Basin Park Hotel, one of the venues we tried out Back in early February, after playing a Mardi Gras party at a retirement home, we were enjoying some spicy gumbo with the staff when our friend TJ sent us a text. He and his brother Mark invited us to St. Louis to be part of the St. Patrick’s festivities. We were excited! So excited we locked our keys in the truck!
About a month and a half later we were on our way with a stopover in the charming Ozark mountain village, Eureka Springs. It’s a cozy spot, with steep curvy streets and springs seeping out everywhere. Tall Victorian buildings with iron balconies are built right into rock walls. The off-season was quiet, even so a handful of buskers strummed hopefully on their guitars here and there.
Where could we play music? We had seen an enchanting picture of the Blarney Stone online, but that was shut down. We visited the Pied Piper, and were welcomed. It was an option. We wandered around asking locals where to play: street painters, merchants, hotel employees, folks walking dogs, waitresses. They all said Chelsea’s....
About a month and a half later we were on our way with a stopover in the charming Ozark mountain village, Eureka Springs. It’s a cozy spot, with steep curvy streets and springs seeping out everywhere. Tall Victorian buildings with iron balconies are built right into rock walls. The off-season was quiet, even so a handful of buskers strummed hopefully on their guitars here and there.
Where could we play music? We had seen an enchanting picture of the Blarney Stone online, but that was shut down. We visited the Pied Piper, and were welcomed. It was an option. We wandered around asking locals where to play: street painters, merchants, hotel employees, folks walking dogs, waitresses. They all said Chelsea’s....
After visiting all the venues, Chelsea’s Corner Café was the most happening. Customized with quirky hippy carpentry, it has a double deck patio, pizzeria, and a roadhouse bar with a concert hall off to the side. Yes! We made plans with the bartender, Nate, to play there later that night. Luckily no one else was booked, although the schedule for rest of the week was full. Their motto is: “For the past 25 years, Chelsea’s has been the place where the Misfits fit!” and HonkyTonk StepChild found a foster home for the night.
We tuned up at eight o’ clock and played a couple hours for the lively bar crowd. There’s this certain kind of dance people do when they hear our music, there was a lot of that going on, that and eating pizza. The new fiddler for Mountain Sprout approached the stage and introduced himself. He threw some cash in the tip jar, and voiced many kind words. Another new friend and Ozark Harvest Radio host, Richard Pille, raised his glass and proclaimed, “We’re not used to such classy musicians around here!” As we left Nate shook our hands and spoke, “You always have a home here at Chelsea’s!” We love Eureka Springs!
Next morning we were resurrected by outstanding breakfast and strong coffee at the Mud Street Café. Not being used to strong delicious coffee at our house, we drank a great deal, and it was a white-knuckle ride on the hilly winding road toward St. Louis until the caffeine wore off. Around four we arrived at TJ and Jill’s and instantly went to a heavenly local place, Pizzeria Tivoli. We caught up with each other before our first gig in Downtown St. Louis at The Dignitary Meet and Greet.
Every Saint Patrick’s day, the Irish government sends a representative for St. Louis’ most popular parade. This year the parade committee welcomed Paudie Coffey, Minister of the State Dept. of the Environment. In the penthouse suite of the immense Ballpark Hilton, the Green Jackets celebrated their guest of honor! Beer and Irish whiskey flowed beside appetizers galore. We had been hired to play exclusively Irish music, but late into the night, requests for Cajun, classic rock, and pop songs brought out the more raucous side of our repertoire. We played on, under the flags of Ireland and America, surrounded by the Parade Committee, its members all proud descendents of the Irish Diaspora.
We tuned up at eight o’ clock and played a couple hours for the lively bar crowd. There’s this certain kind of dance people do when they hear our music, there was a lot of that going on, that and eating pizza. The new fiddler for Mountain Sprout approached the stage and introduced himself. He threw some cash in the tip jar, and voiced many kind words. Another new friend and Ozark Harvest Radio host, Richard Pille, raised his glass and proclaimed, “We’re not used to such classy musicians around here!” As we left Nate shook our hands and spoke, “You always have a home here at Chelsea’s!” We love Eureka Springs!
Next morning we were resurrected by outstanding breakfast and strong coffee at the Mud Street Café. Not being used to strong delicious coffee at our house, we drank a great deal, and it was a white-knuckle ride on the hilly winding road toward St. Louis until the caffeine wore off. Around four we arrived at TJ and Jill’s and instantly went to a heavenly local place, Pizzeria Tivoli. We caught up with each other before our first gig in Downtown St. Louis at The Dignitary Meet and Greet.
Every Saint Patrick’s day, the Irish government sends a representative for St. Louis’ most popular parade. This year the parade committee welcomed Paudie Coffey, Minister of the State Dept. of the Environment. In the penthouse suite of the immense Ballpark Hilton, the Green Jackets celebrated their guest of honor! Beer and Irish whiskey flowed beside appetizers galore. We had been hired to play exclusively Irish music, but late into the night, requests for Cajun, classic rock, and pop songs brought out the more raucous side of our repertoire. We played on, under the flags of Ireland and America, surrounded by the Parade Committee, its members all proud descendents of the Irish Diaspora.
Heavy rains began that night and continued for the next twenty fours. We got a late start because a few of us had a hangover. Jill was at work, so August and I spent some quality time with the dogs. Eventually everyone was conscious, and we ventured to the most astonishingly imaginative museum (except for the name): the City Museum! It is hard to understand, even seeing it. It’s a bizarre dream landscape of found objects welded together, mind-blowing mosaics, organic dimly lit caves, and everywhere a hidden tunnel or slide going who knows where. Children and adults climb over, under and through discarded parts of the city that have found a new home here in implausible configurations. My mother-mind asks, “Is it safe?” I wish I could take weeks to explore it all. It is very beautiful and intriguing. It seems singular, does another place like it exist? Congrats St. Louis!
