Nicholas Phillips

Changes at Daily RFT

Just an FYI to our regular readers. Today is Nicholas Phillips last day manning the Riverfront Times news blog. But don't despair. Phillips still plans to write for us on occasion until he leaves St. Louis this spring to pursue a career as a freelance writer in Latin America. You read that right. ... More >>

Serial Arson in Benton Park?

Captain Dan Sutter of the city fire department confirms to Daily RFT that yes, there have been three structure fires on the 3300 block of Missouri in Benton Park since December 15. Two occurred last Friday; in the later one, someone set a couch on fire inside an abandoned house, according to a poli ... More >>

[PHOTOS] Kirkwood is THE Halloweeniest Neighborhood in St. Louis

Kirkwood reeeeeally got into the "spirit" last night! Get it? Give me candy. All of these pics were taken within a half mile radius of the intersection of E. Bodley Lane and N. Woodlawn Avenue in Kirkwood. With two different streets blocked off, homeowners huddled expectantly around fire pits for th ... More >>

[PHOTOS] Storm Damage in South St. Louis

O, what nature hath wrought! I came upon this tree about 25 minutes after the thunderstorm knocked it across Cherokee Street, two blocks east of Gravois Avenue.

[PHOTOS & VIDEO] Mexican Independence Day on Cherokee Street

Over the weekend, our Mexican hermanos and hermanas in St. Louis celebrated the anniversary of their fatherland's fight for freedom from Spain. Daily RFT was there on Cherokee Street to take pics and a video (and shamefully large mouthfuls of food).  

Check Out the Stylin' New Fixtures on the Grand Bridge

At 6:45 am this morning, there were still some hard-hats working on the median of the newly-opened Grand Boulevard bridge, and cones still line the pavement. But for the last 10 days or so, cars have been zooming across once again, and -- to be honest -- this thing it's pretty cool-looking. Take a p ... More >>

National Association of Black Journalists Recognizes RFT

The National Association of Black Journalists recently announced the winners of its 2012 media awards, with Riverfront Times earning recognition for its investigative, feature and sports reporting.Former RFT staffer John H. Tucker won "Best News Feature" for his story "Knockout King" about the stree ... More >>

New Street-Art Mural on Cherokee: Can it Last?

For years, the drab exterior of 3124 Cherokee St. has hidden a metamorphosis inside: What was once a German banquet hall and then a Mexican eatery is now known as El Leñador, a punk-hipster cave where you can check out bands and guzzle $1 Stag cans on Wednesday nights. But now the cool kids' secret ... More >>

Protestors Tag Downtown Banks, Get Cuffed

Around ten people were arrested downtown late last night after tagging some banks and scuffling with cops and civilians. (Daily RFT happened to be a couple blocks away when the melee erupted. At about 10:40 p.m., the Cardinals game had just ended when white city police cars from all directions start ... More >>

Bishop Martin Sigillito Found Guilty in Ponzi Scheme

Martin Sigillito, the American Anglican Bishop and lawyer who was accused of being at the center of a massive real estate Ponzi scheme that fleeced the wealthy and the working class alike here in St. Louis, was found guilty this morning on 20 counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering and co ... More >>

Loop Parking Lot Meters Get Yarnbombed

This is a Daily RFT exclusive. The parking meters in the parking lot of the Tivioli have been "yarnbombed" again (see previous incident here). This time the suspect wrapped fuzzy monster feet around the base of all the meters. No injuries reported except to the self-esteem of this staff writer. Phot ... More >>

Rush Limbaugh and Ashton Kutcher have their defenders, the archdiocese does not

Readers have no sympathy for "Knockout King" Elex Murphy, Brandt's Cafe or Reggie Allen

Readers question whether anarchists are right to target Cherokee Street and whether prairie chickens are worth it

Comment of the Day: True Anarchists Target Govt -- Not Small Business

Today's comment of the day comes in response to Nicholas Phillips' scoop about anarchists targeting small businesses on Cherokee Street, tagging their walls and disabling security cameras.The post has inspired a raging (and quite interesting) debate, with this recent comment from reader "Libertarian ... More >>

Chef Kris Janik vs. The Possum: Lessons Learned About Urban Chicken Raising

Photo by Nicholas PhillipsChef holding his Partridge Rock hen​Kristopher Janik, executive chef at Robust Wine Bar & Cafe in Webster Groves, has been raising chickens as a hobby in his South City backyard for the past year.  The man loves his birds. But he's not the only one. Gut Check: Wh ... More >>

Readers talk shit about our headline and the Schapiro Group study — but couldn't care less about Ian's oyster issues

Top 3 Pet Peeves of a U. City Sandwich Maker

Photo by Nicholas PhillipsI sure could get you a to-go bag, but they're RIGHT in front of you!​In this series, food and drink professionals dish to Gut Check about their pet peeves anonymously -- but honestly.Gut Check Code Name:  Hot BunsPosition: Deli sandwich makerPet Peeve #1Hot Buns: "I ... More >>

Tip on the Real Total, Not the Discounted Total, Ya Jerk!

