Explore St. Louis

The Eugene Field House, located in downtown St. Louis, was officially named a National Historic Landmark, the highest recognition accorded by the nation and reserved for properties that possess exceptional value in interpreting the heritage of the United States.

There are fewer than 2,500 National Historic Landmarks (NHL) in the country, and only 18 in St. Louis. This is the first designation here since 1994. On April 4, 2007, a total of 12 new NHL’s in 10 states were named by Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, who remarked “These new National Historic Landmarks reflect some of the most important historical and cultural developments in American history….Each of them tells us a story about us as a nation and a people. They are designated National Historic Landmarks so that we may all enjoy and learn from them.”

The Field House was the home of Roswell Field, attorney to Dred Scott of the famous Scott v. Sandford slave case. Roswell Field’s cunning legal strategy in the case forced the highest court in the land to make public its position on slavery. This set in motion a chain of events, including Abraham Lincoln’s rise to the Presidency and the Civil War, and ultimately resulted in the creation of the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments of the Constitution, freeing an entire race of people.

The Field House will celebrate the designation on Saturday, May 12, 2007 when a plaque will be unveiled at 634 S. Broadway, across the street from Busch Stadium. Free tours will be given from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Master of Ceremonies and time to be announced.

Educational Exhibitors will present a variety of displays and hands-on activities that will address environmental issues.

College hockey fans are coming. More than 19,000 of them descend on downtown this weekend for the 2007 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four at Scottrade Center. The event, hosted by the St. Louis Sports Commission and College Hockey America, has been sold out since last summer, but that doesn't mean you can't take part in various activities celebrating the tournament.

St. Louis Union Station will be a hub for activity and home to several free events. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Union Station will host the “Frozen Fest” featuring games, music and more from noon to 6 p.m. Live concerts will take place in the evening all three days as part of “Postgame at the Station.” Pep rallies, presented by Pontiac, with the team pep bands, cheer squads and mascots take place at noon Thursday and 3 p.m. Saturday. On Friday, Union Station will host autograph sessions with the Hobey Baker Award finalists and the final two teams from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Area youth hockey champions will be honored at 5:30 p.m. during the “Night of Champions” ceremony. Participants will then march to Scottrade Center to attend the Pontiac Frozen Four Skills Challenge.

Speaking of the Pontiac Frozen Four Skills Challenge, that’s the main event for Friday Night at the Frozen Four. Starting at 7:30 p.m., some of the nation’s top male and female college hockey players will show off their talents in an East vs. West team format. Events include: puck control relay, fastest skater, hardest shot, rapid-fire shooting, accuracy shooting and penalty shot competition. Purchasing a ticket ($10) to the Pontiac Frozen Four Skills Challenge also provides admission to the presentations of the prestigious Hobey Baker Award (6 p.m.) and Hockey Humanitarian Award (6:35 p.m.) as well as the announcement of the AHCA All-America teams (7:20 p.m.). All of these events will take place at Scottrade Center. Fans can purchase tickets at http://www.ticketmaster.com/ or by calling 314-241-1888.

On Sunday, April 1, 2007, there will be an ALL-FORD EVENT at the Museum of Transportation from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. hosted by: The Model A Restorers Club, the Model T Ford Club of Greater St. Louis, and the Missouri Valley Early Ford V-8 Club.

When Henry Ford introduced the moving assembly line to automobile production in 1913, he paved the way for his Model T to become the most influential and popular vehicle in automotive history. After 19 years and the production of 15 million Model Ts, Ford introduced the dramatically different and improved Model A in 1927 as a 1928 model, and the relatively sophisticated but still inexpensive Model A paved the way for Ford’s introduction of an affordable V-8 engine to the masses in the mid-1930s.

At this event, visitors will have the opportunity to: see a Ford Model T assembled from parts in just minutes—and then driven away, witness the evolution of Ford and the United States automotive industry, visit with the owners of these beautiful automobiles and learn about the history, restoration, and enjoyment of their vehicles

Admission to this automotive event is free. Admission to the remainder of the Museum of Transportation is $4 for adults, $2 for seniors and children ages 5-12, and children under 5 are free with a paying adult family member.

The Museum of Transportation is a unit of St. Louis County Department of Parks and Recreation and according to the Smithsonian Institution “has one of the largest and best collections of transportation vehicles in the world.” It is located at 3015 Barrett Station Road in West St. Louis County, and is open Tuesday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

At the tick of five, UNWIND begins. Celebrate the end of the day, and the beginning of the evening. The nightly ritual at the The Westin St. Louis' Clark Street Grill offers two hours of tempting your palate and seducing your senses with select appetizers, cocktails and signature sounds.

The Westin has introduced the Unwind experience in all of its global properties. Once the sun sets in St. Louis, TheWestin lobby evolves with music, scent and lighting to enhance your senses. Treat yourself to Unwind. You deserve it!

Unwind takes place Monday-Friday, 5 to 7 p.m. *The event may not be available on Cardinal baseball home games.

Here's the schedule:

Not So Mundane MONDAY Culinary Experience

Pull up a seat to sophisticated taste at the Clark Street Grill's show kitchen. You'll learn to prepare The Westin's daily Amuse Bouche (pre-meal appetizer) and get to sample along the way.

Toe Tapping TUESDAY

Live Music, begins at 6 p.m. Experience Mo & Dawn, a charismatic musical duo whose clever take on jazz, soul, funk, and percussion sounds will awaken your spirit.

"Knotty" or Nice, 5-7 p.m.Knitting has never been so much fun. Whether your day’s been good, bad or indifferent you’ll find a group of people to unwind with. The Westin provides knitting needles and yarn, or you can just join in for the casual conversation. Beginners invited!

Winding Down WEDNESDAY Culinary Experience

Learn about The Westin's sophisticated taste at the Clark Street Grill's show kitchen.


THURSDAYS with a Twist Beverage Class

Awaken your taste buds to wine, beer and/or spirits. This evening seminar includes tips and tastes from various vendors and local wineries. Each week is different.

Thank Goodness it's FRIDAY Culinary Experience

Another great opportunity to learn how to prepare The Westin's daily Amuse Bouche (pre-meal appetizer).



See you there!

St. Louis is one city that loves sports – and once again, the titans of NCAA men’s basketball are returning to town in hopes of making it to the top tier of college basketball. The road to the NCAA tournament will include a pit stop in the Gateway City, March 23-25, 2007, at the Edward Jones Dome. The winner of the NCAA 2007 Division I Men's Championship Midwest Regional will “keep the dream alive” and head for this year’s NCAA Final Four in Atlanta.

Catch the games on TV at one of the city’s numerous sports bars or restaurants. Many of the most popular places to watch a game have some famous names attached to them, like former baseball Cardinal and current broadcaster Mike Shannon’s Steaks & Seafood, Dierdorf & Hart’s – run by legendary football Cardinals Dan Dierdorf and Jim Hart – and Blues hockey great Bernie Federko’s Steak & Sports Grill.

There’s also the “Mad Hungarian,” Al Hrabosky’s Ballpark Saloon, Ozzie Smith’s Ozzie’s Restaurant & Sports Bar and Pujols 5 Westport Grill, whose namesake is none other than Cardinals slugger Albert “El Hombre” Pujols. There are also a number of J. Buck’s Restaurant locations throughout the region, whose namesakes are the late Hall of Fame broadcaster Jack Buck, his Fox sportscaster son Joe, and daughter Julie, a local radio personality.

Fresh from hosting a spectacular NCAA Men’s Final Four in 2005, St. Louis is keeping its “game face” on by hosting a number of NCAA tournaments during the next few years. In addition to this year’s regional, the city is set to host the 2007 NCAA men’s hockey championship – “the Frozen Four” – April 5-7 at the Scottrade Center, as well as the NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Championships, May 15-20, 2007, at the Dwight Davis Tennis Center. The NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships return to the city in 2008 and 2009, and St. Louis will host the 2009 Women’s Final Four at the Scottrade Center. In March 2010, the NCAA men’s regional returns to the Edward Jones Dome in downtown St. Louis for another installment of exciting college hoops action.

America’s first wine district was founded just west of St. Louis. In the mid-19th century, immigrants from Germany’s Rhine River valley planted vineyards, built cellars and created a wine culture that is still flourishing today.

Missouri is known for making distinctive, unique wines including Norton, Catawba and Vignoles. One of the newest stars in the Missouri grape line up is Traminette. Would you like to sample a few of these Missouri treasures?

On February 10 and 11, noon- 5 p.m., head to Westport Plaza for Missouri Winefest 2007. This is your opportunity to sample a variety of homegrown wines in one place.

Featured Wineries:

Augusta Winery
Bias Winery
Cave Vineyard
Crown Valley Winery
Heinrichshaus Winery
Les Bourgeois Winery
Meramec Vineyards
Montelle Winery
Mount Pleasant Winery
Robller Vineyard
Sainte Genevieve Winery
St. James Winery
Stone Hill Winery
Sugar Creek Winery

The cost for Winefest 2007 is $20. This price includes a commemorative wine goblet and ticket to sample wines. For more information, call 314/576-7100. Cheers!

On January 21, Annette Bridges, founding administrator of the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, will talk with visitors regarding the adventures of getting the house restored and launching a 15-year legacy that is still going strong. Ragtime pianist Richard Egan will perform some of Joplin's music.

Blues isn’t the only American roots music that made a home in St. Louis. The Scott Joplin House State Historic Site is the only remaining residence where Joplin was known to have composed some of his ragtime melodies. Joplin lived in St. Louis from 1901-1903. The restored home includes an exhibit gallery and a room for ragtime performances with a player piano and rolls of Joplin’s music. The upstairs area is furnished with period furniture. Next door, visitors can tour the Rosebud Café a turn–of-the-century Ragtime club.

Upcoming Joplin House special events include:

February 11 - Rags to Rap (learn the importance of traditional syncopation from ragtime to current music trends)
February 25 - The History of Jazz in St. Louis (1895-1973)


For more information about Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, call 314/340-5790.

In celebration of Rembrandt's 400th birthday, the Saint Louis Art Museum has on show his famous painting, Self-Portrait of 1669, from The Hague along with more than 40 of the best prints from the public and private collections of St. Louis.

The Hundred Guilder Print, once owned by a descendant of the artist's great friend Jan Six, and the large Christ Presented to the People from the collection of the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth are among the most important of the artist's impressions on view for the first time together in this exhibition.

Hurry, this exhibition is on show through January 14, 2007. For more information log onto www.slam.org.

You have until January 7th to experience the Songs of Korea exhibit at the Worldways Museum. The traveling exhibit is designed to raise the awareness of South Korean culture, increase positive personal connections between one's own culture and to spark interest in Korean culture.

See how Korean children pass tradition on from generation to generation through music. Explore tools and materials that are used to create the drums that make ancient samulnori rhythms come to life. Try making some music of your own.

Worldways Children's Museum provides hands-on opportunities for people of all ages and encourages visitors to actively explore, experience and celebrate the lives and cultures of the people of our world. As a result of attending the museum, children and adults gain a broader outlook on the world and become more accustomed to expressions of other cultures and distinctions. The museum helps visitors to become more open-minded and willing to interact with people who have perspectives and beliefs different than their own.

Along with the “Songs of Korea” exhibit visitors can learn about Africa, China, the Philippines and many more people, places and things.

NEW YEAR’S EVE IN ST. LOUIS
If you can’t find something here, you’re just not trying hard enough.

Still haven’t figured out what to do for New Year’s Eve? No problem – there are still plenty of options available to help you and yours ring out the old in style. Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly fête or a way to spice up the night with other grown-ups, you can definitely find something to do in The Lou.

Family Friendly
“Red, Hot Camelot” is the theme for this year’s First Night – Saint Louis celebration, with a host of festive activities in an alcohol-free environment. The evening kicks off with a parade at 5:30 p.m. and festivities wrap-up at midnight with a choreographed grand finale of pyrotechnics. In between, Grand Center Arts and Entertainment District will be alive with live music, dancing, puppets, street performers, and an arts and crafts center. There’s an early fireworks display at 9:00 p.m. for those of us who just can’t wait until midnight.

Prefer to have your fireworks first and your dinner after? Westport Plaza gets their party started with a bang and a fireworks display at 6:00 p.m., and follows things up with free horse and carriage rides until 9:00 p.m. Get a quick bite to eat or make plans to spend the evening enjoying dinner,drinks and dancing at one of the restaurants or bars in the Village, then grab a room at one of the Sheraton Hotels on site.

Hit the road for a family-friendly, overnight celebration at the YMCA Trout Lodge and their New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball. Check out a host of entertaining activities for all ages including live music, a juggler, fireworks, a Mardi Gras carnival for kids, and the Moonlight Zip for teenagers. B.Y.O.C (Bring Your Own Costume), and please remember – dressing up like a fish at the Trout Lodge is soooo overdone…

Had enough family time this holiday season and looking for a way to get your party on with some like-minded dancing machines? Check out the variety of nightlife options and pick the one that suits your style. Click on the Calendar of Events section of the http://www.explorestlouis.com/ web site for ideas of where to toss your 2007 confetti.

If you’re feeling “fancy” as well as festive, head for Powell Symphony Hall and the New Year’s Eve Dance Card Concert with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. Back by popular demand, maestro David Robertson and “the band” plan to once again thrill patrons with their “musical surprise” program – a final holiday gift to area music lovers. Or check out the Foundry Art Centre as they celebrate with Broadway star Larry Alexander. The evening includes complimentary champagne on arrival, dinner, cash bar, and a dessert bar and champagne reception after the 9 p.m. performance.

If you’re looking to try a little something different this year, then head downtown to the mighty Mississippi River. The Gateway Arch Riverboats are offering a special New Year’s Eve cruise aboard the Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher riverboats. Boarding begins at 9:00 p.m. and the 3½-hour excursion includes a sit-down, filet mignon dinner, open bar, a midnight champagne toast, and a DJ spinning dance tunes. Oh – and there’s no need to bring your own noisemakers or party hats – the captain promises to have plenty on board.

Take a trip to Paris via Harrah’s St. Louis Casino & Hotel as they transform the entire facility into the Moulin Rouge for New Year’s Eve. The festivities will include cancan dancers, street
performers, caricature artists, live music, a burlesque show in the casino’s popular iBar, and a midnight celebration featuring the biggest balloon drop and longest confetti blast in town. The action is just as hot over in the VooDoo Café & Lounge with a party that features live music, silk aerialists, go-go dancers, a DJ, party hats and noisemakers.

Meanwhile, over at Dave & Buster’s, there’s a mystery dinner theatre going on. In addition to being darned entertaining, the evening will be a benefit for the St. Louis affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Diners get to participate in the theatrics, interacting with the actors while enjoying a three-course meal, cash bar, and free champagne at midnight.

Several area hotels offer special “stay and play” party packages, so you can make that short commute after you’ve had your fill of New Year’s noisemakers and mayhem. Downtown, the Adam’s Mark Hotel’s party package includes dancing the night away with Smash Band and the David Glover Band from 8:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m., along with hors d’oeuvres, an open bar (until midnight), party favors and a champagne toast at midnight. At the Hyatt Regency – Union Station, party-goers have their choice of two distinctly different party package options. The first features merrymaking with Joe Dirt and the Dirty Boys band in the Grand Ballroom, along with an open bar, hors d’oeuvres and party favors. The second option, which takes place in the beautiful Grand Hall, includes a four-course dinner for two in the Station Grille, a reserved table for Liam Christy and Dave Stone Continuum Jazz Celebration, party favors and a midnight champagne toast. Both soirees are available individually or as part of a party package that includes an overnight stay and a New Year’s Day breakfast buffet for two. The Well Hungarians will ring in the New Year at the Millennium Hotel’s Grand Ballroom, as the party starts at 7:30 p.m. and continues until 1:00 a.m. Reserve a guest room/party package deal or just come for the band’s high octane sound and the open bar, three-course dinner and obligatory champagne toast at midnight.

Out in the Central West End and up on the Starlight Roof at the Chase Park Plaza, you can dine and dance your way into 2007 with a premium cocktail and hors d’oeuvres reception, a three-course dinner with wine service throughout, live music from the Ralph Butler Band, a midnight balloon drop and champagne toast. Special rates on deluxe guest rooms and suites are also available with or without the party package.

The Crowne Plaza Clayton offers three types of music in three different ballrooms, and all include reserved seating, hats, noisemakers and an open bar from 9:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. “Door Number One” features “The Edge,” popular dance music to get you on your feet, while “Door Number Two” hosts Patti & The Hitmen as they rock the house with R&B and spirited blues tunes. “The Original Oldies Show” with Mad Maynard and Jackie McCoy is behind “Door Number Three” with – you guessed it – plenty of great oldies. Three package plans are available, with additional options such as dinner, overnight accommodations, and New Year’s Day brunch for two.

At the Holiday Inn Southwest & Viking Conference Center, two live bands - the Rhythm Rockers and Planet Boogie - and a DJ will provide a continuous soundtrack for your dance moves. The Viking’s party packages include a filet mignon and lobster dinner, open bar, dessert buffet, champagne toast at midnight, and party favors. Guest room party packages also include champagne in your room and complimentary New Year’s Day breakfast buffet for two. The Holiday Inn South County Center’s party package includes an open bar, dinner buffet for two, party favors, champagne toast, live music from Mirage and a DJ spinning dance hits between sets. The Deluxe Package includes a deluxe guest room and breakfast for two.

Looking to get away from the noise and craziness of the holidays and just relax? Then treat yourself to a night at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport. No muss, no fuss – just a quiet night away from the madness with a special room rate that includes champagne upon arrival, breakfast buffet for two, and a late check-out. Ahhhhh.

Have a safe, happy and properous 2007!

The St. Louis Public Library and The Magic House Children’s Museum in St. Louis are joining together to enter the magical world of fairy tales and they’re inviting you to come along. With the help of a grant from The Institute of Museum and Library Services, the two partners have created a one-of-a-kind, interactive exhibit titled “Once Upon a Time ... Exploring the World of Fairy Tales.”

This unique exhibit at Central Library, transports kids, 3-10 years of age, inside seven important tales in a way they’ve never experienced before. The 2000 square-foot exhibit focuses on the power and significance of fairy tales. It brings to life seven rich tales, each with its own large-scale environment and interactive components.

In each environment kids will use dramatic play to become a part of the story and they’ll explore activities within each tale. With the help of adults, they’ll also learn the meaning and history of tales they’ve known all of their lives and others which may be new to them.

Featured fairy tales are: Anansi and the Talking Melon, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, The Elves and the Shoemaker, Jack and the Beanstalk, Lon Po Po and Thumbelina.

Hurry, you don’t have much time to experience “Once Upon a Time ... Exploring the World of Fairy Tales.” It’s only open through December 30, 2006. Click on the link above for more information.

Would like to tour an actual Frank Lloyd Wright House in the Gateway City? Nestled on 10.5 acres in Ebsworth Park is a unique and significant residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, widely recognized as the greatest American architect of the 20th-century. This 1,900 square foot residence, built for Russell and Ruth Kraus, was the architect's first building in the St. Louis area, and is one of only five Wright designs in Missouri. It is an excellent example of Wright's democratic vision, intended to provide middle class Americans with beautiful architecture at an affordable cost. The home is notable not only for its architectural integrity, but for retaining all of its original Wright-designed furnishings and fabrics.

The square, rectangle, octagon, triangle, hexagon, parallelogram, circle, spiral, and arc are keys to the consistent and systematic quality underlying all of Wright's work. Those shapes allow an ordering of space that encompasses both composition and construction. Using nature as his mentor and geometry as a tool Wright developed what he called organic architecture. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its significance in American architecture.

The St. Louis Artists’ Guild will open “Prairie Skyscraper: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Price Tower” exhibit on December 17, 2006. If you love the unique style of Wright, don’t miss this free, curated exhibit of artifacts and photographic documentation of the design, construction, and history of Frank Lloyd Wright’s innovative, multiple-purpose building for the Price family in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. The St. Louis Artists Guild is located in Oak Knoll Park and will present the exhibit until March 3, 2007.

Founded in 1880, the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) is recognized internationally as an ensemble of the highest caliber, performing a broad musical repertoire with skill and spirit. The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra was founded on the belief that great music should be available to everyone.

The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra will present – in what has become a St. Louis family tradition - a variety of holiday inspired concerts in December. The holiday season starts first with the 12th annual Gospel Christmas at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, December 14.

After a one year absence, the traditional Holiday Concerts return this season. Concerts are scheduled for December 15, 16, 17, and will be conducted by SLSO Assistant Conductor Scott Parkman. Joining Parkman and the Orchestra will be the St. Louis Children’s Choir. Program highlights include Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker and Prokofiev’s Troika from Lt. Kije Suite.

The holiday season shines a little brighter when David Robertson leads the Orchestra in two special performances of Chaplin’s Idle Class and The Kid at 7:30 p.m., December 29 and December 30. The Orchestra plays the Chaplin scores live, while the films are projected on a large screen. This is truly a family event, which promises to put a smile on your face. Last year’s Chaplin concerts were sold out, so make plans to get your tickets early.

Does anyone recall the Seinfeld episode where Festivus was introduced to popular culture? Weary of the rampant consumerism of Christmas, character Frank Costanza invented an alternative holiday with unusual traditions. The offbeat holiday struck a chord with many viewers and a cult phenomenon was born.

Those who celebrate Festivus enjoy a quirky kind of fun such as decorating a Festivus pole instead of a Christmas tree and participate in the Airing of Grievances in which each person tells each and everyone else all the ways they've disappointed him/her over the past year, and after a Festivus dinner, The Feats of Strength are performed. Traditionally, Festivus is not over until the head of the household is wrestled to the floor and pinned.

The Downtown St. Louis Merchants Association has planned a Festivus celebration. Everyone can join in the fun of Festivus - a holiday celebration for us all. St. Louis Downtown Merchant members include specialty retailers such as Casa Semplice, a special place for people who are passionate about cooking and entertaining at home, St. Louis Union Station, a national historic landmark and Macro Sun International, a center for international fashions, hand-crafted jewelry, and home décor.

The schedule for Festivus is:

Friday December 1st 6:00 PM - 9:00 PMThis year, St. Louisans may submit their grievances at a Festivus reception at Mosaic Restaurant, sponsored by Alive Magazine. The entry with the most votes will be announced by KMOX on-air personalities. The winner will receive a prize pack from downtown retailers and will be a celebrity judge for the Feats of Strength competition.

Saturday, December 2nd 12:00 Noon to 3:00 PMThis will be the first year for “Feats of Strength” in St. Louis, but it is sure to be remembered. This event will be held on the parking lot on 11th street between Locust and St. Charles. Events will include: Christmas Tree Tossing, Oiled Arm Wrestling and Tag-Team-Tug-O-War (bring your team of three or more for a competition that is sure to end with everyone in stitches).

What is it about the holidays that “get you going?” Is it the commercials, decorations, the anticipation of family visits or the smell of freshly cut pine trees? For many it is a trip to the Jewel Box in Forest Park for the annual “Christmas Poinsettia Show.”

Picture hundreds of beautiful poinsettias in red, white and pink intricately placed throughout the Jewel Box – transforming the Art Deco floral conservatory into an attraction of holiday splendor.

The “Christmas Poinsettia Show” will have its’ grand opening at 11 a.m., on Friday, December 1. Jewel Box hours are: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday through Friday; 9 - 11 a.m., Saturday; and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday. On Christmas Eve, the show will offer special hours opening at 9 a.m. and closing at 2 p.m. Christmas Day the Jewel Box will be closed, but visitors will have through January to experience this magnificent show.

Let the “Christmas Poinsettia Show” become a part of your family tradition. The Jewel Box is located at Wells and McKinley drives in Forest Park.

Happy Holidays.

After the St. Louis Thanksgiving Day Parade is over and the turkey leftovers are stored, it's time to make plans for the long holiday weekend. There's no better place than St. Louis to celebrate the most magical time of the year.

Holiday light displays are shining at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, Winter Wonderland in Tilles County Park and Santa's Magical Kingdom at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park. Plus, the Saint Louis Zoo gets in on the act at the U.S. Bank Wild Lights, November 24 & 25 from 5:30 until 8:30 p.m.

If you thought Grant's Farm was just a summer attraction, think again. The Magic of the Holidays event begins November 24 and continues until December 1. At the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, the 4th Annual Indian Market Days take place from November 24 - 26 where you can shop for authentic Native American jewelry, arts and crafts and much more.

The candles are ablaze at Eureka's Annual Candlelight Walk November 24 - 26. Shops are filled with decorations and antique, art and specialty shops are brimming seasonal goods. The historic Old Courthouse is celebrating a Century Christmas from November 24 through December 23. Concerts take place on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons around the 25-foot Christmas tree covered with Victorian decorations. You can learn about St. Louis holidays in the past by visiting the galleries.

St. Charles Christmas Traditions -- the annual celebration of the holidays -- begins on November 24 and continues through December 23 along South Main Street. Historic characters, international santas, Christmas carolers, free commemorative trading cards, crafts for kids plus over 100 unique stores are highlights.

The Saint Louis Science Center in Forest Park is the place to see the OMNIMAX movie "Santa vs. The Snowman" throughout the holiday season. And the Gardenland Express: Gateway to the West chugs through the Missouri Botanical Garden until New Year's Day with G-scale trains and miniature versions of St. Louis' attractions and beautiful seasonal plants and flowers.

Get out your mittens and tighten your skates, Steinberg Rink in Forest Park is now open for the season.

You and your pals can glide around the ice surrounded by the beautiful park and the Central West End neighborhood skyline from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m., Sundays through Thursdays and from 10 a.m. until Midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The rink is open every day, including holidays.

Skating fees are $6 for adults and children 12 and under skate for just $5. Don't have your own blades? Skate rental is $2.

Steinberg is the largest outdoor rink in the Midwest. Group rates are available for schools, youth organizations and scouts. Group reservations are required and are based on availability.

The Steinberg Café has full food service with a menu that includes appetizers, snacks, sandwiches, burgers and pizza with beer and wine are available for adult skaters.

Get your popcorn and take a seat for some of the best new films in the world. The St. Louis International Film Festival is underway and it's a movie lover's dream.

The impressive list of films, documentaries and short subjects (click here for the highlights) is augmented by special events, including a workshop at Noon, Saturday, November 11, at the Tivoli Theatre in the Loop on creating trailers and promos in the A/V marketplace; a 4 p.m. book signing on Saturday at Star Clipper in the Loop; and a new filmmakers forum on Sunday at noon. Monday and Tuesday, November 13-14, Kodak offers a "Stop By, Shoot Film" learning opportunity at the Centene Center for Arts and Education. Participants can learn how to use a 16 mm camera and shoot their own scene in less than 2 hours.

Tickets to the Festivals films, which are shown at the Tivoli, the Saint Louis Art Museum, Plaza Frontenac and Webster University, are $10 each at the individual box offices. Get the details at www.cinemastlouis.org.

