When you start a convo with Avatar the Last Airbender, you know it's gonna be a good one. 

We're all nerds for not only amazing stories but what makes them stand out and resonate with audiences. 

In Part 2 of our interview, we chat with Dustin about all the things we love to discuss when the mics are off—but this time, we hit record, and the results were better than we could have imagined. 

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Jeff and Randy Vines have traveled all over the country, searching for the magic they feel in St. Louis. Spoiler alert: there's no place like home 😎

Founders of STL Stylehouse, these two brothers have been incredible advocates for the community. We can't imagine Cherokee Street (or St. Louis) without them.

Tune into this episode, which is low-key a love letter to our city, and learn more about what's changed, what's possible, and what makes us so special. 

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New season, new music, new convos. 
We're here with one of our very own—Dustin Schaefer. He not only makes shoegaze music at night after his day job but has also helped us with equipment, tech support, moral support...you name it. 

Dustin Schaefer is a solo artist who goes by the name Great Ghosts and has published numerous albums and EPs over the past decade. He's been involved in the St. Louis music scene ever since he was a teenager and has a lot to say about the evolution of STL, creativity, process, understanding yourself, and Star Wars (of course).

Tune into part one of this very special episode! 

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Welcome to Season 2!  

We're joined by Rosanna Vitiello, Bureau Chief of The Place Bureau, to discuss placemaking and the elements that might inform it, such as SXSW, STL vs. London, Hostage negotiations, etc. You know, the norm. 

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Mildly influenced by the ULI ASP report discussed in the previous episode, co-host Jayvn created Loutopia's very first workshop that the pod was also part of: The Free City Collab. In this episode, we talk about our fun and mildly-hectic experiences of the day, Hogwarts houses are discussed, maturing our societal culture, and poorly-placed pairs of scissors.

Of course, there's always more, but we'll leave you to it :)

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Season 1 of DesignedBy: may be done, but the work sure aint!

Recently, a report was released by a panel of international real estate, placemaking, and urban planning experts that recommends how St. Louis can improve the heart of our downtown district. Here are 10 general takeaways that this report emphasizes:

• Transformation into a Central Social District: Downtown St. Louis should pivot from a central business district to a central social district focused on culture, creativity, and community engagement
• Economic and Cultural Resilience: Emphasize the creation of a diverse, mixed-use district to enhance economic resilience and attract both residents and visitors
• Real Estate Strategy: Acquire key properties around the Gateway Mall to control and activate spaces, encouraging cultural and economic activity
• Equitable Development: Focus on inclusive economic development by involving BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities in ownership and decision-making processes to create long-term community wealth
• Public and Private Collaboration: Establish partnerships with various stakeholders, including public entities and private developers, to support the district’s transformation and ensure sustained investment and programming.
• Activation and Programming: Implement a consistent schedule of events and activations to keep the area vibrant and engaging throughout the year
• Placemaking and Placekeeping: Utilize placemaking strategies to create spaces that are inviting, safe, and culturally rich, ensuring they reflect the community's history and diversity
• Community Involvement: Engage local artists, entrepreneurs, and residents in the planning and activation processes to ensure the district meets the needs and desires of the community
• Enhanced Public Spaces: Improve the streetscape and pedestrian experience to make downtown more walkable and bike-friendly, enhancing connectivity and accessibility
• Long-term Vision and Planning: Adopt a phased approach to development, starting with temporary activations that can evolve into permanent fixtures, creating a sustainable and dynamic urban environment

Any of this sound familiar :) ? Since it's easy to rely on reports without action, we put this to the test -- we dove into a workshop, created by one of our co-hosts and supported by the other,  in which we examine how to use the takeaways from this report to galvanize our community to start doing some really cool stuff in, with, and for the city of St. Louis.

THIS episode is part 1 :)

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Ever wonder how you can get your neighborhood trash can painted?

Have you ever thought about who's planning out your neighborhood or city?

This time around, we're talking about these things and more with Catherine Hamacher of PGAV Planners. We all love St. Louis on this show so, while we talk about the specifics of her career path, we spend a lot of time relating this to St. Louis. Really interesting stuff actually, you should listen & share :)

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-- Part 2 of Episode 9--

The US is great at a lot of sports but somehow we just don't seem to consistently do well in Soccer (football). Why is that?

This is a question we explore with our friends Travis Winn & Daniel Flynn, creators of an initiative called "Free the Game". Their mission is to liberate the game of soccer from a system in which it costs way too much money to play with not enough reward in America. The theory: If kids have unlimited access to the game, then they'll be great at it. Stars like Lionel Messi, Zinedine Zidane, and more are true testaments to this.

There's a key distinction with Free The Game as well as Calle, The brand under which Free The Game lives: Art and creativity needs to be incorporated at all times. With Courts in Salt Lake City and St. Louis, they're well on the way to doing something truly remarkable!

Take a listen to this episode to learn more and check out their website here :)

FREE THE GAME

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The US is great at a lot of sports but somehow we just don't seem to consistently do well in Soccer (football). Why is that?

This is a question we explore with our friends Travis Winn & Daniel Flynn, creators of an initiative called "Free the Game". Their mission is to liberate the game of soccer from a system in which it costs way too much money to play with not enough reward in America. The theory: If kids have unlimited access to the game, then they'll be great at it. Stars like Lionel Messi, Zinedine Zidane, and more are true testaments to this.

There's a key distinction with Free The Game as well as Calle, The brand under which Free The Game lives: Art and creativity needs to be incorporated at all times. With Courts in Salt Lake City and St. Louis, they're well on the way to doing something truly remarkable!

Take a listen to this episode to learn more and check out their website here :)

FREE THE GAME

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Whether it's the gatekeepers, lack of support, or otherwise, STL can be tough nut to crack if you wanna bring something new to life. So Brock Seals said f**** it, let's just do it ourselves. 

As a multi-faceted artist, Brock blurs the line between music, painter, and designer. From large collaborations to community building (Art Mimosas and Pancakes anyone??) events, it's hard not to see him impacting something for the better in this town.
 

Stay with us for the whole ep for a super special secret guest appearance  👀

Be sure to check out @artmimosaspancakes on IG -- maybe if you're lucky, there will still be a ticket (or two) left. 

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