Thursday, November 2
Ciné 16 Film Series: "Vintage Drug Films"
Mad Art Gallery, 2727 S. 12th St.
Free, 8 p.m., 314-771-8230, afasl@mac.com
Who doesn't love a good vintage drug film? Whether it's Sonny Bono in gold lamé (notice what happens to that word when you take away the accent mark) in "Marijuana" or former "Mission Impossible" star Greg Morris putting the "Focus on Uppers," you're bound to learn a lot from these strips from the St. Louis School District film archives. Now, will you learn the message the film's makers intended? That's hard to say. You might just want to smoke a lot of pot, since at least one of the films implies it's like a daily trip to Disneyland...UNTIL IT'S NOT!
(Posted by Amanda)
Friday, November 3
Film: "The Unholy Three"
Saint Louis Art Museum, One Fine Arts Dr. in Forest Park
$5, all ages, 7 p.m., 314-721-0072, www.slam.org
When a movie's described as a "bizarre tale of crime gone wrong," and then on top of that stars Lon Chaney, you pretty much have a can't-miss evening on your hands. Add to that live musical accompaniment (the flick itself is silent, having been made in 1925) by the New Music Circle, and it's the entertainment trifecta. So, in brief, a ventriloquist, a strong man and a midget walk away from their sideshow existence and into a pet store....
The rest you'll have to see (and hear) for yourself.
(Posted by Amanda)
Saturday, November 4
New Roots Urban Farm Harvest Party
1830 Hogan
Free, all ages, 4:30 p.m. activities/6 p.m. potluck, newrootscsa@riseup.net
We here at TheCommonspace heart food, and we heart local food most of all. (You should see our optimistically overpacked market bag after every visit to our neighborhood farmers' market...) That's one reason we have a special place in our online heart for those wild-eyed idealist urban farmers up at New Roots: well, that and the whole buoying the city with a blend of compassion and pragmatism thing. Anyway, after a long year of growing, harvesting and sharing, they're celebrating the 2006 season with a harvest party featuring coffee sack races, pumpkin painting, garlic planting (yes, Virginia, growth continues over the winter!), music, and bonfire and more. Make sure to bring something to share with your new friends if you're sticking around for potluck!
(Posted by Amanda)
Thursday, November 9
Film premiere: "Mr. Mayor: The Life and Times of A.J. Cervantes"
Moolah Theatre, 3821 Lindell
$25-$75, reservations required by Nov. 6, all ages, 7 p.m., 314-289-4153, www.cinemastlouis.org
Are you a St. Louis junkie? No, not the bad, drug-addled kind, but the obsessed-with-political-minutiae kind. If so, you probably already have a $75-level ticket to tonight's world premiere (that's the one that includes a reserved VIP seat on the Moolah's sweet leather couches and a schwag bag), but if not, there's probably still time to get in on the fun. This new feature-length film, produced by the former mayor's son himself, brings to the big screen the big life of A.J. Cervantes, mayor of STL from 1965-1973, whose imprint is still seen all over our fair city today. The film includes interviews with Thomas Eagleton, Richard Gephardt and Vince Schoemehl, and if that's not enough to get you juiced...every ticket includes an hour-long cocktail reception prior to the screening.
(Posted by Amanda)
Saturday, November 11
All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast, to benefit Confluence
Black Bear Bakery, 2639 Cherokee St.
$7-$10, all ages, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 314-771-8576, confluence@lists.indymedia.org
Chowin' down on deliciousness for a good cause, that's the kind of thing we like to hear about! First, if you've never been to the annual pancake fest, you're missing some of the most delicious cakes (whole grain, vegan and corncakes, with all kindsa fresh fruit toppings and real maple syrup, yum) in town; secondly, this is your chance to check out Black Bear's new location on Cherokee; and finally, your cash goes to support the local publication Confluence, focused on community, ecology, politics, social justice and anarchist principles.
Put *that* on your pancakes and eat it.
(Posted by Amanda)
Sunday, November 12
Arch Rival Roller Girls Bout
All American Sports Mall, 11133 Lindbergh Business Court
$10, all ages, 3 p.m. doors/4 p.m. bout, www.myspace.com/archrivalrollergirls
They slam, they jam, you cheer, you jeer: that's pretty much how it goes at a roller derby, and you can still get in on the action at today's final bout of the Arch Rival Roller Girls inaugural derby season here in the Lou. Thrill to the fast skatin', wince at the massive body-checks administered by the girls, and when all else fails...amuse yourself with the roster of delightful pseudonyms (Mayor Francis Slayer, Riddle Lynn, Grave Danger, Carrie-ocity Kills and so many more). How can you not love all that, tied in the pretty package of pink-and-black, the league's colors? This is the end of the first season, so come on down to get your "I was into it before the rest of you suckas even knew it existed" street cred.
(Posted by Amanda)
Sunday, November 19
Benefit Book Reading/Signing: "High Heels Are Murder," by Elaine Viets
Schlafly Bottleworks, 7260 Southwest
Free admission, 5-7 p.m., 314-241-BEER, www.schlafly.com
From my perspective, Elaine Viets is kinda like Santa Claus: the former hometowner reappears in the Lou once every year or two, and she can do no wrong. People are crazy for this woman! Good thing for the St. Vincent Home, as she's using her celebrity (and the occasion of the publication of her new mystery novel) for their good cause today, signing books from which a portion of the purchase price goes to support the kids there. Schlafly's kicking in from beer sales, so drink up; it can't hurt that Viets' heroine lives in Maplewood and loves one particular local brewpub...
(Posted by Amanda)
Saturday, November 25 & Sunday, November 26
Rock N Roll Craft Show
Mad Art Gallery, 2727 S. 12th St.
Free admission, all ages, noon-9 p.m. Sat./noon-6 p.m. Su., 314-537-5176, heather@rocknrollcraftshow.com
It's a testament to their wild ride of success (this is only its third iteration) that we barely need to throw our endorsement behind the very excellent Rock N Roll Craft Show...but just because "everyone" says they support something, we know that's not always so, so consider this your friendly reminder to get out there and rock the holiday shopping season! Don't settle for mass-produced crap from Urban Outfitters or wherever the ironic kids are shopping today: instead, fill their stockings, Chrismukkah baksets or Holiday Container of Choice with groovy goods from local artisans, from hats to furniture, onesies to zines, at this year's RRCS. Bands, yummy snacks and even crafting workshops round out the experience.
(Posted by Amanda)
Sunday, November 26
Cranksgiving Bicycle Ride
Bicycle Works, 4102 Shenandoah
$10-$15 purchase, all ages, 1 p.m., wfosterc@aol.com
Now, it sounds like what happens when Uncle Terry's had a little too much time with his friend Johnnie Walker Red, but in fact, Cranksgiving is a chance to pedal off some of that Thanksgiving Tofurky and do a good deed at the same time. Based on a successful event in NYC, the STL version will start you out with your bike and a shopping list of food items to be procured from particular stores along the route. It's a food bank-stocking scavenger ride, and the riders who make it back to the starting point with the right stuff from the right stores will get entered into a raffle for fabulous prizes. The truly hardy can then caravan by bike to donate the food to a local pantry.
(Posted by Amanda)
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