A peek at my morning in the Shaw Neighborhood...

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, 

but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.” 

~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross 

Date Night at Flora Borealis at the Missouri Botanical Garden

The 2018 Flora Borealis experience at the Missouri Botanical Garden was magical, marvelous, and enchanting... 

Follow it by a trip to Ted Drewes and call it the perfect date night, St. Louis! ✨ Don't miss it, friends. It runs through August 26th.

Learn more and buy tickets here: 
http://events.missouribotanicalgarden.org/flora

The Late-Summer Scene at the Missouri Botanical Garden...

Paul Cezanne said "Art is a harmony parallel to nature." One of my favorite aspects of the Missouri Botanical Garden is the beautiful relationship and play between the landscape and art installations in every nook and cranny of this city gem.  

While every season in the garden is lovely and special in its own way, the full maturity of late-summer provides a magnificent backdrop for the sculptures with lush volume and spectacular color.  

Steve and I snuck away for a long-overdue morning stroll this week.  A peek...

St. Louis Weekend Happenings: September 30 - October 2, 2016

Best of Missouri Market

Venture out to the Missouri Botanical Garden for the 25th annual Best of Missouri Market, an event that attracts more than 25,000 people annually. Over 120 vendors offer local flowers, food, baked goods, jewelry, and handmade goods over the course of three days. Enjoy live music, crafts, and kids' activities as you welcome the arrival of Fall.

October 1st and 2nd from 9am-5pm at the Missouri Botanical Gardens, with a special preview "First Look" on Friday night.

$12 adults (ages 13 and over)
$5 children (ages 3–12)
$5 Garden Members
Free Garden members' children (ages 3–12)

For more info:
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/things-to-do/events/signature-events/best-of-missouri-market.aspx 

Print the official 2016 program guide HERE.

11th Annual GroveFest

No one knows how to throw a street party like The Grove in St. Louis!  GroveFest is an eclectic street festival in the Grove, a vibrant commercial district  in St. Louis.  Last year the festival drew over 12,000 attendees, was likened to funky New Orleans street festivals, and was praised for the diversity in programming and turnout. This year’s GroveFest is the 11th annual, so they are going above and beyond with live music, kids' stations, amazing food, and more!

Saturday from 2-11pm in The Grove along Manchester between Kingshighway and Vandeventer 

For more info:
http://www.thegrovestl.com/events/grove-fest/

Taste of Trucktober

Come celebrate food on wheels in West County, where the food is the STAR! This family-friendly festival hosts an array of gourmet food trucks including The Southerner, WingNut, Global Quesadilla, Cheese Shack, Pi, Cruizin, Fusion, Steak Louie, Sarah's Cakestop, Qlicious, and MORE!  Complete with live music, games, and karaoke... it is foodie fun for the whole family.

Saturday, October 1st from 12-5

FREE Admission

Chesterfield Amphitheater
631 Veterans Place Drive
Chesterfield, MO 63017

For more info:
http://www.trucktoberstl.com/


Shaw Neighborhood Art Fair

The Shaw Neighborhood Improvement Association (SNIA) has hosted the very popular Shaw Art Fair each Fall since 1993. Located on the tree-lined parkway of beautiful Flora Place at Tower Grove Avenue, the Historic Shaw Art Fair is one of the premier fine art and fine craft fairs in the St. Louis area. It is highly rated by art fair magazines and participating artists. Roughly 135 top caliber artists and craftspeople from around the country are selected each year to participate in the professionally juried event.  You will also enjoy live music and local cuisine.

Saturday, October 1st from 9am to 5pm
Sunday, October 2nd from 10am to 5pm

Blocks of 4100-4200 Flora Place, St. Louis MO 63110

$7 per adult, which is good for admission to both days. Children 14 and under are free with an adult. Bring a non-perishable food item to receive $1 off admission—benefiting Isaiah 58 Ministries and Mount Olive Church.

For more info:
http://shawstlouis.org/attractions-amenities/historic-shaw-art-fair/

May Scene At The Missouri Botanical Gardens

Happiness is finishing your work early on a Friday so you can sneak in an afternoon of fun! Here is a teeny peek at the May scene at the Missouri Botanical Garden yesterday...

St. Louis Weekend Happenings: October 2- October 4, 2015

Best of Missouri Market

Venture out to the Missouri Botanical Garden for their popular Best of Missouri Market, an event that attracts more than 25,000 people annually. Over 100 vendors offer local flowers, food, baked goods, jewelry, and handmade goods over the course of three days. Enjoy live music, crafts, and kids' activities as you welcome the arrival of Fall.

October 3rd and 4th from 9am-5pm at the Missouri Botanical Gardens, with a special preview "First Look" on Friday night.

$12 adults (ages 13 and over)
$5 children (ages 3–12)
$5 Garden Members
Free Garden members' children (ages 3–12)

For more info:
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/things-to-do/events/signature-events/best-of-missouri-market.aspx 

Print the official 2015 program guide HERE.


Lemp Haunted Walking Neighborhood Tour

Everyone has heard of the infamous haunting of the Lemp mansion, but few know that the Lemp Mansion is one haunted house in a cluster of hauntings! Join members of the St. Louis Paranormal Research Society and walk through "America's Most Haunted Neighborhood" EVERY Friday night in October!  Hear the tragic history of the Lemp Family, learn the locations of two lost Lemp Neighborhood Cemeteries, and see the foundation stones of the first Lemp Mansion as you tour the area and they share other spooky tales ofmore haunted and historical locations along our tour route.

