The Great Cobblestone Challenge
Thursdays on the Landing. Complete a challenge at six of the Landing’s bars for free drinks. You must eat six Buffy Wings at Show-Me’s, eat five sliders at Sundecker’s, drink a microbrew at Morgan Street, drink an injector shot at Big Daddy’s, have a “Red Guy” at The Big Bang and try any shot No. 1-124 at Joey B’s. If you complete the challenge, you get a free drink from each establishment.

‘Modern Time’
March 23 at the Tivoli, 6350 Delmar Blvd., at 7 p.m. The Tivoli is having a free showing of Charlie Chaplin’s classic movie “Modern Times.”

This footed bowl was made by husband-and-wife team Matthew LaBarbera and Teresa Ueltschey, founders of Austin’s Fire Island Hot Glass Studio, once the oldest glassblowing studio in Texas (it closed last February). (Ron T. Ennis | Fort Worth Star-Telegram | MCT)

The idea of glassblowing blows my mind. When I look at an intricate glass vase with swirls of colors and perfect curves, I can’t even begin to imagine how it came from a molten glob of material at the end of what’s essentially a straw. But apparently that’s how it’s done. If you don’t believe me, check out one of Third Degree Glass Factory’s Third Fridays.

On the third Friday of every month, Third Degree Glass Factory, a remodeled brick warehouse at 5200 Delmar Blvd., opens its doors for a free night of glassblowing demonstrations. The event runs from 6 p.m.-10 p.m. and offers attendees the chance to look at and purchase unique glass creations. You can even have a hand in working with the glass. If you pay a fee, you can get the help of an artist to make things like a paperweight, beads or glass tiles. The cost of these items varies, running from about $10 to $30. Live music starts at 8 p.m., and there is a cash bar with drinks running from $3 for beer to $7 for higher-end liquors. You can also eat dinner at the event, but that requires an online reservation beforehand.

The event also affords you the opportunity to just sit back, watch and enjoy glassblowing. The overall atmosphere of the hip, reclaimed warehouse is laid-back in a new-wave Bohemian way. The building is entirely open, allowing you to see the artists and talk to them as they work. There are various ways for you to watch the glassblowing. In the main room, demonstrations are done for the crowd over a loudspeaker. Most of the space in the up-close viewing room is taken up by excited children, but don’t worry, demonstrations are also projected onto a screen, which can be seen from all over the factory. There are also artists working on smaller pieces in quieter rooms of Third Degree, allowing for a closer look at how they work.

For those who are more interested in the final products, there is also a wide array of work available to buy. Some of the work is as simple as a beer bottle converted to a drinking glass, while other pieces are large platters with intricate designs. Third Degree also has a gallery that displays more-artsy forms of glasswork. Currently there is an interesting display of mixed media art that uses glass and forms of yarn and string in ways I never would have considered.

So if you’re interested in seeing the sweat and fire that goes into glassblowing, check out Third Degree Glass Factory’s Third Friday. It’s a short drive from campus, and there’s parking available at the factory and the funeral home next door. The next event will be April 16, so mark your calendars. It may surprise you with something you’ve never seen before.

Trivia Titans @ J. Buck’s—March 2 and every Tuesday, at J. Buck’s in Clayton, 101 S. Hanley Rd., 7 p.m.: Free Trivia on Tuesdays with great prizes for the top teams and the best happy hour prices in Clayton on food and drinks.

Downtown Iditarod—March 6, downtown St. Louis, from the Old Post Office to Lumière Place, 11 a.m.: A weird twist on the Classic Iditarod, where teams of five act as the huskies and pull a shopping cart through the streets of St. Louis. $50 registration fee per five-person team.

You might ask what makes the movie so good…I mean bad. First, there’s the title. There really isn’t a room, at least not one that is central to the story. This brings us to the second shortcoming: The movie has no story. Characters come in and out of scenes with no real explanation of who they are or why they’re there. The film has more plot holes than hairs on the film’s director’s/writer’s/producer’s/star’s head. And trust me, that man has an impressive amount of hair.

