If you're anything like me, your Decembers in St. Louis are a mix of public traditions and more private, family-tailored ones. Always among the month’s most popular public rituals: ice-skating at Steinberg (which includes two activities, really—skating and, in the wise words of Charlie Brown, staring with anticipation at the ice-clearing Zamboni); sledding down Art Hill; and steering slowly through Winter Wonderland in Tilles Park (if it’s above 50, my mother takes the grandkids in her convertible, top down, heat blasting). Among the private ones? Well, they’re private.
Which is why, in this month’s cover package (p. 82), we’ve focused on the 60-plus St. Louis spots you and yours can go to really experience what this city has to offer in December. Split up by reader profile—from romantics and families to good Samaritans and spiritualists—this SLM guide nods to the old favorites while presenting some new happenings that just might make their way into your family’s or friends’ rotation. (One word for the rowdiest among you: Santarchy.)
Elsewhere in this issue, we have a pair of articles whose main subjects are a study in contrasts: staff writer Jeannette Cooperman’s profile of the sought-after, soft-spoken designer Kiku Obata (p. 122) and editor-at-large Malcolm Gay’s story of the hard-charging, gun-toting Bill Jakob (p. 114), who thundered into Gerald, Mo., earlier this year claiming to be an officer of the law; after some vividly chronicled raids on Gerald citizens, he’s now the one facing jail time. In addition, our special music portfolio, “Note Perfect” (p. 106), provides a snapshot of St. Louis’ broadly sweet music scene, from a rising classical star to international legend Chuck Berry. While we didn’t expect Mr. Berry to speak with us at length—he’d previously brushed off the likes of the BBC—we ended up receiving a rare 45-minute look into his life. The resulting interview—about his youth, his family, his take on Elvis—can be found on page 134. It was an unexpected gift for us—and we’re pleased to pass it right along to you.
From the magazine’s staff, here’s to an enjoyable holiday and a celebratory New Year. We’ll see you in 2009.
Stephen Schenkenberg, Editor
