Walk up to Belair Bar & Grill on Spanish Street on a Wednesday evening and you'll notice the place is not only buzzing, but it's been taken over by runners. People stretching by the stage, knotting their laces on patio chairs and catching up with jovial conversations are all the norm. The group meets at Belair at 6:30 and runs a 4 mile loop throughout downtown ending back at Belair for food and socializing. We usually put together about five or six tables and all enjoy food and drinks together after the run. Belair also offers our group special deals on the food which is most appreciated! Anyone is invited to join any of the runs (no matter your pace), and one of my favorite things about the group is the wide variety of awesome people I've met while participating.

I personally started running last summer after a friend invited me to try the social run at Belair. Being a newbie to running (and really to working out in general), I wasn't so sure I was cut out for this group. After one run, though, my fears were shed.

I discovered the whole point of social run was to run together... of course there were people running at different paces and speeds, but ultimately no one was to be left alone. If you see someone running by themselves you either slow down or speed up so they're not alone. Starting out I ran about 1 mile with the group and then would take a shortcut back to Belair.

Everyone in the group was so encouraging. About the third or fourth time I showed up, one of the men in the group confidently told me that I was running 2 miles that day without stopping. I laughed because I had just started running 1 mile without stopping. More committed and convinced than I was, he ran beside me the whole way giving me advice and encouragement, and through the huffs and puffs I made it to 2 miles. The feeling of accomplishment was so nice, and the camaraderie by which I accomplished it was even more uplifting. As any social runner could tell you, the stories of friendship and camaraderie are so abundant!

The group is led by local running experts, Bryan and Kim Kelpe who together own and operate Missouri Running Company. About once a month they will invite out athletic brand reps or have a special demonstration before the social run that benefit runners such as tips and tricks for running at night, and every once in awhile there are even door prizes! Woop! Woop!

Come and see what it's all about. I've been running for close to a year now, and am still near the back of the pack; but no one ever makes me feel inferior. Everyone is genuinely encouraging. It's all about being active and just giving your best effort. Whether your mile is 14 minutes or 6 minutes, you will benefit from time well spent with others, and I promise you'll leave with lifted spirits. See you next Wednesday at 6:30 at Belair!

Entering Muriel's Garden for the first time I was delighted to find shabby chic vases, cozy decor and beautiful flowers. I was greeted by a friendly, soft spoken lady who turned out to be the owner and was not named Muriel as I had guessed. Her name is Sally Suchman, and she named the floral shop after her mother who had a huge passion for flowers and gardening.

I love fresh flowers. They bring me happiness, and you can almost always find them in my home. A friend of mine told me that Muriel's Garden sold flowers by the stem, so I stopped in to check out the selection and pricing. 

I found the flowers are beyond affordable. Think cents per stem! And as I looked around I saw a sign that said, "Pick a Vase, Pick Your Flowers." Sally explained that she has always enjoyed making one of a kind arrangements. She has an ever changing, wide variety of vases for customers to choose from on shelves and tables throughout the store. Most of the vases are vintage finds from auctions and estate sales; and they range in price from $1-$30. I picked out a dainty, white porcelain vase patterned with lovely blue details for $1 and started to look for some flowers. Sally helped me pick out flowers for my vase and then she put the arrangement together at her workstation. She threw in some greenery for free, and the entire thing rang up for under $8. I was sold, and said I'd be back for more.

As days past, I saw others supporting the new shop. Annie Laurie's Antiques had a display of vases, mason jars, and glasses that encouraged shoppers to purchase a vase and head to Muriel's Garden, and friends posted about Muriel's on their Facebook pages. After about 2 weeks my first flowers had retired. I was in Brick Street Antiques and spotted a beautiful glass milk vase for $8. I bought the vase and walked the short distance to Muriel's Garden. Sally suggested the blush carnations and began making my arrangement. I asked her about a few glorious green flowers in her refrigerator, and she told me they were Bells of Ireland. They were a structured flower that stood proud. She threw one into my arrangement for free along with some some ribbon that added a lovely country feel. My flowers were under $5, and again I was happy as a bird.

