There is a historic election coming Tuesday, and it seems almost redundant to say this, but please go vote on Tuesday. Make sure that your friends and family vote as well. An engaged electorate makes for a healthy democracy.

Yes, we will be having an election returns watch party here at the Royale. All are welcome to settle in and watch the returns. Rob Levy of KDHX’s Juxtaposition will be spinning records. We will have on display our 2000 Florida Election Machine including chads.

The weather looks like it will beautiful and we will be testing out some temporary outdoor televisions for that evening along with our new fancy firepits with free s’mores for all. There will be plenty of room with the outdoors in full effect. We will also have a special discounted menu for the evening’s fare. We will also have a special $2 blue state special cocktail for every swing state when announced that turns blue. We will also have discounted $2 whiskey and cider cocktails while they last. We will also have special giveaways for that evening of some remaining Shepherd Fairey posters.

III I need an intern tomorrow! I will provide meals and transportation. As many know, I write a videoblog for MTV covering politics in the state of Missouri. They have sent me a live video camera to cover the Missouri election. You can find more here:
http://think.mtv.com/profile/theroyale

I need an assistant for the day and especially in the evening. I am set to interview the hip hop start Ludacris- ?? Yeah, I know, I am more of an Outkast guy, but sure yeah, Ludacris. He is going to be in town for some promotion and he is going to do some GOTV during the day and I need to spend some time with him that evening getting his response from the results. This is when I absolutely need some good responsible help. If you are interested, please let me know.

IV I need election hot spot information! I will be roving all day covering election day news and features. Please contact me via phone, text, email, twitter or facebook to let me know of any leads.

And if you want to follow my coverage, go to my MTV site:
http://think.mtv.com/profile/theroyale
or twitter: http://twitter.com/theroyale

Thanks and be sure to go vote!!

Greetings fellow Americans and friends from other lands who have joined us in this Union,

Tonight at the Royale we will be watching a commercial. I am not sure what to think about this for I have a natural aversion towards commercials(except for these emails of course!), but tonight’s commercial is of particular interest. Barack Obama has bought out a chunk of time on network TV to communicate his message to the citizens of this nation. The spot is scheduled to start at 7:35 CST. We will have the volume on so feel free to come on down to watch and discuss with your fellow neighbors. And we will also have trivia and giveaways of the Shepherd Fairey Posters of Barack Obama, yard signs and other prizes.

Halloween will be visiting us on a Friday this year in our river city, and we are having a costume contest. The venerable Andrew “the fifth Ghostbuster” Scavotto will be dropping the spooky tunes all night long. We will have prizes including baskets of liquor bottles and beer. I take all my prize cues from Parish picnics. The unofficial theme this year is political history- so feel free to come as Calvin Coolidge, Ladybird Johnson, Winston Churchill or Checkers. Regular costumes will also be ranked as well, so feel free to come as a Rubik’s Cube, Dorothy or the TinWoman.

And on Tuesday we will have a election returns watch party. It will be nice to stop having so many of watch parties and we can get back to watching normal horse races like the Kentucky Derby. We will have the place decked out with polling machines and political memorabilia. There will be a special priced patriot menu for the evening along with special drinks. We will also have free s’mores for the all-American outdoor types. And again we will also have trivia and giveaways of the Shepherd Fairey Posters of Barack Obama and other prizes.

Peace and Prosperity,

Steven Hussein Smith
Proprietor
The Royale Food & Spirits
3132 South Kingshighway
STL, MO 63139
314-772-3600

www.theroyale.com
www.stlstreets.com

We will also have pumpkin carving in the backyard for any who want to make some election themed pumpkins. We already have a few carved (thank you Leslie and Kelly.) Check out http://yeswecarve.com/

We still have Obama shirts available, especially the popular South Side for Obama shirts- this is the last run we are going to get, so get them now before they are out! All money after the cost of the shirts is going to the Obama campaign. http://www.myspace.com/southside4obama

We also will have a select number of the Shepard Fairey posters and some yard signs that we will be giving away after a history quiz after the debates.

This crew contacted me and plans on stopping by on Saturday night:

“The Obama Mobile (www.artthechange.org/obamamobile): a VW bus painted with Obama Stencil Art is traveling across the country through each swing state in order to bolster hope & energy, galvanize local volunteers, support grassroot campaign efforts and generate media attention. The bus is half-way through its trip and will be stopping in St. Louis this coming Friday and Saturday. The bus is a moving political art station engaging people with stencil t-shirt, yard sign and mural-making projects. A filmmaker is documenting the mobile’s swing state trek in order to capture the vibrant grassroots nature of the Obama campaign. Join up with the Obama Mobile during its stay at one of the following locations:

Friday Evening 5pm – 10pm - “The Loop” University City (on Delmar)

Saturday morning 10am – noon – Central West End

Saturday afternoon 2pm – 6pm – South Grand

Saturday evening 8pm – 1:30am the Royale”

And the debate continues.  Funny, for I feel there is not really much new to talk about.  We kinda need to start doing, and this election is delaying us actually doing anything.  But alas, November will be here soon and we can cast our vote for our choice of our next President and we can start moving on all this. 

The past few debates have been fun if not a bit hectic.  We had the BBC in to interview people which was rather funny.  You can check out the BBC’s Jennifer Copestake’s work here: http://tinyurl.com/3lahdp

Considering the great rush last Debate Party we will be using a streamlined special food menu in order for us to keep our service proper.  The debate formally starts at 8, but it is suggested that you get here early, like 6!