It's everything you ever wanted to know about penguins, but were afraid to ask. Saturday, November 4, the Saint Louis Zoo is paying homage to the tuxedoed birds from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Festivities take place in and around the Penguin & Puffin Coast habitat. You can join in a scavenger hunt to learn true penguin facts, make crafts and find out about penguin behavior.

A special guest will be on hand from the new animated penguin movie "Happy Feet" and Tap Heritage will perform.

The Cardinals are World Series champs following some great games with the valiant Detroit Tigers.

Now it's time to celebrate.

Join the Cardinal Nation on Sunday, October 29 at 2 p.m. as Downtown St. Louis turns into a sea of red. The parade begins at 18th & Market and continues east on Market, turning onto Seventh Street and ending with a party inside Busch Stadium.

Get more details here.

Coming to St. Louis for the fun? Click here for hotel reservations.

Explore St. Louis visitors are eligible for an exclusive discount for all tickets to Del Shores' The Official Tour taking place this weekend at the Roberts Orpheum Theatre.

Use the discount code "2FOR1" and you will receive 1/2 OFF (or 2 for 1) any ticket to Southern Baptist Sissies (Friday October 27th) and/or Sordid Lives (Sunday October 29th).

The twice Emmy-nominated Delta Burke ("Suzanne Sugarbaker" in Designing Women) plays the role of "Mothers" -- three different characters in the revival of Southern Baptist Sissies, GLAAD'S 2001 Best Production of the Year.

Leslie Jordan, having just won the Emmy Award for his role of "Beverley Leslie" on Will & Grace, plays the hysterical "Peanut LeRoy," a role for which he won every major Los Angeles theatre award. Dale Dickey (My Name Is Earl) and Newell Alexander (Sordid Lives) also star.

Reprising their roles from the cult film Sordid Lives will be Newell Alexander ("Wardell") Rosemary Alexander ("Dr. Eve"), Sarah Hunley ("Juanita") and Ann Walker ("LaVonda"). Also starring are Dale Dickey (My Name Is Earl) who plays "Sissy" along with Emmy-nominated Patrika Darbo (Days of Our Lives) who plays "Noleta," the role she created on stage that Burke portrayed in the film.

Use the code "2FOR1" and get 1/2 off any ticket through Ticketmaster.

VIP TICKETS: Get the best seats in the house and meet and greet Delta, Leslie, Del and all the actors after each show for photo ops and autographs. Use the code "2FOR1" and get 1/2 off any ticket through ticketmaster or any VIP ticket, available exclusively at THEOFFICIALTOUR.COM.

Pep rallies in support of the Boys of Summer (now the Boys of Fall) are on tap for Kiener Plaza in the heart of Downtown and on Clark Street outside Busch Stadium, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Events start at 4 p.m. each day and continue until 7 p.m., just before game time, with music, food, beverages and give-away items for the crowds. Wear your Cardinals red -- even the plaza's fountain is dressed in Redbird colors for the series.

Tonight (Monday) the Washington Avenue loft district celebrates the World Series with a Heat Up Red October rally until 10 p.m. Find the fun along Washington from Tucker to 14th Street. The Shrinking Violets provide the music.

Roll over, Beethoven, it's 80 candles for St. Louis' famous native son, Mr. Chuck Berry.

The rock 'n' roll icon celebrates his birthday Wednesday, October 18 at Blueberry Hill in the hip and happening Loop neighborhood where he still plays to packed houses once a month.

Berry created rock as we know it was was a major influence on The Beatles, the Rolling Stones and countless musicians. He brought the musical worlds of black and white America together and created some of the world's best-loved and unforgettable songs.

Inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, Berry also has a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame in the Loop neighborhood. His song Johnny B. Goode was sent into outer space on the Voyager, proving what everyone in St. Louis already knew, Chuck Berry is out of this world.

Many happy returns!

There's nothing better than a fall food festival. Crisp sunny days and the best bites from the top chefs in St. Louis combine to create the perfect day. That's exactly what we've got on tap for this weekend -- it's the annual Taste of St. Louis and all that's missing is you.

The festival kicks off Friday night, September 29 (4 - 10:30 p.m.) and continues Saturday, September 30 (11 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.) and Sunday, October 1 (11 a.m. - 10 p.m.) in Kiener Plaza and along the Gateway Mall downtown.

More than 30 of St. Louis' top restaurants are serving "tastes" from their menus, plus you can watch the Taste of St. Louis Culinary competition and enjoy a Michelob beer garden, artist village, marketplace, family fun & sports zone, an art car exhibit, and much more.

National musical acts include Murphy Lee, Son Volt, Erin Bode and many others performing throughout the festival.

This weekend also marks the return of Gateway Classic Football. Head to the Edward Jones Dome at America's Center on Saturday, September 30, to watch the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff take on Tuskeegee University in some great gridiron action. A not-to-be-missed Battle of the Bands takes place at half time and a 9 a.m. downtown parade kicks off the day.

Stompin’ at Cabaret in The Savoy Room

Want to spend an elegant evening with a Broadway legend? Head to Grand Center’s Sheldon Concert Hall’s new Savoy Room for an amazing performance by Kitty Carlisle Hart. The intimate performance space, now the home of the popular Cabaret Series, welcome the amazing 96-year-old Broadway Baby for a limited five-show engagement from October 19 through 22.

Kitty Carlisle Hart’s show, Here’s to Life, comes to St. Louis after sold-out runs in New York and San Francisco. The charming performer began her Broadway stage career in 1933, co-starred in motion pictures with the likes of the Marx Brothers and Bing Crosby and became a household name with her lively appearances on the classic TV game show “What’s My Line.”

Having been married to the late American theatre genius Moss Hart, Kitty has engaging stories to tell about what happened behind the scenes of some of American musical theatres’ greatest shows. Her repertoire includes some of the best-loved songs of Irving Berlin, the Gershwins, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Rodgers & Hammerstein and more.

The Savoy Room is an intimate venue that harkens back to the days when men wore suits and women donned hats, gloves and pearls when stepping out on the town. It provides the perfect setting for this elegant performer.

Tickets go on sale Saturday, September 30 at 10 a.m. at the Fox Theatre box office and MetroTix. Charge via phone at 314-534-1111 or purchase online at www.metrotix.com.

The bicentennial of the Lewis & Clark expedition's historic 1804 - 1806 journey from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean and back to St. Louis ends this weekend, September 22 - 24, on the Mississippi River under the Gateway Arch.

Native American tribes will explain their history and culture and the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery reenactors who have traveled the trail for the past two years will return in a stirring ceremony. (Learn more)

KMOX Radio's Jazz & Wine Festival takes place at Chesterfield's Faust Park on Saturday, September 23. Festivities begin at 2 p.m. and continue until 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 at the door. Jazz artists on stage during the event include Denise Thimes, the Erin Bode Group, Kim Massie and other favorites. The first 2,200 guests will receive a commemorative wine glass. Wines featured during the event come from national and regional wineries. (Get details)

Speaking of Jazz, the Old Webster Jazz Festival is on tap for Saturday, September 23 at the intersection of Gore & Lockwood. Enjoy music from 10 bands on two stages from noon until 11 p.m. A Taste of Old Webster food festival, kids' play areas, and music workshops at Webster University add to the fun.

Is there anything cuter than a fuzzy Otter? The St. Louis Metro Ford Dealers Ottertoberfest starts this weekend at the Saint Louis Zoo. Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., families can enjoy otter-related kids' activities, a biergarten for adults, live German music, an international marketplace and much more. Call 314-781-0900 for details.

Grab your shoulder parrot, shiver your timbers and head for Rotary Park September 16-17 & 23-24 where you will step back to the year 1755 for the St. Louis Pirate Festival.

The park, which also is home to the Greater St. Louis Renaissance Faire in the spring, will be transformed into the Caribbean town of Fort Royal for the two weekends. Reenactors will portray everyone's favorite (or most-feared) historical pirates including Blackbeard, Bart Roberts, Ann Bonny and Mary Read. Others will portray Martinique's French governor, townspeople and and the military.

The swashbuckling pirate music and entertainment, food and crafts and children's activities take place from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. each day. Admission is $12 for adults; $9 for seniors and students; $6 for children under 12; and kids five and under are free (because pirates just love children).

More information, directions, and a discount coupon worth $2 off your admission, are available at the festival web site.

"Ars Gratia Artis." The Latin phrase meaning "Art for Art's Sake" may be the motto of the roaring lion at MGM Studios, but this weekend it could just as easily be referring to St. Louis' special event scene.

Check out the 13th Annual St. Louis Art Fair, located in the heart of downtown Clayton, today through Sunday, September 10. Hours are 5 - 10 p.m., Friday; 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., Saturday; and 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sunday. Admission is free.

In addition to works of art from165 artists and craft artisans from the U.S., Canada and Europe, the fair offers free entertainment on multiple stages and food from some of the area's finest restaurants and crafts for kids. The fair is rated among the top in the nation. Works for purchase include paintings, jewelry, glass objects, photography, sculpture, wood and metal works and pieces in mixed media.

The Third Annual Art Outside event, located at the Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood, runs Friday night from 5 - 10 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Fifty artists will display and sell their works at the festival which also features food from area restaurants, entertainment and do-it-yourself projects.

Sunday, from noon until 4 p.m., the Saint Louis Art Museum stages a European Extravaganza to celebrate the reinstallation of the museum's Early European Galleries. Guests from the Greater St. Louis Renaissance Festival join museum visitors for Ford Family Sunday.

Andy Warhol's ethereal Silver Clouds will be installed at Saint Louis University's Museum of Contemporary Religious Art beginning Sunday, September 10. The floating mylar balloons will be on display until December 17 in celebration of the exhibition's original opening 40 years ago in 1966. Admission is free.

And don't forget that the wildly popular Chihuly: Glass in the Garden exhibition continues at the Missouri Botanical Garden through October 31.

Are you ready for some football?

The NFL season starts this week and season ticket holders are in for a nice surprise. The designs for the 2006 tickets pair some of the Rams most popular players and their new coach, Scott Linehan, with some of St. Louis' top visitor attractions.

Attractions selected to adorn the team's tickets include the Edward Jones Dome -- home of the Rams; the Gateway Arch -- America's tallest man-made monument; the hand-built cabin of President Ulysses S. Grant at Grant's Farm; the beautiful Missouri Botanical Garden; the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park; the historic Old Courthouse; the Saint Louis Zoo -- recently named the top zoo in the nation by Zagat guides and Parenting magazine; the Saint Louis Art Museum -- dedicated to art and free to all; the amazing St. Louis Science Center; and St. Louis Union Station -- once the largest station in the nation and now a marketplace, entertainment district and National Historic Landmark.

For information on Rams' ticket availability for the season, click on www.stlouisrams.com or contact the team's ticket office at 314-425-8830, 800-246-7367 or by e-mail at info@ramstix.stlouisrams.com.

Visitors report that shopping is their number one activity while on vacation. That's no surprise to us in St. Louis where charming boutiques and terrific home-grown retailers abound in the neighborhoods and shopping districts throughout the City and County.

That said, visitors and locals alike will adore what giant retailer Macy's has done for downtown since its aquisition of the St. Louis-based May Company department stores.

May's former Famous-Barr flagship store -- located in the historic Railway Exchange Building on Olive Street -- has been brought back to life courtesy of a Macy's makeover that you have to see to believe. New paint, new carpet, new merchandise and -- best of all -- new attitude are adding up to a stellar shopping experience within a stroll of the downtown hotels, the Gateway Arch and the America's Center convention complex.

Check out the changes during the Macy's Block Party on Friday, September 8 from 11:30 until 1:30. The street celebration will feature music, food, prizes and a chance to see Downtown's renewed retail hub. Charge!

Did you know that St. Louisans are the nation's top consumers of barbecue sauce? At home we grill pork steaks -- a marbled cut of meat from the pork shoulder found only in St. Louis --on our Weber Kettles and smother them with Sweet 'n Smoky Maull's sauce (made locally in St. Louis).

But, if you're visiting and can't get an invitation to someone's back yard, don't fret. There are some terrific places to get a taste of The Lou's top BBQ. And no matter how you choose to spell it -- Q, 'Cue or 'Que -- barbecue is a tasty St. Louis tradition, Don't leave town without trying our take on America's favorite food at these recommended restaurants:

Bite into the barbequed Salciccia at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups. Charbroiled with Q Sauce and Served with grilled Green Peppers and Onions, the sandwich comes along with a side of St. Louis Fries and some of the best live music in town. Nearby in the Soulard neighborhood -- best know for its blues music clubs and friendly restaurants -- Hammerstone's serves a Barbecued Pork Steak that is smoked and then grilled in their special sauce. Soulard's Restaurant barbecues ham and tops the tasty sandwiches with cole slaw for its happy customers. A barbecued shrimp appetizer is served with petit biscuits. Cajun BBQ Shrimp makes an appearance on the menu at the Broadway Oyster Bar where visitors will find bands playing on the popular patio most evenings.

At Blueberry Hill in The Loop neighborhood, you can savor a Barbecue Beef sandwich and enjoy the Rock 'n Roll memorabilia that fills the popular restaurant and club where St. Louis-born superstar Chuck Berry plays to the crowds. Smoked Baby Back Ribs and a BBQ Burger are served across the street at Fitz's, a root beer microbrewery and restaurant in The Loop. The neighborhood's Mirasol Restaurant offers Antichchos -- skewered and grilled appetizers of chicken and chorizo with a guava barbecue sauce. At Riddles Penultimate Cafe & Wine Bar whole pork butts come from happy pigs that are raised hormone and antibiotic-free by family farm owners in Missouri's Ozark Mountains. The meat is dry-rubbed two times then slow-smoked over hickory wood in the restaurant's kitchen for nine hours before being served with Blackstrap Bar-Be-Que Sauce and fresh cut Homegrown Cabbage Slaw.

Boogaloo, located in the Maplewood neighborhood, gives barbecue a Caribbean spin with Cajun Barbecued Shrimp on the tapas menu and Jamaican Jerk Chicken among the restaurant's popular entrees. Maplewood's Schlafly Bottleworks smothers Pulled Pork in a Chipotle-Pale Ale Sauce and pairs hickory smoked and glazed Baby Back Ribs with White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes.

At the two locations -- Downtown and Westport -- of Dierdorf & Hart's barbecued shrimp are served covered in a Cajun butter by the former St. Louis Cardinals' football stars Dan Dierdorf and Jim Hart. Another sports celebrity, Cardinals baseball broadcaster Mike Shannon, prepares a barbecued chicken breast at his establishment overlooking the new Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis. The Baby Back Ribs at J.Buck's four locations come with an Sweet Apple Jalapeno Glaze, onion rings and cole slaw. Barbecued chicken also graces a pizza with sour cream and cilantro at the restaurant named for the late, great Cardinals baseball broadcaster Jack Buck and his family.

Downtown in the Washington Avenue loft district near the convention center, Copia Urban Winery offers a House Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich served with a Roasted Green Chile Mango BBQ sauce and covered with cheddar cheese on the lunch menu and a House Smoked Rack of Ribs for dinner.

In the Laclede's Landing entertainment district, Hannegan's Restaurant was built as a replica of the U.S. Senate dining room. Their Jack Daniels Bar-B-Qued Chicken, which is marinated, hickory smoked, flame grilled and basted with Jack Daniels BBQ sauce is the real thing. A full slab of Baby Back Ribs gets the JD treatment too and comes with a side of garlic roasted mashed potatoes. Also on the Landing, Jake's Steaks pairs BBQ pork with nachos for a wild west appetizer. Smoked Beef Brisket soaked in a red barbeque sauce and covered with cheddar cheese and bacon also make the grade at Jake's. BBQ Chicken and Smoked Pork Ribs come with an Apricot Jalapeno Glaze at Jake's and Grilled chicken Breasts are also served with a white barbecue sauce. Any entree can be ordered St. Louis Blues style with a layer of Blue Cheese. At the neighborhood's Morgan Street Brewery, the Barbecued Shrimp are simmered in Cajun spices and the brewery's own Red Lager. Show Me's on the Landing serves their St. Louis-style ribs in five-bone, 10-bone or 20-bone servings. Smoked pork ribs, BBQ pulled pork and chicken and ribs are on the menu at Skeeter's Eatery on the Landing.

The Hard Rock Cafe, located in St. Louis Union Station, serves a Pulled Pork Sandwich that is hickory smoked and hand-pulled before being basted with a vinegar-style sauce. A Hamburger becomes a stand-out menu item with the addition of hickory sauce, bacon and melted cheddar cheese. A full rack of Baby Back Ribs and a Chicken & Ribs combo round out the barbecue menu.
Nearby, Harry's updates the sandwich with house-smoked pulled pork served on an asiago bun, with pepperjack cheese and caramelized onions.

The menu changes seasonally at Harvest where the chef prides himself on using locally produced foods. Barbequed Shrimp n’ Grits pairs the shellfish with Vermont White Cheddar Grits and a Housemade Barbeque Sauce. Pulled Smoked Pork with Caramelized Onions and BBQ Sauce heads the lunch menu at 1111 Mississippi, a wine country bistro in the historic Lafayette Square neighborhood.

Recess is calling and so is the barbecue at Dave & Buster's. You can enjoy their famous Barbecued Chicken and slowed-cooked and tender St. Louis-style Pork Ribs while playing on the arcade games at their suburban Earth City location during lunch or dinner.

Max & Erma's serves the classic ribs and chicken combination with onion rings and cole slaw from their downtown St. Louis restaurant and Tanner B's downtown delivers St. Louis Ribs - pork ribs dry rubbed and slow smoked cooked with a hickory BBQ Sauce -- to the table. For lighter tastes, the menu offers a BBQ Pork Loin Sandwich - a Grilled Pork Loin topped with Caribbean BBQ Sauce.

For more on St. Louis' dining scene, check out all the restaurants on Explore St. Louis.

It's a big election year and St. Louis' hottest theatre companies are talking about it in polite company. From now through the mid-term elections and beyond, nine groups are staging productions as part of the first St. Louis Political Theatre Festival. Whether you're red or blue, get out the green to purchase tickets in support of live theatre in St. Louis.

The productions include:

'American Buffalo,' NonProphet Theater Company, Thursday-Aug 27, Wolfson Studio Theatre, Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive, 314-752-5075, www.nptco.org.

'Troilus and Cressida,' St. Louis Shakespeare, Sept. 1-10, Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square, 314-534-1111, www.stlshakespeare.org.

'Touch the Names,' Soundstage Productions, Sept. 17, The Heights, 8001 Dale Avenue, 314-968-8070, www.soundstageproductions.net.

'Tartuffe,' Stray Dog Theatre, Oct. 5-22, The Little Theatre, 1 Mark Twain Circle, 314-865-1995, www.straydogtheatre.org.

'Bold Girls,' The Orange Girls, Oct. 6-22, Anheuser-Busch Studio Theatre at the Center of Creative Arts, 524 Trinity AvenueMore, 314-520-9557, www.orangegirls.org.

'Coming Out Stories: An Interactive Event,' That Uppity Theatre Company and Playback Workshop Theatre, Oct. 11, Location TBA, 314-995-4600;
www.uppityco.com.

'Johnny Appleweed,' New Line Theatre, Oct. 12-Nov. 4, ArtLoft Theatre, 314-534-1111, www.newlinetheatre.com.

'Girl Gone,' NonProphet Theater Company, Oct. 19-29, Wolfson Studio Theatre, 314-752-5075, www.nptco.org.

'Sonnets for an Old Century,' Off Center Theatre's Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble, Dec. 7-17, Location TBA, 314-322-8850, www.slightlyoff.org.

Although he lived in nearby Springfield, Illinois, debated Stephen Douglas in Alton, Illinois and gave a rousing campaign speech from a balcony in Belleville, Illinois, there is no record of President Abraham Lincoln ever visiting St. Louis' western Mississippi River shores -- until now.

The Saint Louis University Museum of Art brings The Lincoln Legacy to life in a new exhibition of photographs, documents, manuscripts and much more associated with the great emancipator's presidential years.

One of the exhibit's must-see artifacts is a rare copy of the 13th Amendment, which banned slavery, signed by the President and 36 members of the Senate.

Pay your respects to Mr. Lincoln from now through December 17. The museum is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. and admission is free.

True Lincoln buffs will want to combine this exhibit with an easy day trip to the new Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, Illinois, using St. Louis as your home base.

Little Suri Cruise might be the most elusive baby in Hollywood, but here in St. Louis we like to show off our bundles of joy.

The newest addition to the pachyderm nursery at the famous Saint Louis Zoo makes her debut today in The River's Edge habitat. The yet-to-be-named darling weighed in at 341 pounds at her birth on August 2.

Her mother, Ellie, and her aunties will be welcoming visitors along with proud papa, Raja -- the first elephant to be born at the Saint Louis Zoo, 13 years ago.

Learn more on the Zoo's web site. (UPDATE: The baby's name has been selected. It's Maliha, which means "strong" and "beautiful." The Asian name reflect's the elephant's native heritage and was chosen by a popular vote of Zoo visitors.)

Daisy Clover Boutique in lovely Webster Groves is celebrating its second anniversary with three days of customer appreciation festivities. From August 18 through August 20, stop in for food, drinks, giveaways, a trunk show and discounts throughout the entire store. Visit to find out why St. Louis Magazine’s A-List voted Daisy Clover “St Louis’ Best Women’s Boutique.”

Daisy Clover’s owner Natalie Woods'goal is simple: Stock fashion, the best she can find, in sizes to fit the average woman and to serve it up in the most comfortable environment she can create.

Customers can save 20% off everything in the store (excluding trunk show and consignment merchandise). This discount is good on regular and sale priced merchandise. Shoppers and browsers can enjoy free champagne and munchies and register to win lots of goodies including three, $100 shopping sprees that will be given away (one shopping spree per day).

During the three-day anniversary, see a special trunk show from St Louis’-own Lesley Timpe. Ms. Timpe will have a plethora of pieces available for sale from her clothing line “Squasht by Les”.

Daisy Clover features designers Rebecca Taylor, Jak & Rae, Original Penguin, Lilla P, Milly and lots more, plus they are always adding new designers to the mix. Daisy Clover also carries a wide variety of designer jeans including Joe’s Jeans, Citizens of Humanity, J& Company and 575s. Accessories include jewelry from Stacey Cameron and Viv & Ingrid as well as handbags from Hobo International.

Stop in and visit during the 2nd Anniversary Celebration at 8146 Big Bend Boulevard, or visit www.daisy-clover.com for more information.

This one is, too.
It's named for Chihuly
and on view for you.

The spectacular color and delicacy of the Chihuly roses at the Missouri Botanical Garden mirror the passionate sculptures by renowned artist Dale Chihuly featured in the current “Glass in the Garden” exhibit.

The roses are double-bloom floribundas with striking color, a “standout” in the Gladney Rose Garden where they were planted last spring, according to Sarah Anderson, Missouri Botanical Garden rosarian.

"It is hard to miss the bright colors that emerge on each flower. The buds start out yellow, with pale orange accents. As the bloom opens, it does something that few roses do. It ‘suntans’ to a bold mix of oranges and reds,” said Anderson. These bright colors are beautifully offset by dark green and burgundy foliage.

The Chihuly bed so far has done well, blooming continuously even in the summer St. Louis heat wave, Anderson said. The staff anticipates that the roses will overwinter well and will protect them with woodchips.

To find the rose, stand in the center of the Gladney garden and, with the Linnean House at your back, proceed south up the center path. The bed of roses is the next to last on the right, just before the boundary of the Gladney Garden. The bed is within sight of several of Chihuly’s sculptures that are on display through Oct. 31. The roses are marked by a placard.

The Chihuly Rose is a hybrid that was developed by Tom Carruth and offered to the public in 2004. Check with local nurseries and garden centers for availability in the St. Louis area. The Garden Gate Shop will also carry some this fall.

Beer, brats and oompah music are on tap in St. Louis this weekend. The Gateway City's German heritage is on display at the following fun-filled activities:

Schlaffenfest 2006
8/4/2006 - 8/5/2006
Location: Schlafly Tap Room
Time: 8:00 p.m.; Twangang show on Saturday runs from 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Cost: $10.00 each night for musical acts; Twangbang show no cover change.

A yearly celebration of music, art and Hoosier Feats of Strength and Endurance held at the Schlafly Tap Room. Friday night features musical acts Bad Folk and Murder By Death. Saturday night will feature Bobby Bare Jr. and Magnolia Summer. Saturday afternoon will feature local bands Maid*rite, Rats and People, and Strawfoot in a special Twangbang showcase. Twangbang highlights the best alt-country, folk, bluegrass and rockabilly St. Louis has to offer. In addition to musical performances, the day includes a fashion show by the Arch Rival Rollergirls, St. Louis’s own Roller Derby team. On display will be Bob Reuter’s Hoosier Hall of Fame Photo Gallery. Attendees are encouraged to participate in the Gooey Butter Cake Eating Contest and Air Guitar Competition.


St. Louis Strassenfest (German Street Festival)

8/4/2006 - 8/6/2006
Location: Poelker Memorial Park
Cost: Free
Celebrate St. Louis' German heritage. Entertainment includes continuous music by local and German bands, juried arts and crafts show and sale, rides and children's stage. Proceeds go to charity and scholarship funds.


Music at Mount Pleasant
8/5/2006
Location: Mount Pleasant Winery
Time: 12:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Cost: $5 cover
Head to the nearby Missouri Wine Country town of Augusta and the pretty patio at Mount Pleasant Winery to hear the Rich McDonough Blues Band perform.

Fahrradtour und Augustfest
8/6/2006
Location: Scheve Park, Mascoutah, IL
Time: 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Cost: $6.00 Trailnet member; $9.00 non-member; $3.00 child under 13
This Trailnet sponsored bicycle ride is a pleasent pedal through the German-setteled countryside with route choices of 16, 26, 37 or 50 miles on flat terrain with some small hills. After the ride enjoy the food, drinks, games and displays that are part of Mascoutah's annual German Heritage Festival.

The Missouri Botanical Garden offers photographers a special opportunity to capture the magic of Dale Chihuly’s “Glass in the Garden” exhibition in the early morning light on the second Saturday of each month.

Photographers may use tripods or monopods inside the Climatron and Shoenberg Temperate House from 7 to 8 a.m. on Aug. 12, Sept. 9 and Oct. 14 only. During regular visiting hours, tripods and monopods are not permitted inside any of the conservatories; the Garden only allows handheld cameras indoors. However, a limited number of photographers will have these two conservatories to themselves during this hour reserved just for them. Visitors with tickets to see “Glass in the Garden” will be admitted to the Climatron starting at 8:30 a.m.

Reservations are required for the photo sessions and only 25 photographers will be admitted each time. The cost per one-hour session is $50 ($25 Garden member) for one photographer. For a reservation, call (314) 577-5101. Upon arrival, a wristband will be issued that allows entry into the Climatron.

