So, I'm sojourning in Seattle (and nothing like sleepless, thanks to a marvelous, king-sized-wonder of a hotel bed), but some moments it's like I never left home. To wit, in the news here this week:

1) the first Seattle location of Panera Bread's (a.k.a. St. Louis Bread Company) four planned "bakery-cafés" opened here last week, in Redmond (a.k.a. Microsoftopia). And it's so cute how they're all excited about it: the arrival of such wonders as "made-to-order sandwiches" and "soups in bread bowls" was written up in the local alt-weekly. Hunh.

2) Tomorrow night, Saint Louis U history prof and author Donald Critchlow speaks at Town Hall on his new book, "Phyllis Schlafly and Grassroots Conservatism: A Woman's Crusade." I think it goes without saying that I have a distinct preference for the other branches of the Schlafly family tree...

3) Legendary artist and designer Art Chantry (who just had a show up at Philip Slein Gallery) continues to keep tabs on his former town, firing off a letter to the editor (scroll down to "False Memory Syndrome?") of the Seattle Weekly, in response to a story in which he was described as a vindictive, "insane art director."

And the beat goes on....how can a girl get homesick with such great touchstones all around?

Posted under STL in the News by Amanda Doyle on Mon., Oct 24, 2005 at 1:55 PM