Adam Cruz

Adam was born in Miami, but has lived in St. Louis for 18 of the 20 years of his life, attending Saint Louis University High School and a current student at Saint Louis University. He is a triple major, studying English, Psychology, and Education, hoping to teach high school English and coach football but seemingly destined for unemployment. Adam’s writing will probably center around how he wraps his twenty year old college mind around the things he does—coaching freshman football at SLUH, working a desk job 15 hours a week, joining a boxing gym on a lost bet, and avidly attending every St. Louis Rams home game for the last 7 years (please, withhold laughter and sarcastic comments).

Amy Ross

When it comes to being "St. Louis born and bred," I have that trait under control. My name is Amy Ross and I am a junior at the University of Missouri—Columbia. I have lived in Webster, Manchester, Des Peres, and Kirkwood in my twenty short years so I pretty much have my bases covered when it comes to St. Louis living. I enjoy a post Cardinals game ice cream from Ted Drewes, concerts at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, and driving my six younger siblings to and from their countless sporting events (it adds up—trust me). But now the time has come for me to return to Columbia, Missouri, my home away from home located two hours west down I-70. While at Mizzou, I enjoy actively participating in my sorority Gamma Phi Beta, taking journalism classes that never cease to interest me (seriously, I tweet for grades), cheering on my Tigers from the stands of Faurot Field, and answering the constant question of where did I go to high school (Nerinx Hall—in case you were wondering fellow St. Louis natives). I aspire to create the commercials for the Olympics and to raise a family of my own in St. Louis because I honestly believe there is no better place to be.

Amy Wall

Amy Wall is an Omaha, Nebraska native who made St. Louis home a few years ago when she started school at Saint Louis University.  She now has a degree in the arts and a four-year stint as part of the booking team for SLU’s on-campus music venue, the Billiken Club, under her belt.  Currently she brings home her bacon by waiting tables at The Fountain on Locust.  She believes in the goodness of music, art, and generous tippers.

Beatle Bob

If you've been anywhere that’s anywhere there's live music in St. Louis, you've seen Beatle Bob near the stage dancing and seemingly enjoying the music more than one should be allowed. In fact, some say the show didn't happen if Beatle Bob wasn't there.  And now Bob (Robert Matonis) is here on OnStL to share his local music knowledge with us.

Brad Reinhardt

Brad was born and raised in St. Louis. Spent his developmental years at St. Bernadette in South County & Vianney... Which explains a lot. Went to McKendree University where he meet his beautiful wife Jodi. Three kids and two houses later they're still happy living in glorious Belleville. Brad has been in the logistics business for over 20 years, starting at Seymour Truck lines and is  currently President at Giltner – St. Louis.

Brad started this Networking Employment bulletin in 2006. The first bulletin went out to 35 people and has grown to well over 4,000. It’s a true grass roots effort. It's a totally free service and all industries are welcome. The rules are simple: just send Brad your networking events, job openings, résumé and/or email address to be added to the bulletin. If you send a résumé please include a short paragraph describing what type of job you're looking for. Since it is a free service you have to put up with his bad grammar, worse spelling and poor attempts at humor.

Contact Brad at 618-310-0017(w), 618-806-4411(m) or breinhardt@giltner.com with any questions. Also, visit www.giltner.com.

Heather-Dawn Mitchell

Heather-Dawn MItchell is a super enthusiastic Yoga practitioner here in St. Louis, and a Certified Yoga teacher.  She says “I have integrated many of the disciplines in my everyday life, it's a HUGE part of me, and I am pretty active in the yoga community, on the other side of the coin I seek and enjoy the companionship of others, I am friendly, outgoing, highly sociable, a big part of a fashionable society, I love social gathers/fabulous parties.” Yes, she talks like that.  Heather-Dawn has many affiliations in the art world and the music world, and will share those worlds with us here on OnStL.

Ron Stevens

Many in St. Louis may remember Ron from the formative years of KSHE 95 in the 70's. Ron went  on to write for television in Los Angeles with his wife, Joy Grdnic. They also hosted several radio shows in Los Angeles and New York before returning to St. Louis in 1996 to raise their children and run their national radio syndication company, All Star Radio Networks. They also own The Fountain on Locust, which Joy created. Through the years, Ron has always considered St. Louis his home.

