the metro | Since this issue’s ‘street’ date is April 1, you might have expected at least one of our items to be pulling your leg. I’m here to tell you, that’s not gonna happen. Because this piece is about 314 Day, aka Pi Day. Even though the 20th iteration of our town’s day to celebrate—314 Day—happened two weeks ago, we thought we’d bring you up to speed on the commemorative scene. I can’t remember what coffee shop I received the 314 Day sticker, but it adorned my former laptop for a few years, until it was recycled after I bought my new one. And I must admit, I haven’t bought a hat or anything else with 314 on it to broadcast my civic pride. But what to do with 636? We were a little late to the party, anyhow, because Chicago’s and Detroit’s area-code-pride days, 312 and 313, came one or two days earlier, according to my calendar. And folks down Georgia way celebrate their pride day on April 4. The area code there is 404. Denver, at 303, was earlier last month, Milwaukee (414) is April 14, and San Francisco, where Tony Bennett left his heart, comes April 15 (415). February 12 was the day for Harlem (212). Miami will be May 5 (505), but that’s not nearly as much fun as the day before that, which is near and dear to Luke Skywalker, C3PO and R2D2, but probably not to Obi-Wan Kenobi, who’d only say ‘May the Fourth be with you’ if he had a lisp. So, if you read this far, I’d say you are all April fools!
‘the crown district’
North Hampton is what the City of St. Louis somewhat unimaginatively has named the area north of Chippewa along South Kingshighway, but we’ll go with the name that Berto and Ivan Garcia of Garcia Properties lovingly refer to those city blocks that they’re revitalizing: ‘The Crown District.’ Since it’s home to their painstakingly renovated and reopened Uncle Bill’s Pancake House, they’re also largely responsible for several of the bright, new highlights that line the blocks on South Kingshighway north of Chippewa. I mean, who in the metro wouldn’t love their name for a bar and grill: the Golden Hoosier? We wrote a ‘Notable Neighbors’ feature on the Garcia brothers five years ago because we had to know, at least, whether that moniker was tongue-in-cheek. The Garcias carry the designation with pride! Neither would be comfortable wearing a crown, we surmise, but Ivan looked positively smashing in a snappy, wide-brimmed fedora at Uncle Bill’s soft opening the week before it finally reopened on March 16. No 24-hour service! You’ll have to go to the Courtesy Diner a few blocks north in the late-late night and early-early morning. Or a Waffle House or Denny’s. The new and improved Uncle Bill’s is open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., weekdays, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends. The floor in the dining area is no longer carpeted, where it looked like maple syrup was the only thing holding it together. It’s tile, easier to keep clean. The reprinted menu is said to look the same as it did 50 years ago, and all-time faves populate it for the most part. But there is a new Polish potato pancake, and whatever else comes to your table has been prepared in a completely renovated and updated kitchen. For evolving details on the renovation and reopening, visit unclebillsstl.com. Come early, come often.
the delmar loop
Could you imagine Disney’s magical boy, Aladdin, with a mohawk hairdo, wearing a kilt and combat boots? No? How about Belle from Beauty and the Beast in hi-top sneakers, a micro-miniskirt and shredded fishnets? Still a non-starter, huh. Both images provide a bit of cognitive dissonance, for dang sure. Well, imagine punk covers of the squeaky-clean music from those two classic animated films—as well as tunes from The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and more—loud and proud, minus the foul language and nihilism? Sounds like your whole family could enjoy either, or both, shows of ‘Can You Feel the Punk Tonight,’ on May 2 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Pageant concert hall in the Delmar Loop. This punk-rock celebration of Disney’s classic music will be reinterpreted by a band featuring members of Goldfinger, Ludo, Greek Fire, Cavo and others. Tickets for the all-ages show are on sale, with VIP experiences available, at The Pageant box office or Ticketmaster. The concert, presented by FM radio stations 105.7 The Point and 106.5 The ARCH, will feature a colorful, playful and splashy stage show. Fans can expect an interactive multi-media experience with special guests taking the stage, show-stopping surprises and more. You should expect anything from this punk show except bottles thrown at the stage by drunken fans. Anyhow, you know who you are: You either pestered your parents to put The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast in the VCR, again and again, or you were a long-suffering parent or older sibling who responded to all that whining. For the latest, follow on social media @themisfitmachine.