Looks like great weather this week for those of us fortunate enough to live down here in the St. Charles locale. Yesterday was quite the hot and humid day! Wife wanted to take a trip down to Festival of Little Hills in old town. We were there quite early and the vendors were just opening up. Like most Festival of Little Hills in the past, storm came in during the festival (Friday afternoon) and dumped a bunch of water on the park. So by Sunday the humidity and mud was pretty bad.
Surprisingly, a lot of people were turning out as we wandered about the tents and vendors. About 20 minutes into our walk about, we were totally soaked from sweat. Managed to retreat after about an hour without buying anything. Not that there wasn't anything that I wanted to buy, but with the wife still unemployed we need to keep watching the money. Maybe next year she can buy stuff... if she gets a job.
My wife's mother took our daughter to the Cardinals game and they had a great time, especially with the Cards winning 9-0. She talked about it all evening. She was still so excited about it she ended up being very difficult when we told her it was time for bed.
8.22.2010
New Urbanism
The hottest topic in urban design and planning is “new urbanism”. Creating a sustainable, pedestrian-friendly, people-centered community that isn’t totally dependent on automobiles is the core idea of new urbanism. The urban sprawl that has run rampant throughout the United States has made a lot of people question the appeal of the suburbs. There are claims that the rise of strip malls, big-box stores and the ever shrinking downtown areas have weakened community bonds and interactivity that used to happen downtown.
We have a "new urbanist" community here as well. New Town at St. Charles endeavors to push at some boundaries that suburbs, especially in St. Charles County, are able to accomplish. It is certainly not sustainable at this point, there aren't enough people living there yet. New Town does have a lot of potential. But the biggest problem is that the location of New Town, it is on the edge of the city of St. Charles. There isn't an infrastructure that closely ties it into the downtown of St. Charles or really within the structure of the city of St. Charles.
The other problem facing New Town is a completely indifferent City Council and Mayor. New Town seems to be the red-haired stepchild of the city of St. Charles. The residents pay their taxes and have actually been adding quite a bit to the moribund city coffers. But when it comes time for the city to maintain services, it seems that New Town and the residents seem to be left to themselves. At least that is the perception from out here in the cornfields.
And all of this does not mean that New Town is doomed to failure, just that it is as different form of New Urbanism. Many of the new urbanist communities are actually attempting to rebuild in an existing infrastructure. As an example, Metropolis Magazine had an interesting article a few weeks ago highlighting two urban design projects – the State Center Complex in downtown Baltimore, MD and the Great River Park Project in St. Paul, MN. Both projects are governed by overarching ideas of new urbanism – hoping to increase pedestrian interaction in the city scape and promote urban environmentalism.
Redesigning City Centers, Rejuvenating Riverfronts
We have a "new urbanist" community here as well. New Town at St. Charles endeavors to push at some boundaries that suburbs, especially in St. Charles County, are able to accomplish. It is certainly not sustainable at this point, there aren't enough people living there yet. New Town does have a lot of potential. But the biggest problem is that the location of New Town, it is on the edge of the city of St. Charles. There isn't an infrastructure that closely ties it into the downtown of St. Charles or really within the structure of the city of St. Charles.
The other problem facing New Town is a completely indifferent City Council and Mayor. New Town seems to be the red-haired stepchild of the city of St. Charles. The residents pay their taxes and have actually been adding quite a bit to the moribund city coffers. But when it comes time for the city to maintain services, it seems that New Town and the residents seem to be left to themselves. At least that is the perception from out here in the cornfields.
And all of this does not mean that New Town is doomed to failure, just that it is as different form of New Urbanism. Many of the new urbanist communities are actually attempting to rebuild in an existing infrastructure. As an example, Metropolis Magazine had an interesting article a few weeks ago highlighting two urban design projects – the State Center Complex in downtown Baltimore, MD and the Great River Park Project in St. Paul, MN. Both projects are governed by overarching ideas of new urbanism – hoping to increase pedestrian interaction in the city scape and promote urban environmentalism.
Redesigning City Centers, Rejuvenating Riverfronts
8.20.2010
Have we forgotten what it means to be American?
Never forget what it is that makes America great especially as our cultural dialogue focuses and polarizes around race, religion and cultural identity. Remember, your duty to your country is constant. It's a fundamental duty to fight for equality - both for yourself and your fellow human.
Stand up for truth and justice. Stand up for America!
Stand up for truth and justice. Stand up for America!
8.17.2010
Feeling hoppy
This afternoon, my wife and I started harvesting the hops I've been growing in the backyard. We lost several of my plants when a neighbor took a trip through our yard into the side of another neighbor's garage.
We've been letting the trellis lay on the ground because it is bent so badly that it is not going to stand straight again and amazingly not all the plants were killed right off. We didn't get that many off it, but we were able to salvage a few.
Essentially, I cut off strands of vine and hops and my wife went through and was pulling the good hops out and throwing away the rest. We ended up with two large grocery bags full. Which isn't bad considering this is only their 2nd year. After we cut down the vines, we're going to have to re-consider how we're going to grow them next year. I'm obviously going to have to get a few more plants to replace the ones that were lost.