Sierra Hancock

Sierra Hancock is a true "Nashvillian" been there for all 18 years of her life and is fresh to the St. Louis scene. She attended Nashville School of the arts where she specialized in dance, vocal performance, piano, and musical theatre. However, due to her love for writing she decided to give journalism a shot by attending Webster University as a journalism major. She is ecstatic to be with the Onstl team and to "Act Like a Tourist." Disclaimer: She does not like moon pies and does not own any cowgirl boots.

Autumn Rinaldi

Autumn is a 31-year-old St. Louis native! Because she was homeschooled, Autumn has sadly never been able to participate when anyone asks the inevitable question: "Where did you go to high school?" Despite this impairment, she received degrees in Music (Voice) and Art at Lindenwood University, and has been a freelance photojournalist for several years. Autumn likes to blend aspects of art decor and fashion photography with journalism, and she loves to play with every imaginable style of creativity, photographing events such as, The Kevin Kline Awards, The St. Louis RAMS, Alive Magazine, and various boutiques and venues. For the last few years, she's also decided to tackle the writing profession, armed with a lot more wisdom and enjoyment than what her years of formal education left her!

Since 2009, Autumn has written three novels, two novellas and has been concentrating on short stories about ordinary people in situations out of their element. One of her shorts was recently published in the July edition of Bareback Literary Magazine, and she'll soon have a new work in The Rusty Nail Magazine. Although some people might describe this as unhealthily unfocused, she'd much rather be labeled as unhealthily curious.

Kate Essig

My name is Kate Essig. I’m a Saint Louis University student learning how to navigate my twenties while driving my mom’s old minivan. It’s a seven-seat, soda-stained wonder that my dad calls the “shaggin-wagon” and I call an embarassment. But it’s okay, because I truly believe that having a car that you can also take a nap in is one of the greatest gifts a mother can give her child. The gift of life takes a close second, though.

I’ve lived in Saint Louis for nineteen and a half years so I’m just barely not an STL native. I spent my childhood in the suburbs of Saint Louis, growing up at an all-girls school and developing a fierce loyalty to Lion’s Choice dip-cones and bacon Imo’s pizza. Now, I study English, Theatre, and Writing, so I’m gearing up for a career with passion! And hopefully employment. I like doing Zumba, taking myself to movies, baking way too many brownies, and talking to strangers. Most of all though? I like getting lost. Growing up in the suburbs, anything beyond the Galleria was foreign to me. I’m still discovering what it means to live in the city of Saint Louis. I’m still finding new places to explore, new people to meet, and, maybe most importantly, new food trucks to sample. Care to join me on this journey? You can sit shotgun.

(If not though, I have five other seats you can choose from. I told you my minivan comes in handy.) 

Katharina Fresta Modica

My name is Katharina Fresta-Modica and I will be sharing anything and everything Italian in St. Louis with my readers. Ok, you got me, my stage name is Katharina (aka Kathi) and of course when I travel to Italy and other parts of Europe. Yes, I know I am not on stage but I sort of feel that way getting involved with this fun and wacky web-site.

The closest I got to a journalism school was when I worked at my father’s Italian restaurant in Columbia, Missouri which was located on 9th Street across from the “J” school! So, my writing credentials are highlighted by a “B” that I received on a college essay.

A little bit about me and my life. The infamous question in St. Louis is “Where did you go to high school?” I went to Columbia Hickman High School in Columbia, Missouri.

I met my husband Roberto (aka Bob, graduate of Desmet) while I was in college and we now reside in Kirkwood.

I am a great grandchild of Italian immigrants on my father’s side of the family. I never knew my great grandparents but wanted to feel connected to my ancestors, so I moved to St. Louis to attend college and be near my grandmother, Eleanora Fresta Modica and other relatives.

Some of the subjects I will be covering:

1. Italian cuisine of any kind!
2. Anything about the Hill!
3. Why did Italians settle on “The Hill?”
4. Featured Italians and businesses!
5. The word of the week!
6. Anything Italian calendar!
7. Our famous Italian sports heroes!

In closing, I hope you enjoy this adventure with me exploring anything and everything Italian in St. Louis!

