April Floyd - St. Louis - St. Louis http://content.onstl.com Sat, 25 Jan 2020 08:57:35 -0600 Joomla! - Open Source Content Management en-gb St. Louis First Inaugural Indie Book Fair http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/2104-st-louis-first-inaugural-indie-book-fair http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/2104-st-louis-first-inaugural-indie-book-fair St. Louis First Inaugural Indie Book Fair

St. Louis First Inaugural Indie Book Fair, located at 3407 S. Jefferson Ave. St. Louis, MO 63118 will be held Saturday May 9, 2015 between 1pm - 7pm.

Mark Pannebecker welcomes all to the 1st Inaugural St. Louis Indie Book Fair. To launch this inaugural event, Mark chose the intimate settings of Nebula. Located in the heart of the Cherokee Street creative district, Nebula opened in 2010 as the first co-working space in St. Louis. He invites you to visit many authors with many published titles. After you visit this spectacular book fair then stroll the bustling street of Cherokee and sample the food, drinks, and the unique merchandise available in the many small, locally owned businesses.

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Mark Pannebecker is one of the many St. Louis writers who decided to self-publish. Mark published his first smaller works, Motorcycle Boy Lives, a collection of poetry, in Feb of 2015. He followed that with a short stories anthology, Godsfood, in April, 2015.

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Mark Pannebecker has a passion for writing. In fact, he has a whole body of work that's been written over the years that he never did anything with. Mark is like the many Indie authors who love writing; however, most authors don’t want to be perturbed about the business aspects of finding an agent, or finding a publisher. I am looking forward to Mark Pennabecker’s first novel, Fraternity of Fractures, which will be published in July, 2015, as well as other prewritten material such as his upcoming novels, Myth of Love and Portrait of a Tourist and his novella, Bother Lies, Sister Truth. Mark Pannebecker will continue to self-publish, or use online publishing, or small press publishers, unless/until traditional publishing approaches him.

 

Mark's history of being an indie author is the same as most self-published authors. More today are choosing to self-publish or use small press publishing. This form of publishing is not limited in success. Have you ever heard of Amanda Hocking? She self-published 9 books on Amazon Kindle and was a millionaire (Yes, millions!) which landed her a traditional publishing contract. True, there are some real challenges in self-publishing. And yes, there will be mistakes along the way, but conquering advice from persons who have done it will be most helpful.

 

 

Mark Pannebecker has advice for any indie authors: “Continue to hone their craft and don’t publish too early. Writing is rewriting. Rewrite, find a workshop, read it out loud, pay for a good editor, listen to constructive criticism; don’t publish tomorrow what you wrote today (unless it’s a blog, of course). The internet market will weed out the poor writers; don’t let yourself get dismissed early in the game. Even if you only have one story in you that you want to tell. The established writers (the old guards) won’t take you seriously so don’t expect them to. They will look down their noses and claim the indie writers need to earn their bones, live in slush piles for years, but it is the established authors that will have to change their business plan and adapt to the new market, and that market is ours! The large publishing houses are fully supporting the eBook. Their revenue from hardcovers sold in bookstores is down and they’re making that revenue up by the new market of eReaders and eBooks. Let’s give them something to discover.”

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Mark Pannebecker isn't stopping at publishing his works! He has taken on the challenge of helping other indie authors, not just with advice, but Mark has started The First Inaugural Indie Book Fair in St. Louis. Mark believes the pool of which to draw from is large enough to warrant a fair of this kind and it will only grow exponentially. The reading audience is hungry for this kind of event as so many brick and mortar bookstores have closed and there is so much to wade through online. Mark and I expect this to become an institution rather quickly. We see it growing to the size of not only representing indie authors and publishers, but the top tier authors and publishing houses as well. Mark's vision for the St. Louis Indie Book Fair will keep its roots firmly planted in giving the indie authors the same shelf space as the established ones. He sees it gaining regional, then national, attention. He also sees a two-day event in the future.

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I, like Mark, expect this event to grow larger every year and St. Louis, as well as indie authors, will prosper for what Mark Pannebecker has started. In his fair, he has included St. Louis authors such as April Floyd, the author of Unique, Robert Holt the author of The Vegetarian Werewolf and many more with over 55 book titles -- ranging from children's to young adults, to adult fiction and nonfiction, to self-help, to inspirational, to short story anthologies, to poetry!