Photo by Nicholas PhillipsMadame Mystery sez "Groupon schmoupon, show me the $$$"​In this series, food and drink professionals dish to Gut Check about their pet peeves -- anonymously, but honestly.Gut Check Code Name: Madame MysteryPosition: Manager, casual fine dining restaurant in South St. Lou ... More >>

Icy Road Report, South City: You Can Chill the Eff Out (For Now)

Photo by Nicholas PhillipsNot that bad in South City...yet.​Your Daily RFT correspondent, who tools around in a four-door sedan with bald tires, just got back from testing the roads in South City. Here's the deal: Even if you drive aggressively and slam on the brakes, you only skid for about 3 - 5 ... More >>

Sledding Conditions on Art Hill: KICKASS!!!

Photo by Nicholas PhillipsMark Aaron, Julie Wheat, and Ryan Freeman rockin' the snow day. ​The campfire is a-cracklin' on the top of Art Hill right now, and according to the three lone sledders during the morning rush hour, the snow is fine, powdery and dry. That means: Snowboards and boogie board ... More >>

Human-Flavored Snack from India Now Available on South Grand

Soylent Green, or just bad translation? The folks at Jay International Food Co. on South Grand are now offering this:Photo by Nicholas Phillips​This particular brand of chivda, by the way, is a crunchy, savory snack comprised of potato, rice, peanut and spices. And hopefully not orphans or prisone ... More >>

Christmas Creep Creeps Into the Loop

These went up over the weekend, i.e, in the first half of November. Bah!Photo by Nicholas PhillipsHumbug!​

Fight Club Sandwich: Mom's Deli vs. LeGrand's Market. South City Deli Duel. BRING IT.

​Deli loyalty in South City is no trivial matter. Which is better, Mom's (4412 Jamieson) or LeGrand's (4414 Donovan)? Debates are fierce. Feelings can get hurt. The always-impartial Gut Check will now preside over a deli duel between these two venues based on a apples-to-apples comparison: The Mom ... More >>

Globe Drugs - a Cherokee Street Mainstay and Panhandler Magnet - Shuts Down After 71 Years

Photo by Nicholas PhillipsThe sun sets on Globe Drugs​When Cherokee Street was bustling with department stores at mid-century, Globe Drugs was there. When the neighborhood went on the skids in the 80s and 90s and many merchants jumped ship, Globe Drugs stuck it out. Now, just as the district has b ... More >>

Readers speak up for Cecilia Velazquez, Glenn Beck, the Beautiful Kind and other controversial figures

How To Get 1,000 Free Sheets of Printer Paper: Request Someone's File From U.S. Immigration

Photo by Nicholas PhillipsFive inches of blank pages! Thanks, federal government!​As part of some routine fact-checking for our current cover story on local Hispanic publisher Cecilia Velazquez, RFT requested her file from U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS).And what a response we got! N ... More >>

Where are YOU watching the State of the Union?

Several dozen people, including Fox 2 News and Jo Mannies of The Beacon, have come to the Democratic Organizing for America office at 3407 California Ave. to gawk: Photo by Nicholas Phillips​No sign of Tea Party protesters....yet.

Spotted on Cherokee Street: Child Mannequin in Storefront Succumbs to Machismo Culture

Saw this near the corner of California Ave. and Cherokee. I'm not quite sure what else to say.Other than: INCREDIBLE.Photo by Nicholas PhillipsOle!​

"I was a witness to 20 murders. I dug ten holes. I had to dig one up." Goodfella Henry Hill Talks

Photo by Nicholas Phillips​One day after his arrest for disorderly conduct in Fairview Heights, Illinois, former wiseguy Henry Hill, whose life story inspired the film Goodfellas, agreed to sit down and chat with the Daily RFT. Daily RFT: What did Goodfellas get right?Henry Hill: Ninety-five perce ... More >>

Now Open: Foam

Nicholas PhillipsFoam's front room​As my stalwart colleague Nick Phillips noted a few weeks ago, Foam -- the long-awaited coffeeshop/bar on the corner of Cherokee and Jefferson -- is now open for business. I dropped by on Saturday night and was really impressed by the vibe and atmosphere at th ... More >>

Drink of the Week: Latte, Foam Coffee and Beer

Nicholas Phillips​The word "foam" connotes something insubstantial, ephemeral. It conjures up images of once-trendy foam parties at neon-lit nightclubs and poufs of carrot foam on top of elaborate plates at very fancy restaurants. This Foam, a new coffeehouse at Jefferson Avenue and Cherokee Stre ... More >>

FoodWire: Foam Now Open

​After two years of anticipation, Foam Coffee & Beer at 3359 Jefferson Avenue has finally opened its doors! For the most part. Owner Mike Glodeck says he's already secured his city liquor license but is still waiting on the state's imprimatur. (When this gets going, it'll be the only bar on C ... More >>

Review: Ice Kitchen

Stew Smith​My review of Ice Kitchen is now available online. Ice Kitchen is located at 302 Westport Plaza, next-door to Casa Gallardo and across the pedestrian walkway from Trainwreck Saloon. It has a MySpace page, but no official website that I could find. No slideshow this week.The feature story ... More >>

Top Ten Raw Foods That Surprisingly Can Sustain You

ViaYes, you can eat the leaves of a dandelion.​This week's feature story, "Weed Eaters," looks at the the raw-food movement sprouting in St. Louis, and those who chose to go completely raw, living on nothing but what most people might consider weeds good for pulling -- but certainly not for eating ... More >>

Gold digging, meat Match-ing and Obama's pants

Foul-Stinking Flower Blooms at UMSL!!

