she did last year. I am looking forward to seeing the pictures come out in the coming days.

After the photos, Julie and I retired to a barn for hot chocolate and cookies. We also got caught up with Kit in our lives.

Then, it was on to the Armory for Julie and I. We were attending a watch party for St. Louis CITY SC's MLS Cup playoff match at Sporting Kansas City. This was game two of the best of three first round series, and CITY needed to win after Sporting's 4-1 win at CITYPARK one week before to stay alive.

Julie had never been to the Armory before and was impressed with the facility. There was a great crowd of CITY supporters on hand to watch the game projected on the big screen. St. Louis City Punks, Fleur de Noise, and STL Santos co-hosted the watch party.

Despite our best efforts at the party and CITY's on the pitch, Sporting won the match 2-1 to take the series. A disappointing end to the season for sure, but it should not take away from such a great inaugural season in MLS for CITY. The better team won this playoff series, but nobody can take away the regular season Western Conference championship for our side.

Later.

Websites of Entities Mentioned in this Post:

IPMS/Gateway: IPMS Gateway Chapter (google.com)

David H. Hickman High School: Hickman High School / Homepage (cpsk12.org)

IPMS/Central Missouri Scale Modelers: Central Missouri Scale Modelers (cmsm-ipms.org)

Cracker Barrel: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store | Breakfast Near Me Restaurant | Delivery & Pick-Up

Zenhorse: Zenhorse | equine assisted therapy | Marthasville, MO, USA

Unbridled Focus Photography: Missouri Equine Photographer/Unbridled Focus Photography

The Armory: The Biggest Bar in St. Louis (armorystl.com)

St. Louis CITY SC: St. Louis CITY SC (stlcitysc.com)

Major League Soccer: MLSsoccer.com - The Official Site of Major League Soccer

St. Louis City Punks: SLCP Home (slcitypunks.com)

Fleur de Noise: Fleur De Noise

STL Santos: Home | Home | STL Santos

 

Getting a Flu Shot; Visiting Soldiers Memorial and St. Louis Public Library

On my day off from work today, I went to CVS in Mehlville to get my annual flu shot at its MinuteClinic. I first thought I would have to wait until mid-afternoon to get the shot; however, they were able to get me in that morning. After the usual questions from the nurse practitioner, I got the shot and should be safe for another year.

Late this morning, I drove to downtown St. Louis to visit two exhibits. First stop was Soldiers Memorial Military Museum, which I had last visited about six years ago. In addition to the regular items on display, the museum is hosting a special exhibit, "Vietnam: At War & At Home." It told the story of the Vietnam War both on the battlefield (highlighting St. Louis connections) and at home. The latter section particularly interested me as it included two F-4 Phantom II models loaned by my IPMS/Gateway colleague and friend Jim Triola. They were included in a section on the Phantom II's manufacturer, McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing). The exhibit runs until 24 May 2024.

After spending time at Soldiers Memorial, I went just two blocks north to the Central Library of the St. Louis Public Library. The great hall there was hosting "PROM: Where Did You Go to High School?" It told of the local high school experience told through the pages of PROM, a monthly local high school magazine published from 1947 to 1973. The exhibit tells of the St. Louis area high school experience, how PROM covered these events through student reporters at the schools and had photos and ads that ran in the publication. Additionally, there were typical prom fashions and lists of the top selling songs from the 1950s through the 1990s. A list of St. Louis area high schools, past and present, were placed next to maps showing the locations of these schools from the 1950s through the 1990s. The St. Louis Public Library has a database of nearly all issues of PROM that can be accessed through the library's website. Visitors could write their high school memories on sticky notes and post them on a wall. (I did just that.) Although I was too young to remember PROM when it was around, I had read about it and found this exhibit a fascinating time capsule. The exhibit runs through 7 January 2024.

Later.

Websites of Entities Mentioned in This Post:

CVS: CVS - Online Drugstore, Pharmacy, Prescriptions & Health Information

Soldiers Memorial Military Museum: Soldiers Memorial Military Museum | Missouri Historical Society (mohistory.org)

St. Louis Public Library: St. Louis Public Library (slpl.org)

Last Saturday at St. Louis CITY SC

Yesterday (21 October) marked the final day of the Major League Soccer (MLS) regular season--Decision Day. St. Louis CITY SC had already clinched the Western Conference regular season championship, giving it home field advantage through the Western Conference final in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.

Late that morning, I drove to CITY Pavillion, across Market Street from CITYPARK, to pick up my reserved copy of Inaugural, a book looking at the club's living, visual, and creative culture in its inaugural MLS season. This softcover book, presented by Soccerbible, is just over 300 pages long and packed with photographs. It also came with a canvas tote bag. I will find Inaugural an interesting read.

                                       

After getting lunch at a Lion's Choice in St. Louis Hills, I drove a short distance to Ted Drewes Frozen Custard for my dessert. I ordered an added item on its menu, the CITY Red sundae: Vanilla frozen custard mixed with Dad's original scotch oatmeal cookies, cherries, and coconut flakes. It hit the spot for this CITY supporter.

After enjoying this sundae, I browsed through the nearby Ted Drewes Gift Shop, where I bought a magnet and two stickers. On the way home, I bought a 24 ounce (709.8 ml) can of Keystone Light beer at Quik Trip for that night.

Coming home, I relaxed at home before leaving late that afternoon for the St. Louligans pre-match party at the Schlafly Tap Room. (Julie would normally go with me, but she was sick. I was able to sell my spare ticket to a fellow St. Louligan.) I bought a Schlafly Oktoberfest beer and two sliders with French fries from the Cluck Oink Moo Sliders food truck. Then, I participated with other St. Louligans in Tallboy Roulette. I paid $2 to the St. Louligans while donating that Keystone Light can to the event. Participants would reach into a cooler and pull-out whatever Tallboy can they grasped. After doing so, each participant had to drink the beer he or she got. Some beers contributed are of better quality than others. I was fortunate in selecting a Natural Light, which isn't bad. I drank most of that can before the match into CITYPARK for the match.

 

That night, we marched into the stadium for the final regular season match. St. Louis CITY SC was hosting Seattle Sounders FC, who beat CITY 3-0 in April at Lumen Field. A packed house hoped for a different result this night.

The home crowd's efforts were not rewarded on the pitch, as Seattle rode two first-half goals to a 2-0 win. Disappointing for CITY for sure. Still, the team stayed after the match to go towards the Supporter Section and thank us for their support this season. That was exceptionally good of them.

CITY now awaits its First-Round opponent, which will be determined by the Wild Card match Wednesday night between 8th seed Sporting Kansas City and 9th seed San Jose Earthquakes. The winner of that match plays CITY in a Best of Three series. The first match will be at CITYPARK next weekend, with the second at the lower seed and the third (if needed) back in St. Louis. The First-Round schedule should be firmed up early this week. I can't wait.

Later.

Websites of Entities Mentioned in this Post:

Major League Soccer: MLSsoccer.com - The Official Site of Major League Soccer

St. Louis CITY SC: St. Louis CITY SC (stlcitysc.com)

Soccerbible: https://www.soccerbible.com/

Lion's Choice: Lion's Choice – Lion's Choice (lionschoice.com)

Ted Drewes Frozen Custard: Ted Drewes Frozen Custard

St. Louligans: https://stlouligans.com

Schlafly Tap Room: Tap Room Brewpub - Schlafly Beer

Cluck Oink Moo Sliders: http://www.cluckoinkmoosliders.com