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In Mark Pannebecker's words, “Let’s give them something to discover.” We'll see you at the fair!

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For more information on the fair:

 https://www.facebook.com/stlindiebookfair

 http://www.markpannebecker.com/#!st-louis-indie-book-fair/c1pz

For more information on April Floyd:

 https://www.facebook.com/booksbyaprilfloyd

 http://aprilfloydbooks.com/

 http://old.onstl.com/people/april-floyd

To listen to the interview KDHX 88.1:

 http://shar.es/1gTToU

Special thanks to Mark Pannebecker, Robert Holt, KDHX 88.1 and Ron Stevens with Onstl.com.

Blogs are written by April Floyd. Continue following April’s blogs about St. Louis on www.Onstl.com.

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lee@onstl.com (April Floyd) April Floyd Tue, 28 Apr 2015 16:55:26 -0500
St. Louis Public School Bus Drivers http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/2103-st-louis-public-school-bus-drivers http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/2103-st-louis-public-school-bus-drivers

Making a Difference

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St. Louis public school bus drivers at First Student Transit School Bus Company are making a difference, one student at a time. In St. Louis, we hear many reports about school bus drivers in a negative manner. Not today, one of St. Louis' bus driver grants a wish to a senior at Vashon High School. When 15-year vet April Floyd, of First Student Bus Company, learns at the last moment that her 18-year-old, honor-role student Zadia McGinnist wasn't going to her prom, April Floyd took action right away. Zadia said she lived with her father only and he works so hard, but he didn't have the money for her to go to the prom. April Floyd went into the school to purchase the prom ticket, but April's work wasn't done there. She had to find a dress, hair, nail, pedicure, jewelry, make-up and everything else that's required to get a young lady to the prom. April Floyd's funds were running low after she got the ticket and the dress, so she asked her fellow co-workers at Frist Student to help. Many reached in right away and donated money to help, while others offered their services to do her hair and so forth.

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 April Floyd picked Zadia up to go to Starr Nails on Chippewa. At that time, Zadia told April that her father couldn't believe a bus driver would care so much.

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Zadia smiled and after seeing her nails done and the realizing that she was going to her prom, she teared up and the two cried with joyful bus driver relationship tears instead of the usual stories we hear on the news.

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Zadia is almost ready for her prom which is on Saturday April 25th, 2015 at the Hilton Ball Park 1 S Broadway in St. Louis, MO 63102. Zadia has the dress, hair, nails, make-up, photography and jewelry taken care of.

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Just as in the fairytale story Cinderella, April Floyd, and other bus drivers are turning Zadia into a prom queen and they are her fairy godparents. Now, they must find her the coach/ride and they can send Zadierella to the prom.

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St. Louis public school bus drivers are making a difference, one student at a time.

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Blogs are written by April Floyd. Continue following April’s blogs about St. Louis on www.Onstl.com. For more about April go to www.aprilfloydbooks.com.

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lee@onstl.com (April Floyd) April Floyd Tue, 28 Apr 2015 16:04:44 -0500
The Secret Sisters http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/1633-the-secret-sisters http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/1633-the-secret-sisters

Country Duo- The Secret Sisters

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Two siblings Laura and Lydia Rogers are a country duo with eclectic musical backgrounds that filters into their sound. I had a chance to enjoy their concert at the Sheldon on September 11, 2014. These two sing like angels, but to my surprise, they were more than just wonderful singers. They were funny, in fact, at times I could not stop laughing at their humor. Laura continued, throughout the concert, comparing being in The Shelton to feeling like she was at church. Before they sang each song, Laura gave history of that song. She told how each song was written and why it was written. The older sister Laura told stories of heartbreak and pure love for her sister. She told how she felt honored to be able to sing next to her younger sister because she felt her sister’s voice was better than hers was.

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They grew up listening to everything from classic country to bluegrass to gospel to pop and Laura stated how some of this new country is junk to her. I had never heard of their song, Who's Gonna Love You If I Don’t, but it was an instant love for me when I heard it. These two country singers were very entertaining and I loved every minute of their concert. I think that no matter what your musical tastes might be, there is at least one song you like, no matter what.