And this is your last chance: All registrations must be to the Board of Election by the end of the business day Wednesday.  Register your friends to vote.  They may have moved.  That is okay, but they need to register at their new address.  Maybe they were never registered.  That is okay too, but you need them to register.  No judging on past failures to register, we need to focus on people voting. 

Other upcoming fun at the Royale:

The venerable Jesse Irwin will be hosting a fundraiser for the campaign/movement of Missourians Against Red Light Cameras in the back courtyard on the Saturday the 25th of October, 2-5pm.  The Missourians Against Red Light Cameras or MARLC(pronounced like garlic) welcome several bands performing including the Red Light Runners.  That band ain’t no joke! The Red Light Runners are sorta like the Descendants meets the Clash at some tavern on the southside of Saint Louis.   http://www.myspace.com/theredlightrunners  State Rep Jim Lempke will be discussing his bill to ban these cameras statewide around 3 or so.

Donations for entrance to the courtyard for this event are suggested.  If you are not comfortable bucking up because are unsure what you think about MARLC, there is another option.  So if you want to check out the event you can either kick in to the suggested donation, or you may define a smart intersection in at least one paragraph.  Answers are subject to review, please send answer via email.  To find out more about MARLC check out: http://www.redlightcameraban.com/

Also- here is some video/news work I do on the side.  Here is an interesting story in which the students of SLU managed to pressure the powers that be to get a polling station on campus so these young Americans can exercise their most important right:
http://tinyurl.com/52796s

The following are young people’s reactions to the Vice Presidential Debate:
http://tinyurl.com/3u9rmu

And here is the Royale Trivia: What happened in the August elections in 1854 Saint Louis?

Steven Fitzpatrick Smith
Proprietor
The Royale Food & Spirits
3132 South Kingshighway
STL, MO 63139
314-772-3600

www.theroyale.com
www.stlstreets.com

Be sure to check out our Schlafly Hefebiden and Baracktoberfest beer on draft from the Saint Louis Brewery.

We do have a few different shirts that are up for sale, some of the classic Southside for Obama:
http://www.myspace.com/southside4obama

And another t-shirt design by Franke along with buttons:
http://www.obamaartreport.com/2008/08/manifest-hope-spotlight-frankie.html

And finally, we have a fun event this weekend- here is a message by Karen Klaus from Smoke on the Royale Mountain:
“Dear friends, Hope you can join me this Sunday afternoon from 12 noon – 3:30 p.m. at the Royale for Smoke on the Royale Mountain, a family-friendly barbeque with great bluegrass music for Mustard Seed Theatre. Please find info attached.

A great menu with something for everyone (including vegetarian and vegan options, too!), fun games, and live music!

You’ll even get a sneak preview by cast members of Smoke on the Mountain, which opens October 31 at the theatre in Fontbonne’s Fine Arts Building.

What a great way to spend a fall afternoon. Hope to see you there!

Fondly, Karen”

All good citizens, residents and roustabouts are welcome regardless of
affiliation of party, campaign or otherwise. Civil public discourse
is encouraged. We unfortunately are out of Obama yard signs, but I
would like to thank everyone who gave their cocktail napkin essays on
their favorite President. I would also like to remind people that the
deadline to register to vote is in next Wednesday, so bring some
friends down and register them here at the bar. Remember- everyone
who lives in Missouri needs to vote in Missouri! Change of address-
register again right here at the Royale!

I usually have a longer detailed account and updates about the Royale,
but I have a full day I need to get to right now! If I am not there
on Thursday night, don’t fret. I have put in to be a local driver for
the Biden crew while they are in town for the debates. Being a driver
was one of my favorite jobs. I was a driver at Saint Louis University
for my work study, and I have done all sorts of delivery/driving since
from hauling carnival games to escorting a company of South Korean
businessmen. I still hold my full out class B CDL. The best driving
job I had was driving trucks to Mexico!! I hope I get to drive some
of the Biden officials to Mexico.

Find out more about driving at: http://tinyurl.com/43wfcn

The Royale would like to invite you to watch the first of the debates in the friendly confines of the Royale, tonight Friday the 26th.

All are welcome regardless of political affiliation. Civil public discourse is welcome.

Looking for a Barack Obama yard sign? I have plenty from the STL Young Dems, and you can get one if you can write on a cocktail napkin a few words on your favorite President or your favorite future President. Come down tonight and check out the submissions of napkins that will be posted in the bar. We will post more up on the website next week.

Here are a few:
Obama for change
McCain is an angry man
Palin shot a moose
-George Malich

Ronald Reagan is my favorite President
because my mom and dad told me so.
-80s kid

Grover Cleveland; a Democrat who brings
gold, peace and prosperity- share the fruit
and responsibility of a Republic. Limited
Government with a helping hand close to the people.
-anonymous

And on a side note- Andre “Bubbles” Royo will be speaking at the History Museum this evening at 6pm for a cocktail happy hour. It is Bubbles from HBO’s The Wire. I plan on making the last half of that and then I will be bugging out to get back to the Royale for the evening’s big speeches. So the cool kids will be making two stops this evening, the History Museum and then the Royale.

Peace and prosperity

Steven Fitzpatrick Smith
Proprietor
The Royale Food & Spirits
3132 South Kingshighway
STL, MO 63139
314-772-3600

www.theroyale.com
www.stlstreets.com