There also seems to be zero production value in the movie. For instance, the same lame sex scene is used twice. In fact, during the filming of “The Room,” one of the main actors decided to quit. Instead of hiring a replacement or reworking the script to adjust for his departure, the producers make his character disappear without an explanation, and his lines are given to another character.

To give you a better idea of how wonderfully horrible this movie is, let me describe a scene. Tommy Wiseau’s character, Johnny, goes onto the rooftop of his apartment, dispassionately proclaiming that he never hit his girlfriend, Lisa. (How he finds out that Lisa has secretly started this rumor we never find out.) Suddenly Johnny realizes his best friend Mark is on the roof, and he instantly forgets he’s upset. The two then have a badly dubbed conversation with stiff, awkward dialogue as they sit in front of a fake backdrop of the skyline of San Francisco. The word “yeah” is used eight times in one minute, and they toss around a football for no reason whatsoever.

So why would anyone want to see this movie? It’s not about wanting; it’s about needing to see this movie. If you don’t believe a turd of a movie can be a wonderful experience, check out “The Room” for yourself. Like “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” audience members are encouraged to dress up like characters in the movie. If you’re unfamiliar with the characters, just wear anything that’s from the early ’90s; although the movie was filmed in 2003, its clothing is straight out of the original “90210.”

Every aspect of this movie is so wrong it’s hilarious. And while Wiseau now claims that he intended for his “dark comedy” to be atrocious, you can’t help but wonder if he’s really capable of that type of evil genius. “The Room” taps into that little dark part of all of us that loves to watch others fail miserably—the same part that loves to watch painful accidents on “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” It’s an experience that can’t be missed.

First, there’s ice skating in Forest Park at the Steinberg Rink. Located at the back of Forest Park toward the School of Medicine, the rink offers a city park skating experience that rivals ice skating in Central Park. The snow-covered landscape and the Central West End buildings that peek over the trees create a gorgeous view as you swirl around the rink. During the winter, the rink is open seven days a week: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m.-midnight on Friday and Saturday. It costs $6.50 to skate and $3 to rent skates. To get to the rink, take MetroLink to the Central West End, and cross back over Kingshighway to the park. The café at Steinberg offers food and hot chocolate to warm you up. If you get a group of friends together to go skating, I guarantee it’ll be a good time, despite the 8-year-olds who will do triple salchows while you’re falling on your butt.

Aside from ice skating, there’s also the long-held tradition of sledding on Art Hill. The aptly named Art Hill is the big slope in front of the art museum in Forest Park. Whenever there are a few good inches of powder, the hill is perfect for sledding. For decades, people of all ages have ditched class and work to head to the hill, so I recommend getting there fairly early in the day so you’re not left with an icy, muddy sledding experience. The bonus to this activity is that it’s absolutely free. And if you don’t have a legitimate sled handy, you have an opportunity to be innovative. Pointers Pizza boxes are always a good option, but they’re normally only good for a few runs. I’ve also heard food trays or large garbage can lids work well, especially when the underside is spread with Pam or some other cooking spray.

So, can snow suck? Yes. But now you’ll be prepared with something to do the next time you just can’t stand staying inside anymore trying to wait it out.

Of course, the main event of Mardi Gras is the Grand Parade, which is one of the largest parades in the Midwest. Running from Busch Stadium to the Anheuser-Busch Factory, it attracts thousands of people hootin’ and hollerin’ for beads from the floats. The parade is this Saturday, Feb. 13, and starts at 11 a.m. Due to large numbers of attendees, however, I advise getting there early—more than a half an hour early. Officials ask that you do not try to park in Soulard, because although its streets are quaint and picturesque in a red-brick, creole kind of way, they are not parking-friendly. There is parking available at the Scottrade Center and down at the Landing, and both locations offer shuttles to Soulard on the day of the parade. The Landing shuttle picks up passengers at Second Street and Laclede’s Landing Boulevard. There are also Metro stops at the locations.

After the parade, the bars and streets of Soulard start to party. There will be live music on the Landshark Stage from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Many of the restaurants in Soulard, including the legendary McGurk’s, are having DJs and drink specials. A list of bands playing, and restaurants and bars in the area, can be found at www.mard

igrasinc.com.