On another trip, I met Sally's daughter Casey. She was just as friendly as Sally and told me that the shop has brought her mom so much joy. They both talked about how people come in and share their memories of growing up with flowers and how they've created an ambiance in the flower shop that feels like home. 

My favorite part of Muriel's Garden is that there are so many options. You can simply buy flowers by the stem and take them home, or pick out a vase and ask Sally to help you with an arrangement, or select a pre-made arrangement (expect flowers in dessert dishes, bowls and mason jars). Bring in your own vase from an antique adventure downtown or even order custom arrangements ahead of time. No matter your route you will always get an arrangement with an extra dose of TLC and a full serving of creativity. Enjoy!

From sidewalk cafes to the sweetest patios and the best places to people watch, downtown has got you covered when it comes to outdoor dining options. It's time to get outside, soak up the sun and take advantage of these mild June temperatures. Below you'll find a list of all of the wonderful options for dining outside while downtown.

			1. Bella Italia Patio  |  Map it! This is the perfect place to enjoy the company of friends while watching pedestrians stride down Spanish street into nearby antique shops and salons. The checkered table cloths, mural of Italy and the zesty food selection set the tone for a wonderful outing.
2. Bel-Air Deck  |  Map it! This huge deck is a summer staple in Cape Girardeau. Grab a friend, some sunglasses and an appetite for some of the best fried bar food around. The Bel-Air potatoes are almost as legendary as the outdoor venue itself, so add those to your must try list.
			3. Cape's Cream of the Crust  & Sugar Buzz Bakery Sidewalk Table  |  Map it! Everything down to the ice cream machine itself is an antique at Cape's Cream of the Crust & Sugar Buzz Bakery. Kick back and enjoy the nostalgia of days past at this cute soda and ice cream shoppe on Spanish Street. It's directly attached to Spanish Street Mercantile.
4. Celebrations Courtyard  |  Map it! Escape the everyday grind with a lovely 5 course meal outside at Celebrations courtyard. Sip on a spectacular glass of wine while enjoying great conversation with your special someone. The attentive service and tucked away atmosphere makes it feel like you've found your very own private getaway in the city.
			5. Corner Grocery Store Sidewalk Tables  |  Map it! The Corner Grocery Store boasts the World's Best Grilled Cheese and handmade-chocolate candies among other quick meal options. Recently they've been most noted for their Kentucky Bourban Balls which are a delight for the sweet tooth. Owners, Robert & Mary, are the nicest souls you'll ever meet. Meeting them alone is worth your trip. They're natural conversationalists. Just ask about their beloved Kentucky Wildcats, and you're sure to win them over.
			6. Cup 'n Cork Patio  |  Map it! Here you'll find best friends having heart to hearts, co-workers chatting about projects and SEMO students taking advantage of the trusty WiFi signal. Come for breakfast, dinner or lunch. Coffee in the morning or wine in the evening... Cup 'n Cork will keep you powering through.
			7. Dynamite Coffee Sidewalk Table   |  Map it! A great meet-up spot, Dynamite Coffee is a niche coffee shop on Independence. After having awesome success at the Downtown Farmer's Market the shop owners decided to plant permanent roots less than a block from the market grounds. Almost a year in and the shop already has devoted regulars and raving fans.
			8. El Sol Patio  |  Map it! The patio at El Sol is a great place to bask in the fresh summer air while enjoying some of the most tasty guacamole around! They even have their own "gaucamole man" to back it up.
9. Imo's Deck  |  Map it! A student favorite, the deck at Imo's is always brewing with lunchtime gab sessions and chill dinner gatherings. Imported from St. Louis, the signature thin crust pizza and house salad dressings are never a disappointment.
			10. Keller's Balcony Patio at The Isle  |  Map it! Keller's is a wonderful mix of luxury and comfort with fancy fire-lit tables and plush couch seating. Light appetizers and entrees compliment the bar offerings. During the night you can feel the light river breeze and during the day the balcony is just high enough to enjoy great views of the Mississippi.
11. The Library Patio  |  Map it! Tiki torches, an outside bar and a sand volleyball court create an aura of excitement at The Library's patio. It's always buzzing on Friday and Saturday nights, and the full food and drink menu make this the kind of place you want to settle in for the entire evening.
12. Main Street Station Sidewalk Table  |  Map it! A fun little stop, Main Street Station, is fully equipped with a concession-like order window as well as the option for shopping inside. Enjoy a quick stop for a hot dog or water on a walk downtown.
			13. Mediterranean on Broadway Sidewalk Tables  |  Map it! Mediterranean on Broadway recently relocated and is now directly adjacent to the university campus. Sidewalk tables provide the option to watch Broadway traffic zoom by as you're enjoying a gyro.
			14. Socials Sidewalk Tables  |  Map it! The fresh ferns and plants amid Socials sidewalk tables add a touch of welcome serenity. Bring a pen and paper and write the day away as downtown pedestrians make their way up and down Main Street. Coffee, food and treats are all available inside.
15. Take-out at the River, Downtown Parks or Benches!  Get creative with take-out! Order a to-go plate from any of the restaurants downtown and bask in the beauty of the Mississippi River at Riverfront Park or from the bench atop the Common Pleas Courthouse stairs for a breathtaking view of downtown and the river.