Photographers may not bring additional guests or equipment such as lights that require electricity.

The early morning access is open to both amateur and professional photographers for their enjoyment. Photos taken of the “Glass in the Garden” art may not be used or sold for commercial purposes.

Where is love? At The Muny in Forest Park. Attending live musical theatre at The Muny, the nation’s largest outdoor theater, is a venerated St. Louis summer tradition.

This week, Oliver, the Artful Dodger and their pickpocket gang will steal your heart. The classic Charles Dickens’ tale-turned-Broadway smash, OLIVER!, runs August 1 through 6.

Falling in love is what it’s all about when seven brothers are each seeking a bride. The rousing, romantic romp Seven Brides for Seven Brothers brings The Muny’s 89th season to a delightful conclusion.

For ticket information, click on www.muny.org

It's Music and It's Free

Come down to the Riverfront Overlook Stage under the Gateway Arch for Live on the Levee when Lyle Lovett lights the stage on Friday, July 28 and Grand Funk Railroad retro rocks on Saturday, July 29. The festival grounds open at 5 p.m., local bands play at 6 p.m. and the headliners take the stage at 8 p.m. The evenings end with fireworks over the Mississippi at 9:30 p.m.

At the Saint Louis Art Museum in Forest Park, enjoy Art After Five, a free music concert by jazz man Dave Stone and his trio. The music moves you from 6 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Sculpture Terrace. Delectable food and drink are available at Puck’s, the museum’s elegant café. Bonus: the special exhibition gallery is open free on Fridays until 9 p.m.

Get Fired Up!

All boys and girls love shiny red fire trucks and they can climb aboard one at the Missouri History Museum on Saturday at 3 p.m. during the Benjamin Franklin: Fired Up! event. Celebrate Franklin's contributions and the heroism of our city's own municipal fire department (second oldest in the nation). Join St. Louis Fire Captain Derek Phillips as he presents a public safety demonstration and take in the Benjamin Franklin 300th birthday exhibit.

Here’s Mud in Your Eye…

…and your hair, and your toes and your elbows. It’s time for Mighty Mud Mania on Saturday, July 28 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Jefferson Barracks Historic Park. The ultimate in muddy madness ensues when kids aged 5-15 can slither, crawl and romp through a 200-foot-long obstacle course built in a gooey, slippery, wet and cool mud pit.

Gentlemen, start your engines!

Rev it up at Gateway International Raceway this weekend during the Shop 'n Save 150 ARCA RE-MAX Series on Friday night, July 28 and the NASCAR Busch Series 250 races on Saturday, July 29.

How do you like them tomatoes?

The Best Homegrown Tomato Challenge returns to the Missouri Botanical Garden on Saturday, July 29. Registration begins at 10:00 a.m.; judging at 11:30 a.m. Garden admission is Free on July 29 before noon to anyone who brings three tomatoes or 12 cherry tomatoes (of the same type) to enter in the contest. A 5,000 grand prize will be awarded to the gardener whose homegrown tomato is chosen as the best by a panel of judges. Contestant entry forms are available in early July at local Schnucks, Dierbergs and Shop 'n Save stores. The event is sponsored by NatureSweet.

There's more! Visit the interactive Calendar of Events on the Official Travel Portal of St. Louis for a comprehensive list of this weekend's events.

Cheer on the Cardinals and help fight breast cancer.

Catch a potentially-decisive game at new Busch Stadium on Tuesday, September 12 when the Cards take on their Central Division rival, the Houston Astros. First Pitch is set for 7:10 p.m.

That night, the Cardinals have teamed up with The Judy Foundation to take a swing at breast cancer. Proceeds from select ticket sales benefit the foundation which provides uninsured and disadvantaged women access to mammograms and follow-up breast health care.

Individual seat Judy Foundation tickets are available now at St. Louis-area Dierberg grocery stores. Price are: $29 Pavilion Box; $18 Bleacher; and $15 Terrace Reserve plus a lucky Cardinal’s pink tie-dyed “Giving Back Matters” wristband.

Group tickets are available through The Judy Foundation by calling 314-727-JUDY (5839).

Since its inception in 1998, the Judy Foundation has donated more than $926,000 to regional breast health centers.

It's Music and It's Free
Come down to the Riverfront Overlook Stage under the Gateway Arch for "Live on the Levee: Better Than Ezra, Sister Hazel & India Irie," Friday, July 14 and Saturday, July 15. The festival grounds open at 5 p.m., local bands play at 6 p.m. and the headliners take the stage at 8 p.m. The evenings end with fireworks over the Mississippi at 9:30 p.m. Better Than Ezra plays Friday night and India Irie is Saturday.

Off With Their Heads (Or, Let Them Drink Beer)
It's time for the 20th Annual Soulard Bastille Days Festival. A jovial mob of peasants kicks off the celebration at 7 p.m. Friday, July 14 in Soulard Market Park with the ceremonial (mock) beheading of King Louis and Marie Antoinette to mark St. Louis' French heritage. You'll find music and food in the park and in the fine and lively establishments of the Soulard neighborhood all weekend as well as a championship bicycle race on Sunday. For more information call: (314) 621-6226

Where's the Fire?
All boys and girls love shiny red fire trucks. Show up at City Museum on Saturday, July 15 and you can explore the emergency vehicles in person at the Fire Engine Rally and mingle with some real firefighters.

Speaking of Red
The Redbirds are in town for a weekend home stand at the new Busch Stadium against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Games are played at 7:10 p.m. on Friday, 6:15 p.m. on Saturday and 1:15 p.m. on Sunday.

That Wet Dog Smell
Bring your best friend and your camera to the annual "Paddle With Your Pooch" event at the Boathouse in Forest Park on Sunday, July 16. The dog and master boat race is one of the highights of summer for animal lovers.

There's more
Visit the interactive Calendar of Events on the Official Travel Portal of St. Louis for a comprehensive list of this weekend's events.

July 7 & 8
Pyeng Threadgill
Jazz at the Bistro
Pyeng Threadgill's musical roots run deep. Daughter of jazz composer Henry Threadgill and choreographer Christina Jones, her sound defies categorization. Threagill's voice invokes her wish to tie together the old with the new. At times, listening feels like a Billie Holiday record, and the next moment you are transported into a smoky, New York City hipster joint. Two sets at 8:30 & 10:15 p.m.

Goo Goo Dolls and Counting Crows
July 7
UMB Bank Pavilion 7:00 p.m.

The Wizard of Oz
Through July 16
The Muny in Forest Park
8:15 p.m.
Experience one of MGM’s grandest musicals come to life, as The MUNY recreates all of the magic and marvel of this best-loved children’s classic.

Bluegrass Concert At The Farm: George Portz and His Friends of Bluegrass
July 8
Suson Park, down by the Barn
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
(314) 894-3089
Bring your lawn chair and sit under the stars while enjoying the area's best bluegrass sounds.

String Cheese Incident and Bob Weir & Ratdog
July 8
The Fox Theatre in Grand Center
7:30 p.m.

It's time to celebrate America's birthday and here along the Mississippi River that means it's time for Fair St. Louis -- a party filled with free music, tasty food and spectacular fireworks shows.

Saturday, July 1, the annual celebration kicks off at 10 a.m. with the Veiled Prophet Parade -- a mysterious tradition found only in St. Louis. Who is the Veiled Prophet? Who knows? But he brings marching bands, floats and all manner of fun to the streets of downtown St. Louis. The parade, a tradition since 1878, begins at 4th Street and Washington Avenue and continues south on 4th Street and west on Market to end at 20th Street.

Also at 10 a.m., restaurants offering tastes of St. Louis-style cooking open on the deck of "Eats Bridge," (the historic Eads Bridge, renamed for the party). Other activities include the Family Fun Village, Buster Brown Kids Stage, National Park Service Exhibits and much more.

The Fair officially opens at 11 a.m. and a free performance by B5 from the hit TV movie, "High School Musical" takes place on the main stage at 1 p.m. St. Louis' best local bands continue the music all day with sets at 3:00, 4:30 and 6 p.m.

At 8 p.m., Jason Mraz hits the Budweiser Main Stage for a free concert featuring his unique blend of roots, rock, coffeehouse folk and jazz.

The evening ends with the U.S. Bank/Enterprise Rent-a-Car Fireworks under the Gateway Arch.

On Tuesday, July 4, restaurants again open at 10 a.m. on Eads Bridge and the Fair opens at 5:30 p.m. Hootie and the Blowfish perform on the Budweiser Main Stage at 8:00 p.m. Local bands open the show at 7:00 p.m.

Fireworks end the party at 9:00 p.m. (Free music, food and fireworks continue each Friday and Saturday night from July 14-15 through August 11-12 with Live on the Levee.)

Looking for something special to do with your friends and family this long holiday weekend? Check the interactive Calendar of Events for suggestions.

Fair St. Louis.
7/1/2006 & 7/4/2006
Check this blog for details on the music, food and fireworks at St. Louis' annual Independence Day weekend celebration.

St. Louis Cardinals Baseball Game
6/30/2006 - 7/2/2006
Busch Stadium
7:10 p.m. (30): 6:15 p.m. (1); 1:15 p.m. (2)
Tickets: (314) 421-2400
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Kansas City Royals.

A Patriotic Fourth of July Celebration
7/1/2006 - 7/4/2006
Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (Old Courthouse)
8:00 a.,m. - 5:00 p.m.
For more information call: (314) 655-1700
The Old Courthouse celebrates a Patriotic Fourth of July with interpreters in period clothing, Living History portrayals, patriotic music and speeches, historic vignettes, ranger programs and refreshments of the era.

Aida
6/26/2006 - 7/2/2006
The Muny in Forest Park
8:15 p.m.
Tickets: (314) 534-1111
Elton John meets Verdi in The Muny’s premiere production of AIDA, winner of 4 Tony® Awards. This timeless triangle entraps the would-be leader of ancient Egypt, the daughter of a pharaoh and an enslaved Nubian princess. Lovers struggling against extraordinary odds in an extraordinary situation is at its heart.

Right In My Own Backyard Exhibit
Ongoing
The Magic House, St. Louis Children's Museum [Map It]
(314) 822-8900
Massive mushrooms, enormous ants and colossal plants are sprouting up at The Magic House for its newest hands-on, interactive exhibit. In this oversized backyard, you and your family can enjoy outdoor play while getting exercise! From climbing inside an anthill and zipping down a tubular slide to tossing balls at super sized-spiders in their giant web, you will love playing in The Magic House backyard.

The Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary Presents Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World ExhibitOngoing
The History Museum in Forest Park [Map It]
Time: Daily 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. ; Tuesdays until 8:00 p.m.; Summer hours: Monday-Thursday 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. and Friday-Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Cost: $12.00 adult; $10.00 senior and student; $5.00 children 6-12; 5 and under Free; Free admission on Tuesdays
314) 746-4599
This engaging and memorable exhibition will convey the original genius, wit and imagination of Ben Franklin through a series of interactive multimedia exhibits combined with the largest collection of original Franklin materials ever assembled. Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World beings our most remarkable Founding Fathers to life.

Cabaret
Through 7/2/2006
Location: Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Civic Center
Cost: $45.00; $42.00 seniors 65 and older
(314) 821-2407
www.stagesstlouis.org
Enter the world of Cabaret where nothing really matters as long as you're having fun. Here starry-eyed singer Sally Bowles invites you to join her on a glittering and frenzied tour through the decadent netherworld of pre-World War II Berlin as fantasy and reality collide in this most daring of musical creations.

SportsWorks Exhibit
5/27/2006 - 12/31/2006
The Saint Louis Science Center in Forest Park
(314) 289-4444 or (800) 456-SLSC
An ehxibit that promotes health and wellness through focus on sports, including extreme experience activities adapted from commercial sources, extensive video walls and local sports tie-ins.

Dreamgirls
Through 7/2/2006
St. Louis Black Repertory Company, The Grandel Theatre
Time: 7:00 p.m. Thursday; 8:00 p.m. Friday and Satruday; 3:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Cost: $17.00 - $40.00
Tickets: (314) 534-3810
www.stlouisblackrep.com
As quick as their rise to stardom, a singing sensation discovers the American Dream has its price.

Glass in the Garden: Chihuly at the Missouri Botanical Garden
Ongoing
Missouri Botanical Garden
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. daily and 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. during "Chihuly Nights" on Thursdays
Cost: Climatron admission $6.00 Monday-Thursday; $8.00 Friday-Sunday
314) 577-5100
www.mobot.org
Visitors can discover breathtaking views of colorful plantlike shapes at every turn at this custom-designed show of blown glass sculptures by Chihuly. The major installation will be inside the Climatron conservatory with sculptures placed among thousands of exotic tropical plants. Outdoors south of the Garden’s Ridgway Center main entrance building other blown glass installations will be showcased dramatically within the natural landscapes of the Garden.

Remote Viewing (Invented Worlds in Recent Painting and Drawing) Exhibit
6/18/2006 - 8/27/2006
Location: The Saint Louis Art Museum in Forest Park [Map It]
For more information call: (314) 721-0072
www.slam.org
This exhibition features a major overview of recent abstract paintings and drawings that explore themes of virtual reality, the deep unconscious, nomadic travels, and public space. Created by an international and intergenerational group of artists—Franz Ackermann, Steve DiBenedetto, Carroll Dunham, Ati Maier, Julie Mehretu, Matthew Ritchie, Alexander Ross, and Terry Winters—these new works embrace both an analytic and poetic approach to visual stimuli.

The jazz is hot, but the weather forecast is delightful for this weekend just in time for the annual U.S. Bank St. Louis Jazz & Heritage Festival.

Hear the best in national and local jazz talent at this two-day event. Tickets are available through Metrotix outlets and U.S. Bank ATMs.

This year's stars on Friday, June 23 are Denise Thimes from 5-6 p.m., Preservation Hall Jazz Band from 6:30-8 p.m., Dr. John from 8:30-10 p.m., and on Saturday, June 24 George Duke & Stanley Clarke take the stage from 4:30-6 p.m., Lizz Wright from 6:30-8 p.m. and St. Louis' own David Sanborn from 8:30-10 p.m.

Additional activities include an instrument petting zoo, great food and drink and much more.

NEW AT THE STL ZOO: KOMODO DRAGON

A modern-day “dragon” has moved into the Charles H. Hoessle Herpetarium at the St. Louis Zoo. A young male Komodo dragon named “Dua”(pronounced DOO-ah) is now on display daily in his habitat. He is almost three years old, is over four feet long and weighs about 40 pounds. Dua, which means “two” in Indonesian, was the second to hatch from a clutch at the Toronto Zoo.

Komodo dragons have not been on exhibit at the St. Louis Zoo since 2003.

The Komodo is one of the world’s largest lizards, averaging 8 to 10 feet in length and weighing more than 200 pounds. The Komodo is a member of a family of lizards called monitors. About 50 species of monitors are found in Africa, Asia and Australia. The Komodo dragon is confined to a few small Indonesian islands, including the namesake island of Komodo. They live in grasslands, savannas and monsoon forests at lower elevations. The species is considered threatened in the wild.

The Komodo is a very efficient predator. It can run as fast as a man for short spurts, is agile enough to climb trees and is also a good swimmer. Its saliva contains deadly bacteria, which allows the Komodo to bring down prey as large as pigs and deer.

The St. Louis Zoo participates in the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Species Survival Plan for the Komodo dragon.

The Zoo, located in historic Forest Park, is open daily in the summer from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission to the Zoo is free.

"Dua's" photo by Ray Meibaum.

Three of the nation's top newspapers have covered the remarkable renaissance underway in Downtown St. Louis.

USA Today, The New York Times and The Washington Post all have devoted space to the transformation that is changing the face of the destination. The stories focus on the opening of the new $365 million Busch Stadium along with scores of new restaurants, loft condos and historic renovations that are adding more life to this proud, historic city.

Click the links below to see what the big three have to say:

The New York Times: 36 Hours -- St. Louis has undergone a remarkable transformation...

The Washington Post: St. Louis Ballpark -- Lucky Cards

USA Today: More Say 'Meet me in St. Louis' as City Rebuilds

The classic board game MONOPOLY has moved off the Boardwalk and into the rest of America. You can vote for which St. Louis landmark will have a place on the new version of the game -- called MONOPOLY: Here & Now Edition -- between now and May 12. Choose among the Gateway Arch, the Loop Neighborhood along Delmar Blvd. or the Laclede's Landing entertainment district for the coveted St. Louis space by visiting the game's official site.

Audubon’s Wings of Spring Birding Festival
Forecasts Feathery Fun in the Gateway City

Did you know that bird watching is the Number One hobby in the U.S.? Bird watchers will chirp with joy during the first annual Wings of Spring Confluence Birding Festival on Saturday, April 29.

The public event takes place Saturday, April 29 from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Birding buffs can expect to see diverse species of the feathered friends who live and travel through a rich habitat located at the confluence of America’s two great rivers – the Mississippi and the Missouri. The Festival base is the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary just north of Downtown St. Louis. Located near Alton, Illinois along the Mississippi Flyway, the area has received the prestigious Audubon Society “Important Bird Area” designation as a nationally significant migratory path.

The Wings of Spring Festival program has something to offer visitors of all levels of bird watching interest, from the serious keepers of “life lists” to those who simply enjoy seeing beautiful animals in a natural setting. Talks by naturalists, close encounters with birds, fun kids programs and guided birding tours are planned. Professional photographers will conduct nature photo seminars and talented storytellers will delight children with fun animal tales. Master gardeners from the Missouri Botanical Garden will share their knowledge on how to create wildlife gardens. On hand will be eagles and other spectacular species from the World Bird Sanctuary. Bird-centric films including March of the Penguins, Winged Migration, and Fly Away Home will be presented at the nearby national Great Rivers Museum.

Wings of Spring events for school groups will be held on Friday, April 28 by reservation only.

American humorist Robert Benchley wrote, “In America there are two classes of travel - first class, and with children.”

Obviously, Mr. Benchley and his offspring hadn’t visited St. Louis where kids and kids-at-heart can discover first class fun. There are dozens of tantalizing new and “old favorite” St. Louis attractions to tempt young travelers this vacation season. Once they learn about all of St. Louis’ kid-centric hot spots, parents will start hearing, “Are we there yet?” before the family leaves home.

No need to break open the piggy bank. Many of St. Louis’ kid-favorite sites are open free of charge.

What’s up at Six Flags St. Louis, Doc? The giant family theme park company celebrates its 45th anniversary with a new addition to its St. Louis site: Bugs Bunny National Park. The special area has rides and attractions for the whole family. Family rides include hot air balloon replicas which take riders up, up and away; a flying rocket ship; a miniature drop ride; spinning tea cups; a rocking tugboat and a miniature train. Parents and older tykes can also participate in a 3-story tree house play structure and an interactive water play fountain. If grown-ups just want to watch, pint-sized airplanes and a swinging ship are exclusively for the toddler set. The “Bugs” area includes the Character Café which serves family food favorites, a Ranger Station with souvenirs geared for younger guests and family restrooms so fun seekers don’t have to leave the area.

New Six Flags St. Louis rides and attractions for older kids and adults include the new Superman Tower of Power 230-foot extreme free-fall ride, a Justice League entertainment area and a daily parade featuring favorite Looney Tunes and Justice League characters, lights, music and fireworks. Here’s a money saving hint: buy tickets on-line at http://www.sixflags.com/ and save with a special Internet only rate on one-day admissions. Simply click, print and go.

It’s playtime! New, innovative and, most importantly, fun playgrounds are perfect places to burn megawatts of kid energy. The newest, largest and most elaborate St. Louis play area is nestled within the beautiful Missouri Botanical Garden. The new, two-acre Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden: A Missouri Adventure introduces youngsters ages two through 12 to plants and nature in an amusing, hands-on style. Rope bridges, a giant-sized tree house, a slide into a fossil-encrusted cave, a frontier town complete with jail, a three-story log fort, a moving steamboat paddlewheel, a wetland ecosystem, “root” swings cascading from a fabricated tree and many more imaginative, active options bring Missouri’s 19th century history and botany to life.

Flowering plants within A Missouri Adventure grow in a petal-shaped garden designed to attract birds, bees and butterflies. Kids can clamber inside a giant beehive. A Secret Garden hidden by tall hedges is accessible through a trick door. Little folks control water jets at a splash and play area set up beneath a prairie village water tower. Toddlers can “plant” and “harvest” plastic vegetables in a sandy plot. With so many playful features packed into this special garden, kids will never want to leave. A Missouri Adventure Children’s Garden is open at the Missouri Botanical Garden from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends only in April 2006. Beginning May 1, the garden is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through October, and weekends only in November and March (weather permitting).

Playgrounds have popped up all over town. Forest Park opened its first inclusive public playground designed for all children – able-bodied and those with disabilities – between the Missouri History Museum and the Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Information Center. Traditional swings and seesaws are adapted for all abilities, a musical chime section delights both sighted and blind children and special stretching stations to aid parents and children with cerebral palsy are just a few of the practical and playful features.

Faust St. Louis County Park has added a new, ADA-approved play area to its collection of family attractions. Adjacent to the playground, pretty live butterflies fly around visitors who stroll through the tropical rainforest within the glass-domed Butterfly House. A hop, skip and jump away from the playground, take a spin on the festive St. Louis Carousel, a vintage 1929 Dentzel amusement ride with beautifully carved and painted horses and deer and the requisite calliope music. Faust Historic Village takes park goers back in time with its collection of 19th century Missouri homes, barns and outbuildings or tour Thornhill, the historic home of Missouri’s second governor Frederick Bates.

Kids can pretend to sail a climb-on pirate ship, maneuver a fire truck and fulfill other transportation fantasies at the newly remodeled Creation Station indoor playroom at the Museum of Transportation. No pretending is required to hop aboard one of the museum’s two, new mini-locomotives for a mile-long ride along a looping track. And, of course, there’s always the joy of clambering in, on and out of dozens and dozens of historic railroad cars and train engines from the museum’s vast collection. Older kids get their motors running at the new automobile gallery, a “dealer’s showroom” with an ever-changing display of vintage vehicles. Interactive driving, braking and turning stations allow the under-16 set to test their behind-the-wheel skills.

Other unique St. Louis play stations include the crazy, climbing and all together cool MonstroCity outdoor playground at City Museum, St. Louis’ unusual warehouse of adventure. New additions inside include more multi-level caves to explore and the distinction of being named as one of the World’ Best Public Spaces. In neighboring Belleville, Illinois, a two-acre playground that is both creative and spiritual is on the grounds of The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows. The lushly landscaped area was designed to be an inspiration to families to enjoy the outdoors while having fun together. Across I-64 from the St. Louis Zoo south entrance sits Turtle Playground, home to a traditional playground plus seven large sculpted concrete turtles just waiting to be climbed on, slid off and played among. The turtles range from seven to 40 feet long each represent a different species found in Missouri. Among them are a red-eared slider, a soft-shelled turtle, a snapping turtle, a box turtle, a Mississippi map turtle and “stinkpot” turtle.

Within the Saint Louis Zoo’s Children’s Zoo section, kids can climb on a rope spider web, slide through the river otter pond via a plexiglass tube, dance through squirting water fountains and clamber across a bridge suspended above a pretend alligator-laden swamp. Named the Top Zoo in the U.S. by Zagat Survey and Parenting Magazine, the Saint Louis Zoo has added weighty attractions in 2006. In addition to the impending birth of a new baby elephant, a 200-ton sculpture titled “Animals Always” greets park visitors at the Hampton Avenue entry to Forest Park. The massive metal work, to be installed in May, depicts 60 different animals of all types. Inside the Zoo, kids may be encouraged to eat their veggies after watching animal meals being prepared through oversized windows at the new Animal Nutrition Center. Families can picnic in the adjacent outdoor garden. The creepy, crawly constituents of the Monsanto Insectarium are now on view for free. The Zoo has permanently waived the nominal charge to this special exhibit that includes a tropical butterfly dome.

Haven’t been to the Saint Louis Zoo in a while? You’ll notice recent new additions. Chill out at the very cool Penguin and Puffin Coast habitat of the popular tuxedoed birds and playful puffins. Go ape at The Fragile Forest home of gorillas and orangutans. Circle the animal kingdom with a ride on an endangered species replica on board the Conservation Carousel and adventure through a Cypress Swamp teeming with wildlife in the giant steel bird cage that has marveled visitors since the 1904
St. Louis World’s Fair.

The charming, St. Louis-based Build-A-Bear Workshop opened special outlets at the St. Louis Zoo and new Busch Stadium this year. The St. Louis Zoo store, the first ever Build-A-Bear Workshop located inside a zoo, offers a jungle-themed environment where visitors can choose from a variety of furry friends including Humboldt Penguin, Tree Frog, Asian Elephant and Ring-Tailed Lemur. Once the critter is “built,” the “builders” have the opportunity to dress their new pal in adorable outfits such as a zookeeper and a Zooline Railroad engineer.

The Busch Stadium Build-A-Bear Workshop is safe at home near Section 153 on the main concourse at the St. Louis Cardinals’ brand new baseball palace. Fans can build the Cardinals’ huggable mascot, Fredbird the Redbird, and deck him out in the team’s official Major League Baseball clothing and accessories. Beary cute options include Cardinals Baseball bears, a stuffed replica of the new St. Louis ballpark and FANtastic Monkey. The workshop is open during all Cardinals home games.

One visit to The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum and you’ll know why it was named the nation’s #1 attraction for child appeal by Zagat U.S. Family Travel Guide. This innovative participatory museum serves up special summer fun with three playful new exhibits: Toddler Traffic Town, Right in My Own Backyard and Making America’s Music: Rhythm, Roots & Rhyme.

Children can create their own sound and learn about American musical genres from blues to jazz to rock ‘n’ roll with a toe-tapping trip to the Making America’s Music: Rhythm, Roots & Rhyme exhibit. The musical merry-making takes place at The Magic House from June 10 through September 18, 2006. Youngsters learn about tempo and volume with a wave of their arms in the “You’re the Conductor!” area. A karaoke station turns tykes into hep cats as they perform jazz riffs. Fountains of light and color are created in the drumming gallery and the windshield wipers of a country western tour bus keep pace with the music on the bus’ radio. Kids can twist and shout to their hearts’ content and see themselves cutting the rug on a big screen at an American Bandstand-style school dance station.

Calling all cars! Toddler Traffic Town puts kids under the age of seven behind the wheel of vintage pedal cars to drive through kid-size city streets complete with storefronts, pint-sized construction sites and even a miniature Gateway Arch. The tiny town teaches wee drivers about the rules of the road and traffic safety. A Magic House favorite, Toddler Traffic Town pedals along from August 26 through October 8, 2006.