Know beforehand that you are not allowed to bring cans, bottles, coolers or large bags into the Mardi Gras area. They make it quite clear that if you do, they will take them, and you will never see your beer-filled JanSport again. Also be aware that there will be police patrolling the neighborhood streets, so keep that in mind before you go lifting up your T-shirt.

For those who aren’t big partiers, there are other great events to check out as well. Harley Davidson has created a racetrack for Harley Gras at Seventh Street and Geyer. You might ask, what will be burning rubber there? Tricycles. You and your friends can see who can put the pedal to the metal fastest and race around the track on trikes.

Mardi Gras is really something that can’t be missed while you’re living in St. Louis. It’s free to get into the event, so even if you just want to walk around and enjoy the atmosphere, there’s no strain on your wallet. Soulard is a great part of St. Louis that we often forget about, so head down to Mardi Gras and get to collecting those coveted beads.

Super Bowl XLIV will be played Sunday at 5:30 p.m. between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts (John Fitzhugh | Biloxi Sun-HeRAld | MCT)

It’s that time of year again: time for million-dollar commercials, hyped-up halftime shows and some good ol’ American football. The Super Bowl, for those who don’t already know, is at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday on CBS. The teams fighting for glory this year are the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints, with The Who performing during halftime.

If you’re the type of person who likes to get out there on Super Bowl Sunday, shout, and eat wings with strangers, there are plenty of places in St. Louis to catch the game. Not too far from campus, there’s Highlander Pub and Grill, 5656 Oakland Ave., which was rated St. Louis’ number one sports bar by the Riverfront Times. The establishment plans to have a DJ before and after the game, as well as food and drink specials. In this cold weather, Highlander is definitely out of walking distance and there’s no Metro stop nearby. But there are buses that go by the bar. Some of Highlander’s menu pays homage to its Celtic roots, but it also has regular bar favorites as well.

Want more of a traditional American bar? Try Tom’s Bar & Grill in the Central West End. Located at 20 S. Euclid Ave., Tom’s is close to the Central West End Metro stop. The bar has great food, and I recommend their burgers or the club sandwich. Tom’s has the atmosphere of an everyone-knows-everyone bar, which always has customers laughing and shouting like they’re old friends.

If you’re like me and don’t really feel like facing the world on Sunday (my beloved Dolphins lost all hope for this season around week nine), then you can always plan a party at your dorm or apartment. This would probably be the preferable way to enjoy the Super Bowl if you’re really only in it for the GoDaddy.com commercials. You can still enjoy all the game-day cuisine, however. Places close to campus offer delivery and take-out of all types on the big day. For wings, I recommend getting a carryout order from Cicero’s on the Delmar Loop: The wings are the classic get-sauce-all-over-your-fingers-and-face style. Cicero’s entire menu is available for carryout so you can get orders of their cheese fries or potato skins. For pizza, there is always Pointer’s, which offers hand-tossed pizzas, including the famous 28-inch Pointersaurus pizza. There’s also Imo’s, which has traditional St. Louis thin crust. Both places deliver to and around campus.

Whether you realized it was coming or not, the Super Bowl is now upon us. As an American college student, you might as well go out and enjoy it. Consume greasy food and bad beer; laugh at ridiculous commercials; and yell proudly at the refs on TV, even if they’ll never hear you.

Other Happenings

Trivia Titans @ J. Buck’s, Feb. 2 and every Tuesday at J. Buck’s in Clayton, 101 S. Hanley Rd., 7 p.m.
Free trivia on Tuesdays with great prizes for the top teams and the best happy hour prices in Clayton on food and drinks.

Naughti Gras, Feb. 5-6 at Koken Art Factory, 2500 Ohio Ave., 7 p.m.-1 a.m.
An erotic art show that guarantees to be a good time with free food, cash bar and music. Admission costs $5.

Marleyfest, Feb. 5-6 at Blueberry Hill, 6504 Delmar Blvd., 8 p.m.
Celebration of Bob Marley’s music and beliefs of peace and unity with local reggae band, Murder City Band. Tickets cost $15.

Jan. 26 and every Tuesday, at J. Buck’s in Clayton, 101 S. Hanley, 7 p.m.

• Free trivia on Tuesdays with great prizes for the top teams. Students with a Wash. U. ID get the best happy hour prices in Clayton on food and drinks.