Author: Toni Eftink is a Project Manager at Element 74 where she leads custom web projects. She has a huge love for downtown Cape Girardeau and small businesses. You can find her on Google+ and Twitter.

Sunshine is finally headed our way. Prepare yourself in these stylish sunglasses. Lucky for you they're all available downtown! 

The following sunglasses are from Philanthropy and range in price from $18 to $28.









The following sunglasses, Solo eye-wear, are from Southern Style and range in price from $100 to $180.








Author: Toni Eftink is a Project Manager at Element 74 where she leads custom web projects. She has a huge love for downtown Cape Girardeau and small businesses. You can find her on Google+ and Twitter.

Did you know that the largest silver artbar dealer in the world is in downtown Cape Girardeau? I sure didn’t, and until this week I didn’t know what a silver artbar was either. Mike Sprouse, owner of River City Coins and Jewelry and – the world’s largest artbar dealer – filled me in during a visit to his shop this week. I discovered that silver artbars are rectangular collector’s items made of silver with engraved artwork that were mostly produced in the 60’s and 70’s after the U.S. stopped using silver in coins which in turn caused an increase in silver interest and value.

During my visit to River City Coins & Jewelry, Mike was kind enough to show me around his shop, give me some coin collecting 101 and share his story.

When I walked in the shop, I carried in a trinket-box full of coins. The box, shaped like a heart with “Toni’s Things” painted on top, held coins that I had thrown in since I was 12 that I thought were interesting or that held special sentimental value. Mike said that people walked in on a daily basis with similar stories of coins they thought may or may not be worth something. We poured mine on the counter, and Mike thumbed through foreign coins, smashed souvenir pennies, a few buffalo nickels and a Kennedy half dollar. The verdict? My buffalo nickel was worth 35¢. Everything else was face value or less.

Since I wasn’t expecting any of my coins to be worth much, I wasn’t that disappointed, so we moved on to bigger and better things. I asked Mike about some of his favorite coins, and he pulled out a buffalo nickel with a 3 legged buffalo and a $20 gold coin. The buffalo nickel (sans one leg) was worth anywhere from $500-$1,000! The $20 gold coin was printed in 1924, and was now worth approximately $1,800! Mike explained that the intrinsic worth of the gold in the coin was $1,200, and the numismatic worth (collector’s value) added another $600 of worth to the coin. Many coins have a raw precious metal value (intrinsic) plus a numismatic value determined by how valuable collectors deem the coin. Mike proudly referred to himself as a numismatist - a student or collector of coins.