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A quote from Billboard: 

“Though their critically acclaimed sophomore album, Put Your Needle Down, was originally released in May (and peaked at No. 18 on the Hot Country Albums chart), the Muscle Shoals, Ala., natives are back with an extended version of the disc, available at home-cooking restaurant chain Cracker Barrel. 'We thought they were just going to release the album as is, but they said, 'we would actually like to put some additional tracks on it,’' says Laura. 'That was great because we got to go back to the tracks we had recorded for the second record. It was nice to have an avenue to release those songs that we were so proud of.'

"The Cracker Barrel edition of the album features a pair of new tracks, including 'You’ve Got It Wrong,' which was written by the sisters and inspired by 'a heartbreaking situation that I went through,' explains Laura.’ It was very simple, and we wrote it in a couple of hours. It’s in the vein of a more traditional country sound -- more than the rest of the record. We tried to get out of that box a little with the other songs, but that’s one of the reasons I like that one so much is that it’s in a familiar song territory for us.'

"On the other end of the musical spectrum is 'Next Sunday,' which was inspired by sister Lydia’s budding romance with her now-fiancé. I think it may be the happiest song we’ve ever written because it’s just about missing someone and being ready to see them,' says Laura. 'We were sitting at my house, and my sister had just started dating a guy who she is marrying next month, and she was missing him. She was going to see him the next Sunday, and she was saying, ‘I want it to be next Sunday.’ It was kind of a joke, but it turned out to be a really fun song that is very true to who we are as artists.' The sisters have a love and appreciation of the music of The Everly Brothers. In fact, the duo will be participating in an Oct. 25 tribute show to the Everly at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, with Don Everly scheduled to be in attendance. Laura says that she and Lydia are counting down the days. 'I just found out about that offer. I was curious about who was playing, and the first thing I saw was that Don was supposed to be there. There will be tears shed. It will be emotional,' she says. 'I cry just thinking about it. ‘Lonely Island’ was actually an Everly song, and we’re going to do that at the Hall of Fame -- I hope he approves.'"

If you ever get a chance to see The Secret Sisters, go ready to be entertained. The Sheldon is a great St. Louis concert hall and its 2014-15 season is packed with great concerts. You will find wonderful artists- from Jazz piano superstar Chick Corea to guitarist and folk singer Leo Kottke, from classical vocal ensemble Chanticleer to the gospel sounds of Blind Boys of Alabama and so much more. Go visit the Sheldon Art Galleries also.

 

Quote from: http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6236485/the-secret-sisters-extended-put-the-needle-down-disc

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lee@onstl.com (April Floyd) April Floyd Tue, 16 Sep 2014 15:39:49 -0500
Is this a defining moment in time for St. Louis? http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/1632-is-this-a-defining-moment-in-time-for-st-louis? http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/1632-is-this-a-defining-moment-in-time-for-st-louis?

"Elephant in the room" is an English metaphorical idiom for an obvious truth that is either being ignored or going unaddressed. The idiomatic expression also applies to an obvious problem or risk no one wants to discuss.

Who or what is the elephant in the room? Do we really need to acknowledge that we see that elephant? Why must we as Americans discuss the elephant in the room?

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When will we rid ourselves of this gate?

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 We must allow ourselves to flow like the river free.

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Saturday afternoon on August 9, 2014, a teenager was shot and killed by an officer from the Ferguson Police Department. The shooting and murder in Ferguson of the 18-year-old teenager named Michael Brown occurred at the Canfield Green apartment complex in the 2900 block of Canfield and has caused St. Louis to see things we wish we didn’t have to know or see. How do we identify the elephant? St. Louis was forced to see injustice and oppression on a massive level in Ferguson. Not just with the detail of the unarmed teen that was gunned down and the body that lay in the streets uncovered for more than four hours, but the continued violations of civil rights within and throughout this entire horrifying event. All that saw injustice and oppression stood up to say, "No this is wrong" and their protests were met with gas bombs, dogs, rubber bullets, tanks, machine weapons and every form of military weapon ready to harm and kill every day citizens that the police had sworn to serve and protect. In this defining moment in St. Louis, issues of racial profiling, military police force and the constant killing of unarmed black people could not be ignored anymore. Many were left with questions: If they get away with this with the Black Americans then who's next... Women? Gay? Poor? Latino? And so on...