This summer, The Magic House outdoor Exhibit Patio springs to life as the new Right in My Own Backyard activity bubbles over with massive mushrooms, enormous ants and gigantic plants. The hands-on exhibit combines learning about nature with outdoor family play. Families can romp inside an amazingly vast anthill, toss balls at gargantuan spiders crawling on an extra-wide web and swoosh down a slippery, tubular slide. It’s super-sized fun for everyone…Right in My Own Backyard from June 17 through August 13, 2006.

Be a stage mother or dad and give the kids a live theatre experience this summer. “The Wizard of Oz” will bewitch young audience members when the MGM classic comes to life at The Muny in Forest Park, July 6 through 16. The Muny, St. Louis’ historic outdoor amphitheatre, has been delighting fans of Broadway musicals for more than 80 years. Snoopy and the entire Peanuts gang make merry in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” August 9 through 20 at Stages St. Louis’ Robert G. Reim Theatre.

There’s theatrical fun on St. Louis’ big screens, too. Trek to the Pacific with explorers Lewis & Clark with a viewing of “Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West” at the Odyssey Theatre beneath the Gateway Arch. This National Geographic large format film showcases the spectacular scenery along the Lewis & Clark Trail and simply and eloquently tells the story of that incredible, historic journey. The domed Omnimax Theatre at the Saint Louis Science Center revs things up through September 4 with “NASCAR: The IMAX Experience.” The giant-screen film puts viewers in the driver’s seat with NASCAR drivers including Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jeff Gordon and more.

Another member of St. Louis’ incredible children’s attractions made Zagat’s Survey Top 10 list for Best Overall Attractions in the U.S. – Grant’s Farm. Visitors to this free attraction take tram rides through an animal preserve which pass the log cabin home built by President U.S. Grant. Buffalo, zebra, elk and other hoofed creatures reside on Grant’s Farm along with a petting zoo, an Anheuser-Busch Clydesdale breeding farm and trained animal shows featuring elephants and both exotic and birds of prey.
More animal-related fun happens at Purina Farms, where city slicker children interact with farm animals including baby pigs, chickens, cows and bunnies. Cat lovers adore the Victorian designed cat house filled with pretty felines of all shapes, sizes and colors. Kids and adults can learn how to care for their family pets, see a dog-training demonstration and special animal shows and exhibits at this free St. Louis attraction.

If a trip to the Gateway City gives kids the travel bug, take them to Worldways Children’s Museum where kids can explore another country without leaving St. Louis. World cultures are actively on display at the museum where children can dress in national costumes, shop in a Mexican market, learn how to use chopsticks and draw Chinese letters, float in a vibrantly painted boat like those from Saint-Louis, Senegal in West Africa and experience the values of foreign currencies.

Search www.explorestlouis.com for a list of free attractions, special family hotel packages and to book hotel rooms on-line. Or, call toll-free, 1-800-916-0040 for details on how St. Louis is a kids’ vacation haven. Be sure to download the St. Louis Family Attractions Card and other offers from the Tickets & Deals section of the site for special discounts at many of the Gateway City’s top spots for young visitors.

It's the last weekend before spring. What a great excuse to spend some quality time indoors at St. Louis' top theaters.

The touring company of the Broadway musical "Rent" sets up its modernized take on La Boheme at the Fabulous Fox Theatre (right) in the Grand Center arts and entertainment district of St. Louis with shows Friday, March 17 through Sunday, March 19. The curtain rises at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets start at $26. (Rent to Own)

Also in Grand Center, the St. Louis Black Repertory Company presents "Before It Hits Home," March 15 - April 9. Show times for this important contemporary drama are 7 p.m. on Thursday and 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday with a 3 p.m. matinee on both Saturday and Sunday. Ticket prices start at $17. (Get Details)

"Witness for the Prosecution" is on stage at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis through April 14. The Agatha Christie thriller has been chilling audiences for decades and the Rep gives this murder-mystery its own special treatment. (It would be a crime to miss this)

"Menopause, the Musical" is heating things up at the Playhouse at West Port Plaza.
The 90-minute production includes 25 parodied tunes from the '60's and '70's and culminates with a salute to women who are experiencing The Change. (Flash over to get a ticket)

Not technically a theatrical performance, but does it get any better than sinking back into the plush seats at Powell Symphony Hall for an orchestral program by the famous Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra? Performances take place at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Maestro Oundjian, pianist Leon Fleisher and the SLSO present Mozart’s “Piano Concerto in A major, K. 414,” Hindemith’s “Klaviermusik mit Orchester,” Prokofiev’s “Lt. Kije Suite,” and Martinu’s “Fantaisies symphoniques, (Symphony No. 6).” (Mozart makes you smarter)

St. Louis Cardinals Tickets Go on Sale March 4 at 9 a.m.

Grab your telephone or log on to your computer. Don't do anything Saturday morning until you get your Cards tickets. St. Louis Cardinals single-game tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. central time this Saturday and they're expected to go fast.

The Cardinals move into their new baseball palace — Busch Stadium — on April 10 for the start of this season's 82 home games. The new stadium combines the best of new ballpark design with historic touches and the red brick look of St. Louis' architecture. Fans will enjoy amazing skyline views, great sight lines and upgraded concessions and activities along with some of the best baseball in America. The Cardinals always draw record-breaking crowds, but this year's debut of the new ballpark is expected to make tickets scarce later in the season.

Here's how to get your tickets:
Online through the Cardinals' web site
By phone at the Cardinals' new ticket sales number: 314-345-9000
In person at Schnuck's grocery stores or Cardinals Clubhouse locations

The Gateway City’s streets are paved with green this March in anticipation of St. Patrick’s celebrations in The “Too-Ra-Loo-Ra” Lou.

There are so many green-tinted festivities in St. Louis that it takes two St. Patty’s parades to satisfy all the Irish or “Irish-for-the-visit” revelers.

With more free attractions than anyplace in the Midwest and economical hotel packages, you won’t need a pot of gold to afford a March getaway to St. Louis.

Here’s a “Top of the Mornin’” and month-long list of Gaellic goings-on in the Gateway City this March:

If you love a parade, you’ll be twice as happy here: St. Louis’ Irish roots are showing with not one, but two St. Patty’s parades. The 37th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, one of the largest in the nation, marches through Downtown St. Louis starting at noon on Saturday, March 11. The green-strewn route begins at Broadway and Market Streets and continues west on Market Street to 20th Street. More than 100 units and 5,000 marchers including elaborate floats, bands, Irish dance troupes and character balloons make up the entertaining parade line. This year, plans include a special salute by the U.S. Army Green Beret Parachute Team who will descend over the parade route while carrying a large U.S. flag.

Run like the Snakes Out of Ireland: The 28th Annual Michelob ULTRA St. Patrick’s Day Parade Run precedes the Downtown parade on Saturday, March 11. More than 6,000 runners participate in the annual race that begins at 9:30 a.m. and covers a five-mile course. Runners, walkers and wheelchair racers of all ages are welcome. There are 11 different age categories for both male and female competitive runners, ranging from teens to 70-plus years. Register on-line. at http://www.active.com/.

It Takes a Village…: to offer Irish food, gifts and souvenirs, music, dance and a children’s play area. An Irish Village magically appears in Downtown St. Louis’ Kiener Plaza on Saturday, March 11 from 8:30 a.m. through 3:00 p.m. and during the Downtown St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Kiener Plaza is located on Broadway between Market and Chestnut streets.

Party On, Pat!..: or Jane or Mark or LaTonya. The conclusion of the March 11 Downtown
St. Pat’s Parade’s isn’t the end of the party. Irish celebrations continue with live music, food and refreshments at the historic Laclede’s Landing entertainment district along the Mississippi riverfront and at St. Louis Union Station’s festival marketplace at 18th and Market streets.

The Ancient Order of Hibernians' St. Patrick's Day Parade takes place on March 17, the official holy day of the legendary saint. The Irish heritage organization’s festive parade starts at 12:30 p.m. at Wells and Tamm Avenue near St. Louis’ famous Forest Park. A procession of lively bands, decorative floats and marching family clans travel through the streets of St. Louis’ traditionally Irish Dogtown neighborhood.

One of Ireland’s Own: Tour the St. Louis home of one of the Emerald Isle’s most successful emigrants – Robert Campbell. Born in County Tyrone in 1804, Campbell moved to St. Louis as a young man and became a famous fur trader, entrepreneur and the richest man in Missouri during his lifetime. The Campbell House Museum, at 1508 Locust Street in Downtown
St. Louis, was home to Robert and his family from 1854 until 1938. Hundreds of the Campbell’s original possessions including furniture, paintings, clothing and carriages take you back in time to see how a well-to-do Victorian family lived in St. Louis.

You say potato. I say spud: A céilidh is an Irish word that describes a party with music and dancing. You can tap your toes to the music of Dervish, a traditional Irish group from County Sligo in Northwest Ireland when they perform at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 18 at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri – St. Louis. From high energy reels to lilting Irish ballads, Dervish covers the gamut of Celtic musical genres. Or, celebrate at the music-filled Celtic Festival Céilidh at The Schlafly Tap Room, a brew pub at 2100 Locust, on Friday, March 31.

Wearin’ o’ the Green: Find a complete Irish wardrobe and a full Irish breakfast at The Kerry Cottage, St. Louis’ largest Irish import store at 2119 South Big Bend. The charming shop is brimming to its authentic thatched roof with all things Irish -- from Aran sweaters and Donegal tweed caps to shilleleghs and claddagh rings. Select from Irish music CDs, children’s christening gowns, toy sheep, Waterford and Belleek crystal and china for the perfect St. Patrick’s Day gift. The inventory also includes imported Irish specialty foods some of which is served up in the shop’s Tea Room. Homemade scones and brown bread are made fresh daily using the owner’s Irish-born mum’s personal recipes. Soups, sandwiches, salads and desserts are available from 9:30 a.m., Monday through Saturday. A full Irish breakfast of eggs, bangers (Irish sausages), Irish bacon, potatoes, grilled tomato, scones, brown bread and tea are served with advance reservations on Saturday mornings. Reservations: 314-644-6279.

Green Beer: Green beer is a Patty’s Day staple, but have you heard of a green brewery? Environment-friendly or “green” manufacturing practices are in use at the Schlafly Bottleworks and Schlafly Tap Room microbreweries in St. Louis. Minimizing waste, incorporating heat recovery devices, composting and using recyclable packaging are part of daily operations. Learn about “green” manufacturing during a free brewery tour at Schlafly Bottleworks, 7260 Southwest Avenue. Though it’s not emerald in hue, stout is definitely a favorite Irish drink. The Schlafly Tap Room at 2100 Locust Street, serves up three of the brewery’s stouts – Nitro Irish, Oatmeal and Coffee and more than 25,000 fresh oysters during its March 24 through 26 Stout & Oyster Festival. A Cod Fest is slated there on March 3 and 4 that features a Guinness Book of World Records-style challenge to create the largest single serving of fish & chips in Missouri.

For the Little People: Wee ones have plenty to celebrate in St. Louis. Kid-friendly attractions include the world famous Saint Louis Zoo; The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum; Purina Farms; hands-on fun at the St. Louis Science Center; whacky City Museum and so much more. Click on the “St. Louis for Kids” section of http://www.explorestlouis.com/ for details.

Every Day is Patty’s Day: You’ll feel transported to a pub in Dublin if you stop for a jar (drink) at John D. McGurk’s Saloon in St. Louis’ Soulard neighborhood. McGurk’s is renowned on both sides of the Atlantic for bringing native Irish musicians in for nightly traditional entertainment “sessions.” Don’t be surprised to have your Guinness pulled by a Donegal lad while listening to fiddlers and bodhran (drum) players fresh from the Ring of Kerry. The bar, at 1200 Russell Boulevard, also boasts a lovely outdoor garden and taste-tempting full menu. Another Soulard establishment with Irish flair, great food and liquid refreshment is Norton’s Cafe at 808 Geyer. Norton’s cozy fireplace provides a welcome cool weather retreat and the large outdoor dining area teems with people and good times during fair weather.

Snakes Alive!: St. Patrick may have driven the snakes out of Ireland, but the beautiful and exotic creatures have a happy home with other reptiles at the Herpatarium habitat at the
Saint Louis Zoo. The free zoo has recently been named America’s Top Zoo by Zagat’s U.S. Family Travel Survey. The Zoo is one of the many free attractions located within the lush green space of St. Louis’ historic Forest Park.

Green Houses: The Emerald Isle doesn’t hold the exclusive on Mother Nature’s many shades of green. A visit to the Climatron tropical rainforest, the giant geodesic dome at the Missouri Botanical Garden, is brimming with exotic green hues. The Garden’s other green houses are packed with punches of verdant color, too. The Temperate House is filled with Mediterranean flora and garden features like bubbling fountains in a tiled courtyard, fish ponds and even insect-eating plants. Fragrant with blooming camellias and gardenias, The Linnaean House is the oldest working greenhouse west of the Mississippi. At 2:00 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day at the Garden, St. Louis historian Rev. William Faherty will speak and sign his book, "The St. Louis Irish: An Unmatched Celtic Community."

Irish Drama: The renowned Irish literary heritage also runs through the veins of Irish-Americans. “The Iceman Cometh,” one of playwright Eugene O’Neill’s most masterful works is brought to life March 16 through 19 and March 23 through 25 at St. Louis Regional Arts Commission Studio, 6129 Delmar Boulevard.

Green House, Too: The EarthWays Center is a century-old Victorian home that has been renovated to demonstrate energy-efficient systems, recycled products and sustainable lifestyle choices. Features of the home can be readily copied by visitors in their personal home renovation plans such as installation of energy-efficient windows, water-saving features and nature-friendly landscaping options. Tours are scheduled at 11:00 a.m., Noon, 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, March 18 and 19. The home, located at 3617 Grandel Square in St. Louis’ Grand Center arts and entertainment district, is operated by the Missouri Botanical Garden. Admission is $2.00.

Get your kicks by visiting a new photographic exhibit at St. Louis' majestic Old Courthouse on Route 66.

“Return to Route 66: Photographs from the Mother Road,” a new, free exhibition at the landmark Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis, opens Sunday, February 12 and runs through April.

The photography of Shellee Graham, Route 66 expert and author will be featured. Ms. Graham will be speak and sign her books "Return to Route 66" and "Tales from the Coral Court" from 2:00 p.m. through 3:00 p.m. in the Courthouse Rotunda.

Complimentary Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, a taste treat from an iconic St. Louis and Route 66 roadside attraction, will be served following Ms. Graham's presentation. Classic antique cars and trucks from local car clubs will be parked in front of the Old Courthouse that day to showcase the vehicles that once traveled "the mother road."

In addition to the Shellee Graham photographs, memorabilia of Route 66 and Southwestern railroads on loan from St. Louis County's Museum of Transportation will also be on display. This will include original highway and street signs, a 1950s gas pump, and other artifacts of the era.

The Old Courthouse, located at 11 North Fourth Street in downtown St. Louis, is free-of-charge every day from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

Celebrate with your Valentine in romantic St. Louis.

Love means never having to say you’re sorry and you definitely won’t be that if you shower your sweetie with a Valentine’s getaway to St. Louis. There are more romantic things to do in The Lou this Valentine’s weekend than there are candies in a heart-shaped assortment.

Romantic and luxurious hotel getaway packages, some including spa treatments, silky jammies and other lovey-dovey amenities, can be discovered with the click of your computer's mouse.

Here are some lovely Valentine ideas for the romance-challenged or those who want to wander from the usual “roses and champagne” route:

Puccini’s romantic tour-de-force, “La Boheme” is on stage at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center on Friday, February 10. Jazz aficionados’ hearts can beat to the smooth and swinging style of M. & R. Thomas at Jazz at the Bistro. Get giggly at the Bissell Mansion Mystery Dinner Theatre’s production of “Phantom of the Grand Old Opry.” Make a big impression on your sweetheart by escorting her to the “Monet in the 20th Century” exhibit at the Saint Louis Art Museum.

Ladies, set sail on the Love Boat by surprising your best man with tickets to the St. Louis Boat and Sports Show at America’s Center. Toddler-sized Valentine’s will happily howl with a visit to The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum to take part in Adventures with Clifford The Big Red Dog.™ Or, deliver your beloved a jungle-full of fragrant flowers with a stroll through the exotic Orchid Show at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Don’t have a special Valentine? No problem. Head to Hearts Aflame, a swanky singles party on Friday, February 10 at the hip and happening Third Degree Glass Factory. Who knows? You may meet the Valentine of your dreams.

For a twist on a typical Valentine's Day staple, the Schlafly Tap Room and Schlafly Bottleworks are serving a chocolatey surprise. Beer lover’s can press their lips to pints of Chocolate Porter, a rich, sweet, robust, deep-brown ale that uses real cocoa to make it a luscious Valentine's treat.

Liquid love also can be found at Mount Pleasant Winery in August, Missouri. The popular winery's “Valentine Winemaker Dinner” is a five-course lovefest paired with the perfect wines and port.

For the ultimate romantic dining experience, head to the award-winning restaurant where so many St. Louisans popped the question: Tony’s. You’ll fall in love with the food, the service and the ambience.

Valentine’s Day specials are available at many of St. Louis’ one-of-a-kind restaurants. Click here for a list of great dining spots.

This Valentine's Day, the gateway to your Valentine's heart can be found in the Gateway City.

The St. Louis Zoo will re-open Jungle of the Apes, the winter home for chimpanzees, orangutans and gorillas, on Saturday, February 4, at 9 a.m. The nearly 20-year-old building was closed for major improvements in September 2004. In May 2005, the Zoo opened Donn & Marilyn Lipton Fragile Forest, the outdoor summer habitat for chimpanzees and orangutans.

Among the improvements to the Jungle of the Apes building are new skylights and roof. “New skylights will improve both the animals’ health and the visitor experience,” said Ingrid Porton, curator of primates at the Zoo. “More natural light provides better visibility of the apes for our visitors and is an important source of vitamin D for the animals.”

Air conditioning, heating and mechanical systems were updated, and new natural-looking, heavy-duty vines for climbing were added to the animals’ habitats. A “living wall” of live tropical plants, ferns, orchids and vines was created in the visitor space. Still under construction is the outdoor gorilla yard. The Ann and Paul Lux Family Gorilla Habitat will open later this spring and will include yard improvements such as more shade trees and plantings, vines for apes to climb and redesigned viewing areas.

The plaza entrance to Jungle of the Apes was also redesigned to include a new gift shop “Phil’s Trading Company,” benches, water fountain and the popular bronze statue of Phil the Gorilla, a late Zoo inhabitant who was a favorite with visitors.

The Zoo’s great ape families include four Sumatran orangutans and eight chimpanzees. Three new male western lowland gorilla teenagers will soon be introduced to an 18-year-old silverback who was born at the Zoo. The St. Louis Zoo has been a leader in formation and maintenance of gorilla bachelor groups in the past. Because of the introductions and the group dynamics of great apes, not all individuals will be on exhibit at all times.

The Zoo is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is free. Starting this Sunday, families can enjoy free activities at Delta Dental Winter Zoo from noon to 3 p.m. each Sunday in February in The Living World.

Celebrate Chinese New Year by visiting one of St. Louis' top Asian restaurants or see a traditional Dragon Dance at the Missouri History Museum on Saturday, January 28. The free 1 p.m. event welcomes the Year of the Dog and includes arts and crafts, music, Tai Chi, martial arts and much more. Call 314-746-4599 or click on www.mohistory.org for details.

Saturday and Sunday, January 28 & 29, you can graze on some of the best food in St. Louis and sample more than 400 wines at the Fourth Annual St. Louis Food & Wine Experience. The event, which benefits the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, takes place at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel in the charming Central West End neighborhood. The cost is just $25 in advance and $30 at the door. If you're special, there's a $40 VIP ticket just for you. For more information call: (314) 968-7340 or log on to www.repstl.org.

Cheech Marin of the famed duo of Cheech and Chong is in town to open a new exhibit on one of his life's passions, Chicano art. The exhibit opens Friday, January 27, at the Saint Louis Science Center and continues through May 14. For more info, call 314-289-4444 or visit www.slsc.org.

And, if you like it loud, then head for the Fox Theatre to see Blast! The shows on January 27, 28 & 27 feature 37 brass, percussion and visual performers who create a unique explosion of music and theatre. Call 314-534-1111 for tickets or click on www.fabulousfox.com.

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Want to be top dog with your toddler? Toddle to The Magic House, St. Louis Children's Museum this weekend or anytime through May 14. That's when everyone's favorite big red dog takes up residence in the acclaimed children's museum.

"Adventures with Clifford The Big Red Dog™" is the fun-filled special exhibit that brings to life the world of one of the most popular characters in kiddie literature and an animated televison program --Clifford.

Wee ones can board the Birdwell Island ferry and journey to the world of Clifford™, America's beloved big red dog with a heart to match. The exhibit offers numerous immersive "paws-on" adventures that reinforce "Clifford's Big Ideas." Visit all of Clifford's places on the island, including Clifford's doghouse, and a collosal nine-foot Clifford with a tail kids can slide down, just like Emily Elizabeth does on the television show.

Admission is $7.00 per person; kids under two years of age are free.

The road to the Winter Olympics glide through St. Louis this weekend as one of the nation’s biggest winter sports events continues through Sunday at the Savvis Center -- the 2006 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships. America’s top skaters including Sasha Cohen, Alissa Czisny, Johnny Weir, Tim Goebel and others are competing for spots on the U.S. Olympic Team headed for the 2006 Games in Torino, Italy.

On Friday night at 7:30 p.m., see elegance on ice during the Senior Dance Free Skate competition. Beautiful music, sparkling costumes and graceful choreography make the dance exhibition one of the competition's most popular events.

On Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m., the Senior Men’s free skate takes place and the Senior Women perform their self-chosen free skate programs starting at 7:00 p.m. The outcome of these two events will determine which individual skaters will be representing the U.S. at the Winter Games.

On Sunday, the skaters showcase their talents during the Exhibition of Champions. This joyful event begins at 2:00 p.m. at Savvis Center. Skaters can showcase their favorite programs in this non-judged, just-for-fun exhibition.

Tickets for all events are available at the Savvis Center box office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, by phone at 314-241-1888 or 618-222-2900 (automated), 314-421-4400 (sales rep), and online at www.ticketmaster.com. For disabled access information, please call 314-622-5420. A $2 per ticket facility fee will be added to all tickets purchased at all locations, including at the Savvis Center Box Office. Additional Ticketmaster service charges and handling fees apply to all tickets purchased through Ticketmaster outlets, by phone or online. Prices range from $15.00 to $85.00.

It’s eagle-watching season in St. Louis. During January and February, hundreds of majestic American bald eagles feast on fish, glide through the sky and roost in trees along the banks of the Mighty Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Soar into St. Louis to see our national bird at a number of excellent viewing sites in the heart of metropolitan St. Louis especially within The Confluence, a 200 square-mile conservation, heritage and recreation corridor along the two rivers.

To learn more about eagle-watching events and other attractions and to book a hotel room in St. Louis, visit www.ExploreStLouis.com or call the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission at 1-800-916-0040. An up-to-date calendar of events provides details on all the high-flying activities taking place in the Gateway City during January and February.

Get an extra kick along this Route 66 attraction: eagle-watching from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. The mile-long Mississippi River span, the original Route 66 crossing from Illinois into Missouri, is now a pedestrian/bicycling only bridge. Open daily, the free bridge view provides awesome scenes of eagles in flight above the river and along its tree-lined banks. The bridge is open one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. A special eagle education program called Eagle Days at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge starts at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, January 14 and 15. Eagle experts will be on hand for talks and questions, special viewing scopes will be set-up for visitors and Lewis & Clark reenactors will display a recreated 1804-06 Corps of Discovery camp.

Experience these majestic sights simultaneously – eagles in the wild and the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers – at two natural settings: the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area and the Edward “Ted” and Pat Jones – Confluence State Park. The large viewing platform at Columbia Bottom, open through March 31, provides panoramic sightlines of the rivers and birds. The mingling of the two massive rivers is on dramatic view at Confluence Point State Park, the newest of Missouri’s State Parks and a favorite hangout for eagles.

The Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary is a haven for winged wildlife. Operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the West Alton, Missouri sanctuary’s Rivers Project Office is a sheltered, indoor location from which to view eagles and other river creatures. The office is open every weekday and weekends through February 5 from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. On January 22 and February 5 and 12, a free Eagle Meet & Greet takes place at the National Great Rivers Museum on the grounds of the Melvin Price Locks & Dam in nearby Alton, Illinois. An educator from St. Louis’ World Bird Sanctuary will be on hand from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. with a live eagle display in the classroom.

Learn everything you ever wanted to know about eagles and other wild birds at the World Bird Sanctuary, one of the largest facilities in the world for the conservation of our feathered friends. Located about 20-minutes from downtown St. Louis off Interstate 44 and open free-of-charge, the Sanctuary offers a variety of special events and innovative programs along with displays of birds, small woodland creatures and reptiles from around the world. Bird-watchers can follow the trails to the bird feeding stations to observe numerous species of local and migrating songbirds.

American bald eagles are elegant birds. Want to get up-close to another sophisticated species? Then march to the free St. Louis Zoo to greet the tuxedoed charmers residing within Penguin & Puffin Coast. This cool habitat houses Humboldt, Rockhopper, King and Gentoo penguins and dozens of big-billed puffins. Hundreds of exotic, colorful birds reside in the Zoo’s indoor Bird House and within the historic 1904 Flight Cage, a structural steel aviary from the 1904 World’s Fair that is the largest walk-through bird enclosure in the world.

At the Forest Park Visitor Center, avid birders can pick-up a free Forest Park Voyagers Backpack filled with birding information, tree guides and binoculars to help them discover the wild feathered residents of the park.

Following a busy day of bird-watching, you can roost at one of St. Louis’ comfortable hotels where feathery soft comforters, fluffy pillows and other amenities await. Special winter hotel packages offer economical rates for couples and family travelers. Examples include the Embassy Suites’ “Winter Family Fun Package” where your flock can nest in a two-room suite with full breakfast and ice skating passes and an “Adventurous Holiday for Two” from the centrally located Cheshire Lodge. It includes a deluxe room and tickets to City Museum and discount coupons for a Forest Park bicycle tour and a bottle of wine with dinner at LoRusso’s Cucina, one of St. Louis’ great Italian restaurants. For a complete listing of St. Louis hotels, special hotel packages and to book a room on-line, click on www.ExploreStLouis.com.

Are you resolving to learn new things during the New Year? The seven wonderful wineries along Missouri's Hermann Wine Trail are serving up an opportunity to find out everything you wanted to know about wine but never had the time to ask.

On January 14 and 15, you can get an informative and rare behind-the-scenes look at the art and science of making wine, unravel the mystery of wine and food pairings and, of course, sample a lot of tasty fruit of the vine.

Missouri's top winemakers are the "teachers" of this interactive, informative and fun "class." Participating wineries include Adam Puchta Winery, Bias Winery, Bommarito Winery, Hermannhof Winery, OakGlenn Winery, Robller Winery and Stone Hill Winery (pictured above). The wineries are located along the Hermann Wine Trail, nestled along a route the meanders for 20 scene miles along the Missouri River.

