A nice evening at the Stork Inn

First, thanks to Loretta and Rob for adding their phone names. But also, Marty, I know you weren't trying for an exhaustive list when you were writing these down. Let it be known that you could have come up with all of them had you tried. It was just fun reminiscing about the old phone names. Especially having conversations in front of young people (under 40) who looked at us like we were crazy. Tonight we (Annette, me, two other couples and Emily and two girlfriends) all went over to the Stork Inn for some ice cream. This is a place that was a tavern when I was growing up. Here's a write-up from the Landmark Assoc. of St. Louis: "Constructed in 1910, the Stork Inn at 4527 Virginia Avenue was the first of three delightfully picturesque establishments designed by Klipstein & Rathmann for August Busch who hoped to counter the growing prohibition movement by creating wholesome images of Old World charm on sites with maximum visibility. The Stork Inn occupies a wedge formed by Taft, Idaho and Virginia; the Feasting Fox sits at an important corner of South Grand at Meramec; the Bevo Mill boasts a location that now identifies an entire neighborhood. Survival of the Bevo has never been in doubt, but we almost lost the Feasting Fox and the Stork Inn. In both cases a brave, determined family came to the rescue. Dale and Gwyn Preston and their eight children live only a few blocks away from the recently vacant, formerly pigeon-infested Stork Inn. With $15,000 to purchase the derelict property and the hope that $50,000 could transform it, the Prestons embarked on what quickly became a community effort. Finished after more like $120,000 in mid-May, the former Stork Inn (complete with a rental apartment on the top two floors and an ice cream parlor) is now home to the Preston Art Glass Studio." They have some benches out front and we just sat around telling funny stories about each other's kids. The weather was good, the company was nice; it was just another great night on the South Side. You should've been there. And definitely, if you're a St. Louisan, please come down to try their creamy sno-cones. If Maria is working that night, tell her you know Emily Hudson. And Ken, here's the answer to your Magnetic North question. Follow this link and scroll down to the picture if you don't feel like reading the whole thing.