Photo by Nicholas PhillipsA sort-of bloomingThe corpse flower at UMSL hath bloomed!!! (Well, it opened up slightly.)But the Daily RFT can assure you: on Sunday, it did smell like a rotting corpse. And it did remind us of death. I.e., your death. My death. The death that awaits each of us, always. Bu ... More >>

Shots Ring Out on Cherokee: Part I

Editor's note: the author happened to be present when this incident occurred. St. Louis Metropolitan Police DepartmentLedarius D. Williams, 17The two shots cracked open the Sunday air just after 12:30 p.m. Within seconds, squad cars were funnelling in, 17-year-old Ledarius D. Williams lay face-down ... More >>

"F--k the Police": Shots Ring Out on Cherokee, Part II

Photo by Nicholas PhillipsWilliams, handcuffed to a stretcherOn Sunday, after 17-year-old Ledarius Williams turned his gun on police - who then shot him in the knee -- at the corner of Cherokee Street and Texas Avenue, one responding officer told a resident that every cop in St. Louis knew of the 17 ... More >>

Rockin' People's Faces Too Hard? Get Help from Judge Nothing's Drummer!

BY NICHOLAS PHILLIPS1) Ever wake up drenched with vomit, in a trashed hotel suite, spooning a prostitute? 2) Suffering from aches and pains associated with guitar solo splits; bar fights; jail hangovers; and/or coke orgies?3) Has sunlight become an abstraction?4) Do you play the guitar?www.rosewoodc ... More >>

Who's Snaggin' Catfish within City Limits?

Last evening, about a dozen fishermen had their lines thrown out into the freshly-stocked Fairgrounds Park Lake. Here's a profile of one urban outdoorsman:Photo by Nicholas PhillipsHe's gonna be tasty...Name/age/profession: Mike Webb, 47, butcher at Shop 'n' SaveLicense? Yes (see photo after the jum ... More >>

MOBOT Selling Off Surplus Plants -- To You

Photo by Nicholas PhillipsBeware the swarm!Until 4 p.m. today, you've got a chance to witness one of Nature's great mysteries: as the Missouri Botanical Garden liquidates this season's surplus plants, older white ladies with short hair have converged like a swarm of ravenous locusts. On offer at 434 ... More >>

Need Fake Nikes? Try Someplace Else.

Photo by Nicholas PhillipsFrango's shop at 2623 Cherokee St.Life is never dull on Cherokee Street. In case you ain't heard: The owner of West African Art -- a clothing shop on Cherokee and Texas Avenue -- was taken in by the feds this week after being indicted for hawking counterfeit goods. (FYI: Th ... More >>

This week in RFT, April 30-May 6

Every year, thousands of Americans are suckered out of hundreds of thousands of dollars by a burgeoning number of West African e-mail hucksters. Law enforcement agencies have done little or nothing to track down these far-flung perpetrators. Enter Paul Kinsella of New Athens, Illinois. In ... More >>

Question: What does Spring Put YOU in the Mood For?

Photo by Nicholas Phillips Jerome Wade, native St. Louisan"Spring is a companion. It's like a friend. Springtime is a time for growing, re-rooting, re-sprouting."Photo by Nicholas PhillipsMaggie Karges, SLU student"Cookouts. Anything on the grill."Photo by Nicholas PhillipsTom Schmidt, owner of Fran ... More >>

Cherokee Street at Texas Avenue: A Lot of Contention

On any other empty lot, the delivery last Friday of a heap of compost and pile of mulch would equal one robust mound of "who gives a doodle." Not the case at the southeast corner of Cherokee Street and Texas Avenue, where some are clamoring for a community garden but haven't gotten the nod from the ... More >>

This Week's RFT, March 19-25

It's Thursday. And you know what that means? You guessed it -- this week's Riverfront Times is on newsstands now. Below is a quick rundown of just a few of the stories you won't want to miss. In the "News Dept." writer Nicholas Phillips explains why some rival agencies complain that casting com ... More >>

Mardi Gras Inc. Spokesman Decries Riverfront Times "Hatchet Job"

On February 13 we posted a short piece by our new Editorial Fellow Nicholas Phillips, about Mardi Gras Inc. and its list of fine-able offenses by participants in the annual Soulard Mardi Gras parade.Above is an excerpt from the Mardis Gras Inc. parade application.After the jump is an e-mail Phillips ... More >>