Wine 101 tickets are $15 per person. Event hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 14 and 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 15. Reservations are recommended and can be purched online at www.hermannmo.info or from the Hermann Welcome Center by calling 800-932-8687.

No need to bring a sharp #2 pencil for this class, but do bundle up. Some "classrooms" are set in the cool wine cellars.

Want to enjoy your holiday shopping experience and find great St. Louis-oriented gifts for friends and family? For fabulous gift finds, follow the Top Ten St. Louis Holiday Shopping Secrets guide to take the stress out and put the fun in a pre-holiday shopping spree in the Gateway City. You’ll be saying, “That’s a wrap!” in no time.

1. Museum Gift Shops: St. Louis’ fantastic museums not only provide a cultural escape for weary shoppers, but the museum shops stock unusual, unique and trendy gift items that are sure to match your shopping list. At the Saint Louis Art Museum gift shop, you’ll find exquisite note cards, an amazing collection of unusual and artistic jewelry, silk scarves and home décor items sure to delight the most discerning on your gift list. For the history buff, look no further than Louisiana Purchase. This appropriately named shop within the Missouri History Museum overflows with history-related games, toys, jewelry, books and collectibles covering subjects as wide-ranging as the Lewis & Clark expedition to the 1904 World’s Fair.

Discover the tiniest gifts to fill the rooms of that special someone’s dollhouse at the Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis. If there is a transportation enthusiast on your shopping list, a
stop at the Museum of Transportation will yield a bounty of holiday gift ideas from model trains to Route 66 memorabilia. After shopping, be sure to explore one of the largest collections
of transportation vehicles in the world, including the Museum’s star attraction - over seventy real locomotives representing the rail power that built America.

2. Creature Comforts: Find the purr-fect present for animal lovers at the Saint Louis Zoo’s Holiday Zootique. The Zoo not only has great critter-related items and games for kids, but shop for hand-painted African pottery, clothing, home and garden items, puzzles, books, toys, vases, picture frames, candles and many items only available at the Saint Louis Zoo. Need to buy for a bird-watcher? The shop at the World Bird Sanctuary can feather the nest of bird-watchers with birding books, birdhouses and feeders and popular eagle and owl collectibles. You can even Adopt-A-Bird in someone’s honor.

The American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog has a charming gift shop with hundreds of gift items in a variety of breeds. Indulge in jewelry, stationary, ceramics, books, children's toys, games such as Dog-Opoly, Dalmatian Dominoes, Dog Bingo, UNO – a canine version of the popular UNO card game, and a very unusual and affordable selection of items including the popular Dog Tricks Kit "How To Teach Your Dog To Dance and Dazzle."

At the Butterfly House’s Madame Butterfly gift shop, butterflies adorn handbags, custom-designed throws, wall sculptures, decorative garden items, silk ties (the newest tie features an all over design of blue morpho wings) and ornaments. The museum offers also a huge selection of insect-related toys for boys and girls, plus an array of unique jewelry. This season’s featured jewelry artist is Susan Packard who creates lovely pins and earrings from patinated brass, paint metallic foil, beads and wire.

3. Presents from the Past: Need a real radio from the 1930’s? Are you a collector of antique doorknobs? If you’re buying for antique collectors or retro fans, St. Louis’ antique districts are filled with potential presents from the past. Historic Cherokee Street Antique Row features more than 30 shops offering affordable selections from fine antiques to peculiar collections,Victorian hardware to vintage radios, first edition books to estate jewelry. Fabulous furniture and art glass can be found in the elegant Central West End neighborhood’s many antique dealers and vintage items brought back by the trunkload from European flea markets are the rage at shops such as Elizabeth House in cozy Maplewood.

Need a suit of armor or a Victorian-style terrarium? It can all be had at Gringo Jones, a magical shop located near the Missouri Botanical Garden. Shopping is like a treasure hunt at Gringo Jones, where hard to find items are stacked everywhere. A good deal of the merchandise is metal, though you will also find concrete window boxes, ceramic pots, imported garden art, interior and exterior fountains and exotic jewelry. Continue your shopping next door at the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Little Shop Around the Corner. Little Shop features artwork, accent furnishings, garden ornaments, silver, china, vintage jewelry and other objets d'art in an upscale storefront.

4. From Limited to One of a Kind Finds: Head to The Loop, one the hippest neighborhoods in The Lou, for handcrafted jewelry, decorative items from around the world, trend setting clothing, music stores packed with vintage vinyl, underground sounds and hot-off-the-burner CDs. With clothing and accessory shops with names like Hot Pink, Rag-O-Rama, Runway Fashions and Sole Survivor Leather, you’ll find the latest styles for ‘tweens, teens and twenty- somethings. The Loop also is home to dozens of cafes, ethnic restaurants and coffee houses - providing fuel for your shopping foray.

Webster Groves and Kirkwood neighborhoods offer a cozy, quaint selection of unique boutique shops. Salt of the Earth, Daisy Clover, Empty Nest and Initial Design are a few shops in Webster where visitors can find everything from custom jewelry and handbags to home décor items to contemporary fashions. The Kerry Cottage, complete with thatched roof, is a huge Irish shop located near Webster Groves.In Kirkwood’s shopping sanctuary, visit Down by the Station to create personalized note cards and discover festive holiday ornaments or the Shannon Shop for that perfect Irish–themed gift. The Hobby Station is a great place for the collector on your list vying for a new dollhouse or train.

The Third Degree Glass Factory offers an ever-changing selection of fine glass. Shoppers will find handmade gift items from traditional to experimental. Looking for a stocking stuffer? A hand-blown holiday ornament will be perfect.


5. Mall It: Mall hounds will feel right at home at St. Louis’ megamalls that boast some special options along with nationally known retailers. Westfield West County is home to Missouri’s only Nordstrom and cosmetic-fiends’ favorite store – Sephora – which offers a cornucopia of colognes and cosmetics by top name designers. The luxurious Plaza Frontenac provides the wonders of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman-Marcus, Banana Republic, Coach and other high-end retailers and boutiques. Chic shopping continues at the Saint Louis Galleria’s 160-plus stores where you’ll find big name, style-conscious retailers along with specialty shops like Mary Engelbreit, the original Build-A-Bear Workshop and exclusive stores including White House/Black Market, M A C, Z Gallerie, Restoration Hardware and Illuminations.

St. Louis Mills shoppers will find the hottest holiday gift items at the most affordable prices while enjoying the unique dining and interactive entertainment the center has to offer. Check out the new, and St. Louis-exclusive, Banana Republic Factory Store, Gap Outlet, and Tommy Hilfiger Factory Store for clothing that the whole family will love, at outlet prices. NIKE Factory Store offers active wear for that friend that’s always on the go, while Mikasa Factory Store, Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse and OFF 5th -Saks Fifth Avenue Outlet - offer upscale options that fit anyone’s style.

6. Yummy Gifts: Give incredible edibles this year. Shop for fabulous food finds on The Hill, St. Louis’ Italian neighborhood. Flavorful imported olive oils, aromatic cheeses, homemade pastas and salamis make bountiful gifts. Indulge your loved ones with fabulous handmade chocolates from Bissinger’s French Confections or get creative with gourmet food items from The Smoke House Market. Pick up the latest “must have” culinary tools from The Kitchen
Conservatory that will inspire the wanna-be gourmets in your life. Bring home a faux “concrete” milkshake from Ted Drewes Frozen Custard on historic Route 66 as a fun, foodie souvenir for the ice cream lover on your list. A gift certificate to one of the thousand one-of-a-kind St. Louis restaurants provides a delicious meal during your loved-one’s next St. Louis visit. Potential bonus: you might be invited to join them.

7. Spirit Filled Christmas: The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows is a spiritual oasis of healing for people of all faiths and denominations and the largest outdoor shrine in North America. This holiday season Our Lady of the Snows offers three unique holiday gift items available in the Shrine Gift Shop & Bookstore. Purchase a “Merry Christmas From Heaven Gift Set” that features an inspirational poem card and pewter ornament - a loving way to share the Christmas season with someone dear who has suffered the loss of a loved one. Other hot items include the “Kneeling Santa Nativity Set” and “Gloria Angel.” The “Gloria Angel” is from the exclusive Fontanini Heirloom Collection. The Shrine Shop carries the entire line of Fontanini Collectibles and one of just a few gift shop locations where a Fontanini family member will make an annual appearance to introduce their new holiday piece. The Shrine has a scheduled appearance set for November 27.

The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, built in 1907, combines Byzantine and Romanesque architecture styles with the largest collection of mosaics in the world. Be sure to visit The Cathedral Shop for a varied selection of religious items, candles, books, toys, puzzles and postcards.

8. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing: …and dance and entertain. Present your pals with tickets to one of St. Louis’ many theatrical and musical performances set for 2006. Classical music buffs will say “Bravo” for concert tickets to the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. Broadway babies will thrill to the Fabulous Fox Theatre’s touring Broadway companies of Little Women, Bombay Dreams, Doctor Doolittle and Phantom of the Opera. Savvis Center gets in on the act with productions of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra Winter Tour 2005 and Sesame Street Live's "Super Grover - Ready For Action." Get jazzy with a gift of music from Jazz at the Bistro with tickets to see top names like Lou Donaldson, Ray Vega's Latin Jazz Quintet and other swingers in an intimate club setting.

9. Ho-Ho-Hotel Getaways: Send your family and friends on a much-needed escape from the everyday with the gift of travel. St. Louis’ great hotels offer getaway packages that fit a moderate budget and provide a priceless return of relaxation, rejuvenation and just plain fun. Check the list of hotel packages and deals and make your reservation online at www.explorestlouis.com/reservations/index.asp.


10. ‘Tis the Season: Sports are always in season for true fans. Indulge your sports fanatics with gift certificates to a St. Louis Cardinals’ 2006 season game in the new Busch Stadium. Bowl ‘em over with kitschy items from the gift shop at the International Bowling Hall of Fame/St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum and they’ll go rah-rah-rah with official St. Louis Rams NFL gear found all over town. Give the gift of icy excitement via tickets to a St. Louis Blues hockey game or the 2006 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The perfect gift is a Free Skate 4-Pak which includes four tickets for the same great seat for the four senior free skate events at Savvis Center: Senior Dance Free Dance, Senior Pairs Free Skate, Senior Men’s Free Skate and Senior Ladies Free Skate.

Holiday Countdown for December 16, 17 and 18

Need to deal with family members over-anxious about the impending holidays?
Relax their jingle jangled nerves with a dose of holiday fun in St. Louis this weekend. Take in any of the following Gateway City activities as a “do open before the holiday” treat.

Feel the spirit of Christmas past, present and future at the Fox Theatre’s presentation of the classic, “A Christmas Carol.” Performances are 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 16 and Saturday, December 17 and 6:00 p.m. on Monday, December 19. Matinees are 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. A 45-minute, “squirm free” version of the Scrooge tale titled “Bah! Humbug!” will delight kids with an updated take of the ubiquitous holiday stage play. In this incarnation, Bob Cratchit works inside an ATM and Scrooge tosses TV remotes at the ghosts. Saturday, December 17 at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

Holiday music fills the air all weekend long. It’s a Gospel Christmas Concert at Powell Symphony Hall on Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra is joined by the amazing IN UNISON Gospel chorus. Or, this evening, head to Forest Park to join the sing-along led by the Christ Church Cathedral Choir at the Saint Louis Art Museum during the Winter Glow Holiday Concert. You can sing to the animals at the St. Louis Zoo while strolling through the illuminated “Wild Lights” display. The melodies continue on Saturday with a massive “Sing Out St. Louis” choir event (pictured) at St. Louis Union Station; Saturday and Sunday performances of Handel’s inspiring “Messiah” at Powell Symphony Hall

On Saturday, December 17, the Missouri Botanical Garden holds its “Chanukah: Festival of Lights Celebration” complete with an Israeli shuk, or marketplace, offering Chanukah gifts and merchandise.

The Winter Solstice is observed with a sunrise ceremony on Sunday, December 18 at Cahokia Mounds Historic Site, where you can learn about Woodhenge, the site’s reconstructed sun calendar that had been used by ancient St. Louisans to observe the movements of the sun.

A complete listing of weekend events is available on the Calendar of Events section of the Explore St. Louis web site.

St. Louis is filled with holiday activities this weekend. Add some jingle to your bells by enjoying house tours, concerts and Christmas walks.

Victorian Holidays & St. Louis Traditions
11/25/2005 - 12/31/2005
Location: The Old Courthouse
Cost: Free
For more information call: (314) 655-1700
A month-long celebration of the holiday season as it was celebrated in the Victorian Era. Period decorations and a 25-foot Christmas tree set the mood for the free concerts. Museum galleries depict holiday celebrations during St. Louis history. The celebration begins the day after Thanksgiving with a grand illumination of the tree, several concerts and refreshments. Ranger-led public Holiday tours and Education programs are conducted daily along with daily concerts and Saturday family programs.

Scott Joplin House Holiday Celebration
Saturday, December 10
Location: Scott Joplin House State Historic SiteTime: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
For more information call: (314) 340-5790
Celebrate the holidays with the rollicking ragtime of David Majchrzak and tour the historic home decorated for the holidays.

Carols in the Garden
Saturday & Sunday, December 10 - 11
Location: Missouri Botanical Garden
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Cost: $10.00 adults; $7.00 seniors; $3.00 children 12 and under and includes entry into the Gardenland Express
For more information call: (314) 577-5100
Singers and musicians will perform at three locations throughout the Garden grounds. An organ grinder will greet walkers with traditional tunes as chestnuts roast on an open fire. Kids can climb aboard Santa's sleigh and whisper their Christmas wishes or meet Rundolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Central West End Christmas Walk
Saturday & Sunday, December 10 - 11
Location: The Central West End neighborhood
Time: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Carolers, hot chocolate, carriage rides and sales at the neighborhood boutiques.

The Mansions of Portland Place: Holiday Parlor Tour
Saturday & Sunday, December 10 - 11
Location: Central West End neighborhoodTime: 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Cost: $15.00 in advance; $17.50 day of tour
For more information call: (314) 367-2220
Visit some of the magnificent mansions on one of the premier historic private streets in St. Louis, decorated for the holidays! Refreshments, free carriage rides and carolers, with free parking and shuttle service from the upper Muny parking lot in Forest Park.

Holiday Choral Concert
Sunday, December 11
Location: The Saint Louis Art Museum in Forest Park
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
For more information call: (314) 721-0072
Enjoy a festive afternoon in the Art Museum as the St. Louis Children's Concert Choir performs holiday favorites.

Lafayette Square Holiday Tour
Sunday, December 11
Location: Lafayette Square Neighborhood
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Cost: $15.00 in advance; $18.00 day of tour; children under 12 are free
For more information call: (314) 772-5724
A self-guided walking tour of 10 homes decorated in their holiday finest in the Lafayette Square neighborhood, giving visitors a chance to experience the elegance and gentility of the 1800’s in St. Louis’ most historic Victorian neighborhood.

Saint Louis Cathedral Concert: Christmas at the Cathedral
Sunday, December 11
Location: Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Cost: $15.00; $25.00; $35.00
Tickets: (314) 534-1111
For more information call: (314) 533-7662
Over 200 singers, the Archdiocesan Handbell Choir and a twenty piece orchestra come together for the first ever “Christmas at the Cathedral.” In addition to beloved carols, old and new, the program will include a performance of “Magnificat” by John Rutter. The Archdiocesan Adult and Children’s Choirs will also join the Cathedral Choir for the concert.

The Nutcracker
12/9/2005 - 12/11/2005
Location: Edison Theatre at Washington University [Map It]
Time: 7:30 p.m. (9-10); 3:30 p.m. (10); 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. (11)
Cost: $35.00 for full-length evening performances; $25.00 for all matinee performances (special children's version)
Tickets: (314) 534-1111
edisontheatre.wustl.edu/ovations/calendar.html
Relive the magic this holiday season as the Saint Louis Ballet presents The Nutcracker.

Grab your Festivus Pole, get ready to perform feats of strength and prepare to air your grievances. It's that special time of year in Downtown St. Louis.

Festivus, a "holiday" inspired by the Seinfeld television sitcom, will take place on Saturday, December 3. The celebration will include shopping and dining specials, more than 50 decorated Festivus Poles (no tinsel allowed), strolling entertainers, loft tours and free movies.

The fun begins at 11 a.m. when the unique shops and restaurants open their doors. After shopping and dining, you can take part in Festivus Carol singing around the Festivus Fire at City Museum.

A free showing of holiday favorite, "A Christmas Story," will take place at 7 p.m. at the Roberts Orpheum Theatre, followed by "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" at 9:30 p.m.

For more details, check out the official St. Louis Festivus web site.

It was the subject of one of the biggest news stories of the 20th century and made headlines again with its discovery during the 21st. The fate of the doomed cruiseliner H.M.S. Titanic has fascinated people for generations. Experience the chilling story and view more than 300 never-before-seen in St. Louis artifacts salvaged from the infamous wreck via TITANIC: The Artifact Exhibition. The 25,000-square-foot display is at the Saint Louis Science Center from November 11, 2005 through April 16, 2006.

For details on the Titanic exhibit, other events taking place in St. Louis and huge deals on hotel accommodations, click on http://www.explorestlouis.com/ or call the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission at 1-800-916-0040.

This special exhibition contains 300 items from the only collection of Titanic artifacts recovered from the ocean floor. Personal items of passengers and crew such as a bracelet engraved with the name “Amy,” perfume vials, a Gillette razor kit, articles of clothing and serving dishes and china. An awesome 15-ton portion of the vessels hull including four portholes is a stunning presence.

Photographic images of Titanic’s passengers and crew and documentation of their ultimate fates portray the human side of the story. Exact replica recreations of the ship’s famous Grand Staircase and passenger cabins allow visitors to “walk through” the infamous ship as well as touch an “ice wall” to feel the water temperature of the North Atlantic on that fateful night of April 15, 1912 when Titanic sank. Simultaneous with the exhibit, the Saint Louis Science Center presents “Ghosts of the Abyss,” an OMNIMAX film with breathtaking underwater views of Titanic’s watery grave and a planetarium show that depicts the exact sky of April 14 -15, 1912. Before or after taking in Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, expand your St. Louis adventure by exploring some of St. Louis’ biggest attractions including:

· Gigantic Arch. It doesn’t get any bigger than this! The nation’s tallest man-made monument looms 630-feet-high above the Gateway City. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Gateway Arch, the iconic symbol of St. Louis. Special exhibits within the free Museum of Westward Expansion beneath the Arch highlight the construction of the stainless steel marvel and focus on the genius of Eero Saarinen, the monument’s architect. Be sure to take the monumental tram ride to the top for magnificent views high above the Mighty Mississippi.

· Big River. Cruise one of the world’s largest rivers via one-hour, narrated cruisetours of the Mississippi River. The Gateway Arch Riverboats’ vessels aren’t as massive as Titanic, but they are authentic. Paddlewheelers Becky Thatcher and Tom Sawyer ply the Port of St. Louis daily and also glide along special Lock ‘n’ Dam trips and evening dinner excursions and Blues music cruises. The run of Big River at the Fabulous Fox Theatre begins as the Titanic exhibit winds down. Set in 1840’s rural America, this musical follows the exploits of the irrepressible Huck Finn and his friend Jim, a runaway slave, as they explore life along the mighty Mississippi River. The production includes deaf, hard-of-hearing and hearing actors performing each role in a synchronized ballet of speaking and signing.

· Massive Mosaics. The world’s largest collection of mosaic art is on display at the magnificent Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. More than 41 million pieces of tesserae in 8,000 colors fill the more than 83,000-square-feet of this Romanesque/Byzantine architectural jewel.

· Portentous Park. At more than 1,300 acres, St. Louis’ Forest Park is 500 acres larger than Central Park in New York. The generous greenspace is home to four of St. Louis’ biggest free
attractions: the world famous Saint Louis Zoo, the Science Center, Art Museum and Missouri
History Museum. Head to the park’s new Visitors Center for maps, a new iPod self-guided tour and to grab a beverage at the Forest Perk coffee house.

· Big Names. Stroll along Delmar Boulevard in funky and fun The Loop neighborhood to be introduced to St. Louis’ most celebrated citizens courtesy of the St. Louis Walk of Fame. More than 100 bronze stars and autobiographical plaques embedded into the sidewalks salute St. Louis’ most famous sons and daughters for their contributions to American culture and history. Honorees include explorer William Clark, Civil War heroes U.S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman, playwright Tennessee Williams, actors Betty Grable, Kevin Kline and John Goodman and musicians Tina Turner, Michael McDonald and Miles Davis. The Loop’s lively cityscape also features a virtual United Nations of restaurants, sidewalk cafes, record and book stores, a popular pub that tout’s the world’s greatest jukebox, a root beer microbrewery and a lovingly restored 1920’s-era movie theatre.

· Huge Horses. Two-thousand pounds is a lot of horseflesh. Get a good look at the Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales, the substantial-sized equines that are synonymous with the world-famous brewery that’s headquartered in The Lou. Free tours of the historic Anheuser-Busch Brewery stop at the Clydesdales elegant stable for a prolonged peek at the 6-foot-tall, bay-colored critters. April through October, you can visit the Clydesdale breeding farm at Grant’s Farm, another of St. Louis outstanding free, family attractions that also is operated by Anheuser-Busch, Inc.

· Incomprehensibly Unusual. The world’s largest pair of underpants. A five-story-high indoor slide. Human-sized hamster habit trails. A whacky outdoor playground called Monstrocity. All this and more add up to big fun and City Museum in downtown St. Louis’ evolving Washington Avenue Loft District. Meander through artistic man-made caves, an architectural artifacts museum, a retro Beatnik hangout, recycled objects transformed into works of art and more are found at this most unusual and enormous warehouse of artsy fun.

· Gigantic Garden. Beauty and serenity await at Seiwa En, the largest traditional Japanese garden in North America. The scenic St. Louis haven’s 14-acres are nestled within the amazing Missouri Botanical Garden. This “garden of pure, clear harmony and peace” was designed to showcase the natural beauty of the four seasons. A 4.5-acre lake, home to hundreds of brightly colored koi fish, features four islands and is surrounded by waterfalls, strolling paths, garden sculpture and trees, plants and flowers that showcase nature’s gifts all year long.

· The Bigs. St. Louis is one of America’s biggest sports cities. Renowned for knowledgeable, friendly fans and great competitive teams, you can cheer for three major league teams: baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals, Rams football or the NHL’s Blues. Check the http://www.explorestlouis.com/ web site calendar of events to find home game schedules for these fan-tastic Gateway City big league teams. A pro sports experience awaits any day of the season at a dual sports museum under one roof at the International Bowling Hall of Fame and St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum. Visitors can get on a roll by playing on old-time bowling lanes and trace the history of bowling from ancient times. The Cardinals Hall of Fame commemorates over 100 years of Cardinals history, including World Series’ trophies and exhibits on the old American League St. Louis Browns and St. Louis Negro League teams.

· Prodigious Parade. March right up and take part in the biggest pet parade in the world. The Beggin’ Strips Mystic Krewe of Barkus Pet Parade, an annual event during St. Louis Mardi Gras, barks to a Mardi Gras beat on Sunday, February 19, 2006. Literally hundreds of hounds, decked out in festive canine costumes, take part with their owners in one of the most popular
events of St. Louis’ Mardi Gras celebration. The ten-block parade through the historically French Soulard neighborhood concludes at Soulard Market Park where the Wiener Dog Derby competition is held. See dashing daschunds race in three age-based division: Cocktail Wienies, Ballpark Franks and Hot Dogs.

· Bodacious Bridge. Take a hike or bike or rollerblade high above the Mississippi River on the world’s largest pedestrian span – St. Louis’ Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. The mile-long bridge, the original Route 66 crossing from Illinois into Missouri, showcases the view of downtown St. Louis and is an excellent site for eagle watching during late winter and early spring.

· Amazing Ancient Site. Take a trip 1300 years back in time via a visit to Cahokia Mounds Historic Site. This United Nations World Heritage archeological site, once home to a thriving metropolis of more than 20,000 persons, contains the remains of the largest pre-Columbian city North of Mexico with over 60 dirt mounds, including the 100-foot Monk’s Mound. An interactive exhibit features a film, artifacts and displays highlighting the way of life of these ancient “St. Louisans.” Open free-of-charge, Cahokia Mounds is located eight miles from downtown St. Louis near Collinsville, Illinois. Archaeological investigations have revealed that Cahokia was inhabited from about A.D. 700 to 1400 and covered nearly six square miles.

· Maximum Miniatures: Bigger is not always better. Nowhere is that adage truer than at the Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis. Permanent and rotating exhibits of dollhouses, dolls, and seasonal vignettes showcase the power of small, smaller and teensy-weensy collectibles.

· Big Deals. Find great big savings at St. Louis area hotels and attractions on the http://www.explorestlouis.com/ web site. Click on the button bars titled Hotel Packages and Tickets & Deals for outstanding offers on lodging, attraction tickets and special two-for-one offers that make a St. Louis trip big fun for little expense.

Does the anticipation of “blue Monday” put a damper on your Sunday nights? Shake the end-of-the-weekend rut this Sunday, November 13 and kick start the new week with some authentic roots music by the critically acclaimed Kelley Hunt Band. Missouri’s-own Roots and R&B piano queen Kelley Hunt has added a St. Louis stop to her incredible cross-country tour. The skilled songstress brings her fresh, new blues/roots/gospel sounds to BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups at 8:00 p.m. Sunday night. Admission is $10 at the door.

Located at 700 South Broadway, this former 19th century brothel which Blues Revue, America's Blues Magazine, considers one of the top blues clubs in the nation is a stronghold of blues music in St. Louis.

“Kelley Hunt is an artist who has muscled her way onto the scene on her own terms with an identity that is clearly steeped in blues/roots/gospel but reaches out toward refreshingly unexpected horizons,” said John May, a leader within the St. Louis Blues Society. “That freshness together with a commanding, passionate stage presence and superior skills as a vocalist, piano player and writer has earned Kelley the respect of critics and fans across the country.”

According to May, Kansas City-born Hunt's love for her craft was fine tuned listening to early blues, R&B, roots rock, jazz and gospel influences including Ruth Brown, Mahalia Jackson, Billie Holiday, Ann Peebles, Ray Charles, Dinah Washington, Aretha Franklin, Charles Brown, Wanda Jackson and a cross-section of the New Orleans/St. Louis/KC piano traditions of Professor Longhair, Toots Washington, Johnnie Johnson and Kansas City masters Jay McShann and Mary Lou Williams among others. While subtle reminders of those very traditional influences can be heard in Kelley's live performances and recordings, her lyrics, soul and passion are all her own. Don’t miss out!