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A homemade sign on the outside of a St. Louis business positions everything into perspective for me, as well as those who understand this instant to be a defining moment in St. Louis. A moment, which defines who we are as St. Louis people and businesses, what we will become and what our future entails based on this defining moment. Will we be that business that sees the elephant, but is so afraid to acknowledge him? Because if we acknowledge we see him, then we have to find out why he’s in the room and how to make him leave.

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Is there an elephant in the room concerning ethnicity or gender in St. Louis? Yes and this situation have proven that this issue has been in the room a long time. St. Louis is strong and I am confident that they can speak on this elephant to make things better for our great city. We can talk about how to make our community one that accept all ethnicities and gender as one united race, the human race. We can make sure we treat people by what they do, not how they appear or what others think of that group as a whole. We can believe in America for what it stands for liberty and justice for all. If we allow this defining moment to make us better Americans, better citizens, and better business owners, as a people we will grow and all we do will grow.

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How do we make this elephant leave because we don’t want him in the room with us? The first thing to do after acknowledging his existence is to gather enough people in that same room to push against him in the same direction towards the door. The people must know he’s there and what he represents and together they must agree he has to go. Oppression and injustice must go! Push... Push... oppression and injustice must go and we must be willing to push it away from our hearts, private lives and our businesses. Since the elephant in the room is about ethnicities and gender oppression and injustice, we within our own ethnicity have a responsibility to work on the issues that our ethnic groups face and fix it so that we are the America we were made to be. We must educate ourselves and our youths with facts. Propaganda from different media sources had turned this into a war with ethnicity, but some people and small businesses understood what was really going on and some took to the streets in protest and businesses made bold statements with written signs on the business. We must stay away from propaganda that has its own political hidden agenda. Ninety-nine percent of Americans believe in liberty and justice for all and all 99% of us can push this elephant from the room and out of St. Louis. This is the show-me-state. Eventually, we will push this elephant out of America.

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A thought: If something from another world came to destroy the human race, would ethnicity or gender matter? NO, because we all stand for the human race. St. Louis is strong and as time passes it has gotten even stronger. We all must do our part to make St. Louis a place where all would want to come and enjoy its culture, diversity, art, and hospitality.

 

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lee@onstl.com (April Floyd) April Floyd Tue, 16 Sep 2014 13:32:34 -0500
St. Louis Citygarden http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/1560-st-louis-citygarden http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/1560-st-louis-citygarden

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St. Louis is known for its many wonderful neighborhoods and different attractions, but Citygarden located in Downtown St. Louis is an attraction that has caught waves of attention from St. Louisa’s and tourists since 2009. Citygarden is an urban park and a sculpture garden in St. Louis, Missouri.

Although owned by St. Louis, it is maintained by the Gateway Foundation. It is located at Tenth and Chestnut Streets. Citygarden was dedicated on June 30, 2009 and it opened one day later, on July 1, 2009. At the dedication of Citygarden, Mayor of St. Louis, Francis G. Slay, praised the project, saying, “This new garden is immediately taking its place among the great cultural attractions of St. Louis for residents and visitors alike. It's dazzling, and its complete openness in the heart of downtown makes it unique in the country.” He then, in front of local and state officials as well as media, told the workers at the park’s control center to turn on the fountains and tear down the construction fence. On the opening day of the park, ice cream trucks were asked to park near the garden to attract tourists, but Citygarden attracted locals, tourists, and any that saw the garden’s beauty. Two square city blocks and $30 million dollars later, St. Louis has a local attraction that no one can pass up without being in awe.

St. Louis Gateway Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports public art. They funded the design and the construction of this wonderful Citygarden. They own all the statues, they also cover all the park's maintenance expenses except water and electricity, and they provide additional security for the garden. I’d like to thank St. Louis and St. Louis Gateway Foundation for providing this wonderful attraction in the heart of our most beautiful city, St. Louis. The best parts about this beautiful, artistic and convenient attraction is that there is no admission fee for visitors, it’s open year around, it is located close to the Gateway Arch and Busch Stadium and it complies with the Americans with Disability Act of 1990. You can’t get any better than that in my opinion.