As I stood at the counter in River City Coins & Jewelry, I was most impressed with Mike’s knowledge of economics, investing and the precious metals market. As he told his story, I learned he had majored in Economics at SEMO and worked in the banking industry for 10 years before deciding to take a chance on his dream job: buying and selling coins and jewelry. He first opened his shop in Cape in 1985 and moved to the current location downtown in 1993. He laughed in disbelief, as I reminded him he was nearing his 30 year anniversary. Mike confessed that he had collected coins all of his life, and I could tell he had a true passion for the trade.

When I left the store, I couldn't help but peek at interesting pieces, and I made two mental notes:

1. Collecting coins is a hobby that is literally worth something. 
2. I really need to add investing in gold to my list of strategies for retirement. 

After all, cashing in a $20 gold coin for $1,800 doesn’t sound too shabby.


Author: Toni Eftink is a Project Manager at Element 74 where she leads custom web projects. She has a huge love for downtown Cape Girardeau and small businesses. You can find her on Google+ and Twitter.

I have never intentionally watched a sunrise. I told some friends this over frozen yogurt this summer, and they were all astonished. Apparently it’s a must, and shameful to have not participated in this activity after twenty-seven years of inhabiting the Earth. So we went on bantering about how we would all watch one together soon.

Well… life as it does, passed by quickly and plans were never made; that is until yesterday when I had the bright idea to watch my first sunrise in the deep cold of winter. I convinced my friend, Jessica, to get up with me this morning, and when she agreed I told her she just earned the Friend of the Year Award.

I picked Jessica up at 6:15 this morning. She met me at my car with two thermoses full of fresh hot tea called “Comfort & Joy”. How cute (and needed for 7 degree weather)! We drove towards downtown, so we could watch the sunrise come up over the Mississippi River and decided the top of the county courthouse stairs would be perfect. We hopped out of the car around 6:20, and the freezing began.
 
At first I was so excited to be outside waiting for the sun. There was a line of orange on the horizon, but aside from that it was still a dark, blue-black outside and all of the streetlights were still twinkling. As minutes passed, the sky became lighter and brighter, but still no sun. After 15 minutes the truth set in: 7 degree weather is COLD. Our spirits were still high though. We ran around to stay warm and enjoyed the sounds of a band practicing for the Slapowitz party in a bar below for a KFVS12 Breakfast Show segment.

Come 7:00 we were ready for the sun. I was yelling, “Come out sun” with some serious authority and almost thought it would listen. Our fingers were starting to hurt from the cold, and when 7:03 passed (the time Google said the sun would come up) we decided to go watch the sunrise from the car.

As soon as the decision was made we started sprinting for the car – frozen fingers and all. On the way, Jess dropped her phone and when she picked it up she accidentally pressed something and her phone began playing, “Your Love is a Song” by Switchfoot. We turned around a couple of seconds later (before we reached my car), and the sun was rising. We rushed back to our original spot to get photos, and Jess let the song play on through the sunrise. At the time, I thought she played it on purpose because it was so perfect, but later she told me it was a total accident.

We scurried around, listening to the perfect song on accident and captured some beautiful photos from the tippy top of downtown. It was the perfect way to start the morning, and the perfect place to do so. We stood with a courthouse that had seen many beautiful sunrises, and for the first time I enjoyed one with it.

Every September, I crave a great pair of statement boots. As the craving reached its peak this month, I was inspired to look downtown. I scoped out some of the best boot options in shops last week, and on Saturday morning my friend Aimee and I spent several hours planning outfits and finding fun places to shoot photos. Aimee graciously agreed to dress the part and model in the photos. (She was visiting from St. Louis for the weekend, and barely had a clue of what was in store for her.)

