ONE THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT

The diner seen in the last two day's posts, recently known as the White Knight, has been a fixture on the west edge of downtown for ages, now barely hanging on. This one is just south of the center and has been around at least since I showed up here for college in the late 60s. It was mostly a 24 hour operation and was well-patronized by late-night partiers of all kinds.

I got an email bulletin from the local newspaper that it had closed without notice late Friday or early Saturday morning. Now it sits at 7th and Chouteau boarded up. I ran out with my camera to pay my respects.  

            

THE OBVERSE

The same diner from the other side. I've never eaten there so I don't need to be in rehab.

The sign on building in back puzzled me. Was it in St. Louis or this very building? This town is a chess hotbed (https://saintlouischessclub.org/) . Turns out the first official world chess championship was held in 1886 but the games were spread among New York, St. Louis and New Orleans. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chess_Championship_1886 We got a piece of the action.            

EVEN THE DINER IS CLOSED

Not out of business but not open for business. I don't know why it is so bright inside. As the saying has it, the lights are on but nobody's home.

If it looks extra perky for a restaurant of this sort, there's a backstory. Some years ago it was used as a movie set and the producers gave it a new look. The movie was based on an engaging novel by a St. Louis author. I was his lawyer at one time and I wrote a post about it 12 years ago. See https://saintlouismodailyphoto.blogspot.com/2008/06/may-angels-in-this-storm-guide.html           

IT MIGHT BE LONGER

Not exactly the best cuisine but this restaurant has been a fixture in downtown STL for a long time. A couple of windows away there is one of those "for information call" realtor's signs.

As I wander around the city I see a large number of out-of-business restaurants. The local newspaper just ran a story about 40 popular restaurants around the metro area that have gone under in the last year. We really liked some of them. It's hard to imagine a phoenix rising from these ashes.         

NEURAL NETWORK

Loose associations again. This made me think of one of those diagrams of neurons and synapses, flickering and vibrating in a process that (may) lead to consciousness. It is the big municipal tree in a plaza downtown. Ordinary if you look from a distance, more interesting if you stick your lans into it.

I've run through the images from Garden Glow at the botanical garden and there are slim pickings around town these days. It's cold and gray but no snow. There are fewer outdoor decorations except for a few residential areas that traditionally go to extremes (there's an idea). The streets, like everywhere, are empty. Upcoming images may reflect that.