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So, when someone asks me, "What is the best St. Louis attraction?" although some may think it’s in Midtown at the Fox Theater or Powell house and some may think it’s downtown’s Busch Stadium, for me it’s the Citygarden and for so many reasons. It brings people together in a common location, where they can enjoy art, culture, color, entertainment, ice cream, beautiful landscapes, water and it’s FREE.

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I love my city’s attraction at the Citygarden in St. Louis, Missouri.

 

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Written by April Floyd

 Photography by Eddie Floyd Jr.

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lee@onstl.com (April Floyd) April Floyd Tue, 19 Aug 2014 17:07:04 -0500
HIDDEN TREASURES IN ST. LOUIS: Crown Candy http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/1331-hidden-treasures-in-st-louis-crown-candy http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/1331-hidden-treasures-in-st-louis-crown-candy

I am a person who was born in St. Louis. I was raised in St. Louis. I went to school in St. Louis. I never lived anywhere but St. Louis, so why is it that there is so much to this place that I don’t know? I found out I am not the only person like this. I think St. Louis has so many great things and so many great neighborhoods that people here tend to stay to what they know and because what they know is so great, they don’t venture out. Now, I am ready to venture out and go on my monthly St Louis treasure hunt. Would you like to go with me? Read about my discoveries of the many St. Louis gems that I find. Look at the wonderful photos taken each month as I explore the St. Louis I never have seen.

This month’s treasure hunt took me to Crown Candy Kitchen on 1401 St. Louis Ave. What attracted me to that spot were these life-size mannequins of all nationalities. I looked into the artistry of the mannequins and it bedazzled me as I peered into their eyes. You have to go and see this for yourself.    

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Crown Candy Kitchen

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Life-size mannequins of all nationalities.

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Next, I saw the sign Crown Candy Kitchen. I love candy, so I went in to see the variety of candy that they sold.

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To my surprise, they sold food also! It was a restaurant! This place is a St. Louis Landmark and has been since 1913. I was shocked! I had never heard of or been to this place.

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As I entered, I felt like I went back in time, somewhere around 1920’s. The atmosphere was set just to that effect with the old jukebox, the Coca-Cola collectibles or the soda fountain as well as its layout of the candy.

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So much candy!

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1900's feel 

I found out from its brochure, “Crown Candy Kitchen was opened in 1913 by Harry Karandzieff and his best friend Pete Jugaloff. They brought their confectionery skills from Greece, along with a dream of proving a friendly family environment to enjoy their delicious creations. During the early ‘50’s, Harry's son George took the business over, but it was George’s sons Andy, Tom and Mike that turned the business into what it is today.” 

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After looking around, I sat to try their food. They had a variety of sandwiches to choose from and the bowl of chili was wonderful. I felt very welcomed and the service was great. People were eager to talk about the history of the place and boasted how Crown Candy makes their own chocolate. I could see why this place had so much pride.

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Of course, I could not leave with trying the candy. The food was great, the service was great and the people who took the time to talk to me about the history of the place were wonderful. They did all this and they were busy! When it comes to great hospitality, Crown Candy receives an A plus.

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I loved this month’s St. Louis treasure hunt. Find out where and what I discover in my next St. Louis Treasure Hunt in June. I can hardly wait!

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Go visit this St. Louis treasure today!

 

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lee@onstl.com (April Floyd) April Floyd Mon, 05 May 2014 15:24:51 -0500
IS THERE SUCH A THING AS TRUE LOVE? ON VALENTINE’S DAY http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/1148-is-there-such-a-thing-as-true-love?-on-valentine’s-day http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/1148-is-there-such-a-thing-as-true-love?-on-valentine’s-day

When you see an old couple holding hands while walking about, what comes to your mind? Do you think they are happy together or just pretending? Does the question, “How long have they have been together?” come across your mind? Do you silently wish you could grow old with someone or do you say, “That’s why I am single.”? How did they get to that point in their life? Is that what true love looks like? Let us talk!