Our first stop of the morning was a historic building at the intersection of Frederick and Independence. There, Aimee modeled a darling pair of tan boots from Annie Laurie’s Antiques. A couple snapshots in and we were both thoroughly enjoying the experience. Fast forward to the end of the day, and we agreed that mixing a Saturday morning with a friend, gorgeous fall boots and a creative mission was a full-proof cocktail for happiness!

Enjoy the photos below, and don’t forget that each pair of these boots is available downtown! Shops and sizes are included in the captions. Thanks to all of the participating stores: Stash, Annie Laurie’s Antiques, Reruns by Cathy and Pastimes Antiques. This is just the tip of the iceberg, too, check out more options in these stores as well as other shops downtown!

Boots, Outfit Ideas & More Boots:


Author: Toni Eftink is a Project Manager at Element 74 where she leads custom web projects. She has a huge love for downtown Cape Girardeau and small businesses. You can find her on Google+ and Twitter.

It all started a few months ago at my friend’s house. She was serving dessert (following one of her many legendary dinners) and handed me a home-made, lemon cupcake on the most darling little saucer. It was a seafoam green, semi-translucent plate that I made all kinds of excited fuss over. My friend, Jessica, had received it as a gift from another friend who found it at an antique shop. Jessica explained that she had actually been on the hunt for additional pieces and then flipped the saucer over to reveal the Fire-King trademark. This was the first I’d heard of Fire-King, and it sparked some interest.

Through a little research on Antique Trader, I found out that Fire-King glassware was mass produced by Anchor Hocking Glass Corp. from 1942 – 1976. My friend, Jessica, had looked the dishes up online and found some pretty steep prices on several Fire-King sets and individual pieces. Turns out, we’re not the only ones gaga for Fire-King, especially the Jade-ite color which is the official name for the color and the most popular among collectors.

We were a little disheartened by the online prices, but I knew something that so many of us take for granted in Cape Girardeau – that we have one of the best antique districts in the Midwest. And from that thought the mission commenced: I would find Fire-King for my friend!

I was confident that Fire-King was patiently awaiting my arrival in an antique store downtown. I headed out on a Sunday afternoon, and popped into Brick Street Antiques and Pastimes Antiques where I found Fire-King pieces, but no Jade-ite, Fire-King. I was getting warm!

Then I strolled into Riverfront Antique Mall. As I walked in, I saw an entire wall of antique glassware that immediately caught my – oh boy! – eye. I approached the wall, and locked my eyes on a section of seafoam green dishes. I grabbed a saucer, and it was the moment of truth! I flipped it over, and there it was… Fire-King!! I had found it, and in a matter of 45 minutes downtown. I purchased one medium sized serving bowl and 4 saucers for $25.90 which was a steal compared to the prices we had found online. The clerk inside was very helpful, and told me about Anchor Hocking and several of the dishes they had produced. She pulled out a reference book to see if she could find the exact dishes I was purchasing for value’s sake, but they weren’t inside the particular issue.

Immediately after I paid my $25.90, I walked outside and texted my friend Jessica, “I have a thank you gift for the millions of dinners you’ve cooked me!!!” I’ve never been one to contain excitement. I ended up giving her the dishes that night, and we both danced with giddy excitement. Ok, maybe I was the only one to literally dance, but I know Jessica was right there with me in spirit!



Author: Toni Eftink is a Project Manager at Element 74 where she leads custom web projects. She has a huge love for downtown Cape Girardeau and small businesses. You can find her on Google+ and Twitter.

Up until about a year ago the historic A.C. Vasterling building at 407 Broadway was sitting dusty and empty. Some initial TLC was given to the building in 2012 by then owner Seymour Chilton and boutique owner Bridgett Kielhofner. After some renovations to the front retail section, Philanthropy, a women's boutique was opened in June of 2012.

Seymour had visions for the rest of the building, which stood with the majority still empty, unused and in need of an intense rehab, but he decided to sell the property instead.