Washington Avenue Pub Crawl and Scavenger Hunt

Jan. 30 at 2 p.m.

• An afternoon pub crawl and scavenger hunt to benefit Rainbows for Kids. Register your team by Jan. 25.

Burns’ Night

Jan. 25 at the Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

• A night to celebrate poet Robert Burns with Scottish food, music and beer.

Benefit Concert for Haiti

Jan. 31 at Cicero’s, 6691 Delmar Blvd., 6 p.m.

• A concert sponsoring Friends of the World Food Program.

For those of you who are Landing regulars, you’ll know that on busy nights, it’s impossible to stay at one bar all night. Many of the bars down there have their own specialty and their own flair to add to the evening. There are the places you go for drink specials, the places you go to dance and the place you avoid because of the sleazy older crowd it attracts. Unfortunately, none of the bars are “the bar with the coat check,” so bring jackets and such at your own risk.

If you’ve been down to the Landing before, I’m sure you have your own way of doing things, but for those who have just recently turned 21, here are some recommendations. Personally, I like to start my night at Joey B’s On The Landing. It’s a smaller bar and one of the first ones you pass on your way from the Metro. They have great drink specials and compared to other places, you’re more likely to get a table.

For dancing or for seeing everybody and their mother, you have to go to Morgan Street Brewery. The dance floor is usually somewhere upstairs. Depending on the time of year and customer traffic, the number of bars, patios or rooms open in Morgan Street varies. At its fullest, the place is packed and you can spend hours dancing, seeing old friends, or, in some cases, looking for the ones you came with.

Once you get to that point in the night when all you want to do is smile and sing “Sweet Caroline,” the place to go to is Big Bang, a piano bar. It might be the wooden décor and familiar music, or it might be the alcohol, but Big Bang always has a cozy feel to it. It’s a place where you can get up on a chair and start belting out your favorite tunes without worrying about being embarrassed the next morning.

So next Thursday, when you can’t wait for the weekend or you’re just excited because you’re a senior with no Friday classes, head down to the Landing and have a great time—because that’s the reason everyone goes there.

(David Carson | St. Louis Post-Dispatch | MCT)

Let’s face it. St. Louis is really only known for three things: the Arch, the Cards and Bud. After living here for a while, you begin to take some of these things for granted, especially Anheuser-Busch products. There’s always Bud Light at the bars and Natural Light (more commonly known as “Natty Light”) at parties, so we forget that the Anheuser-Busch brewery is a great part of St. Louis’ history and culture. To reconnect with these roots, why not stop by the brewery and take a free tour?

That’s right, the tour is free and includes complimentary samples at the end for those over 21 years old. Tours of the brewery, which is located off the Arsenal exit of Interstate 55, run about every half hour depending on the day of the week and the time of season.

The brewery tour begins in an area surrounded by displays of the company’s history. This is where you’ll be greeted by your cheery, headset-wearing tour guide. Like most tour guides, those at the brewery have plenty of fun facts and cheesy jokes, but they also have a slightly snarky manner befitting of a historical, alcohol-producing landmark.

The tour goes through the buildings that house each stage of the brewing process: brewing, aging, packaging, etc. This sets it apart from a lot of other brewery tours, like the Guinness factory tour, because you actually see parts of an active factory. The machines are not empty, cut open and put on display for you to see their innards; rather, they are fully functional and full of the beer you may one day be drinking.

The tour also goes through the famous Anheuser-Busch Clydesdale stables, which house the horses used in their commercials. The horses really are huge; it’s not just a camera trick that makes them look big on TV. The decorative details in these horses’ stalls would fit better in a cathedral than a barnyard. They’ll definitely have you wondering why a place that smells like horse manure is nicer than your dorm room.

Of course, the reason most people go on the tour is for the hospitality room at the end. This is where those who are over 21 (of course they card) get two decently sized samples. While they don’t have every product available, they do offer ones like Michelob pomegranate raspberry, which you’ve always wanted to try but never actually wanted to buy. They also offer snacks to go with the beer.

So make a trip to the Anheuser-Busch brewery. You really can’t be in St. Louis for four years without stopping by.