stjoelive.com | Stories for August 2007

Friday, August 24

36th Street

La Dolce Vita at 36th Street is one of those elegant, traditional restaurants you go to on special occasions, although casual diners will feel perfectly comfortable here as well. It's a place that puts a big emphasis on customer requests, such as custom sauces, says Colice McGee, the restaurant's daytime supervisor.

Friday, August 10

Lollapalooza, Day 2

Lollapalooza, day two. Overcast, light breeze, very little chance of sunburn. There was also very little chance that I would forget this full-day of performances, which would inevitably include some of the highlight performances of the festival. With that in mind, let the awards be handed out.

Lollapalooza Awards, Day 1

Well, the moment I have been anticipating since March had finally arrived. Lollapalooza 2007 was underway, and it was going to be a scorcher, weather and performance-wise. But instead of doing a general recap (which would take forever) I am going to be handing out my own personal awards, the "SSD's" if you will, to the artists and aspects of the festival that deserve such recognition, whether it be positive or negative. With that in mind, let's do this thing.

Lollapalloza, The Finale

Veteran's Day

After walking off of the CTA and taking the stairs above ground to the Chicago streets, I immediately began sweating. It was going to be one of those days. Unforgiving sun, not a cloud in sight for shade, humidity that you had to practically swim through. Only a good day of music could justify sweating it out through these conditions. And that's exactly what I got. Without further or do, here are the final SSD's I am handing out to celebrate the third and final day of this awesome festival. THE MOST PLEASANT SURPRISE: Ben Harper on the Kidapalooza stage. Harper is a genre-buster, playing soulful folk, reggae, R&B, pop and blues. But on Sunday, after already doing a headlining stint Friday evening, he decided to play a three-song acoustic set for the kiddies at the Kidapalooza area. He performed a gentle version of "Steal My Kisses," which he explained he wrote about his son, who he would have to sneak kisses to because of his son's dislike of Papa Harper's scratchy beard. He also performed his contribution to the "Curious George" sountrack "With My Own Two Hands" and the song "Angel," which he confesses he hopes will be a children's lullabye someday. It is rare that you get artists so intimate for such a short window of time. It was better than an hour-long set by most bands. THE ARTIST WITH A SURPRISINGLY LARGE CROWD: Amy Winehouse. I guess I shouldn't be completely surprised, considering her new album "Back to Black" has managed to appeal to soul-lovers, hipsters, hip hop fans and top 40 radio listeners. I guess the main thing that surprised me was the fact that Winehouse, whose name contains one of the things she is notorious for consuming to excess, was sober and on her game, mixing her reggae intonations with her girl-group influences. THE MOST SOULFUL SCOTSMAN YOU WILL EVER HEAR: Paulo Nutini at 20-years-old has enough soul in his voice to replicate a man twice his age. Imagine Al Green's soul and Jeff Buckley's heartbreak with the Scottish gardener from "The Simpsons" inflection and Julian Casablancas' looks. He serenaded the crowd with ballads like "Last Request," and got the crowd moving with guilty pleasure pop "New Shoes" and "Jenny Don't Be Hasty." Blue-eyed soul has a new accent.

Pinata's Mexican Restraunt

Across from the courthouse in Savannah, Mo., you'll find Pinatas Mexican Restaurant and Cantina. The outside pretty much matches the rest of the storefronts around the town square, but inside it's like an indoor Southwestern style courtyard, with a clay tile roof, wrought iron, and Mexican accents.

Friday, August 3

Hap's Place

The restaurant business is a tough one, especially in St. Joseph, where prices had better be low and the food consistently good and plentiful or you're out. Hap's Place is one of the few that have been able to stand the test of time.