Today, at the St. Louis Galleria Mall, I saw an old couple. They were walking slowly hand-in-hand. I walked along as I witnessed a man aid the woman in everything. Although the world around them moved very fast, the couple world moved slowly and in that slowness, I witnessed a wonderful love story. In their eyes, I saw their love for each other, right here in St. Louis.

Of course, seeing this made me ask some questions about love in St. Louis. To be with someone until you grow old together must be true love, right? This has to be how it looks, right? How did they weather the storms in their relationship all that time? I asked myself, “Do I want to grow old with my husband.” Yes, I would love to grow old with my husband, but this old couple might be able to give me a few pointers on how to grow old together with true love. Since I was in St. Louis, I wanted to know if it matters where you live with your relationship.

I was nervous at first about approaching the couple. They went to the food court and I saw that as my opportunity to talk with them. I was asked to keep out their names, but the information I got from them was priceless. They believed true love existed. They both had previous marriages. They were friends a long time before pursuing a relationship. They both agreed that it matters where you live and they thought St. Louis is a great place to live if you’re already in a relationship and want to settle down. Finding a lasting relationship with someone from the same place, such as St. Louis, would be a challenge, but possible. Then here came the shocker! The older couple that I thought grew old together was recently married, only three years ago. They both lost their mates and didn’t want to be alone, but insisted they loved each other.

My thoughts are: the biggest challenge in a relationship is communication. It is like the blood in the body--without it, you cannot survive. The thing that makes most relationships work is forgiveness and looking for the good in your mate helps. Wanting to grow old is love, but true love goes beyond this world. Can you say you want to be with your mate beyond this world? If so, that may be what true love look like. I agreed with the couple when they said St. Louis is a great place to settle down.

Tell me what you think.

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lee@onstl.com (April Floyd) April Floyd Wed, 05 Feb 2014 16:51:45 -0600
History in the Making http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/1140-history-in-the-making http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/1140-history-in-the-making

It is the month of February and it’s Black History Month. The thought that our present becomes our history is an awareness that causes one to ask what my role is and how can I be part of history in the making. Some people have done huge things that changed the lives of many. At the same time, there are people who change things in this world for the better, but they get very little attention for the great work they do. Although, there are so many people making a difference, I chose to talk on two that I have come to know, Mr. Ron Wilkinson and Minister Felix Gibson SR.

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Ron Wilkinson is a songwriter and a gifted vocalist. Ron’s bio (enclosed below) is very impressive, but it’s not just his talent that’s impressive. Ron uses his talent to perform events to benefit the homeless and whenever he can, he assists in raising funds for meals. Ron is true to his talent and true to helping the homeless in St. Louis; using his God-given talent to help the homeless, right here in St. Louis, MO. Ron indeed is History in the Making. For more information or if you are interested in hiring this great musical artist contact Mr. Ron Wilkinson.

    

 

Ron Wilkinson Performance Ensemble Details

Accompanist Personnel Options

                            Duo~

               Vocalist and Pianist

                          Quartet 

  Vocalist, Bass, Piano, Drums, 

                          Quintet

Vocalist, Horn, Bass, Piano, Drums

                 CeeJazzSoul Sextet*

17 piece Big Bands Available to feature Ron

                  Jazz Edge Big Band

                  Meremac Big Band*

 *Ron is a member of the Jazz Edge Big Band and a featured vocalist

   With the CJazzSoul Sextet the Meremac Big Band                                       

          

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History in the Making Blog

Ron’s Bio

Equal to his skills as a songwriter, Ron Wilkinson is also a gifted vocalist interpreter of classic American standards such as “Unforgettable”, “Funny Valentine” and the Gershwin brothers timeless, “summertime”. Influenced by the genres of jazz, Latin percussion and blues, Wilkinson does a voluptuous rendition of Sam Cook’s “Red Rooster” and Carlos Santana’s “Evil Ways”.

Ron Wilkinson has lived the life of the troubadour, with a mellow baritone reminiscent of Lou Rawls that can slide smoothly into the rolling realms of scat, the seemingly easy, yet most difficult of vocal exercises.

