City Affair Saint Louis

For the first time in City Affair's history, we are abandoning our usual slot on the first Thursday of the month.

Instead we're moving it back a whole day to Friday October 7th to celebrate the 4th Annual Metrolink Prom and our thirtieth City Affair!

2011 METROLINK PROM: BLUE MOON BALL CELEBRATES THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OPENING OF THE BLUE LINE WITH COSTUMES, MUSIC, AND DANCING ABOARD THE METROLINK

Five years ago, St. Louis’s illustrious MetroLink light rail system took a great leap forward with a brand new line that connected St. Louisans for the first time by rail to exotic locales such as Maplewood, Richmond Heights and Shrewsbury. For the fourth time in as many years, St. Louisans will unite to dance aboard the the trains in the off-beat, one-of-a-kind MetroLink Prom. Why do we do this year after year? Because MetroLink—and public transit in general—makes St. Louis a better, more accessible city. Now, with the Blue Line in place, St. Louis can experience our resurgent, historic urban core as well as our thriving, inner ring suburbs in just seven light rail stops.

2011 Metrolink prom has been organized with the help of City Affair, Citizens for Modern Transit, and the Transit Riders Union of St. Louis

DESCRIPTION:
Metrolink Prom is a full-blown, high school-style PROM aboard your favorite transit system. Dress in your finest attire—try to wear something blue. We’ll award the night’s finest dressed (blue-themed formalwear or costumes) with the title of Prom King and Prom Queen. The newly anointed Prom Court will then lead us in our promenade from the Skinker Station to the Moonrise Hotel’s rooftop bar for our Blue Moon Ball – a night of drinking and dancing with an unparalleled bird’s eye view of the city and its duo of MetroLink lines.

EVENT INFORMATION

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7 2011
7:00PM-???

COST: $2.75 (for Metro 2 Hour Pass)

MEET UP:
ON THE PLATFORM OF THE FOREST PARK-DEBALIVIERE METROLINK STATION
(272 DEBALIVIERE AVE) AT 7:00PM

PROM KING AND QUEEN ELECTION:
SHREWSBURY METROLINK STATION
(7215 LANSDOWNE AVE) AT 7:45PM

PROMENADE FROM SKINKER METROLINK STATION TO:

BLUE MOON BALL:
MOONRISE HOTEL ROOFTOP BAR
(6177 DELMAR BVLD) AT 9:00PM
AT 9:00PM

As a reminder, there is no eating, drinking, or smoking while aboard Metrolink.

For more information, check out the Metrolink Prom Tumblr.

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City Affair XIII: Transit Advocacy was a marked success

Despite forecasts of snow, City Affair XIII saw over fifty participants learn more about Proposition A, challenge our transit panelists and receive a challenge in turn to turn out, phone bank, organize , and fight for Proposition A

Thanks to everyone who braved the cold, mixed precipitation, and threats of snow to attend City Affair XIII at the offices of Arcturis. The discussion was often boisterous with panelists Tom Shrout, Courtney Sloger, and Mark Phillips outlining the future plans of Metro, discussing strategy for victory for the upcoming vote on Proposition A this April, and being kept on their toes by a lively discussion section.

City Affair STL would like to pass on the following resources to transit advocacy interested citizens:

Newly Redesigned Metro Website - Now featuring Google Transit for trip planning purposes and soon rolling out a smart phone application

Moving Transit Forward: Metro's 30 Year Plan - Developed through several charrettes with City, County, and Metro East residents.

More MetroLink - Advocacy Site to support the passage of Proposition A

Voter Neighbor - System to encourage participation for Proposition A. Contact Courtney Sloger for more information

Next Stop STL - Metro's Blog.

Advance Saint Louis - Supporting Proposition A

Ten Toes Express - If you are a member of City Affair, make the commitment towards sustainable transportation

Finally the featured video is now the pro-Proposition A spot produced by Citizens for Modern Transit

Reminder:

City Affair XIV: Gentrification

March 4, 2010
7:30-9:00 PM
LOCATION T.B.A. Soon!

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CITY AFFAIR UPDATE

The February City Affair will be taking place tomorrow, February 4th 2010, at the offices of Arcturis.

We have added Mark Phillips, a long range planner for metro, to the panel.

For details on the after party, please scroll to the end of this post.

We would like to encourage you to take transit to City Affair. The offices of Arcturis are located in the Laclede Gas building directly above the 8th and Pine Metrolink Station. Please visit TripFinder to plan your route to City Affair.

EVENT INFORMATION

Thursday, February 4 2010
7:30-9:00 PM
Arcturis Offices
Laclede Gas Building, Second Floor
720 Olive Street Saint Louis, Mo. 63101

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CITY AFFAIR AFTERPARTY

Thursday, February 4 2010
9:30 PM - Midnight
Sol Lounge
4239 Lindell Bvld. Saint Louis, Mo. 63108
Between Whittier and Boyle

You can get to the after party on Metro by taking the #10 bus westbound from 14th and Pine. The #10 leaves from 14th and Pine at 9:30 and 10:10pm and the trip is around 15 minutes.

The afterparty at Sol benefits the Saint Louis Urban Studio. Admission is $5 and helps to support the Urban Studio's excellent programs. For more information view the facebook event.

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Saint Louis has a better performing and more used transit system than many comparable cities and regions, yet popular opinion continuously sides against Metro. Current events have demonstrated that transit is a vital component of the economy. While the state of Illinois recognizes the importance of transit, Missouri provides 7% as much funding for Metro and ranks 35th nationally for transit funding.

Given these structural issues what can we do to help?
We will hear about new metro initiatives and discuss strategies for supporting Proposition M with the following panel:
Tom Shrout - Tom is Executive Director of Citizens for Modern Transit, an advocacy organization founded over twenty years ago to advocate for light rail transit in Saint Louis. Mr. Shrout first spoke to City Affair in April 2009.

Courtney Sloger - Courtney is an online media specialist for Metro where she coordinates the new metro blog Next Stop STL: http://www.nextstopstl.org/

Melissa Legge - Melissa is a former Metro intern and senior in environmental studies at Washington University

Following forty five minutes of panel discussion we will open the floor to audience questions.

EVENT INFORMATION

Thursday, February 4 2010
7:30-9:00 PM
Arcturis Offices
Laclede Gas Building, Second Floor
720 Olive Street Saint Louis, Mo. 63101

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