Roll out the red carpet. Hit the spot lights. Cue the paparazzi. Action!

Cinema St. Louis proudly presents the14th Annual St. Louis International Film Festival from November 10th through the 20th

Movie buffs can delight in getting sneak previews of both traditional big screen and up-and-coming independent films showcased at some of St. Louis’ best movie venues including the historic Tivoli Theatre and The Pageant in The Loop neighborhood and on campus at Webster University

The extensive line-up includes 21 feature-length documentaries and 50 feature films. Films were submitted by artists from around the world including several from the former Yugoslavia, China and Iran. The USA also is represented with previews of independent and major studio product.

In addition to introducing new faces from around the globe, familiar stars will be shining in festival entries. Watch for stellar turns by Dame Judi Dench in “Mrs. Henderson Presents.” “Desperate Housewife” Felicity Huffman does a 360-degree turn as transsexual in “Transamerica” and former James Bond Pierce Brosnan takes a comedic turn as a hitman in “The Matador.”

Two of the highlights of the festival will be a special event honoring St. Louis’-own Cedric the Entertainer and a screening of “Beyond the Rocks,” a “lost” silent film starring Gloria Swanson and Rudolph Valentino complete with live theatre organ accompaniment scored and performed by St. Louisan Stan Kann.

Of interest to St. Louis buffs, there are documentaries about the aforementioned Stan Kann, St. Louis comedienne Phyllis Diller, the old Gaslight Square entertainment district, the delightful Turtle Park playground near the St. Louis Zoo and riverboat gaming on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.

For a complete list of films, screening schedules, ticket prices and special event information, click on Cinema St. Louis’ web site.

The official hotel for festival attendees is Clayton on the Park, a chic property located in close proximity to the screening and event venues.

Take an archeological treasure hunt courtesy of the Saint Louis Art Museum’s spectacular new exhibition, Treasures from the Royal Tombs of Ur. The incredible exhibit opens today in the renowned art institution that served as the Palace of Fine Arts during the fabled “Meet Me in St. Louis” World’s Fair. Treasures from the Royal Tombs of Ur runs through January 16, 2006. The Saint Louis Art Museum is located in beautiful and historic Forest Park.

On view are dazzling Ancient Sumerian icons of the Mesopotamian culture dating to 2600 B.C. The 160 objects in this collection are part of the historic find of early 20th century archeologist C. Leonard Woolley. Woolley’s discovery is considered among the greatest archeological unearthings of all time. It was as astounding and significant as that of his contemporary Howard Carter’s finding of King Tut’s tomb and its contents which also happened in the 1920s.

Gorgeous gold and lapis lazuli encrusted jewelry and statuary, elaborate headdresses and rare Sumerian works of art and ceremonial objects are on display.

Admission to this special exhibit is $6.00 for adults; $5 for students and seniors and $4 for children 6 to 12 years of age. Thanks to a generous grant by the Ford Motor Company, the exhibit is free on Fridays when the museum is open until 9:00 p.m. Regular hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Friday, 10:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. The museum is closed on Monday. General admission to the Saint Louis Art Museum is always free.

Crisp air, bright blue skies and gorgeous fall foliage await visitors to St. Louis during October and early November. The Gateway City landscape is a kaleidoscope of colors this time of year and visitors can enjoy the colorful scenery, fall festivals and special events during an autumn getaway.

In St. Louis, leaves start changing around mid-September and produce their colorful show for six weeks or longer. The great variety of trees, shrubs and vines in the St. Louis region create foliage displays that offer vivid and subtle shades of red, orange, yellow, gold, green, ochre and brown – a considerably more mixed palette than more yellow tones found in New England.

Experts at St. Louis’ renowned Missouri Botanical Garden track the best and the brightest of the fall display and direct you to the showiest plants, shrubs and trees found within it’s 79-acres. Make a pre-visit click on the Garden’s web site at http://www.mobot.org/, then select “Plants in Bloom” to discover which species are ablaze with color.

Here’s a list of other St. Louis area spots where you’ll find the brightest colors in Mother Nature’s autumn wardrobe:

No need to go far afield to find fabulous fall foliage. St. Louis’ Tower Grove Park, adjacent to the Missouri Botanical Garden, shows off nature’s seasonal change in style. The park has the most diverse and interesting urban forest in the central United States with a greater variety of trees and shrubs than any other urban park in the country – which means there’s a greater palette of fall shades on view. The grounds of the 289-acre park are punctuated with 10 whimsical pavilions, lily ponds, statuary, fountains, and mock classical "ruins." Tower Grove Park was established in 1868 by Henry Shaw, the founder of the Missouri Botanical Garden. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been designated a National Historic Landmark, one of only four municipal parks in the country to achieve that status. Carriage rides through the lovely park are available on weekends.

Incredible fall color awaits at Shaw Nature Reserve, a 2,500-acre nature reserve with tracts of tall grass prairie, glades, wetlands, savannas and woodlands. The reserve, located off I-44 about 60-minutes from downtown St. Louis in Gray Summit, Missouri, also has 14 miles of trails, a wildflower garden, a pine forest and a visitor center.

You can gaze down at turning leaves from 630 feet above St. Louis by taking a tram ride to the top of the glorious Gateway Arch. The nation’s tallest monument sits on beautifully landscaped parkland that is dappled with shades of autumn. Hop aboard a Gateway Arch Riverboat cruise to see trees transform into their fall hues while cruising along the Mighty Mississippi. Cruise options include an upriver Lock and Dam excursion on Saturdays during September and October and an Oktoberfest cruise on October Sundays featuring an authentic German buffet and live German band. For cruise schedules, click on www.gatewayarch.com.

Famed Forest Park, known for its free cultural attractions including the Saint Louis Zoo, Art Museum, Science Center and Missouri History Museum, is no slouch in the autumnal landscape department. Pick up a free Forest Park Voyagers Backpack filled with tree guides so you can I.D. the bright bushes and trees, bird-watching tips and binoculars from the park’s Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center. Experience the colors of Forest Park in the fall by foot, bike, boat or Segway. New walking and biking paths meander through the 1,300-plus-acre park. Self-propel around Forest Park’s lakes on paddle or rowboats at the Forest Park Boathouse or take a hip tour via motorized, upright Segway scooters available through the Saint Louis Science Center’s Planetarium. While in the park, don’t miss hundreds of chrysanthemums on sparkling display in the aptly named Jewel Box floral conservatory.

Just west of St. Louis along the beautiful Missouri River Valley, a bounty of fall color and lush vineyards dot Missouri Wine Country. Here, immigrants from Germany’s Rhine River planted vineyards, constructed wine cellars and created America’s first wine region. During a short day trip from St. Louis, take in a winery tour and tasting then settle in at one of the beautiful winery terraces or patios. In Augusta, Mount Pleasant Winery overlooks the river valley laid out in its fall colors. Bikers and hikers can enjoy the autumn views along the KATY Trail, a former railroad right-of-way converted into a scenic path through the valley. Nearby, the wine town of Hermann celebrates its German heritage with Oktoberfest activities including grape stomping at Stone Hill Winery.

Nature’s autumn artistry meets man’s at Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis County. More than 80 contemporary sculptures by internationally known artists blend in the landscape of this 98-acre outdoor sculpture garden. The park’s hiking trails lead visitors along tree-lined paths that bend and twist to expose views of artwork along the way. Nearby, three nature trails at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center provide the opportunity to hear the crunch, crunch, crunch of fallen leaves beneath your feet and to see chipmunks, wild turkey, deer and other woodland creatures prepare for winter. Admission to both the sculpture park and the nature reserve are free.

Got pumpkin? How about apples? Fall’s famous fruits are yours for the gathering at Eckert’s Country Store & Farms in neighboring Belleville, Illinois. Hayrides, apple cider, country
games and fresh produce and country gift shops make this spot a fall family favorite. Pumpkin
and apple pie are served up Route 66-style at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard. After a hard day on the hunt for fall foliage, relax with a “concrete” – a milkshake so thick they serve it to you upside down – at this iconic concession stand on the Mother Road. Pumpkin or apple pie, flaky crust and all, is blended with delectable vanilla frozen custard to create this seasonal delight.

A little further out the Mother Road, the foliage isn’t providing autumn’s only show. Nestled within the picturesque forests off I-44 are three of St. Louis’ natural environments for wild animals: The Wild Canid Survival & Research Center, World Bird Sanctuary and Lone Elk Park. Howl with wolves at the Wild Canid Survival & Research Center. Better known as the Wolf Sanctuary, this renowned captive breeding facility for endangered wolves from around the world hosts great campfire programs with storytelling and wolf howls on crisp fall evenings and throughout the year. Reservations are required for campfire events. Call 636-938-5900 or click on www.wolfsanctuary.org.

Fallen leaves share the grounds of Lone Elk Park along with herds of elk, white tail deer, American bison and other woodland critters. The free drive-thru animal preserve is a fun place to spot brilliant fall color and creatures great and small. Nearby, the World Bird Sanctuary’s naturalists can help you discover feathered friends residing within the 130-acre woodland park via hiking trails and bird-watching areas. Get up close to live eagles, hawks, owls and learn how to attract birds to your own yard at this free environmentally friendly attraction.

Got the travel bug? Are the kids itching for a weekend of fun? Take the sting out of travel by buzzing over to St. Louis where you can indulge in a variety of creepy/crawly, educational and fun activities featuring the perennial kid favorite – insects. Plus, there’s a decidedly adult theatre performance sure to give grown-ups the heebie jeebies.

Get a bug’s eye view of the world via Bugs! A Rainforest Adventure Film on the giant OMNIMAX screen at the St. Louis Science Center. Creepy crawlers include an aggressive praying mantis and a beautiful butterfly fill the massive screen for a fascinating look into a bug’s daily life. This cinematic insect journey through the rainforest is on view now through January 5, 2006. Tickets are $7.00 for adults; children and seniors are $6.00.

The St. Louis Science Center is also home to one of man’s least favorite but most fascinating insects: the cockroach. A colony of hairy-legged Brazilian cockroaches is tended with loving care by the Science Center’s Discovery Room staff who will let visitors hold the big bugs. Among the many facts roach wranglers will learn: cockroaches have 18 knees and only six legs; the world’s largest roach is six inches long with a wing space of one foot; and roaches can swim and hold their breath for up to 40 minutes.

Kids can climb in a giant spider web at the animal-theme playground within the Children’s Zoo section of the St. Louis Zoo. They also can meet turtles, pet goats and bunnies, slide through an otter exhibit and feed colorful parrots a nectar treat. Located near the Science Center in St. Louis’ beautiful Forest Park, the Zoo is home to more than 6,000 animals, not counting the six-legged varieties found within the Monsanto Insectarium. You'll find more than 100 species of insects, spiders, centipedes, and other spineless wonders in the Insectarium along with a tropical butterfly dome filled with delicate butterflies. And don't forget to stop by The Living World for an up-close look at a colony of 500,000 leaf cutter ants. These hard-working bugs can be viewed going about their daily tasks behind a huge plate glass “ant farm.” A TV monitor provides a video close-up of the ants’ activities as they gather leaves, chew them and cultivate the leaf fungus for food. Voracious eaters, a leaf cutter ant colony can defoliate an orchard or coffee plantation overnight.

Gardeners seeking ways to control the insect population in their own backyard can stop by the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Kemper Center for Home Gardening for tips on keeping Japanese beetles, red spiders and other plant-destroying bugs at bay. Experts on duty also can describe how the friendly ladybug and other insects offer effective and environmentally sound help for a troubled garden. Meander through the Butterfly Garden, one of the many demonstration gardens on view.

Visitors to St. Louis can enter the world of the most delicate and beautiful of bugs – the butterfly – at the Butterfly House. The three-story crystal palace conservatory, located in St. Louis’ Faust Park, is filled with lush tropical plantings that provide a natural environment for more than 2,000 of the colorful insects who live there in free flight. Watch as pupa transform into gorgeous butterflies at the Miracle of Metamorphosis display and learn how to attract butterflies through garden design. Displays, films and educational programs detail the life cycles, habitats and unique characteristics of these fascinating creatures.

A giant praying mantis sculpture stands guard on the roof of City Museum. Described as a warehouse of adventure, the museum is located in the Downtown Loft District just a few short blocks from the festival marketplace of St. Louis Union Station. Visitors with “bugs on the brain” can search the museum’s patterned tile floors for intricate butterfly and flying insect designs. Other exhibits include architectural artifacts and ornaments in the St. Louis Architectural Museum, a working Glass Studio, a giant fish tank and a humorous collection of artwork created from recycled products such as watchbands and electronic parts. A sculpted bowhead whale invites guests to climb through its mouth for a journey through a maze of cave-like nooks and crannies filled with hidden reptile and insect sculptures.

Theatre-loving adults can scurry to the Grandel Theatre in Grand Center to see a hallucinatory story crawling with pests and paranoia as the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents "Bug." The play puts a sci-fi twist on its trapped characters' feelings of isolation and delusion, adding a touch of terror and a dash of humor. In short, it'll get under your skin and give you the creeps. October 16 through November 6.

Gear up for Big League Fun in the Gateway City during the NLCS.

You’ll be seeing red in St. Louis this week as the National League Central Division Champion St. Louis Cardinals head home for the League Championship Series against Central Division rivals the Houston Astros.

Whether you’ve score coveted playoff tickets or not, you can still get in on the baseball action at the following red hot baseball sites:

1. At the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum, fans can explore more than a century of St. Louis baseball history in a unique sports museum shared with the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame. The baseball galleries display artifacts, mementos and trophies depicting the proud story of the Cardinals, the most successful National League franchise in baseball history, and the team’s many star players. Museum highlights include items from Stan Musial’s personal collection, World Series memorabilia and historic photographs and uniforms from the St. Louis Stars Negro League team and the old St. Louis Browns.

2. St. Louis’ baseball greats are honored along Delmar Boulevard in The Loop neighborhood along the St. Louis Walk of Fame. Brass star-shaped plaques embedded in the sidewalks honor famous St. Louisans who have made their mark in baseball and the arts, science and history. Baseball is duly represented with markers and biographic plaques for Stan Musial, Yogi Berra, Joe Garagiola, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Cool Papa Bell, Dizzy Dean, Rogers Hornsby, Branch Rickey and Red Schoendienst. Honorees also include fabled baseball broadcasters known for their work in St. Louis: Jack Buck, Harry Caray and Bob Costas.

3. Baseball personalities Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola grew up on The Hill on the 5400 block of Elizabeth Avenue and Hall-of-Fame announcer Jack Buck lived there early in his radio career. The block’s street sign now bears the name “Hall of Fame Place” in their honor. The Hill is St. Louis’ Italian neighborhood that is filled with great Italian eateries, bakery shops, bocce clubs and even fireplugs painted in the Italian tri-color.

4. Watch history-in-the-making as the new Busch Stadium rises next to the vintage 1966 Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis. The Redbirds’ new roost will open with the start of the 2006 baseball season. Sidewalk superintendents will see the design take shape that represents St. Louis’ rich baseball history, created with the unique red brick architecture synonymous with St. Louis.

5. The Cardinals have been sensational this season. Experience a baseball-inspired taste sensation at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard. The iconic refreshment stand on the St. Louis stretch of Route 66 dishes up a Cardinal Sin – creamy vanilla custard topped with tart bing cherries and rich hot fudge. Or, purists may want to create their own Baseball Sundae served in a replica Cardinals baseball cap with the toppings of your choice.

6. With more than a thousand one-of-a-kind restaurants, is there any wonder some dining hot spots serve up a sports theme along with tempting morsels? Just a homerun-length from Busch Stadium, hungry baseball fans can find sustenance amidst baseball memorabilia at Mike Shannon’s Steaks and Seafood and Al Hrabosky’s Ballpark Saloon. Both restaurants are operated by former Cardinals players who now do play-by-play on Cardinals’ radio and television broadcasts. Former football Cardinal greats Jim Hart and Dan Dierdorf preside at Dierdorf & Hart’s for great steaks and seafood at a downtown and West Port Plaza locales. Two more trendy sports-themed dining experiences can be had at the two J. Buck’s sites – one in trendy Clayton and the other in the Westfield West County shopping mall. As the eponymous name implies, the restaurants are owned by the Jack Buck broadcasting clan - sports announcer Joe, his radio personality sister Julie and their late father, the great Hall-of-Famer, Jack Buck. A fun collection of Cardinals’ Mark McGwire memorabilia is on display on the pop-culture laden walls of Blueberry Hill in The Loop neighborhood.

7. You can come out on top just like the Cardinals did in the Central Division with a trip to the top of the magnificent Gateway Arch. Get a bird’s-eye view of the two Busch Stadiums – the old and the under-construction new – from 630-feet high above the Mighty Mississippi. The Arch, officially named the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, honors President Thomas Jefferson, his dream of a continental United States and the thousands of men and women who helped open the American West. Beneath the Arch, in the Museum of Westward Expansion, the opening of the American West comes alive through displays that tell the story of explorers Lewis & Clark, pioneers, Native Americans and Buffalo soldiers who shaped America as a nation “from sea to shining sea.” This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Gateway Arch.

Take a short but glorious autumn drive from St. Louis to the Missouri River valley town of Hermann to celebrate the harvest season in Missouri Wine Country. Hermann bountifully showcases it’s German and wine-making heritage during the Holiday Fare Wine Trail, a moveable feast of food and spirits that takes place Saturday and Sunday, November 19 and 20.

Expertly chosen and prepared food and wine pairings – including some new dishes created for the occasion – will be presented at seven of the Hermann area’s wonderful wineries which are resplendent in Nature’s autumn colors. Here’s a sample of what’s on the menu:

Robller Winery in New Haven: appetizers paired with Traminette and Villa Rouge

Hermannhof Winery in Hermann: Smoked turkey with cherry wine sauce paired with Vin Gris

Adam Puchta Winery near Hermann: Eunice’s German Country dressing paired with Hunter’s Red

OakGlenn Winery in Hermann: Spicy Baked Pork Loin paired with Chardonel

Bias Winery near Berger: Cranberry Orange Nut Bread paired with River Bluff Rouge

Stone Hill Winery in Hermann: Caramel-drizzled sherry walnut squares paired with Cream Sherry

The Hermann Wine Trail meanders along the Missouri River for some 20 miles between Hermann and New Haven, Missouri. The trip offers beautiful, picture-postcard autumn scenery.

Tickets are $15 per person and advance purchase is recommended. Buy tickets online at http://www.hermannmo.info/.

Join the fun taking place both in and out of the ballpark as baseball’s hottest team, the St. Louis Cardinals, takes to the field during the National League Division Series.

St. Louis is a legendary baseball town but did you know that the Gateway City offers visitors more winning activities and attractions than just America’s pastime? St. Louis serves up a triple play of options including more than a thousand one-of-a-kind restaurants, a vibrant music and nightlife scene and great family and cultural attractions. As a matter of fact, St. Louis boasts more world-class, free attractions than almost any destination in the nation.

The following is a list of the Top 10 Things Baseball Fans Can Do in St. Louis to have a winning experience:

1. Halls of Fame: Fans won’t want to miss a visit to the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum for a historic look at the great Cardinal players and teams of the past. Located across the street from Busch Stadium, the museum is housed along with the International Bowling Hall of Fame Museum. The Cardinals museum commemorates more than 100
years of Cardinals history including Mark McGwire’s 70-homer season, the A.L. St. Louis
Browns and St. Louis Negro League teams. If you like quirky museums, the Bowling Hall of Fame is right up your alley (yes, the pun is intended). See the history of bowling from the time of cave dwellers, marvel at the world’s only bowling pin-shaped car and get some tips on your game from the masters of the sport.

2. Get the Blues…and Enjoy It: The Cardinals have been giving the blues to their
National League rivals all season long. You can get them, too, but in a good way by
strutting your stuff to the soulful sounds of live, St. Louis blues music. The blues were born here and continue to wail. W.C. Handy wrote the most famous blues song in the world about this city – the “St. Louis Blues.” You can discover just how good feeling bad can be in St. Louis’ many clubs and bars located in the Soulard neighborhood and along the cobblestone streets of the Laclede’s Landing entertainment district. There’s never a loss for good music: there are more working blues bands in St. Louis than any place on the planet. And, the original rock’n’roller, St. Louis’-own Chuck Berry, still performs live in the intimate surroundings of Blueberry Hill in The Loop neighborhood where you also can catch national touring acts at The Pageant, one of The Lou’s newest and coolest concert venues.

3. Reserve a seat at one of our training tables: Hungry for a good time? With more than
a thousand one-of-a-kind restaurants, St. Louis can pump up your tastebuds. On “The Hill,” gourmet Italian restaurants, trattorias and mom-and-pop delis offer delicacies just waiting to be discovered. St. Louis is home to the celebrated Tony’s – considered by many to be the best Italian restaurant in America. Get your licks on Route 66 at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard. Try the concrete -- a milkshake so thick you can turn it upside down without spilling a delicious drop -- or a Cardinal Sin, a delectable sundae dripping with hot fudge and tart cherries. You can explore the flavors of the world at the virtual United Nations of eateries in interesting neighborhoods such as The Loop, Grand South Grand, the bistro-laden Central West End and toney Clayton. Or, simply bite down on a hot dog at Busch Stadium in honor of the culinary contributions made to concession stands around the world at the 1904 “Meet Me in St. Louis” World’s Fair where hot dogs and hamburgers were popularized and the ice cream cone and iced tea were first introduced.

4. St. Louis is for the Birds: While the Cardinals are the main attraction during October, our fine-feathered friends are always on view at the world famous Saint Louis Zoo. Home to more than 5,000 critters and ranked the #1 Zoo in the nation by Zagat Survey, the Zoo continues to follow in the footsteps of its most famous curator, Marlin Perkins, who was dedicated to presenting animals in their natural habitat exhibits. His legacy continues with the Zoo’s newest bird displays including the innovative Penguin and Puffin coast, where these exotic cold-climate birds reside and the newly renovated Flight Cage. The giant walk-through aviary – one of the largest in the world – was originally the Smithsonian Institution’s 1904 World’s Fair exhibit. Now the historic facility houses a state-of-the-art attraction called Cypress Swamp which recreates a habitat for birds native to the lower Mississippi River. Located in beautiful Forest Park, the Zoo is open free of charge. The Gateway City is home to another flighty attraction: the World Bird Sanctuary. Visitors to the internationally acclaimed sanctuary, another free attraction, can see hundreds of birds of prey and other woodland creatures and learn about conservation and environmental issues.

5. Come out on top: Just as the Cardinals did in the National League Central Division, baseball fans visiting St. Louis can come out on top, too….the top of the Gateway Arch, that is. You can’t buy a Big Mac there, but you can get one great view of Busch Stadium and the surrounding city from 630 feet above the Mississippi River. The Arch, officially named the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, honors President Thomas Jefferson, his dream of a continental United States and the thousands of men and women who helped open the American West. Beneath the Arch, in the Museum of Westward Expansion, the opening of the American West comes alive through displays that tell the story of explorers Lewis & Clark, pioneers, Native Americans and Buffalo soldiers who shaped America as a nation “from sea to shining sea.” The Arch celebrates its 40th anniversary on October 28, 2005.

6. A St. Louis Brews Cruise: The Gateway City is as famous for its brewing heritage as it is for being a great sports town. During a free tour of the world headquarters of Anheuser-Busch, the world’s largest brewer, baseball fans can explore the historic Brew House, the elegant stained glass and brass decor of the Budweiser Clydesdale stables and the beechwood aging cellars. The tour ends at the hospitality center where visitors can tip a freshly brewed glass of one of the famed A-B products. Who knows -- you might even catch the ferret singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”

7. Top off your beer tours by hopping to some great St. Louis microbrewies including Schlafly’s other locale, the St. Louis Tap Room, situated in St. Louis’ happening Washington Avenue loft district or the Morgan Street Brewery in the historic Laclede’s Landing entertainment district. Both serve delicious pub grub and a heady sampling of microbrewery fresh pilsners, ales and lagers. Those that fancy a non-alcoholic brew can root for the Cardinals at Fitz’s, St. Louis’ root beer microbrewery that also pours handcrafted cream, grape and other frothy soft drinks and has taken the root beer float to foamy and delicious new heights. Discover a new taste treat by trying the Lewis & Clark float, a Fitz’s exclusive.

8. Great Americans of Times Past: When you’re not at Busch Stadium enjoying the national pastime, experience St. Louis’ sites dedicated to great figures from American history. You can see two homes occupied by 19th president and Civil War hero Ulysses S. Grant; view the flight suit aviator Charles Lindbergh wore on his historic Spirit of St. Louis flight across the Atlantic at the Missouri History Museum; retrace the steps of intrepid explorers Lewis & Clark at 25 sites around town; relive Dred Scott’s dramatic freedom trial that took place in St. Louis’ Old Courthouse; be in the audience for a live performance by rock ‘n’ roll legend Chuck Berry and tour historic homes of frontiersman Daniel Boone, fabled fur trappers and gunsmiths who made their mark on the American West.

9. Become Star Struck: Stroll along Delmar Boulevard in The Loop neighborhood and experience the St. Louis Walk of Fame. Brass star-shaped plaques embedded in the sidewalks honor famous St. Louisans who have made their mark in the arts, science, history and sports. Among the stellar individuals honored are baseball’s Yogi Berra, Joe Garagiola, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock and Stan Musial; playwright Tennessee Williams; musicians Chuck Berry and Miles Davis; Civil War generals and St. Louis residents U.S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman; scientists Masters & Johnson and entertainers John Goodman, Josephine Baker, Kevin Kline and diva Tina Turner, to name just a few.

10. FREE!: There are more free, world class attractions in St. Louis than anywhere in the United States outside our nation’s capitol. St. Louisans are proud of their tradition of opening the doors to our major cultural institutions at no charge to residents and visitors alike. The Saint Louis Art Museum, History Museum, Zoo and Science Center are all open free of charge. Here are a few of the places folks can enjoy at no cost: two St. Louis homes of 18th President of the U.S. and Civil War general Ulysses S. Grant – White Haven, his Victorian-style family house and Hardscrabble, the log cabin house he hand-built, now part of the Grant’s Farm animal preserve, petting zoo and Clydesdale breeding farm; the Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour; the Museum of Westward Expansion located beneath the Gateway Arch; the world’s largest collection of mosaic art at the beautiful Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis; the outdoor contemporary art museum at Laumeier Sculpture Park; Purina Farms, where visitors can interact with domestic animals; memorabilia from the heyday of automotive cruising at Route 66 State Park; National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows; Cahokia Mounds archeological site that contains the remains of the largest pre-Columbian city North of Mexico and many, many more.