Every Friday, starting at 9pm. They meet inside the Lemp Mansion Museum. The tour lasts approximately 2 hours and is 3/4 miles in length. 

$20 per person. Refunds will be offered if we cancelled or rescheduled a tour, and tours will run rain or shine. 

For More info:
http://www.seeaghost.com/lemp-neighborhood-walk-tour.html


10th Annual GroveFest

No one knows how to throw a street party like The Grove in St. Louis!  GroveFest is an outrageously eclectic street festival in the Grove, a vibrant commercial district  in St. Louis.  Last year the festival drew over 12,000 attendees, was likened to funky New Orleans street festivals, and was praised for the diversity in programming and turnout. This year’s GroveFest is the 10th annual, so they are going above and beyond with live music, kids' stations, amazing food, and more!

Saturday from 2-10pm in The Grove along Manchester between Kingshighway and Vandeventer 

For more info:
http://www.thegrovestl.com/events/grove-fest/

Taste of Trucktober

Come celebrate food on wheels in West County, where the food is the STAR! This family-friendly festival hosts an array of gourmet food trucks including Mission Taco, Pie Oh My, Pi, The Meltdown, Steak Louie, Sarah's Cakestop, Pyro Pizza, and MORE!  Complete with live music, games, and karaoke... it is foodie fun for the whole family.

Saturday, October 3rd from 12-5

FREE Admission

Chesterfield Amphitheater
631 Veterans Place Drive
Chesterfield, MO 63017

For more info:
http://www.trucktoberstl.com/


Shaw Neighborhood Art Fair

The Shaw Neighborhood Improvement Association (SNIA) has hosted the very popular Shaw Art Fair each Fall since 1993. Located on the tree-lined parkway of beautiful Flora Place at Tower Grove Avenue, the Historic Shaw Art Fair is one of the premier fine art and fine craft fairs in the St. Louis area. It is highly rated by art fair magazines and participating artists. Roughly 135 top caliber artists and craftspeople from around the country are selected each year to participate in the professionally juried event.  You will also enjoy live music and local cuisine.

Saturday, October 3th from 9am to 5pm
Sunday, October 4th from 10am to 5pm

Blocks of 4100-4200 Flora Place, St. Louis MO 63110

$7 per adult, which is good for admission to both days. Children 14 and under are free with an adult. Bring a non-perishable food item to receive $1 off admission—benefiting Isaiah 58 Ministries.

For more info:
http://shawstlouis.org/attractions-amenities/historic-shaw-art-fair/

Winter Scene from the Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden...

Last night we strolled though the Missouri Botanical Garden, magically illuminated by a half million twinkling lights for the Garden Glow.  I will say St. Louis, while it is incredibly crowded, the display is just as visually spectacular as you can imagine!  If you have not yet done so, bundle up your family and enjoy the fun.  The display runs through January 3rd.  Find more information HERE.

Here is a peek at our visit.  NOTE:  my shoddy mobile uploads do NOT do the display justice!

A quick run by Ted Drewes was in order after the holiday fun, of course =)...

Whitaker Music Festival 2014 Concert Schedule at the Missouri Botanical Garden

The Whitaker Schedule kicks off this week!  Nothing better than music under the stars at the garden...

Just for fun: April blooms

Tower Grove Park is officially in bloom...

I don't know which is more colorful, the Spring forsythia or the lovely century old pavilion!

My oh my, what a difference 6 weeks can make?!

Winter Wonderland in Tower Grove Park

I showed properties in Tower Grove South over the weekend, and couldn't resist a drive-through the park.  Tower Grove Park, sandwiched between Kingshighway and Grand just south of Highway 44, dates back to 1868 when St. Louis historical figure, Henry Shaw, conveyed part of his land to the City of St. Louis.  Currently at approximately 289 acres, Tower Grove Park is not only a beloved St. Louis landmark... it is also on the National Historic Landmark Registry. 

Personally, many a childhood memory of mine live in Tower Grove Park.  I have stated before on numerous personal bios that my father was a real estate investor over the duration of my childhood.  Most of his properties were in the South City area, and I truly attribute my deep-seated love for historical buildings and real estate to accompanying him on his many summer ventures while I was out of school on summer vacation.

A typical South city morning with my dad exploring beautiful historic buildings flooded with stained-glass light was usually topped off by take-out from Amighetti's on The Hill.  We would take our lunch to Tower Grove Park where we shared it under one of the historic pavilions.  He then would allow me to play in the wading pool to cool off.

Memories one does not forget.

Perhaps THE most distinguishable features of the park, are in fact the colorful pavilions which date
back as early as 1872.  Each one unique, each one more colorful and interesting than the next.  The pavilions have always intrigued me and are breathtaking all 12 months of the year, however, there is nothing like the way they POP when the park is under a beautiful blanket of white. 

The weather outside may be frightful, but Tower Grove Park remains beautiful!  A teeny peek...

Learn more about Tower Grove Park HERE on their website and consider printing off a copy of THIS fantastic visitor's guide before you go, complete with maps, park features, and history

You may also find the park on Facebook HERE and HERE on Twitter.