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This story topic is for AC Benus' historical Christmas Holiday Novella about Saint Louis' most prominent department store Famous-Barr.

 

The first story is being posted:

 

Katie's Sketchbook - Christmas at Famous-Barr 1976

 

and you can learn more about Famous-Barr and enjoy pictures in AC's blog and gallery. I would never have thought reading about the history of a department store could be so interesting. As one of the comments said: "Now You are being a Living Encyclopedia."  But I guess it's not the first time AC has awed his readers by the depth of his research and attention to historical facts and details.

 

If you're ready to get into a holiday mood or want to follow one of AC's amazing love stories, check out Katie's Sketchbook. I promise you won't be disappointed.

 

And join us here to discuss themes and topics of the Novella.

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Thank you, Tim, for an amazing set-up and pitch. 

 

I grew up with the store, and still remember shopping the basement of the downtown store in '76 with my mom. Lol, a long time ago now... 

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Okay.. I loved Katie's Sketchbook so far. And well I had to try the recipe for the cake AC mentioned.. worked great. My in-laws loved it as well. Here is the link to a picture of it:

 

https://www.gayauthors.org/forums/gallery/image/12324-ooey-gooey-butter-cake/

 

Thanks AC.. nothing like living what you read!

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The first chapter introduced us to the main character of Sloan. It took me a little while to have any warm feelings about him, but perhaps that's because he keeps his emotions in check and his heart under wraps.

 

However, the second chapter showed that Sloan is a good guy, who deserves love and HEA. We understand this from seeing his interaction with his visitors from Ohio, and with Katie's father, whom Sloan is 'sort of seeing.'

 

But the best part is that Sloan's cousin and his boyfriend from Ohio are two beloved characters from another story here on GA: ColumbusGuy's Jay & Miles. :D

 

AC and CG have collaborated on this chapter, and let me tell you, it's AMAZING :wub:

and I'm all :lol: at watching my two friends arguing about getting the credit for that, each of them pointing to each other. Check out CG's story topic if you don't believe me.

Edited by Timothy M.
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AC and CG have collaborated on this chapter, and let me tell you, it's AMAZING :wub:

and I'm all :lol: at watching my two friends arguing about getting the credit for that, each of them pointing to each other. Check out CG's story topic if you don't believe me.

...You're too funny, Tim...

 

Jay and Miles will continue to appear in Katie's Sketchbook, although the next installment is all about Sloan and Katie's morning together ;)

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Okay.. I loved Katie's Sketchbook so far. And well I had to try the recipe for the cake AC mentioned.. worked great. My in-laws loved it as well. Here is the link to a picture of it:

 

https://www.gayauthors.org/forums/gallery/image/12324-ooey-gooey-butter-cake/

 

Thanks AC.. nothing like living what you read!

I think it's great that you saw the recipe and just had to make it - you and your mother-in-law both!

 

It's a very nostalgic cake for me, as my mom usually stopped by the local bakery to have one handy for the weekend. Beware though, it is uber rich, so small slices are called for, and large cups of coffee (or petite glasses of sherry) are good to have standing by.

 

It's a real holiday treat!

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...You're too funny, Tim...

 

Jay and Miles will continue to appear in Katie's Sketchbook, although the next installment is all about Sloan and Katie's morning together ;)

Personally think it's a cool thing to do.. link stories and characters. It supports two great stories as well. 

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Some of you are wondering who this Julia Child person may be, so without further ado, here she is circa 1976. 

In the video, you can see how genuine a person she was - the opposite of 'slick' - she accepts her missteps and moves on (just like the rest of us) 

 

Bon Appétit!

 

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:huh: funny, from your description of her, I imagined her younger and slimmer.

lol, so you were picturing someone like Twiggy? A 6'-2" youngster...hmmmmm

 

And Ms. Child was pretty slim, I'd say ;) Especially considering how in love with food she was!

Edited by AC Benus
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Some of you are wondering who this Julia Child person may be, so without further ado, here she is circa 1976. 

In the video, you can see how genuine a person she was - the opposite of 'slick' - she accepts her missteps and moves on (just like the rest of us) 

 

Bon Appétit!

 

1976 ---> Orange

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Very refreshing to see Ms. Child. It looks like it is done "live" and shows that she has pleasure in teaching people to cook properly, without frills. 

 

Her British equivalent, Delia Smith, also on tele for decennia, explained in an interview in The Telegraph in 2013 why she wouldn't be on tele anymore:

"When I started, there was further education in the BBC; now you have to entertain. You have someone telling me I haven’t got time to show this, or I haven’t got time to show that.”

 

Loved to see Ms. Child use butter. Delia used margarine a lot :/

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No, but perhaps not so matronly, lol.

I will go back and look at the description again...it would be a bit unfair for Sloan to think of her as 'a six-foot-two middle-aged woman,' but maybe he should...   I do appreciate the feedback if you were getting a different vibe from her, but the real Julia was a vivacious person, so maybe you thought she was younger by the way she acts. 

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Ah, that was the Julia Child I liked--sure, it was French food a lot, but she never put on airs...and that voice would always make me smile with her subtle delivery. Great memories--but does anyone besides me remember Graham Kerr, The Galloping Gournet?

 

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Ah, that was the Julia Child I liked--sure, it was French food a lot, but she never put on airs...and that voice would always make me smile with her subtle delivery. Great memories--but does anyone besides me remember Graham Kerr, The Galloping Gourmet?

 

I do. I do. :)

 

Though, at the time, a big part of the entrancement for me was his kitchen set and I had wished my family kitchen was just like it. 

Edited by Reader1810
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I do. I do. :)

 

Though, at the time, a big part of the entrancement for me was his kitchen set (I thought it was his real kitchen :blushing:) and I had wished my family kitchen was just like it. 

I believe his show was filmed in Ottawa. He sometimes had shots of the city.

 

One cable cooking channel here played his entire series of shows for a while. I loved the design too, especially the 'French door' refrigerator. That must have been so cool to have back in the early 70s.   

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I believe his show was filmed in Ottawa. He sometimes had shots of the city.

 

One cable cooking channel here played his entire series of shows for a while. I loved the design too, especially the 'French door' refrigerator. That must have been so cool to have back in the early 70s.   

 

For me it was the brick and stonework and his prep area. The fridge was pretty cool though considering my family still had the one-door model.

Edited by Reader1810
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Ah, that was the Julia Child I liked--sure, it was French food a lot, but she never put on airs...and that voice would always make me smile with her subtle delivery. Great memories--but does anyone besides me remember Graham Kerr, The Galloping Gournet?

 

 

I used to watch him with my mum on days off from school. He was on at mid-day and she came home for lunch.

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I was intrigued by a remark made by Sloan in the latest episode:

"I couldn't believe a department store existed without a backdoor"

 

 

I wonder how an enormous building like this was suppied without a backdoor. For supplying must have been a logistic nightmare.

Was there an underground way of delivering ?

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