In all seriousness though, this style of Japanese dining, called nyataimori, isn't a gawk-fest or something new. It has been around in the States for a while, but rest assured, first-time Naked Sushi partygoers, you won't be alone, and you'll quickly adjust to this foreign art form. Tasteful sushi served tastefully proves to be both a mind- and mouth-opening experience -- and it makes for a good story. Oh, and DJ Gary Mac provides the soundtrack to your tale (no pun intended). Call 314-588-7070 for more information and to make reservations. -- Alison Sieloff
Photogenic England
Victorian snapshots
The art of photography is a relatively recent development (ha!), but it's still older than you might realize. Photographic pioneer Benjamin Brecknell Turner exhibited at the first photographic exhibition (in 1852), and his prints of rural Victorian English life still exist today. By comparison, our photos of the office Thanksgiving party are already misplaced, and they were on disc! The Saint Louis Art Museum in Forest Park (314-721-0072) displays Turner's work in the Cohen Gallery (Gallery 313) through February 6; do see it now, because some of these images haven't been on view since the nineteenth century -- the next time Turner gets a show in America, our Thanksgiving shots may be considered art as well (more than likely they'll just be State's Exhibit A, though). -- Paul Friswold
Dance Away, 1904
It was nice seeing you again (not!)
SAT 11/27
Finally, after eleven months of 1904 World's Fair hoopla and Lewis & Clark-analia, the hubbub is winding down. It's not that we didn't have a good time learning about the many foods, costumes, songs, amusements, millinery, fads and slang terms of the 1904 World's Fair; no, Mr. Night actually enjoyed the first 300 days with what could be best described as "clenched-jaw enthusiasm." At long last the teeth unlock, and his almost-forgotten idiot-grin returns, as the St. Louis Ragtime and Vintage Dance Society kick the World's Fair out of 2004 with the Farewell to the Fair Ball. Whee! From 8 to 11 p.m. at the Holmes Lounge on the Washington University campus (Forsyth and Skinker boulevards; 314-535-5515), you may dance the night away 1904-style (or in formal wear if you lack a petticoat) to the delicate strains of the Halcyon Light Orchestra. That means no doing the Monastery or Robot, but you can dust off your Lewis Limbo or your Clark Conga. Mr. Night will be leading the latter, ushering in 2005, which is the centennial of nothing! Whee! Tickets are $25 to $35. -- Paul Friswold
Block Party
The new Lego Millennium Falcon kit is impressive, but it's child's play compared to the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows nativity scene (442 South Demazenod Drive in Belleville, Illinois; 618-397-6700; open daily from 5 to 10 p.m.) . More than 1.5 million Lego blocks are used to create the scene, which includes a complete Bethlehem village and a six-foot-tall Gateway Arch. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. -- Paul Friswold