Bonus #11: Get Your Kicks on Route 66: Lasting roadside attractions along the St. Louis stretch of the fabled “Mother Road” provide interesting detours. North of downtown, the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was Route 66’s original crossing over the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The bridge, which is the longest pedestrian span in the world, is open each weekend from April through November as a hiking and biking trail. Catch spectacular views of downtown St. Louis from high over the Mississippi. Other icons along “66” are Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, where road warriors have been served frosty treats since 1929; Donut Drive-In, a vintage donut stand and Meramec Caverns, the oldest tourist attraction along the Route. Since 1933 the site has welcomed Route 66 wanderers for a fascinating underground look at the region’s history and geology. Missouri legends say that frontier outlaw Jesse James hid men, loot and horses in the massive cave. Cavern owners took American roadside art to new heights by turning barn roofs into billboards to promote the attraction all across America.

Fall is here and that means it’s hayride season in St. Louis. Discover fabulous fall foliage and enjoy the crisp autumn air on leisurely hay-cushioned rambles throughout the region.

The Wilderness Wagon ambles through the gorgeous Shaw Nature Reserve each Saturday and Sunday through October 30. Rides cost only $1 and depart from the visitor center at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. each day. A nature reserve guide narrates during the three-mile journey through the lush Missouri countryside, pointing out the best color, the tall grass prairie, a pine forest and the creatures that live in the wetlands and throughout the 2,500-acre nature reserve. Located in Grey Summit, Missouri near the Meramec River, the site is operated by the Missouri Botanical Garden.

If you dare, hop aboard the Haunted Hayride that departs from Eckert’s Country Store & Farms in the nearby Illinois towns of Millstadt and Grafton. The kid-friendly, goblinly fun happens Friday and Saturday nights through October 29. The hair-raising trips through Eckert’s Haunted Orchards are a treat for everyone in the family. Note: September 23 and 24 hayrides are available at the Millstadt Farm only. No rides on September 30.

Gather a big group and have a hayloft of a lot of fun by reserving a 20-person wagon for a
Forest Park Hayride. Reservations are required for the popular Friday and Saturday night 45-minute excursion throughout fabulous Forest Park. BYO hot dogs and marshmallows to roast at the roaring bonfire that awaits at the end of the ride. Wagons leave each evening at 7, 7:05, 7:10, 7:15, 7:20, 8, 8:05, 8:10, 8:15 and 8:20 p.m. through December 20. There are no hayrides during Thanksgiving weekend. Cost: $100.00 per 20-person wagon; reservations required. For more information call: (314) 289-5330, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Mon. - Fri.

Ready for some football? Step out to the Edward Jones Dome on Saturday, September 24 to see the annual Gateway Classic as the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff takes on Tuskegee University.

A star-studded weekend of events surrounds the game with entertainers, sports figures, comedians and much, much more for the region’s hottest two-day party. And don't forget the Battle of the Bands -- a halftime show that's not to be missed.

Saturday's events kick off with the Hardee’s Parade at 9 a.m. on Saturday, beginning at Tucker & Market streets Downtown.

The St. Louis Gateway Football Classic, sponsored by American Family Insurance, begins at 4 p.m. at the Edward Jones Dome. The U.S. ARMY BATTLE OF THE BANDS, featuring Tuskegee University and UAPB marching bands and a special half time performance by Doug E. Fresh sponsored by the Black Family Channel, marks half time during the game.

Tickets are available at the Dome box office, through www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 314-621-1994.

Looking for something to do tonight? Check out the intersection of Art and Life in the Grand Center arts and entertainment district of St. Louis.

Join the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts and the Contemporary Art Museum for an open house and reception from 5:00-7:00 pm., Friday, September 23. Refreshments and wine by Chaumette Vineyards and Winery will be served in the connecting courtyard. This will be one of the first opportunities to view the Contemporary's newly opened exhibitions, Girls' Night Out and Cindy Sherman: Working Girl, and the second to last day that Brancusi and Serra in Dialogue will be on view at the Pulitzer. This installation is a rare opportunity to see works by these two major artists in juxtaposition with each other and the Ando-designed architecture of the Pulitzer.

Tonight is also a great time to explore the rest of Grand Center as a destination for the arts in St. Louis. The Sheldon Art Galleries is opening three new exhibitions with a public reception from 5-7 p.m., and, the following Grand Center institutions will have extended hours: the Historic Samuel Cupples House; the Museum of Contemporary Religious Art; the Saint Louis University Museum of Art; the Vaughn Cultural Center; and the EarthWays Home -- all remaining open until 7 p.m. The Portfolio Gallery will also have extended hours from 7-8:30p.m. and the Centene Center for the Arts will be providing tours until 7:30pm.

The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra is performing tonight and through the weekend at Powell Symphony Hall. Maestro Robertson, soprano Dawn Upshaw and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus present Bach/Stravinsky’s “Chorale Variations, Vom Himmel hoch,” Mozart’s “Bella mia fiamma, K. 582,” Vivier’s “Lonely Child,” and John Adams’ “Harmonielehre.”

"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" continues at the Fabulous Fox Theatre through Sunday.

The Sheldon Special Concerts presents Guitarist Bill Frisell who recreates his hip album, "Unspeakable," along with bassist Tony Scherr, drummer Kenny Wolleson, the 858 Strings and album producer Hal Willum who spins the turntables. Guitarist Corey Christiansen will open the show at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

The John Pizzarelli Trio performs at Jazz at the Bistro with sets at 8:30 p.m. & 10:15 p.m.

Faust Historical Village comes alive during the annual Faust Folk Festival at the eponymous St. Louis County Park. On Saturday and Sunday, September 24 and 25, reenactors in period costume give interpretations of life during the 19th century. The setting is perfect. The village consists of 19th century buildings—all authentic to the area and period—including a carriage house, a typical form of German construction from around 1880, two barns, a blacksmith shop, two smokehouses and a log cabin with two log-box rooms connected by a breezeway.

Tours of the village focus on the restoration process, the cultural heritage of various types of construction and the lifestyles of the families who lived and worked there. You’ll see demonstrations of blacksmithing, metalwork, rail splitting, wheat weaving, and craft making including cornhusk dolls, wood carving and silhouette cutting. Live period music sets the tone for this annual family event. Hours are 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily.

During your visit, don't miss Faust Park's other delights. The beautiful St. Louis County Park is home to the Butterfly House, the historic Thornhill estate and the festive St. Louis Carousel.

Be sure to wear bright clothing to attract plenty of ‘butterfly kisses’ when you visit St. Louis’ popular Butterfly House attraction. A three-story crystal palace filled with tropical foliage houses up to 2,000 of the beautiful winged creatures in free flight. You’ll also be able to watch the creatures transform from chrysalis stage to take wing in their new home. A film about the life cycle of the insect, a soon-to-be-complete outdoor butterfly garden and a fun gift shop named – what else? – Madame Butterfly’s round out the experience.

Become a kid again and experience a magical ride aboard the St. Louis Carousel. Made by the Dentzel Co. of Philadelphia circa 1920, this phenomenal carousel has more than 60 hand-carved horses, deer and chariots and will charm you with its gentle entertainment. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in a climate-controlled facility within Faust Park, you can experience a ride that will transport you back to simpler times.

Thornhill, the 1819 estate of Missouri’s second governorFrederick Bates also is located in Faust Park. The site includes eight buildings--the house, two barns, a summer kitchen, a smoke house, a distillery, an ice house and a granary. Some of the buildings were built in the early 1800s while others were built in the 1900s. Also on the grounds is the cemetery where the former governor and his family are buried.

Mark your calendar for October 21 and 22. That's when Thornhill takes on an eerie glow during the candlelight Faust Historical Haunting, a Halloween-inspired event. The estate of Frederick Bates provides the setting and prompts the question, "Is Thornhill haunted?" Storytellers share the spooky tale of resident ghosts during tours of the mansion and family cemetery. Learn fascinating facts about memorial and burial practices of the early 1800s and more during this spooktacular annual happening.

Are you a house voyeur? Take a self-guided tour and peek into beautiful loft homes of downtown St. Louis residents during the National City Fall Downtown Living Tour, Saturday and Sunday, September 17th & 18th from noon to 5:00 pm.

In addition to real folks’ real homes, the tour will showcase new developments and available properties including lofts, condos and apartments. Developer properties on the tour are: The Annex Lofts, Adler Lofts, The Ventana, The Bogen, Windows Lofts, The Meridian, Paul Brown Loft Apts., The Alexander Lofts, The Marquette Condominiums. Properties that will feature private resident’s homes are: Terra Cotta Lofts, Printers Lofts, Lofts at 2020, Railway Lofts, Louderman Lofts, 10th Street Lofts, Lofts on Old Post Office Square, Roberts Lofts on the Plaza, McGowan Lofts.

Tickets are $10 and are available in advance through Metrotix or on the day of the event at the registration area at 16th & Washington where participants will also receive their tour booklet/map. A complimentary shuttle bus runs throughout the neighborhood.

More than a thousand new lofts have opened in St. Louis' historic buildings. More than 1,500 additional lofts are under construction for opening in 2006.

Hot air balloons and hot theatrical performances are among the cool things to do in The Lou.

The Great Forest Park Balloon Race takes to the skies on Saturday, September 17. The annual hair and hound balloons launch at 4:30 p.m. from Central Field (between the Jewel Box and Steinberg Rink).

The race is the finale for a multi-day event that starts on Friday, September 16 with a “Balloon Glow.” The colorful aircraft are lit from within to make a dazzling scene near the park’s World’s Fair Pavilion. Race day festivities begin at noon with parachute exhibitions, kids’ entertainment areas, food and music.

St. Louis’-own Tennessee Williams’ classic tale of a dysfunctional Southern family, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” sizzles on the stage of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis through October 7. Who knew a full-slip could be so, well, hot? The Rep also presents one of Broadway’s hottest shows, “Take Me Out” at the Grandel Theatre, September 21 through October 9. The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play follows a professional baseball team as they adjust to a star player’s revelation that he’s gay.

Speaking of baseball, no team is hotter than the St. Louis Cardinals who host their last regular season home stands at Busch Stadium September 27, 28 and 30 and October 1 and 2. “New” Busch Stadium opens in April 2006. Go Cards!

St. Louis shares a dynamic musical heritage with our sister Mississippi River city of New Orleans. And, some of the great musicians who created signature sounds in
St. Louis,including Ike Turner and the late, great Little Milton and Oliver Sain, are natives of Mississippi and the Gulf Coast.

To honor this shared roots music heritage and to raise money to help, Jazz at the Bistro, one of St. Louis’ premiere music venues, presents a Katrina Relief Benefit Concert for the Tipitina’s Foundation on Sunday, September 18 from 2 to 6 p.m. The foundation, named for one of the Big Easy’s great music venues, is helping displaced and out-of-work musicians from New Orleans’ vast entertainment community.

Taking the stage at the popular jazz club are noted St. Louis jazz artists including Erin Bode, Dave Venn, Montez Coleman, Mardra and Reggie Thomas, Willie Akins and Gene Dobbs Bradford. Jazz at the Bistro is located at 3536 Washington Avenue in St. Louis’ Grand Center arts and entertainment district. For details, click on www.jatb.org.

The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) will perform a free concert on Sunday, September 18, 3:00 p.m. at Powell Symphony Hall to benefit victims of the Katrina disaster. Donations will be accepted from patrons attending the concert with all the proceeds going directly to the Red Cross and a special musicians fund to aid displaced musicians from the Gulf Coast.

New SLSO Music Director David Robertson, his wife, pianist Orli Shaham, the SLSO Chorus and the In Unison Chorus will join the Orchestra on the program. The complete program includes Brahms, Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8 with David Halen, Daniel Lee & Orli Shaham, Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio espagnol, “Lift Every Voice” and “When the Saints Go Marching In.”

Grand Center has agreed to provide complimentary parking in the lots adjacent to Powell Hall for patrons attending the concert. No reservations or tickets are needed, seating is open and on a first come,first serve basis.

St. Louis area restaurants have joined forces to create a way for St. Louis area residents and visitors help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. A portion of restaurant sales receipts at participating restaurants and retailers on Thursday, September 8 and Friday, September 9 will be donated to hurricane relief organizations. Monies collected will be divided equally between the Salvation Army and the Marshall Faulk Foundation’s Katrina Relief Fund. Marshall Faulk, St. Louis Rams star runningback, is a New Orleans native.

The effort is being coordinated by Sauce Magazine, a St. Louis-area publication that features stories on St. Louis restaurants, wineries and culinary-related establishments and events. An ever-growing list of participants can be found at http://www.stlkatrinarelief.com.

Something big is happening in St. Louis this Labor Day weekend. Something very big. Sumo wrestling is a new attraction at this weekend’s Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden. The much-anticipated annual event, slated for September 3 –5, celebrates the history, culture and people of Japan.

Sumo, Japan’s national sport, originated as religious performances for the Shinto gods. Each day during the festival, Sumo authority Lynn Matsuoka will give an audiovisual presentation about Sumo. Following the explanatory show, two former professional Sumo will demonstrate the sport. The Sumo schedule is:
Saturday, September 3 at 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 4 and Monday, September 5 at noon – 1:00 p.m.; 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

In addition to Sumo, visitors can enjoy bonsai and ikebana displays, Japanese cooking and ice sculpture demonstrations, kimono fashion shows, taiko drum performances, martial arts activities, hands-on origami and screenings of the anime film Metropolis. Tours of Seiwa En, the largest authentic Japanese garden in North America and traditional tea ceremonies also are on the agenda.

It's not as old as the Cathedral of Notre Dame, but it's built from a gazillion tons of concrete. It doesn't offer as many trains as New York's Grand Central Station... yet. But there is one thing that St. Louis' City Museum shares with these famous places: they're all on the same list of "Greatest Public Spaces in the World."

New York-based nonprofit Project for Public Spaces named ten landmarks from around the world that were being added to a collection of humanity's hot spots. City Museum was one of them.

Locations were ranked by criteria such as accessibility, atmosphere and attraction as a social environment.

The organization, which has helped some 1,000 communities in 12 countries improve their public offerings, describes City Museum as "an amusement park in the middle of downtown St. Louis... a fantastically imaginative collection of play spaces, exhibits and sculptures."

So, head to City Museum so you can say you’ve stood, slid, climbed, and created art within one of the world’s best public spots.

Congratulations to St. Louis’ Museum of Transportation on the delivery today of twin 24-inch scale replicas of the famous 1863 C.P. Huntington steam locomotive. The new miniature train locomotives weigh 6,100 pounds each, are four-cylinder, 63 horsepower and can reach a maximum speed of 12 miles per hour.

The two exquisitely detailed black and silver locomotives will pull open-style carriages with a capacity for up to 42 adults on a new one-mile track at the museum that is operated by Saint Louis County Parks. The new attraction will officially open to the public on October 1.

C.P. Huntington was one the famous 19th-century American railroad magnates. The Central Pacific Railroad locomotive that linked the West with the East in 1863 to create the first transcontinental railroad was named the C.P. Huntington in his honor.

Got weekend plans? If you're visiting St. Louis, give these special events a spot on your dance card:

Get an empty suitcase. You're going to need it after you've browsed through more than a million books at the annual YMCA Book Fair. The fair, at 600 Loughborough Avenue, is open from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Friday and continues from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. A popular tradition for more than 25 year, the sale offers books, records, tapes, CDs, videos and DVDs, sorted into 60 categories and ranging in price from 50 cents. There's a $10 admission fee on Friday night and the event is free on Saturday and Sunday.

After your book hunt, stop by Sauce in the City on Saturday 8/27/2005. The tasty food festival features some of St. Louis' best chefs, plus music, art, food and beverages. You'll find Sauce at Soldier's Memorial Park at 13th & Chestnut in Downtown St. Louis from 3:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. Admission tickets are $5 in advance, $7 at the door and children under 10 are free.

The night is still young, so drop in on The Lot: A Music Festival at the Shlafly Tap Room parking lot. The free music festival features local bands, food, drink, jugglers, fire eaters and other sideshow attractions. The Lot opens at 6:30 p.m. and doesn't stop until 1:30 a.m.

Have you ever noticed that big windmill in South St. Louis? That's the historic Bevo Mill and it's your landmark for the 34th annual Bevo Day celebration on Sunday, 8/28/05. This old-style neighborhood street festival features ethnic foods, amusement rides, arts and crafts, a flea market and entertainment on three stages. A parade opens the event at 11:30 and the party continues until 9 p.m.

Want to snuggle up with luxurious linens this fall? Surround yourself with beautiful bed clothes on display at the glorious St. Louis Art Museum’s exhibition, “Sleep in Beauty: Bed Coverings from Around the World.” The gorgeous, antique fabrics featured in this free display would make Martha Stewart swoon. Ten amazing textiles are on view that exemplify the cultural significance and high levels of artistic achievement attained in the production of various types of bed coverings. Highlights include a rare 18th century embroidered Chinese silk and a suzani embroidered silk from the traditional Turkistan culture. The exhibition runs through October 23 in Gallery 100. The beauxs art-style museum which is dedicated to art and free to all is located in historic Forest Park.

You can’t lose when you snooze at any of St. Louis’ great hotels. Following a day of busily exploring St. Louis, perfectly plumped pillows and downy duvets await your tired tourist bones. Click here for a king-sized list of great deals on St. Louis lodging options.

You’ll make like Rumpelstiltskin at The Westin St. Louis which features the luxury chain’s trademarked Heavenly Bed extra-comfortable mattress system. For those who like a good workout after a deep sleep, Westin now offers WORKOUT rooms that are outfitted with workout equipment, fitness DVDs and books, yoga mats and other fitness items.

Visions of sugarplums are sure to dance in your head while snoozing at The Doubletree Club Hotel – St. Louis Airport which features its Sweet Dreams by Doubletree Bed. The luxurious bed features a plush-top mattress with five jumbo pillows, embroidered pillow shams, down blanket, and elegant high-thread-count linens and coverlets.

Yawn. Clayton on the Park Guests of the Sheraton Clayton Plaza Hotel are enjoying new Sweet Sleeper Beds that are made up of plush top mattresses, feather-filled pillows and specially made comforters. Yaaaawwwwn. Courtyard by Marriott Downtown offers extra-large body pillows and comforters and the Sheraton St. Louis City Center Hotel & Suites bedrooms are so large they include ultra-comfy sleeper sofas so families can tuck weary tots to bed in the same room.

If you can’t get nod off without your pet pooch curled up beside you, head to Clayton on the Park where Fido is as welcome, if not more so, than any guest. He gets dog treats. Yawwwwwn. Need to feel like your turning in someplace really different? The Cheshire Lodge’s six fantasy suites can transport you to the rainforest, a tree house in Sherwood Forest, an Indian maharaja’s palace or an old-time bordello.

So, pack up the PJs and prepare to relax. You’ll deserve a good night’s rest after a busy day of play in the Gateway City. ‘Nighty, night. ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

RSVP as fast as you can say "hay" to book a fun-filled fall hayride for your group through
St. Louis' gorgeous Forest Park. The classic autumn country-style ride meanders through the 1,300-plus acres of one of the country's largest urban parks.

Tractor-pulled haywagons provide leisurely 45-minute rides on crispy cool Friday and Saturday nights starting Friday, September 30 and run through Saturday, December 10. There are no rides over Thanksgiving weekend.

The wagons depart from Faulkner Drive (at Clayton Road near the Science Center) and return there where a roaring bonfire awaits. BYO-marshmallows or hot dogs for roasting.

Riders can choose from the following dates in 2005: Sept. 30 and Oct. 1; Oct. 7 and 8; Oct. 14 and 15; Oct.21 and 22; Oct. 28 and 29; Nov. 4 and 5, Nov. 11 and 12, Nov. 18 and 19; Dec. 2 and 3; and Dec. 9 and 10.

Wagons leave each evening at 7, 7:05, 7:10, 7:15, 7:20, 8, 8:05, 8:10; 8:15 and 8:20 p.m. These time slots are for group rides with a maximum of 20 people per wagon. Groups of all ages are welcome.

The cost is $100 a wagon with a maximum of 20 people per wagon. Hayrides go on rain or shine; dates are not transferable.

Reservations are required and are taken from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday by the permit section of the St.Louis City Parks Department. Call 314-289-5330 for details.

March to the St. Louis Zoo to see the Gateway City version of summer blockbuster movie birds at the very cool Penguin & Puffin Coast exhibit.

The star quality shines through as about 100 penguins of five different species streak through the frigid waters of the glass encased-exhibit, gaze at you from the icy cliffs and look cuter than any child star that ever graced the silver screen.

You’ll see Humboldt penguins happily cavorting in their outdoor haven at the entry to the habitat. Inside, you’ll be transported to the sub-Antarctic where gentoos, rockhoppers and king penguins reside amidst recreated coastal cliffs and icy waters. You’ll be close enough to get splashed by the playful birds as they dive into the cool depths and zoom through underground tunnels to pop up on the other side of their habitat home. There’s even a baby on board. A mom and pop king penguin pair hatched a chick this April. You can watch as the happy parents care for their fluffy baby.

Meander into the next cave-like dwelling to discover Puffin Bay where horned and tufted puffins entertain with their shrill cries, antic swimming and comical charm.

Penguin and Puffin Coast is a free exhibit within the always-free St. Louis Zoo.

Come down to "Live on the Levee" on the steps under the Gateway Arch for great performances, food and fireworks on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, August 19, 20 and 21.

This new, three-day St. Louis celebration brings national headliners to St. Louis’ Mississippi riverfront:

Friday: Macy Gray - R&B songstress with a sultry sound. Local favorite Erin Bode opens the evening.

Saturday: Collective Soul - American traditional rock with a twist. Opening act: Modern Day Zero

Sunday: Blues Traveler - premiere combination of pop, blues and rock. Javier Mendoza opens.

Opening acts start at 7 p.m. and the headliners begin at 8 p.m. A 20-minute fireworks finale caps each performance. For details: www.celebratestlouis.net.

Ticket to Ride

After the concert strap on your helmet and join in the 41st Annual Moonlight Ramble. The world's largest night time bicycle ride begins just after midnight Satuday night (officially 12:01 a.m. Sunday morning). Pre-event activities begin at 10 p.m. at Soldiers' Memorial in downtown St. louis. For details, www.moonlightramble.com.
8/20/2005

See African-American St. Louis

The Missouri History Museum is offering a guided motorcoach tour of African-American historic sites on Saturday, August 20, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. The tour will include stops at the Ville neighborhood, the Black World History Museum, the Old Courthouse and more and will include lunch. For more information call: 314-361-9017 or go to www.mohistory.org.

Combine the tour with a stop at the annual Missouri Black Expo Missouri Black Expo at the America's Center convention complex on Saturday or Sunday, August 20-21. Hundreds of African-American businesses will be in attendance along with artists, musicians and more. Call 314-361-5772 for details or visit www.missouriblackexpo.com.

Need an unusual start to the day for your group? Adult groups of 10 or more can nosh on an all-you-can-eat hot breakfast buffet followed by an OMNIMAX film experience at the St. Louis Science Center. This scene-stealing outing is a smash hit especially with senior groups who like the early morning timeframe and the nutritious, delectable breakfast. The OMNIMAX is located in the Science Center’s main building at 5050 Oakland Avenue across from Forest Park.

The meal is served in the Science Center’s festive new Fizz Factory Café located across from the OMNIMAX Theatre. Fluffy scrambled eggs, roasted red potatoes, fresh fruit salad, crisp bacon, sausage, assorted Danish and muffins, Starbucks® coffee, tea and assorted fruit juices fill your tummy before the latest Science Center film fills the massive OMNIMAX dome.

Breakfast is served at 8:30 a.m. with a 10:00 a.m. screening of the latest big screen extravaganza. Current films through September 5 include Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag and Cirque du Soleil Journey of Man.

For reservations and upcoming film schedules, call the group specialists at the St. Louis Science Center at 314-533-8481 or 1-800-456-SLSC ext. 8481. A minimum of 10 people and a one-week advance reservation are required. General admission is free to the St. Louis Science Center’s main building permanent galleries.

No need to work at having fun over Labor Day Weekend. Head to St. Louis where summer’s finale weekend is packed with fun options including festivals with an international flair, air shows, baby showers for Zoo animals and a free blues music extravaganza.

You can make your St. Louis hotel reservations online by clicking here.

Here’s a sample of St. Louis’ special Labor Day weekend events:

St. Louis’ roots music heritage is highlighted along the banks of the Mighty Mississippi when the annual Big Muddy Blues Festival fills Laclede’s Landing with the rhythmic, soulful sound of the blues on Saturday, September 3 and Sunday, September 4 from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. The 2005 edition of "Big Muddy" will feature Bo Diddley, Robert “Junior” Lockwood, the incomparable Henry Townsend, Koko Taylor and her Blues Machine, and St. Louis’ top blues talent including the Rich McDonough Band.

Fans of electronic music can tap their feet during the Beat Fest on Washington Avenue on Sunday, September 4. This indoor, electronic music festival showcases international, regional and local electronic music artists. The creative vibe runs from 9:00 p.m. through 3:00 a.m. at the hottest clubs in downtown’s newly remodeled and exciting Washington Avenue Entertainment District.

Several of St. Louis’ vibrant ethnic cultures will be on display during the Labor Day weekend. The 29th Annual Japanese Festival takes over the grounds of the Missouri Botanical Garden from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Saturday, September 3 and Sunday, September 4 and from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Monday, September 5. This year, the festivities include a demonstration of sumo, the official sport of Japan and screenings of a Japanese cartoon animal or anime film. Visitors also can tour the nation’s largest traditional Japanese garden, browse an arts and crafts marketplace, sample exotic foods, hear traditional taiko drum performances, experience tea ceremonies and much more.

Nearby, in the charming Central West End neighborhood, nothing says Labor Day in St. Louis like the Greek Festival filled with authentic food and music at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. The festival opens at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 3, Sunday, September 4 and Monday, September 5 and closes at 9 p.m. on the weekend and 8 p.m. on Monday. There’s a special Hispanic Celebration and Mass on Sunday, September 4 at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in nearby Belleville, Illinois. Events include a Eucharistic celebration in Spanish, a Mexican buffet, procession and piñatas.

The lovely Central West End neighborhood near St. Louis’ historic Forest Park is staging its Central West End Craft Festival on Saturday, September 3 and Sunday, September 4. Unique handmade gifts, jewelry, art and other must have wares will be on display from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. each day. The festival is held along the pretty, café-lined streets at the intersection of Maryland and Euclid avenues.

While in the Central West End for the Greek Festival or craft shopping, head west for a few blocks into Forest Park to celebrate Elephant Labor Days at the famed Saint Louis Zoo. Saturday, September 3 through Monday, September 5 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., the Zoo will honor expectant Asian elephants Sri and Ellie. Visitors can make “baby shower” gifts for the expectant moms, participate in keeper and veterinary chats, learn about babyproofing the habitat and the Zoo’s volunteer “midwife” team. Admission to the Saint Louis Zoo and Elephant Labor Days activities are free. You can do the “Elephant Walk” or any dance you choose while enjoying the Zoo’s “Jungle Boogie” free concert on Friday, September 2. The concert starts at 5:00 p.m. and runs until the Zoo closes at 7:00 p.m.