The Best Bet: Adam and Ryan

The first time Adam met Ryan, he thought Ryan was a real jerk.  Adam was with a group of friends in the Loop, when Ryan entered the social circle along with a common friend of theirs.  Adam commented on Ryan’s attire, which was very similar to his own.  Ryan, overwhelmed by the number of strangers and distracted by trying to decide on a beer and burger choice, made no real notice of the comment.  After several more chance meetings, Adam and Ryan began to discuss their mutual loves of punk rock, movies, and donuts.  They had their first “man date” at Ryan’s apartment, at the time located in lovely Benton Park.  For two years, their friendship grew by their sharing of laughter and emotions.  During the third year, while Ryan lived in Chicago, the two began discussing a creative endeavor that could help strengthen the city Ryan missed so dearly.  Ryan told Adam, “If we are going to do this web series, we should try to make it an outlet for local businesses and artists and other crazy people who want to do something fun.”  Now, the two men want to share with all of St. Louis, their beloved hometown, the same laughter and emotions that made such a beautiful friendship possible.

Tom Stockman

Tom Stockman is a St. Louis native who’s been obsessed with movies as long as he can recall. Tom is Creative Editor at We Are Movie Geeks (www.wearemoviegeeks.com), St. Louis’ premiere movie news and review site and also writes about movies for The St. Louis Globe Democrat nostalgia newspaper. Tom is the host and programmer of Super-8 Movie Madness the first Tuesday of every month at The Way Out Club which is, we’re pretty sure, this country’s only monthly festival of movies screened in condensed form in the super-8 sound film format, a long dead medium Tom is desperately trying to bring back to life. Tom hosts the Reel Late Midnight Movie series at the Tivoli where he asks movie trivia and hands out cool movie swag. In 2011 Tom was the Event Director of Vincentennial, the Vincent Price 100^th Birthday Celebration, a Cinema St. Louis event featuring film fests, publications, lectures, stage productions, and exhibits all honoring the great horror actor and St. Louis native. For his efforts as the driving force behind Vincentennial, Tom was awarded the coveted Rondo Award for Monster Kid of the Year. But it’s Charles Bronson, not Vincent Price, who is Tom’s all-time favorite movie star and Tom is already in the early planning stages of Bronsontennial for 2021!

3oNe3

3oNe3 is a pop/hip hop group consisting of two members and a DJ. Members include Flexy (Joshua Teasley) and Bitsy (Elizabeth Hebson).

Joshua Teasley, better known by his stage name Flexy, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and dancer from Saint Louis, Missouri by way of Oakland, California. He first gained attention traveling regionally with his Pop / Hip Hop group, 3oNe3, hitting 11 cities including a breakthrough performance in Panama City Beach during his spring break in 2011.

A college student enrolled at The University of Missouri, Flexy prioritizes his time accordingly. Focused on his music career, he's constantly in the studio and on the road touring while trying to balance the professors, women, Greek life and all the things that come with being a college kid.

Flexy started off making sorority songs with the most popular ones being for Gamma Phi Beta and Pi Beta Pi so the name 3one3 originated from the room that Flexy occupied during pledge-ship, but he got his stage name during high school from his friends.

3one3 is also occasionally accompanied by Bitsy who is a vocalist in her own respect and an amazing guitarist. The two met in high school but didn't collaborate until college.

This group has been booked for shows with Timeflies, Hoodie Allen, G-Eazy, Mike Stud, Huey Mack, Chingy, Marty B, and more.

You can connect with them here:

Twitter: @flexy3one3

Facebook: www.facebook.com/3one3music

Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/3one3miz

website: 3one3.bandpage.com

Chris Clark

As a lifelong St. Louisan, Chris is very proud of his place in the St. Louis arts scene. He graduated from St. Louis University High School in 1979 and with honors from Webster University in 1985. Drawing upon his background in film studies, mass media, and public-event coordination, he has been an intergral part of many important changes to the growth and artistic directions of the St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF) and the growing number of annual film-related events produced by CSL, including the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase and an LGBT film festival called QFest. This is a dream job for Chris and he plans to keep it indefinitely by living forever. So far, so good. In June of 2011 however he was diagnosed with Stage 1E Mantle Cell Lymphoma in his throat and has been fighting the good fight against cancer ever since. While not completely done with chemotherapy treatments until July of 2013, his current good health is attributed to fierce determination, a relatively healthy lifestyle, swimming almost every day, and flinging himself headlong into the local stand up comedy scene, which had been a dream since childhood. Comedy is the best medicine after all. Chris regularly performs his scathing comedy routines several nights a week at a number of venues around the St. Louis area. He and his partner of eight years, Adrain, plus two spoiled and feisty dogs, Saki and Dahlia, live happily in Maplewood, MO. They will be married in October, 2013.