A San Francisco native, Wilkinson started on the well-worn performers' path to Mecca (New York City) but got diverted in Houston where he remained for nearly twenty years working for Anheuser-Busch. Yet, Wilkinson, unlike so many artists who acquiesce to the pressures of the eight-to-five “day job,” kept his focus and even went traveling the country for AB and he sat in at every club that would allow him on-stage and kept honing his craft. Hard work paid off. Word got around and Wilkinson found himself accepting offers to open for Nancy Wilson and Jennifer Holliday while their tours brought them through Houston. He sat in with Buddy Guy at his self-named hot spot in Chicago.

In 2003, Wilkinson became the newest thing on the bistro/club circuit in St. Louis after being relocated by Budweiser. Retiring in ’04 gave Wilkinson the opportunity to produce the outstanding “Welcome into me,” his latest CD of original songs. Wilkinson takes us on his journey, told through words and music, reflecting a life seen through the influences of Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Johnny Mathis to name only a few.

Whether playing in the intimate surroundings of the bistro set or in front of concert audiences as vocalist in The Jazz Edge and Route 66 Jazz Orchestra, Wilkinson’s personal commitment to music, his or someone else’s, shines through. Whether scatting through the Jazz classic, “Song For My Father” or his own arrangements of “Our Day Will Come” to “Makin’ Whoopee” Wilkinson makes every song his own, every time.

 

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Minister Felix Gibson Sr. is a minister who has been a member of Mount Bethel Missionary Baptist Church for 21 years and under his Pastor Steve Wooten, Felix had been involved with Hope Outreach Ministries performing a varied amount of tasks right here in St. Louis. Every Saturday they feed the homeless, provide clothing, water, and shelter. I nicknamed Minister Felix Gibson Sr. as The St. Louis Samaritan because he don’t just stop at feeding the homeless, providing food and clothing, and other essentials for the homeless; Felix makes ways, through his unwavering faith, to provide for any that come to him in need. Felix has a passion for any in need and he has a love for St. Louis. He feels much more help is needed and much too often the homeless are turned away from the people that are supposed to help. Please, if you have an outreach program that benefits the homeless, help them. Minister Felix Gibson Sr. said in the words of Jesus, when you were hungry, I feed you, when you were thirsty, I gave you something to drink and when you were without clothes, and I clothed you. Therefore, we too must do the same because they may be homeless, but they are not hopeless.

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  Hope Outreach Ministries accepts all donations. If you would like to donate to Hope Outreach Ministries contact Minister Felix Gibson Sr. at MRFIG@charter.net, P.O. box 52302, 874 Prigge Rd., 314-395-3010, 314-593-0272. You can also visit Mount Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, 1600 Belt St. Louis, MO. 63112.  http://hopeoutreachstl.org/

 http://www.stlouischurches.org/Mount-Bethel-Missionary-Baptist-Church-3644.html

www.facebook.com/HopeOutreachMinistryStLouis

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBrzA-rJpaM

Today, it's everyday people like Mr. Ron Wilkinson and Minister Felix Gibson Sr. who are making history today. When we look back one hundred years from now, we will know it's everyday people who affect others in a positive aspect, causing a change in our history? What role will you play in our present day History in the Making?

Check out all the blogs on Onstl.com from April Floyd and check out my Website at www.aprilfloydbooks.com. Read about Unique, a novel soon to be published by April Floyd in 2014. Read and see what the entire Buzz is about in St. Louis.

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lee@onstl.com (April Floyd) April Floyd Mon, 03 Feb 2014 12:11:35 -0600
SELFIE PHOTOS VS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/1024-selfie-photos-vs-professional-photos http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/1024-selfie-photos-vs-professional-photos

Today on this Saturday in StL, I went out to compare selfie photos versus photos taken by a professional photographer. I personally like selfie pictures, because they are so close up that only the subject can fit in the picture. Wait! Are people taking selfie pictures considered conceited? Or are most selfie pictures taken because no one else is around to take the picture? Or is it because it's so much fun to take pictures of yourself? Whatever the reason, you like what you like.

A selfie photo outside with harsh light,

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Indoors good light, But bad background,

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When taking a Selfie picture watch out for common mistakes. Lighting is important, be sure to keep your eyes focused through the lens of your phone or iPad. Last thing, watch out for the background.

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My husband, Eddie Floyd, a professional photographer, likes photos taken by a professional camera.

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I see a sharper image; the professional camera gives more details.