The St. Louis County Fair and Air Show begins Friday, September 2 and continues through Monday, September 5 at Spirit of St. Louis Airport. The event includes breathtaking air shows, world-class carnival rides, an aircraft display and much more. Fireworks follow concerts on Saturday and Sunday nights with headliners Hootie and the Blowfish and American Idol’s Kimberley Locke. Free Segway motorized scooter rides, Zoppe’s Circus, a Dale Jr. NASCAR driving experience for kids and more make this an event the entire family can enjoy.

You also can say “thank you” to the working families of America and remember the real reason for the holiday weekend at St. Louis’ annual Labor Day Parade. The parade begins at 9 a.m. at Broadway and Market streets in downtown St. Louis and ends at 15th street near St. Louis Union Station.

While you’re at play on Labor Day, top athletes are busily working. The National League Champion St. Louis Cardinals meet their historic rivals, the Chicago Cubs for a 1:15 p.m. first pitch during the first game of the last Cards/Cubs series in Busch Stadium. Construction crews are laboring on the new Busch Stadium that opens next season, next door. On Friday, September 2, the NFL’s St. Louis Rams get to work in a pre-season match with cross-state rivals the Kansas City Chiefs. Coin flip is at 7:00 p.m. at the Edward Jones Dome. Pro-am cyclists compete for cash, medals and glory during the Gateway Cup, a series of four races – one each day from Friday, September 2 through Monday, September 5. It’s free to watch the thrills and spills through St. Louis’ Lafayette Square, Kirkwood, The Hill and Loop neighborhoods.

It was announced today that St. Louis’ spectacular Missouri Botanical Garden will present "Glass in the Garden: Chihuly at the Missouri Botanical Garden" in 2006, a custom-designed, stunning show of glass sculptures by Chihuly. The sculpture installations will be on display throughout the Garden from April 30 through October 31, 2006.

Chihuly's style is immediately identifiable by monumental abstract sculptures of intensely vibrant colors, fluid and organic forms, and complex groupings of many pieces.
The exhibit places dramatic fine art pieces within the lush landscapes of the 79-acre, landmark Missouri Botanical Garden and its signature Climatron conservatory.

The Garden will host "Chihuly Nights" every Thursday, which will offer visitors unique, dramatically lit views of the exhibit in the glow of evening.

The Explore St. Louis web site will soon contain details about special Chihuly hotel packages and other events taking place in St. Louis during the run of this sparkling exhibit.

Bring along a hearty appetite when you visit St. Louis the week of August 22. That’s when select Downtown St. Louis eateries will really be cooking during Restaurant Week 2005.

Twenty of St. Louis’ yummy downtown dining establishments will offer taste-tempting, three-course evening meals for $25 per person (plus tax and tip) from Monday, August 22 through Saturday, August 27. Click here for a complete list of participating restaurants which include traditional favorites like Anthony’s Bar, Harry’s, Charlie Gitto’s and Mike Shannon’s to new hot spots such as Mosaic, Carmine’s Steak House, Red Moon, An American Place, Wasabi (pictured) and more.

Your tastebuds will thank you.

If you’re seeking great live music, a monumental setting, plenty of refreshments and a sky illuminated with fireworks, St. Louis is the place to be on August 19, 20 and 21. That’s when Celebrate St. Louis… LIVE on the Levee serves up free musical entertainment from nationally known acts on the Riverfront Overlook Stage beneath the Gateway Arch.

This new, three-day St. Louis celebration is bringing these headliners to St. Louis’ Mississippi riverfront:
Friday: Macy Gray - R&B songstress with a sultry sound
Saturday: Collective Soul - American traditional rock with a twist
Sunday: Blues Traveler - premiere combination of pop, blues and rock

While this year’s event will take place over three days, plans call for Celebrate St. Louis… LIVE on the Levee to become a multi-week celebration in summer 2006 and beyond. That way, St. Louisians and visitors alike can mark their calendars and plan to be live on the levee year after year.

There’s an old saying describing St. Louis that goes like this: First in shoes, first in booze and last in the American League. It harkens back to the days when St. Louis was the leading manufacturer of shoes in the nation, renowned (and remains so) for beer production and home to the colorful, but not always winning, St. Louis Browns American League baseball team. The Gateway City has always sparked innovation. Did you know the following St. Louis “firsts”?

The Eads Bridge, completed in 1874 over the Mississippi River, was the first arched steel truss bridge in the world. When it was first proposed, it was scoffed at as impossible to build. It’s still in use today by cyclists, pedestrians, automobiles and the MetroLink light rail transit system.

America’s first steel frame skyscraper still stands in downtown St. Louis. The Wainwright Building, at Seventh and Chestnut, was designed by Louis Sullivan. Built between 1890 and 1891, the structure has been called “the most significant building of modern architecture’s early years.”

The 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis popularized a number of new foods and was the first time many of these All-American favorites were introduced: The hot dog... the hamburger... the ice cream cone... and iced tea. Turnstiles, now a fixture at venues and special events, were used for the first time at the Fair.

During the 1904 Fair, the first Olympic Games held in the U.S. took place in St. Louis at Washington University’s Francis Field. Francis Field remains an active facility on campus.

The Climatron at the Missouri Botanical Garden houses a recreated rain forest filled with plants. The Climatron, built in 1960, was the world's first climate-controlled geodesic dome designed as a greenhouse. The Garden also is the site of the largest Japanese Garden in North America and is considered one of the Top Three public gardens in the world.

St. Louis' McDonnell Douglas Corporation, now Boeing, designed and built the space capsule that carried the first astronauts into space in the 1960's when the company was known as McDonnell Aircraft. See some on display at the St. Louis Science Center.

The first cathedral west of the Mississippi River was built on the St. Louis riverfront. The Old Cathedral remains a working parish church of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

Noted St. Louis surgeon Dr. Evarts Graham performed the first lung cancer operation in
St. Louis in 1933.

The first case of post-prohibition Budweiser was delivered to Franklin Delano Roosevelt at the White House via the Budweiser eight-horse Clydesdale hitch. It was the first major appearance by the now famous draft horses and signature red wagon. You can tour the famous brewery’s headquarters in St. Louis throughout the year. The complimentary Anheuser-Busch brewery tour includes a stop at the elegant Clydesdale stables.

The first United States kindergarten was started in 1873 by Susan Blow in St. Louis. You can visit Miss Blow’s original kindergarten classroom that is operated by the Carondelet Historical Society in South St. Louis.

In 1818, Saint Louis University was the first university founded west of the Mississippi River.
The University’s beautiful Museum of Art is open free to the public.

The Old Courthouse in St. Louis features the first cast iron dome ever built. The historic building was the scene of Dred Scott's 1847 historic freedom trial, which focused national attention on the slavery issue. National Park Service rangers provide free tours.

The first successful parachute jump from an airplane took place at St. Louis’ Jefferson Barracks in 1912. You can visit the historic U.S. Army post where the U.S. Cavalry was formed and where U.S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, William Pershing and other famous soldiers served. A military museum traces the Barracks' history in U.S. conflicts from the time of the Black Hawk Wars to the end of World War II.

If you’ve never visited St. Louis, make your first trip soon to explore a fascinating and fun city that we hope will become number one on your list of favorite destinations.

Want to feel like the leader of the free world? Cast your vote for a trip to St. Louis where you’ll be humming “Hail to the Chief” during a Presidential getaway.

An acclaimed Smithsonian Institution exhibition, The American Presidency, fills the special exhibit gallery at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis from now through January 8, 2006. Other “presidential” St. Louis sites include two homes of 18th President U.S. Grant and the national monument to Thomas Jefferson’s dream of a continental United States – the Gateway Arch.

The American Presidency exhibition explores the office, the men who occupied it and their dynamic relationships with the public. Highlights of the exhibit include a dispatch case used by George Washington during the Revolutionary War, a microphone used by Franklin D. Roosevelt in his "fireside chats," and a formal gown worn by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Video stations examine life in the White House, the various roles of the president, the assassination and mourning of fallen chief executives, the presidency in the popular imagination, and life after the presidency. Photographs and graphics trace the history of the presidency from the creation of the office to the present day. The American Presidency offers captivating new perspectives on the job that is arguably the most powerful in the world.

Throughout St. Louis’ history, the office of the president of the United States has impacted St. Louis and St. Louis has influenced that office. Visitors to St. Louis can discover the city’s presidential connections by touring several free, historic attractions. The following highlights these great places to visit and offers some historical and fun facts about St. Louis’ relationship with those who have held the nation’s top job:

President Thomas Jefferson’s dream of a continental United States became closer to reality when he purchased the Louisiana Territory, which included St. Louis, from France for $15 million in 1803. Today, Jefferson’s vision is commemorated on St. Louis’ Mississippi River bank with a gleaming, 630-foot stainless steel sculpture known as the Gateway Arch. The Arch, now the internationally recognized symbol of St. Louis, is part of the 97-acre Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, a national park dedicated to America’s westward expansion and the movement that made St. Louis the Gateway to the West. More than 4 million annual visitors explore the Arch grounds which also include the Museum of Westward Expansion located beneath the sculpture, St. Louis’ Old Courthouse and Luther Ely Smith Square.

In 1843, young Second Lieutenant Ulysses S. Grant, fresh from West Point, was assigned to
St. Louis’ Jefferson Barracks. Grant was a frequent visitor to the home of his academy roommate Frederick Dent who lived on his family’s St. Louis County farm, White Haven.

There he met and fell in love with Dent’s sister Julia. Five years later, upon “Sam” Grant’s return from the Mexican-American War, the couple married on August 22 at the Dent’s St. Louis city home at Fourth and Cerre Streets. The young couple lived at White Haven until Grant’s military assignments separated him from his wife and young family. Grant dreaded the separation from Julia and the children so much that he resigned his commission and returned to them in St. Louis. Grant built a log cabin home on a 100-acre tract on the White Haven farm given to him and his wife by his father-in-law. He and his family lived there for three months until his mother-in-law Ellen Dent’s death after which the Grant’s moved back to the main family house.

Located 15-minutes from downtown St. Louis and open free-of-charge, White Haven is operated as the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site. Visitors can tour the Victorian-style house and grounds and learn more about the Dent and Grant families’ lives at the interpretive center operated by the National Parks Service.

Hardscrabble, the log cabin home hand-built by U.S. Grant, can be seen from April through October at Grant’s Farm, a 281-acre animal preserve operated by St. Louis’ Anheuser-Busch, Inc. The free attraction also features a Clydesdale horse breeding farm, a petting zoo and animal conservation and skill shows. Incidentally, Grant’s cabin was moved from its original setting near what is now St. Paul’s Churchyard Cemetery to be placed on view as a major attraction at St. Louis’ fabled 1904 World’s Fair.

U.S. Grant sold cordwood harvested from his Hardscrabble farm at St. Louis’ Soulard Farmer’s Market. Produce, fresh meats, spices and flowers are available to modern day shoppers Wednesday through Saturday. In operation since 1779, Soulard is the nation’s oldest farmers’ market and a cornerstone of Soulard, St. Louis’ oldest neighborhood. Only minutes south of downtown St. Louis, Soulard is known for its brick row houses, blues music clubs, corner taverns and as home to the world headquarters of Anheuser-Busch, Inc., the world’s largest brewer. Soulard celebrates its French heritage each year by hosting one of the nation’s biggest Mardi Gras celebrations and spirited events to commemorate Bastille Day.

In 1861, U.S. Grant legally freed his only slave at St. Louis’ Old Courthouse, the building that was the scene of Dred and Harriet Scott’s historic freedom trial. The famous case, which started in 1847 at the Old Courthouse, focused national attention on the slavery issue. Scott won his case in St. Louis only to have the Supreme Court overturn the lower court’s ruling, denying Scott and his wife Harriet their freedom on the grounds that they were not U.S. citizens and, therefore, not entitled to sue. Visitors can tour the historic courtroom and St. Louis history galleries and participate in National Park Service ranger-led reenactments of the famed Dred Scott trial.

Thanks to President Theodore Roosevelt, the “lights were shining” in St. Louis on April 30, 1904. That day, through the magic of turn-of-the-century public relations, from the East Room of the White House, T.R. “turned the key” which officially opened the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. Roosevelt visited the St. Louis fair on November 26, 1904 to be greeted by more than 200,000 cheering fairgoers. An on-going, free exhibit about the 1904 World’s Fair is on view at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. An avid outdoorsman, Roosevelt was most pleased that the first Olympic Games ever staged in the United States were taking place in St. Louis in conjunction with the fair. The games were held at Washington University stadium which is now known as Francis Field in honor of David R. Francis, the St. Louis civic leader who was the president and director of the famous fair. You can see the historic field, which is still in use, at Skinker Avenue and Big Bend Boulevard, just west of Forest Park.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the recipient of a true St. Louis-style gift in 1934. The first case of post-prohibition Budweiser was delivered to FDR at the White House via the Budweiser eight-horse hitch. The now famous draft horses and signature red wagon were presented to the St. Louis-based brewery’s owner by his son August A. Busch Jr. Since that day, the Clydesdales have become synonymous with Anheuser-Busch and St. Louis, appearing in commercials and at major events and parades throughout the country. Visitors can tour the famous brewery’s headquarters in St. Louis throughout the year. The complimentary Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour includes a stop at the Clydesdale stables.

“This is one for the books.” So said Missouri’s-own President Harry S Truman when presented with the infamous newspaper bearing the headline, “Dewey Defeats Truman.” The celebrated
photograph of a victorious Truman raising the erroneous Chicago Daily Tribune was taken on the back of a train car at St. Louis Union Station on November 3, 1948. Once the world’s busiest passenger train station, St. Louis Union Station has found new life as a festival marketplace of shops, restaurants, nightclubs, a man-made lake complete with paddleboats and the luxurious Hyatt Regency St. Louis hotel. The image of Harry Truman casts a glow from a neon sculpture along a building front in downtown St. Louis on Olive Street between 9th and 10th streets.

Gasoline prices got you down? Perk up with a visit to St. Louis where your car can take a vacation, too. Once you arrive in the Gateway City you can lock it and pocket the key then hop, scoot and zip around to great attractions all over town. Alternative transportation options include ultra-modern Segway scooters, traditional shuttles, bicycles and festive double-decker, open-top buses.

Hopping around St. Louis has never been more colorful thanks to the addition of the authentic London double-decker, open-top buses of City Sightseeing to the touring scene. Tours circulate through downtown St. Louis and nearby attractions or take in the top spots in Forest Park and the Missouri Botanical Garden. Tickets are good for two days with hop-on, hop-off privileges at 33 stops including the Gateway Arch, City Museum, St. Louis Union Station, the Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour Center, the fun-filled Loop neighborhood, the Cathedral Basilica, the Saint Louis Zoo and more. Kids under 16 years of age ride free with an accompanying adult.

Use the latest technology to tour the attractions within St. Louis’ historic Forest Park via a that Segway motorized standing, two-wheel “scooter.” The Saint Louis Science Center operates the tours from its McDonnell Planetarium site within Forest Park. A dozen Segways are available for three-hour, guided “Park ‘n’ Ride” tours through the park highlight the architecture, nature and attractions within the 1,300-plus acre greenspace including the Grand Basin fountains, the Jewel Box greenhouse, the Missouri History Museum, the Saint Louis Art Museum and the World’s Fair Pavilion. The “Wheels ‘n’ Meals” tour includes a box lunch meal. Riders must be 16 years old and weigh between 100 and 260 pounds and complete a 30-minute Segway training session offered before each tour.

Segway tours run through Labor Day. During June, the Segway program is scheduled on Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. and Sunday from 12:30 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. The tour schedule will expand in July to Wednesday through Sunday. Visitors can make credit card reservations by calling the Saint Louis Science Center Box Office at 314-289-4424. Prices are $5 for Segway pre-tour training, $80 for the “Wheels ‘n’ Meals” tour and $60 for the “Park ‘n’ Ride” option. Segway 101, a more detailed training course, is available for $10.

Another great way to experience the wonders of Forest Park is with the Zip2 Forest Park Shuttle. The shuttle operates from the Forest Park/DeBaliviere MetroLink light rail station and zips to the park’s most popular attractions including The Boathouse, Forest Park Visitor Center, Missouri History Museum, the Jewel Box greenhouse, The Muny Opera, Saint Louis Art Museum, Science Center and Zoo. Forest Park Shuttle tickets can be purchased on board the Forest Park Shuttle, for $1.50 (or $.75 for Senior Citizens, Disabled Passengers, and Children ages 5-12).

Forest Park visitors also can take leisurely, guided bike rides around the roads and paths with City Cycling Tours. Daily 2.5 to 3-hour-long programs cover a 12-mile route with 20 stops that describe the history of the park, architectural and natural features and background on the cultural institutions that call the park home. Helmets are provided and there are a wide range of
comfortable bike frame sizes available. Start times are flexible and group rates are available.
Call 314-616-5724 for reservations. For those who wish to explore the park or surrounding neighborhoods on their own, bike rentals are available at Big Shark Bicycle Company. Located a short bike ride from Forest Park at 6178 Delmar in The Loop neighborhood. Big Shark offers a variety of bike styles and helmets. Call 314-862-1188 or visit Big Shark's web site for details.

Visitors can use their own pedal power to explore even more of St. Louis. Single bikes, tandems, trailers and tag-a-longs are available from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. daily from the kiosk operated by the Gateway Arch Riverfront. With their rental, visitors can get maps of the surrounding trail system. Cyclists also can follow new Bike St. Louis markers scattered throughout downtown St. Louis and several historic neighborhoods. The 20-mile path allows bikers to take a self-paced tour of top attractions and St. Louis’ noted architecture and links riders with a variety of regional trails.

If you’re such a fan of gasoline-consuming personal transportation that you can’t part with your vehicle, be sure to drive to the new automobile gallery at the Museum of Transportation. That’s where 17 vintage automobiles are housed in a glass-enclosed gallery designed to resemble a new car showroom.

At the end of the day, you can get your kicks along the St. Louis stretch of fabled Route 66 with a refreshment break at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, an iconic “Mother Road” refreshment stand known for serving “concretes” – milkshakes so thick they serve them to you upside down.

Need a weekend getaway? Explore St. Louis.

You can make some beautiful music on Friday night when the free Jungle Boogie concert swings from 5 - 7 p.m. at the Saint Louis Zoo. At Jefferson Barracks County Park, the Blues on the Mississippi series begins at 8 p.m. Billy Idol sneers his way across the stage at The Pageant concert club in the Loop neighborhood and, down the street, Kim Massie adds her voice to the Divas of Jazz series at Brandt's Cafe and The Young Dubliners perform at Blueberry Hill. Rick Springfield (yes, that Rick Springfield) is in concert at the Roberts Orpheum Theatre Downtown.

On Saturday, you can catch "All That Tap," a salute to the art of tap dance, at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. Also on Saturday, up-and-coming jazz chanteuse Erin Bode sings at Brandt's, Hooch & Daddy O are at The Pageant and the Kim Massie Trio is on stage at Finale in the Clayton neighborhood.

Sunday brings the Sugar Water Festival (Queen Latifah, Erykah Badu and Jill Scott) to UMB Bank Pavilion and the Scream Tour IV Festival to Savvis Center. (If you don't know what Scream Tour is, you're too told to go.) The Compton Heights Band performs a Sunday Serenade in the evening at Francis Park.

If you're bringing the kids, why not get them really, really dirty at Mighty Mud Mania. (Then you can hose them off and throw them into the hotel pool.) The annual event takes muddy family activities to new depths at Jefferson Barracks Park on Saturday. Cleaner fun can be found on The Hill, St. Louis' Italian neighborhood where Saturday is Hill Day 2005. You can learn to play (and properly pronounce) Bocce, Italian lawn bowling. Plus you can get tasty treats from the Hill's famous restaurants, enjoy some music and shopping or just mingle with the locals. Noon - 9 p.m.

Gateway International Raceway honors the royalty of racing on Saturday, July 30 during the Wallace Family Tribute 250 NASCAR Busch Series.

Check the interactive Calendar of Events for info on these events and much more.

Let's say you've never been to St. Louis before. (Is that possible? You've never eaten a toasted ravioli? Never visited a blues club? Never had a cold Bud fresh from the Brewery tour's hospitality center?) Then you might need a quick idea of what there is to see and do here before your first visit. See the video.

Now that you know more about us, gather your friends or family members and make plans for a St. Louis getaway. We have special hotel packages for families, couples, shoppers, casino players, sports fans and arts & culture lovers. Or, you can check room-only rates for your travel dates at St. Louis' top hotels.

Click on the interactive Calendar of Events to see what's happening during your St. Louis visit. We list sporting events, theatre and music, festivals, fairs, etc.

And don't forget to visit the Tickets & Deals area to save on attraction admissions, shopping, transportation, dining and much more to make an already affordable St. Louis visit even more cost effective.

See you soon!

Who says there's nothing going on in the middle of the week? Get out on July 27 and take advantage of one of the special events taking place in the City and the County:

• Interlude -- the sophisticated vocal duo of Sharon Hunter and Kevin Kurth are warbling at Brandt's Café in The Loop neighborhood. For more information call: (314) 727-3663.

• Off the Wall Wednesday - This may be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. The classic Bogart film, "Casablanca," is shown outside in Kiener Plaza in Downtown St. Louis. Festivities begin at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8: 45 p.m. For more information call: (314) 436 6500. FREE

• Sessions Big Band -- The hipsters are swinging into the new club, Finale, at 8025 Bonhomme, in Clayton. Call 314-421-4400 for tickets.

• Whitaker Music Festival -- Can a White Boy play the blues? You bet he can. See Billy Peek in concert at the beautiful Missouri Botanical Garden. Call (314) 577-5100.FREE. If you don't get enough music at the Garden, stop in at BB's or the Broadway Oyster Bar just south of downtown for music from 9 p.m. until 2:30 a.m.

• Gateway Grizzlies Baseball Game -- The Cards are on a West Coast tour, but that shouldn't stop you from catching some baseball action. See the Gateway Grizzlies take on the Chillicothe Paints at GMC Stadium in Sauget, IL, within sight of the Arch. Call (618) 337-3000.
  

Looking for a place to cool off during the day while you're out exploring St. Louis? (And no complaining. It's hot everywhere in the summer.) Here are a few of our favorite icy hangouts:

• Penguin & Puffin Coast at the Saint Louis Zoo. (Which is free as well as cool.) You could reach out and touch these playful arctic birds if it weren't for the very watchful eyes of the nice zookeepers. As it is, just enjoy the breezes inside this super cool up-close exhibit.
• IceZONE at St. Louis Mills. Skate with friends or just sit in the stands and watch the more graceful among us glide by while you relax. Either way, it's a refreshing experience.
• Meramec Caverns. Take a drive out Old Route 66 to America's Cave. It's always 60 degrees inside. (Just follow the painted barn roofs for directions.)
• The Central Library. In a city known for its great architecture, we defy you to find a prettier place than this Carnegie library at 1301 Olive. Designed by Cass Gilbert, the Italian Renaissance-style building features stained glass windows, hand-stenciled ceilings and glass floors.
• The Beechwood aging room at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. (Another free attraction.) See the amber brew in its formative stages before it shows up in your cup at the ballpark. You can almost hear the vendors yelling, "Cold Bud!"

We have a new Chairman at the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission -- Dan Dierdorf, the NFL Hall of Famer and CBS football analyst. Here's the official word on Dan:

DIERDORF NAMED NEW ST. LOUIS CVC CHAIRMAN

St. Louis – July 25, 2005 – Football great Dan Dierdorf is the new Chairman of the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission (CVC).

The announcement was made by Missouri Governor Matt Blunt. Dierdorf, whose term begins on August 29, replaces outgoing Chairman J. Kim Tucci, president of the St. Louis-based Pasta House Co. restaurants. Tucci has been in office since 2002.

A 1996 inductee in the pro Football Hall of Fame and a former all-pro tackle with the NFL’s St. Louis Cardinals, Dierdorf has distinguished himself nationally as one of the top football announcers in the industry. He is currently an NFL television analyst for CBS and a St. Louis restaurateur.

The St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission is the official destination marketing organization for St. Louis City and St. Louis County. An economic development agency, the CVC works to bring valuable conventions, meetings, group tours and leisure visitors to St. Louis. The organization also operates and manages the America’s Center convention complex, which includes the Edward Jones Dome at America’s Center. The St. Louis CVC is the only destination marketing organization in the country to also manage its community’s convention center and a domed stadium.

Dierdorf will head a 10-person Board of Commissioners appointed by the Mayor of the City of St. Louis and the St. Louis County Executive.

“We are very excited to welcome Dan to the CVC,” said Carole Moody, president of the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission. “His enthusiasm for St. Louis is contagious and his high-profile in the community and across the country will be a great help in our efforts to win business for the destination.”

St. Louis now has 7,600 hotel sleeping rooms near America’s Center and more than 35,000 rooms area-wide. More than 2,200 rooms have been added to the downtown inventory since 2001. The convention center offers 502,000 square feet of prime exhibit space along with the 70,000-seat Edward Jones Dome, a 28,000 square-foot ballroom, the 1,400-seat Ferrara Theatre and the St. Louis Executive Conference Center.

Nearly $3 billion in downtown development is underway in the destination, including construction of a new ballpark for the St. Louis Cardinals to open in April 2006, a $208 million Pinnacle Casino east of the Edward Jones Dome, the Bottle District entertainment area just north of the dome, the Old Post Office Square redevelopment, dozens of new restaurants and thousands of loft condominiums opening in St. Louis’ historic buildings surrounding the convention center.

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Thinking about visiting St. Louis this year? This is a forum that will give you information about tourism and conventions here in the "Gateway to the West."

First, the basics. St. Louis is located on the Mississippi River in the heart of the Midwest. This image shows a towboat (no, they're not called "tug" boats here) gliding by the Gateway Arch, our signature attraction.

Speaking of the Arch, the monument celebrates its 40th birthday later this year. On October 28, there will be a "turn back the clock" party with rides to the top for just $1 (the same price as the original opening day). You also can see the great documentary, "Monument to the Dream," for free that day and meet some of the Arch's original builders. (If you think that scene on Mt. Rushmore in the Hitchcock movie "North by Northwest" is a palm-sweater, just wait until you watch these iron workers walking around on that thin, hot piece of metal 630 feet in the sky. And no one died. Amazing.) You can get more information at www.gatewayarch.com.

Here's a tip. If you're planning to visit the Arch during your St. Louis getaway, you can get timed tickets online in advance. Trust us...it will save you a lot of time and help you plan your trip more efficiently. Do not, however, use the timed tickets you snag as an excuse to miss the amazing Museum of Westward Expansion underneath the Arch. It explains why the monument is here in St. Louis (to honor Thomas Jefferson and to explore the opening of the American West) and gives you a crash course in American history from 1800 - 1900.