Tag: entertainment

Posted in Events

What’s Happening in Franklin County Jan. 20 – Jan. 26, 2025

Posted on by Amanda

Here’s a few things that are happening around Franklin County over the next week.

Wednesday, Jan. 22
The Franklin County Silent Book Club is hosting its monthly meeting at underGROUNDS Espresso Bar in Washington. The event is open to all, since attendees can bring a book of their choosing and join fellow readers at the coffee shop. Attendees are asked to purchase a beverage before sitting down to read in companionable silence. After the designated reading time, there’s an opportunity to chat with others in attendance, or continue reading.
Find the event time and venue address.

Thursday, Jan. 23
Whether you want to brush up on your moves, or are a line dancing novice, you’re invited to attend the line dancing class at the Tri-County Community Senior Center in Pacific. The class is free, but donations are appreciated.
Learn more.

Saturday, Jan. 25
Put on your dancing shoes and head to the VFW Post 2661 in Washington to attend the Wash MO Blues Society’s Membership Appreciation Ball. All are welcome to attend the society’s annual membership appreciation, which will feature live music by the Jeremiah Johnson Band.
Get all the details.

Photo via Wash MO Blues Society’s Facebook event

Saturday, Jan. 25
The Pacific Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting its annual dueling pianos show and dinner event, Pianos for a Purpose, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the Tri-County Community Senior Center’s parking lot project. Ticket price includes dinner and the piano show, and a cash bar will also be available at the event.
Purchase tickets and get all the details.

Sunday, Jan. 26
Coffee lovers won’t want to miss the tasting event at Stacked Coffeehouse in Villa Ridge, starting at 9 a.m. Attendees will try coffee blends that are perfectly paired with a grazing board designed to elevate the coffee flavors. Find out more and purchase tickets.

Photo via Stacked Coffeehouse’s Coffee Tasting event
Posted in Updates

What’s a Small Town Socialite, Anyway?

Posted on by Amanda

I can’t wait to share the full website experience once it launches on January 20, but in the meantime, this post will provide readers with a background on the site’s creator and why I created it.

First, who is the writer behind Small Town Socialite? It’s me, Amanda Bretz, and I’ve been a journalist for almost 20 years. I’ve written for print newspapers and magazines, as well as web-only news sites. I got my start in community journalism, writing about local businesses and doing profile pieces on interesting members of the community.

Over the past seven years or so, my writing has shifted to focus on food and beverage writing, along with some travel and lifestyle pieces. In 2022 I moved to Franklin County and started looking for lifestyle magazines or food-focused publications that I could freelance for. I was disappointed to find there weren’t any.

What I did find is that there are newspapers in the area, and while they share dining features and some lifestyle articles, that’s not their sole focus. There’s also lifestyle magazines in St. Louis and Jefferson City, and those publications will occasionally write about Washington, but they don’t often cover events or the small, locally owned restaurants, breweries, and coffee shops in towns like Union, St. Clair, Villa Ridge, or Sullivan.

That’s the gap I hope Small Town Socialite can fill. I envision sharing roundup articles about the different events happening throughout Franklin County, as well as focusing on short reviews and features about the many wonderful locally-owned restaurants in the area. I believe in spending your money where you live and supporting the small business owners who live in your own community.

Often when we want to have a celebratory dinner or get out of the house, we think of those bigger restaurants and events that happen in the city, and there’s nothing wrong with heading into the city to do things. But sometimes we all need to be reminded of how much there is to see, do, eat, and drink, right here in Franklin County.

And, that’s why I named my website Small Town Socialite. In almost every friend group I’ve had since my teen years, there’s always been that one friend who just knows what’s happening. She’s telling us what we should do that weekend, the best spot to grab coffee on the way, and where to eat dinner afterwards.

Somehow, she’s always in the know. And with this website, I hope I can keep you in the know.