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Harsh light doesn’t matter with professional photos.

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Here are Eddie’s reasons for liking professional photography:

“In order to take a photo you need light. Most selfie photos only use ambient light or light flash from a cell phone. A cell phone has a small lens to take the picture. A professional photographer can be more creative, using a wide choice of lights and lenses. A selfie photo has little detail in the image. Cell phones have between 3 to 8 megapixels. A professional camera has 14 to 80 megapixels. Depth of field allows for stunning photos. Selfie photos have their place in photography. However, a professional photographer truly shines in comparison.”

Okay, there you have it, which kind of photo's do you like better? There are no wrong answers because you like what you like.

Check out all the blogs on Onstl.com from April Floyd and check out my Website at www.aprilfloydbooks.com. Read about Unique, a novel soon to be published by April Floyd in 2014. Read and see what the entire Buzz is about in St. Louis.

 

 

 

 

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lee@onstl.com (April Floyd) April Floyd Mon, 25 Nov 2013 10:51:50 -0600
The Best Theater in St. Louis http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/1014-the-best-theater-in-st-louis http://content.onstl.com/index.php/people/april-floyd/item/1014-the-best-theater-in-st-louis

I had a great time out with my husband seeing movies. After waiting all day, we finally got a ticket to see the continuously sold out movie, The Best Man Holiday, at The Chase Park Plaza Theater located at 212 North Kingshighway Boulevard, St. Louis, MO. Upon visiting the Theater, we enter this lavish hotel filled with beautiful live music playing and lively chatter. This of course was a pleasant surprise to our evening.

We stood in line to see this new movie. Although, we got out tickets five hours early and showed up to the theater forty-five minute early, we were told to go to the reserve movie room. It was smaller but okay. I was just so happy to see so many people out to see a movie. The Best Man Holiday was a great movie. I’ll give it a ten and I recommend anyone who likes funny holiday movies to go see this one. It has been selling out since Friday.

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We next visited the Moolah Theater located at 3821 Lindell Blvd, St Louis, MO. It was no surprise to find out the Moolah had been voted as the best theater in St. Louis. I was in awe at the entire concept. Plush entrance, walls filled with character, active full bar, a great popcorn and food stand, helpful workers, balcony seating, leather couches and a giant screen. The best part to me was being able to order drinks while watching the movie.

The ceiling was awesome to look up at because you could see it’s filled with history. I later found out The Moolah Cinema and Lounge was originally the Moolah Temple of the Mystic Shrine. According to Wikipedia, “The Moolah’s Shriners fraternal organization was built in 1912 by the St. Louis architectural firm of Helfensteller, Hirsh & Watson.” The Moolah Temple used the building until 1988. I am proud to know Architects from St. Louis built such a beautiful building with longevity. After a $17.2 million dollar renovation in 2004, the Moolah with its Moorish style is a historical building that serves today's purpose as a theater, bar and bowling alley, but it is also filled with history, giving all the more reason to take note of its character.

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The Moolah Theater contributes to St. Louis’s Midtown Historic District making midtown an awesome place to visit.

According to the owner, “Our goal at the Moolah Theater is to offer a benchmark motion picture viewing experience. We cater to a clientele that enjoys quality films, finds today's movie megapixels unsatisfactory, and desires a superior cinematic experience. For the first time in St. Louis, we present the finest first-run films in a luxury theater environment complete with the highest quality level of amenities.”

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Going to the Moolah was the best theater experience I’ve ever had. Although the movie critics rate 12 Years a Slave a nine, I differ in opinion. I think the relevance of contents in the movie was great, but I felt the humane side of the main character wasn't there enough to feel the depth of wrongness from the act of slavery. It was a true story and it shall be learned from, that's the best part. Also, the impact of the beatings was dead on. Although the lessons in this movie hit home and are true, the characters written into the movie were not expressive enough showing the refined side of each main character. I give this movie an eight and I think all should see it. Maybe if we understand that the things in the past trickles down to our present days, then we can change the outcome of our future. The Moolah had all the comforts of home as I watched 12 years a Slave.

Written by April Floyd and Photos by Eddie Floyd

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lee@onstl.com (April Floyd) April Floyd Mon, 18 Nov 2013 11:43:49 -0600
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