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SURVEY SAYS: St. Louis Raves
In between trying to keep cool and working around power outages, Vital VOICE readers still found time to choose their favorites in our annual readers poll. From foods that titillate the palate to inspiring local icons, the votes are all in.
The 2006 poll consisted of 10 questions inquiring about likes and dislikes. These surveys were distributed during PrideFest and posted on the Vital VOICE Web site.
There were a lot of close ties, which meant readers were torn between similar favorites and issues that need to be addressed in the local area. Take a gander at the final results: 1. Pho Grand
Serving mouth-watering Vietnamese dishes since 1996, Pho Grand has won the appetites of St. Louis patrons. It’s hard to miss the aroma of coconut, curry and a mix of spices as you enter the quaint restaurant. A popular dish is the “Bo Luc Lac,” which includes chunks of beef, garlic, onions and a special sauce. On a pleasant day, guests also like to dine on the outside patio.
1. The Grove/Manchester Strip
Like urban mushrooms, bars and restaurants are persistently popping up all along the Manchester Strip, also known as the Grove. First made popular by Attitudes, Novak’s, Freddie’s and others, the area has recently welcomed Atomic Cowboy, Sweetie Pie’s and Five and will soon be home to rBar. See the Grove strut its stuff Sept. 23 at the first annual Grove Festival — a street fair full of music, food and art.
1. Nancy Novak
Nancy Novak has always had a knack for taking the initiative and being a natural leader. Before she became a bar owner, she was known as the life of the party and organized countless bashes, camping trips and PrideFest floats. With a few nudges from friends to open a bar, Novak took the bull by its horns. In 1996, Novak’s Bar and Grill debuted, and she has since taken pride in having good food and friendly service. Now in her new location, just across the street and down a bit from the original, Novak advises, “It can take 10 years for people to come into your door, five minutes to lose them.” 1. Novak’s Bar and Grill
From open mic to drag shows, Novak’s has it all. For a decade, Nancy Novak has been fine tuning her beloved bar. It’s her goal to make sure that all of her patrons are completely satisfied with food, service and activities. She caters to everyone, and in turn has a large, loyal following of the GLBT and straight community. Don’t miss Novak’s 10-year anniversary this November! 1. Trish Gazall
The truth is out; St. Louisans love to hear Trish Gazall on the radio with her witty and bubbly personality. Fans indulge in hearing celebrity gossip on her popular show, Trish’s Trash. A native of St. Louis, Trish started working for radio in 1996. She joined 101.1 the River in 2001, and now entertains listeners driving home from work. 1. St. Louis Zoo
Lions and tigers and bears…. oh my… St. Louis is proud of its Zoo. In 1910, the city of St. Louis transformed 77 acres of Forest Park into a zoological center. The state legislature declared that the venue would be free to visitors forever. Since that time generations have been able to see the Zoo grow into 90 acres and hold 700 species and 5,000 animals.
Voters seem to be captivated by The Toni, a 32-year-old St. Louisan who doesn't like scary movies (see her June 10th blog entry) and is the "best chair dancer in the land!" When the blogging phenomenon started, it was limited mainly to computer buffs who could create their own Web sites. Now, the blogosphere (a term coined by a St. Louisan, blogger Brad Graham) has become a cultural phenomenon thanks to user-friendly tools like Blogger, LiveJournal, Typepad and blogging features on social networking sites like MySpace.
1. Novak’s 2. PrideFest
Elaborate floats, drag queens throwing condoms and pumping music are just a few perks to the annual St. Louis Gay Pride Festival. It’s a time for people to come out and be proud of who they are. The festival stems from the Stonewall Rebellion of 1969 where gays rebelled for three days against New York police brutality of homosexuals. Now, the mission of PrideFest all over the world is to not only commemorate and be flamboyant, but also educate on the importance of gay rights and equality. 1. Tie: Dieta Pepsi/Nancy Novak
Mortgage banker by day and female impersonator extraordinaire by night, Dieta Pepsi has enthralled St. Louisans and the rest of the world for the last 17 years. With her striking features, charismatic persona and comedic routines, she stands in a league of her own. Dieta Pepsi, aka Leon Braxton Jr., has also become a veteran leader, spokesperson and fundraiser for the AIDS Foundation.
1. Downtown growth/revival
It’s unanimous: St. Louis wants to see a change in Downtown. The business district, however, has come a long way. Over 50 years ago, the city was a thriving manufacturing mecca, but over time population fell due to racial tensions and job loss. As a result, deserted buildings and store fronts turned downtown into a ghost town. A renaissance has since emerged. According to USA Today, in 1999 the city approved a $1.2 billion investment in downtown. Since 2000, 1,700 apartments and condos have been built, and 26 new restaurants have been added. 2. Better PrideFest
PrideFest is evolving in old St. Louie. It may not be as grandiose as New York’s festivities, but PrideFest organizers focus on improvements each year. This past June had more visitors, more performances in the “Performer’s Pavilion” and more DJs spinning for folks to get their groove on. Entertainers such as the musical group Adagio and Dieta Pepsi were just a taste of the lineup. Next year’s Fest will more than likely be even bigger. Suggestions? Visit www.PrideSTL.org. 3. Tie: Allow same-sex marriage/End Racism St. Louis wants to win the uphill battle over same-sex marriage and ending racism. The fight for same-sex marriage is not only to celebrate the union of two people, but also be privy to the rights that are granted to a married couple. Fighting a conservative government is already disheartening, but war against racism at times seems even more daunting. The solution for poll voters is simple; accept all humans for who they are. This concept must be taught, and that is a long and arduous task. There are several organizations that will guide advocates in the right direction. Check out www.OBS-onthemove.org, www.internationalanswer.org, www.PROMOonline.org, www.HRC.org and www.MassEquality.com.
You can e-mail Kati Stovall at Kati-Stovall@excite.com.
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