A nap would have been just the thing on that rainy day, but too soon it was time to clean up formal gala-style for the big Friday night gig: The Irish Dinner. Jill and August were coming too! Everybody was sparkly and ready to go back to the Ballpark Hilton, except this time we entered an expansive and elegant ballroom, with a terrific view of the arch. We were strolling, smiling, and playing lively Celtic music from one end of the room to the other, mingling with Ladies decked out in fancy green dresses and men wearing green jackets and ties. Smiling faces recognized from last night’s revelry popped out here and there in the massive glittery crowd. 2 Gingers Irish Whiskey was sponsoring this event, and everywhere guests sipped refreshing “Big Gingers.” Many happy jigs were danced, the most notable by a white collared priest. A bell rang and we guided the company in song to the dining area like bad ass pied pipers.
At this point we were off the hook musically and sat down at the table with our hosts and committee members: TJ, Mark, their father Michael along with the rest of the Minden clan, including two very pregnant women. We were honorary Mindens for the night (our name tags said so.) In a lilting Irish accent, visiting dignitary, Paudie Coffey gave an eye-opening speech about contemporary Ireland and its flourishing culture worldwide. Then together we bowed our heads solemnly in prayer, but soon we were chuckling as the cheerful priest (the same who had been expertly dancing earlier) blessed the company with heart and humor.
We returned to the dogs and couches of the TJ’s basement to watch an epic Hollywood adventure in surround sound. Five minutes in, Casey got some much-needed shut-eye in the snoozing dog pile.
Saturday morning everybody woke up fresh for the BIG DAY. I donned my beloved green gingham square-dancing dress. The last and most anticipated gig of the trip was before us, playing for thirty-thousand St. Louisians at the Parade!
TJ lead us to the front where all the Green Jackets (the parade committee members) had converged with their bags of beads, ready to walk and wave. The route was 1.2 miles down the center of town starting at Union Station heading directly toward the arch on a crisp morning.
At this point we were off the hook musically and sat down at the table with our hosts and committee members: TJ, Mark, their father Michael along with the rest of the Minden clan, including two very pregnant women. We were honorary Mindens for the night (our name tags said so.) In a lilting Irish accent, visiting dignitary, Paudie Coffey gave an eye-opening speech about contemporary Ireland and its flourishing culture worldwide. Then together we bowed our heads solemnly in prayer, but soon we were chuckling as the cheerful priest (the same who had been expertly dancing earlier) blessed the company with heart and humor.
We returned to the dogs and couches of the TJ’s basement to watch an epic Hollywood adventure in surround sound. Five minutes in, Casey got some much-needed shut-eye in the snoozing dog pile.
Saturday morning everybody woke up fresh for the BIG DAY. I donned my beloved green gingham square-dancing dress. The last and most anticipated gig of the trip was before us, playing for thirty-thousand St. Louisians at the Parade!
TJ lead us to the front where all the Green Jackets (the parade committee members) had converged with their bags of beads, ready to walk and wave. The route was 1.2 miles down the center of town starting at Union Station heading directly toward the arch on a crisp morning.
The booming canons fired, and we were off. August diplomatically handed out gleaming beads to all the eager spectators while we played and marched for the cheering crowds. A sea of faces smiled at us. It was groovy and went by in a blur, over before we knew it. We were herded into a VIP area where we could watch the rest of the parade. It was the longest parade I have ever witnessed, full of marching bands, adorable dogs, bag pipes, resounding black powder guns, dancers, baton twirlers, hot-rods, gigantic helium filled balloons, and my favorite the super-cool Girl’s Fife and Drum Club!
August & me It was such a lengthy parade the street vendors ran out of beer about half way through. Afterwards as the crowds were dispersing we strolled back up the now completely trashed parade route reliving the dream. It was a brief cakewalk during the excitement, but walking back, it was a surprisingly long hike to the car.
On the way home, a stop at local grocer Schnucks brought us face to face with Grocery Store Musicians! We were surprised and delighted to meet our compadres. At home we relaxed as TJ cooked. Then we ate ice cream, played cards, Yahtzee, darts, told and listened to stories. Later, in the basement, August and I watched a movie which again Casey slept through.
Next morning it was time to pack out and cruise to Oklahoma. Everyone hugged goodbye. On the way out of town we decided to grab some breakfast at a place we remembered from our last visit, the Southwest Diner. That place is soo good. Then we settled into the drive and arrived back late afternoon on the Ides of March, a day loaded with significance both good and bad for Casey and me. We reflected on all that had changed. Spring had arrived. It was a young and hopeful new year.
Recommended reading: St. Louis Fall Break Friendship Tour 2013
On the way home, a stop at local grocer Schnucks brought us face to face with Grocery Store Musicians! We were surprised and delighted to meet our compadres. At home we relaxed as TJ cooked. Then we ate ice cream, played cards, Yahtzee, darts, told and listened to stories. Later, in the basement, August and I watched a movie which again Casey slept through.
Next morning it was time to pack out and cruise to Oklahoma. Everyone hugged goodbye. On the way out of town we decided to grab some breakfast at a place we remembered from our last visit, the Southwest Diner. That place is soo good. Then we settled into the drive and arrived back late afternoon on the Ides of March, a day loaded with significance both good and bad for Casey and me. We reflected on all that had changed. Spring had arrived. It was a young and hopeful new year.
Recommended reading: St. Louis Fall Break Friendship Tour 2013
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