As 2018 comes to a close, we're reflecting on our most read posts, the reporting that went into some of our favorite features, and the stories we can't forget.
Top 5 Most-Read Stories:
Always among our most popular stories, the bi-annual Best Restaurants feature has grown exponentially over the years. At one time, we named just five best restaurants—a list you could count on one hand. By 2014, we didn’t even tally the list. “What used to be a straightforward assignment has become a daunting task,” wrote dining editor George Mahe, “so we included even more than in the past.” Two years ago, it grew to 101 restaurants, "fueled by a rebounding economy, a burgeoning brew scene, and diners hungry for the latest culinary creations as seen on TV or described by friends." So this year, in highlighting a veritable buffet of 150 noteworthy restaurants, we had some fun with the format, calling out the best in a wide range of genres: BBQ, fast-casual joints, stalwarts, new classics, wine-centric spots… As the list has grown, so too have readers’ appetites for more dining coverage—and we’re always up for the challenge (even if it means we should start shopping for looser-fitting clothes before the 2020 edition).
2. 10 new St. Louis restaurants to keep on your radar
3. Why W Karaoke Lounge, now open in the Delmar Loop, will become a smash hit
5. Missouri midterm election guide: Ballot highs and lows, bingo, marijuana, and more
Editors' Picks:
How Bertha Owens was sentenced to life in prison—with virtually no evidence
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Why did we dig into the story of Bertha Owens, who was locked up 20 years ago after being found guilty of robbing a man and beating him to death? At the time, the case had drawn little media attention: There was no power at stake, no sexy intrigue or luxe backdrop. The crime was one of wanton greed and cruelty, and people recoiled from it. The main reason for her conviction—other than the facts that she is African-American, had no money for good legal representation, was hanging with the wrong crowd, and had a blurry unprovable alibi—was the testimony of a supposed eyewitness who’d changed her story multiple times and recanted to at least five people. Every time a lawyer returned with a typed affidavit for her to sign, however, she refused. She’d since dropped out of sight, but staff writer Jeannette Cooperman found her and again confirmed, this time in writing—albeit not a signed legal document—that she had lied, supposedly because she was pressured by the prosecutor, to frame Owens and to save herself from other charges. While reporting the story, we were told that the circuit attorney’s office would launch an investigation. Today, Owens still calls regularly. No word of action as of yet. But the prosecutor who convicted her made, posthumously, a list of America's five deadliest head prosecutors assembled by Harvard Law School’s Fair Punishment Project.
Meet the Print Bazaar on Cherokee artist on a mission to bring his dad home
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT MARCINKOWSKI
“Meeting Carlos Restrepo and talking to him about immigration and how he’s trying to bring his father to St. Louis from Colombia via art was a highlight of 2018 for me. Carlos is a young person with a lot of drive and creativity. I’m hoping he and his dad are reunited in the United States in 2019.” –Amanda Woytus, deputy editor
“I spent a Saturday in Alton—which I've decided would make the perfect backdrop for the next vampire film franchise—with Janet Kolar, owner of the The Historic Museum of Torture Devices now know as the Curiosity Museum. She was kind enough to let me accompany her and these two large plush dogs she has by the register. 'Guard dogs?' I joked. No, a possible cadaver sniffing exhibit in the works.” –Samantha Stevenson, associate editor
Wesley Law
The 10 best dressed St. Louisans 2018
“The 10 St. Louisans featured on our Best Dressed List taught us something about style and the power of clothes as a means of self-expression.” –Veronica Theodoro, Design STL editor-in-chief
“I sweated every minute of this profile. We're all torn apart like a game of Red Rover these days, and the media are often complicit. But how do you write calmly and fairly about somebody who's made a career out of polarizing people—and won't agree to be interviewed? Loesch is fascinating, sharp-witted and sharp-tongued, passionate in her beliefs... I did my best and braced for the worst, but the reaction—from all sides—was remarkably civil.” –Jeannette Cooperman, staff writer
“Did I read St. Louis native Ellie Kemper’s book in a day? Yes. Did I nearly go mad watching Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt clips in preparation for this interview? Also yes. Was it worth it? I think so.” –Amanda Woytus, deputy editor
Three St. Louis homes that made history
Photography by Jennifer Silverberg
“This series of stories written by Stefene Russell takes the reader inside three St. Louis houses [onetime homes of Martha Gellhorn, Arthur Ashe, and Max Factor] where once-ordinary lives turned extraordinary.” –Veronica Theodoro, Design STL editor-in-chief
The Adventuress Elizabeth “Bunny” Herring
“You might not have clicked on this story unless you know Bunny Herring. But if you've ever been lucky enough to cross her path, you'll understand why we profiled her. Inspiration for 2019, and always.” –Jeannette Cooperman, staff writer
Other Noteworthy Reads:
Pine Lawn's struggle to remain a city
After suffering through anarchy, greed, and eccentricity, Pine Lawn is trying valiantly to pull itself together. Weird as its story is, the trajectory’s all too common.
Photography by Ann White
It used to be normal; then it became terrifying. Now enough’s changed that some women are wanting to give birth at home again, saying it’s cozier, less stressful, and far less expensive. The system is slowly coming around.
Falling In Love With the World
Climbers, botanists, deep-sea divers...The adventurers of St. Louis have kept an Explorers Club chapter running for 30 years.