Colyn Gremaud

When not hiding behind bookcases or under stairs, Colyn Gremaud occasionally emerges to microwave pizza rolls, blog about music and write Hunter S. Thompson fanfiction.  You can follow him on twitter (@flipconstantine) if you think the instructions on the back of shampoo bottles are high literature.  He is still mad about the Norman Conquest.

Corle 2 Da

John Neiman

It may seem strange for John Neiman to write about St. Louis. After all, he hasn't lived in the area since 1984. But it has been over ten years since John started a crazed obsession with a radio station. An obsession that led him to cross paths with dozens of current and former employees of KSHE, along with assorted fans, groupies, concert promoters, record reps, rock stars and a few crazed rock fans like himself. All of this effort turned into a massive coffee table  book titled "In Concert: KSHE and 40+ Years of Rock in St. Louis." For many of us, KSHE once was, or still is a part of our lives as much as spending time with an old friend.  

John is married to Kim, has two children and lives in a suburb of Chicago. Here he will give you a glimpse of what it was like to put together this book, along with stories from some of the folks that liken KSHE to home. 

Joy Grdnic

Joy has been known to St Louis from the age of 17 when she became the youngest female on-air radio personality in the country as KSHE's "Joy in the Morning." Now, more surprised than anyone that she is no longer 17, Joy brings her take to the little things in life we all experience here in St. Louis to ONSTL.com with her video segment dubbed "What's Joy Thinking?" Joy maintains she may not be right, but she knows what she's talking about. Joy also can be found at The Fountain on Locust, the restaurant she created for St. Louis in Midtown.

Katie Evitts

The Katie of Let Katie Do It is a random do-er of things or a do-er of random things depending on the level of randomness and things to do.  In the past she rode in the back of an Army supply truck dressed as a duck, coordinated seven theatrical premieres in seven different cities all going on in one night and her photographs were on display in the STLArtists.com Art and Architecture show held at the City Museum. .  Katie graduated from Belleville West and Southwestern Illinois College with an Associate of Arts which has served her well in identifying stuff as "art".  As the Member at Large for the Benton Park Neighborhood Association if you see her outside of the neighborhood please return her at once to the boundaries of Benton Park.

Madison Thorn

"Born a photographer, raised as a musician." When I was growing up, my favorite part of the holidays were the jam sessions. Our musician friends would get together for an evening and would just sit around and play music well into the night; they became  part of my family. This is where I developed my love for live music. Combine that with my Mother and Grandmother both being talented photographers, and a music photography career just makes a whole lot of sense. My "music family" has grown enormously over the years and it speaks for why I'm incredibly passionate about our city. You really don't need to look any farther than your own backyard for quality music and people. All in all, I can't imagine doing anything else, anywhere else. Capturing musicians is my "soulshine"- it's just simple bliss.

Mark Groth

Born in Kentucky, Mark grew up in Belleville, Ill. He moved to St. Louis in 1994 and has lived in a number of city neighborhoods, including: Dutchtown, Soulard, North Hampton, Holly Hills and Boulevard Height. Mark now lives with his wife and three children in the Fox Park neighborhood and his children attend Kennard Classical Junior Academy. When he's not pursuing his mission to explore and photograph each of the city's 79 neighborhoods, Mark's exploring his other interests, which include: gentrification, biotech, agriculture, urban gardening, indie music, fatherhood, marriage, beer, European bread making and coffee. Mark is the author of the St. Louis City Talk blog and can be found onTwitter and Facebook.

Meg Buckley

Meg, a life long St. Louisan, spent the first six years of her life in South City, and experienced a childhood filled with fish fries, parish picnics, and CYC sports. She was relocated to a house next to the West County Mall, primarily because it had more bathrooms to accommodate a growing number of sisters. In a family of five women, multiple bathrooms are a necessity. She is a proud graduate of Cor Jesu Academy and is currently a freshman studying English at Saint Louis University. An asthmatic runner and hiker, she spends many hours wheezing along St. Louis’ many trails, trying not to think about a career. 

Mike Roth

My first video project was for an assignment in Latin class my Junior year of high school. It sparked an interest in me to visually express myself, which I carried over into my collegiate career. At the University of Tulsa, I founded a film club to bring together talented individuals from a variety of trained and non-trained backgrounds to write, direct, and act in student-led videos. Post college, I have continued producing shorts and documentaries, with several showing in the Saint Louis Filmmakers Showcase as well as the Saint Louis International Film Festival. In December of 2011, I decided to work intimately with the hip-hop music scene in Saint Louis to create music videos that would highlight each artist in ways that would challenge conventional thinking on what a hip-hop music video could and should be. I continue to collaborate with Saint Louis artists in the hip-hop scene to promote and show the creativity of the city, and my blog serves as a source of local hip-hop news for others to discover new music, new videos, and new perspectives.