Enter Cara Naeger and RJ Clements, a sister and brother duo, who run their family business, Clemco Development. Cara and RJ bought the building together 6 months ago, and hit the ground running with Architect, Rebecca Ward and major plans to overhaul the upper floors into luxury apartments aka Vasterling Suites. 

If you've driven Broadway lately, you've probably noticed that the façade of Philanthropy is being restored, too. The building qualified for historic tax credits, so Cara and RJ decided to take advantage of the credits and to adhere to historic standards for the rehab with the help of Rebecca. One of the requirements was to remove the stucco façade and to restore the historic façade that still laid underneath - most likely dating back to 1923 when the building was remodeled from 2 stories to 3. (Pretty exciting for a history nerd like myself!)

I first met Cara about a month ago at Vasterling Suites in the midst of construction and clean up. She met me at the entrance with rushed enthusiasm and paint-stained jeans, and explained that they had to have construction finished in a matter of days for the first tenants arrival date - July 1st. We took a quick tour of the building going through studio apartment options, one bedrooms, artist suites and even a two bedroom so I could get a feel for the place. Historically, she said the building used to house a sausage shop, bowling alley and a rumored underground tavern. 

I visited the Vasterling Suites again on Friday with some of the Old Town Cape crew to take photos of the freshly finished apartments. This time Cara and RJ both took us through the suites. RJ was enjoying the "day off" although we hardly believed he was taking a vacation day while on location. We were all so impressed with the slick work that Clemco Development did in just 6 months. The apartments are beautiful and trendy, and still have some neat, historic details in tact including charming trim throughout the building and original fire doors that now serve as industrial hallway decor.

This is Cara and RJ's first project downtown. They chose downtown and the historic rehab because they love downtown and wanted to contribute something great to the community. In our eyes they've more than accomplished that. More specifically they've created a truly unique living space for some very lucky tenants. 

While so much has been accomplished there are still more plans for the property including an outdoor courtyard, fitness center and additional first floor apartments to name a few. We're really grateful to have another living option downtown, and to see a once vacant, historic structure returned to its shining glory.

If you're interested, apartments are still available for rent ranging from $590 - $990 depending on size and # of rooms. Several amenities are included, and they have the coolest washer and dryers in town - they text you when your laundry is done! Another fun perk is that tenants get 10% off at Philanthropy. Give the Vasterling Suites office number a call at 888.346.0543 and press 1 for Leasing Details. You can also check out the Micro Luxury Apartment here.

Read more about this project on Rebecca Ward's blog, Uncovering the Past.

Author: Toni Eftink is a Project Manager at Element 74 where she leads custom web projects. She has a huge love for downtown Cape Girardeau and small businesses. You can find her on Google+ and Twitter.

A walk downtown is unlike any others. I love pacing the sidewalks next to our beautiful streetscapes, historic buildings and local shops. And what I love most is that no two walks downtown are ever alike. That’s because downtown Cape Girardeau is alive with people and stories.

Just last night I grabbed two friends for a walk: Jessica, who first recruited me, and Jen, a newbie to the Downtown Walking Crew. We started our trek on Broadway where we made pit stops to window shop, enjoy some art and smell the roses.

Next we headed down Main Street to peek in a couple more shops, and enjoy the awesome silhouette of the two unbroken blocks of historic architecture. By this time it was starting to get dark, so Jen decided it was time for ice cream. Usually we walk downtown for the exercise, so ice cream doesn’t make the cut… but like I mentioned every walk downtown is different. This time we decided that exercise and ice cream went together.

We turned on Themis from Main and hit Water Street to grab some ice cream from Port Cape Girardeau’s, Sweet Sixteen window. (This is a must stop on any river visit.)

Close-by a young guy was jamming on his guitar, so we found a bench and chilled out to his sound before wrapping up our walk.


Thanks to my beautiful walking models Jessica & Jen!


Author: Toni Eftink is a Project Manager at Element 74 where she leads custom web projects. She has a huge love for downtown Cape Girardeau and small businesses. You can find her on Google+ and Twitter.