Creating Connections - October

By Barb Byerly, BJB Creative Services

When Jon Kuhlmann was a teenager, he became a "picky" person in a very good way. While attending KHS, he and several school friends formed a musical group. Picking a name was one of their first challenges. "We ended up calling ourselves The Triceratops - dinosaurs were very popular back then," he says. And not only were dinosaurs popular, so was the group as they became a favorite to play at dances and other functions, with Jon as guitarist, using his "pick" to pluck his way through each piece of the latest music. Fast forward to 2011, and Jon is playing his guitar again, this time as part of the jubilee musical group at Kirkwood United Methodist Church. Plus, in his professional life, his many customers rely on him to be "picky" when it comes to choosing just the right flowers to create Kirkwood Florist's beautiful arrangements - in fact, it might be one of the top reasons he never seems to disappoint. Could it be we have a rock star in our midst who is also a world class florist? Time will tell as we look forward to hearing more about Jon's adventures with "pickiness" and happiness in the future!

Planning a holiday lunch or dinner event for two or 100 but also want to be treated like a guest yourself? Well, relax and slip off your chef's hat ‘cause Certified Executive Chef (CEC) Anthony Lyons, is in town. That's right, Chef Lyons is now Executive Chef at Sunset 44! Owner Bob Menendez tells us Anthony is an active member of the American Culinary Federation and St Louis Chefs de Cuisine Association. He is a native of County Tipperary, Ireland, studied in Galway, and completed his apprenticeship at Raftery Rest, Dromoland Castle before moving to the US. Bob says Anthony's love of the culinary art is obvious to every palate, including his delish lamb dishes. Prior to earning his CEC he served as Sous Chef at several private country clubs in the metro area. Anthony and his wife Jennifer, live with their two daughters, Ryanne and Madeline, in Creve Coeur. Bob is looking forward to introducing Chef Lyons to all Chamber members, so you are cordially invited to stop by soon. Or, if you'd like to make your holiday party rez in Sunset 44's beautiful banquet area, just call 965.6644 or visit online at www.sunset44.com. In the meantime, welcome to downtown Kirkwood, Chef Lyons!

Not only has this past spring, summer and fall brought widely varying temps, they may have also made the Kirkwood-Des Peres area a haven for chipmunks. Steve and Jennifer Bickel, co-owners of Pioneer Pest Management report they have received and responded to a boodle of calls from customers wanting these furry little creatures removed. Happily, the Bickels are able to do this, utilizing an efficient, effective, humane method. "Their capture is done without harm, they are then transported to a wooded area in far west county and released," he says. Since chipmunks are omnivorous, they like to eat plants as well as animals. Some of their fav's are acorns, berries, corn and plant bulbs. They also like birds' eggs, snails, insects, etc. So if you're looking for a solution to dealing with these underground pests, give Steve and Jennifer a call at 822.1191.