Get to choosin’! I’m writing this again for the folks who skimmed over it – or missed it altogether – last week. You now have the opportunity to nominate your favorite STL staples (that goes for people, businesses and organizations) so that they can be in the running for the inaugural St. Louis American Reader’s Choice Awards. Y’all only have a couple of weeks left to nominate your folks. Don’t be mad when we get to the voting period and all of your faves are out in the cold and won’t have a chance to make history as part of the inaugural group of winners. You only have until the end of the month. You can find out all you need to know about the process right here: www.stlamerican.com/readerschoice/
314 Day pre-gamin’. I’m so geeked about all the 314 Day festivities coming up this weekend that I don’t know what to do! And I’ve been simmering for about a week thanks to a special mixer at the Missouri History Museum last Thursday. Before I started mixing and mingling, I made a pivot straight to the concessions area. I was ready to betray my 314 Day detox. But then I ended up standing in line behind my girl Briante, yes, the future Mrs. Laurence Maroney. Y’all, why did I accidently start singing “body-oddy-oddy-oddy-oddy” out loud? The Lord knew what was best by opting out of giving me a shape worth talking about. I would be insufferable. And still will if I ever get delivert from this Twix and Doritos spirit that has had me in a chokehold since 1987. Y’all think Kim Burrell was cutting up in that little catsuit? Bishop Michael Jones would get no peace. Because of me, his inbox and mailbox would be full of notes from concerned church members about how my crop top choir robe and matching itty-bitty biker shorts are “not of the Kingdom!” But back to my History Museum 314 Day preview moment. I ran in to Briante and her boo, my beloved Laurence Maroney, Jami Ballentine, Amy Burger, Jasmine Osby, Tyler Small, Aja Williams and a whole gang of other fave folks that I’m forgetting – but don’t love any less. When I tell you I got hyped thinking about all the 314 Day shenanigans I plan to get into…I know there has been plenty of chatter about who is doing what and even disputes about who actually started 314. My two cents is this: YOUNG DIP and TATUM created magic and we get to celebrate the 20-year legacy THEY created. My take on 314 Day 2026 is that it will be like New Year’s Eve. Everybody is having something. Go to whatever aligns with your vibe.
An October night in March. Saturday night I made my way to the Stifel Theatre to check out an Evening with October London featuring J. Brown and Eric Benét. I know what you’re thinking right now. “On what planet does Eric Benét open for October London?” I thought the same thing ahead of time, but I can’t say that I was mad how it played out. When host MC Lightfoot came out talking about they had delays and technical difficulties, I had a flashback to the trauma of being held hostage at the Valentine’s Extend Play Double Album Mixtape at Chaifetz a few weeks ago. But this wasn’t that. If he hadn’t said anything, I never would have known. Detroit R&B playa J. Brown kicked things off. I had never heard of him before Saturday, but I wasn’t mad at his set – especially his “Can You Stand The Rain” cover. Uncle Eric came out on stage and I was like “Wayment (yes, wayment), why isn’t his band mounting up on their instruments?” It was just him and a singer named Cherry in a full-length freakum dress. I was all ready to be furious! I hadn’t seen him sing to tracks since the 1900s! But leave it to Eric Benét to Eric Benét. He dug into is dog whistle range bag – and was so charming that I forgot he was even singing to the tracks. You know you’re throwin’ down if somebody toss $100 bill on stage and you still have all your clothes on! I was ready to run up and push Cherry out the way for Faith Evans part on “Georgie Porgie,” so I get five dollars flung my way. The instruments were for October London’s band – and his set didn’t disappoint. Now I would be lying if I said Eric Benét didn’t upstage him. However, had just about anybody else been ahead of him – especially singing to tracks – October would have been best in show for sure. He has the range. And he proved it with his “Untitled” D’Angelo tribute.
Gala preseason. I’m used to our gala season kicking off in September and carrying on until the end of the year. But a couple of my favorite institutions/organizations gave me the cutest sneak preview of gala season 2026. I didn’t have space to shout them out last week, but I said I wouldn’t let another Partyline pass without heaping the highest praise on Cardinal Ritter for their gala Saturday before last at Union Station. Tamiko Armstead, girl… Am I gonna have to hire Teyana Taylor’s style team for Education Salute 2026 to match the slayage you served? I was gagged. Head-to-toe red – fur vest layered over a sheer blouse with a leather belt and sequin pants – sounds like “a whole lotta notta” when I say it. But if you saw it, you know that it was doing the most in the best possible way. And when I say head-to-toe, I mean it. She hit us with the burgundy rinse – and I’m so glad she did. But let me not make light of the moment. Tamiko Armstead is the Cardinal Ritter’s president. And while she played no games with the lewk, the children were top priority. Thanks to support by THEEE Michael McMillan of The Urban League, $800,000 was raised for scholarships. That’s more than three-quarters of a million to give our babies a competitive learning environment that primes them for excellence. And while I’m on the subject of Black excellence, let me hop into how Mr. Reuben Shelton turned the Sheldon into a baby Kappa conclave with the Kappa Kasino Night Gala. Now because of Eric Benet and October London, I scooted over there from the Stifel just in time to see the Nupes walking to their cars, but even seeing that had Jidenna’s “Classic Man” playing in my head.