The weather looked like it was going to storm all late afternoon, so I worked at a good pace to get all the harvestable hops down before it rained. I don't think it did anything at all last night, rain-wise that is. I'm paying for it this evening, because my allergies are going full-tilt.
Anyway, glad to hear that the St. Charles City Council has taken a step back on giving the mayor a huge pay-raise. Like I've mentioned previously, I do believe that the mayor position is deserving of a pay-raise for everything the office is now responsible for. However, giveing a 40% raise when the city is struggling isn't going to be a good move at this point.
8.16.2010
Freedom of Choice
Came across a great blog posting today, New Urbanism - Freedom of Choice. I agree with much of what the author has posted here. Specifically, "...problem with zoning laws in this country that have had the unintended consequence of leading us to suburban sprawl, a dependence on automobiles, and a loss of opportunities to interact with neighbors..." really nails the current state of affairs that we see around us.
And it doesn't help with a lot of people that think along the same lines start backbiting either. I've seen a lot of this disagreement coming up with the people that are anti-anything that isn't Downtown St. Louis. If you live beyond Highway 270 ring, according to them, you're racist and participating in white-flight. Hmmm. Nope. Sorry. You're absolutely wrong, for all the wrong reasons.
I grew up in St. Charles County. I lived in St. Louis city for nearly 20 years. For that 20 years, nothing much happened to make the schools any better. In fact, I don't think I'm going out on a limb to say that the school situation is now worse than it was when we moved to the city. Although we've moved to St. Charles, we opted to move into New Town at St. Charles, because we do like the environment and the school district we're in now (Orchard Farm). If you don't want to live here, don't denigrate me for my choice. I had a specific punchlist of items that needed to be met before we made the choice. Likewise you have a similar list for why you are living where you are at.
It is almost as silly as the people that want to complain about a show on television that they don't like. Stop broadcasting! Boycott! Mmm, how about changing the channel or not watching television? Grump grump grump.
Now I'm just going to take my beer out front to the porch and listen to the cicadas sing me a lullaby.
And it doesn't help with a lot of people that think along the same lines start backbiting either. I've seen a lot of this disagreement coming up with the people that are anti-anything that isn't Downtown St. Louis. If you live beyond Highway 270 ring, according to them, you're racist and participating in white-flight. Hmmm. Nope. Sorry. You're absolutely wrong, for all the wrong reasons.
I grew up in St. Charles County. I lived in St. Louis city for nearly 20 years. For that 20 years, nothing much happened to make the schools any better. In fact, I don't think I'm going out on a limb to say that the school situation is now worse than it was when we moved to the city. Although we've moved to St. Charles, we opted to move into New Town at St. Charles, because we do like the environment and the school district we're in now (Orchard Farm). If you don't want to live here, don't denigrate me for my choice. I had a specific punchlist of items that needed to be met before we made the choice. Likewise you have a similar list for why you are living where you are at.
It is almost as silly as the people that want to complain about a show on television that they don't like. Stop broadcasting! Boycott! Mmm, how about changing the channel or not watching television? Grump grump grump.
Now I'm just going to take my beer out front to the porch and listen to the cicadas sing me a lullaby.
8.15.2010
Long day
Going to be a short post tonight. Just spent a long day at the part-time job. The weather was feeling pretty good tonight as I left the building. It was a beautiful sunset.
I'm hoping the wife has better luck this next week in trying to find a job. Unemployment is going to be running out pretty soon and we've been doing alright to this point, but I'd really rather not have to work multiple jobs. I'm just soooo tired sometimes.
I'm hoping the wife has better luck this next week in trying to find a job. Unemployment is going to be running out pretty soon and we've been doing alright to this point, but I'd really rather not have to work multiple jobs. I'm just soooo tired sometimes.
8.14.2010
Ahoy, Pirates!
We took our daughter down to the St. Louis Science Center today, specifically for the Real Pirates exhibit. We had a great time. They don't allow pictures from inside the exhibit, so I don't have any pictures to post. The took the concept that many of the Titanic exhibits have taken and featured one specific pirate ship and the crew.
It was very educational and showed pirates of the Golden Age of piracy in a new light. Or at least in a new light for me. We ended up spending almost two hours going through the exhibit. Towards the end our six-year-old was just wanting to get through the end (she was somewhat bored). I was having her read all the signs and helping with word pronunciation. She was very happy to learn that there was a type of ship called a "Pink". Pink being her favorite color, of course.
Spectrum is playing at New Town at St Charles tonight. It will be a great show, if you have time to show up. I won't be there because my Mother-In-Law's birthday is today and the family will be gathering for dinner.
It was very educational and showed pirates of the Golden Age of piracy in a new light. Or at least in a new light for me. We ended up spending almost two hours going through the exhibit. Towards the end our six-year-old was just wanting to get through the end (she was somewhat bored). I was having her read all the signs and helping with word pronunciation. She was very happy to learn that there was a type of ship called a "Pink". Pink being her favorite color, of course.
Spectrum is playing at New Town at St Charles tonight. It will be a great show, if you have time to show up. I won't be there because my Mother-In-Law's birthday is today and the family will be gathering for dinner.
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