Rik Anthony

Rik’s love for radio began when he as 12, growing up near Chicago. He followed his dream first by becoming a DJ for American Forces Radio in 1978 with the United States Air Force.  Rik's radio career has spanned several markets including Cincinnati, Denver, Sacramento and even Guam before settling here in St. Louis in 1995.  When he’s not playing the role of Senior Producer here at OnSTL, you can hear him many evenings and every weekend at 92.3 WIL-FM.  Besides radio, Rik’s other passions include flying a plane, listening to music, going to the movies and being with his wife of 34 years. He has two grown children Shauna and Brad.   

Tyrus Watson

Mark Whitehead

Born and raised in Granite City, Illinois to a steel worker and a stay at home mother, Mark still lives in his home town. He graduated Granite City High School -South in 1979 and shortly after married his high school sweetheart Mary Earney. Mark and Mary have two grown children and three grandchildren. They are still married and still very much in love. Diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2008, Mark retired from his long career as a structural draftsman and started Single Rose Studio, LLC. Still in the development stage, Single Rose will provide support facilities for artists of all ages and styles. Mark spends most of his time in business development, or writing and recording demos of his new songs he hopes will be played by St. Louis musicians. 

Tara Daniels

Tara L. Daniels was born and raised in St. Louis. As a child, she would constantly tell stories, draw, and write. Though her interests have always aligned with the arts, at first, she did not consider them a career track. During her first time in college, she graduated with a degree in Information Technology with a minor in Art from the University of Missouri-Columbia. During that time and afterward, she worked in film and television pre-production, helping others chase their creative dreams. After graduating, she worked in the corporate world for several years. However, after teaching a class about employable skills, she realized her passion was teaching. Now, she is pursuing her second degree in Art Education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and rediscovering her loves for painting, sewing, and, of course, writing.

Chelsey Brooks

You know that person who says things she probably shouldn’t even be thinking, will start a conversation with anyone, and will do just about anything for a laugh? Well, imagine that person with an East Coast accent and about 3 Five Hour Energy Drinks in her system. Nice to meet you, I’m Chelsey Leader Brooks.

I spent the greater part of my 25 years on earth on the East Coast, specifically New York, Connecticut and Boston. After bopping around the country a little after I graduated from Boston University, I landed in St. Louis. So that answers your first question: no, you will not know what high school I went to, and which high school you went to means nothing to me.

I’m starting life in “the ‘Lou” and I’m going to explore what makes this city so many people’s life partner. I want to see all there is to see, do all there is to do, taste all there is to eat, and most importantly, share my journey with you. I’m hoping my clean slate, go-get-em, I hate being bored attitude will help open the eyes of even the most veteran St. Louisians to new things to do and experience in their hometown. Think of me as a female, curly haired Christopher Columbus with New York attitude. I’m about to explore St. Louis, learn from the natives, fall in love with this “Midwest new world”, and hopefully claim it as my home.

Robbie Cassell

Robbie Cassell, aka The STiCKMAN, has owned several restaurants and eating ventures of various sorts throughout the St. Louis area.  He loves to eat, but he also loves to share his good eating “discoveries” with his friends.  And that’s what he’ll do here: open our eyes to some good eatin’ places.

April Floyd

April Floyd is an undiscovered author from St. Louis, MO. April takes pride in her work, dedicating each novel to those who want books they can’t put down. April's writing style impresses its readers with concise story lines, choosing not to drag the reader through countless words by adding too much description, losing the reader.  April's stories are filled with excitement, drama, love, murder, spirituality, family values, comedy, suspense, and erotica. As you turn the pages you will find yourself in your favorite chair with a warm blanket enjoying her unfolding stories. April's main objective is to tell stories that are dear to her heart, causing her to be more passionate about each character as they develop.

April's inspiration comes from being a mother of three, all suffering with physical and mental disabilities, leading her to write about the subject in her first and fourth coming book entitled "Unique." April's inspiration also came from her husband Eddie Floyd Jr., whom is the son of the legendary Blues writer and singer out of Stax.  She and her family live in St. Louis, MO.