Take advantage of the old man’s birthday by getting free admission from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to the Garden and the Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden.

Throughout the day a variety of events will take place. In the memory of the era in which Shaw lived, old-fashioned entertainment including music, a silhouette artist, a stilt-walker, a magician, actors in Victorian fashions and children’s games will set up throughout the day. Keep an eye out for "Henry Shaw" who will be strolling the grounds all day talking to guests. [morelink]

Also the afternoon will include some petal power in the form of the Petal Pedal bike race. For free, travel all or part of the five-mile Bike St. Louis route from the Missouri Botanical Garden to nearby Tower Grove Park. Like the Missouri Botanical Garden, the area of Tower Grove Park was also established by Shaw. The race is open to all ages and registration is between 10 and 11 a.m. in the Garden’s east parking lot.

The Garden's gates will close at 5 p.m. in preparation for the later events. Evening activities will be highlighted by the “Three Stars over the Garden” lawn concert. The event gets its name from the three St. Louis stars it honors; Shaw, the Garden’s president Dr. Peter Raven and “The Father of Rock and Roll” Chuck Berry who is also the concert’s main act.  All three have stars on the St. Louis Walk of Fame.  Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the concert begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are required for the concert and range between $60 and $50 dollars.

photo courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden

Oh yeah, and most importantly, zoo keepers must know how to hold their breath for hours while they work inside of the monkey house- that place smells!

So in honor of keepers across the county who are able to feed giant boa constrictors without breaking a sweat and walk trough the elephant house without holding their noses, the Saint Louis Zoo will celebrate National Zoo Keeper Week from July 19 to July 25. [morelink]

"The Zoo is happy to honor this amazing group of animal specialists," says Dr. Jeffrey P. Bonner, Dana Brown President and CEO of the Saint Louis Zoo. "Our zoo keepers devote their lives to taking care of very special animals on a daily basis, to conserving species for the future and to educating the public about the need to preserve animals and their habitats."

As a special treat this week, keepers from each animal unit will give informal talks throughout the Zoo tomorrow, Thursday, July 23, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Also, the St. Louis chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) will be giving chats throughout the week to talk about zookeeping and the AAZK. The current St. Louis chapter was established in 2003 and is made up of zookeepers, Zoo staff and volunteers dedicated to professional animal care and conservation.

So stop by the zoo this week to show the keepers some love and to learn a bit more about the people who keep the Saint Louis Zoo running.

[morelink]

In honor/promotion of said film, they’re holding a nationwide talent search at Six Flags…um, nationwide.  “Six Flags is thrilled to be working with MGM on the reinvention of this iconic title,” said David McKillips, Senior Vice-President, Corporate Alliances.  “This campaign demonstrates our unique ability to develop 360° experiential and brand-building marketing programs that provide direct access to millions of consumers nationwide.”

Ironically, just last night my 9-year old asked if I would take him to Six Flags.  When I asked him why…well, damn it if he didn’t say that he wanted to take part in a 360° experiential and brand-building marketing program.  Out of the mouths of babes, huh?

So if you want to participate, here’s the scoop:

The FAME National Talent Search is taking place at the St. Louis Six Flags theme park on July 25-26. Auditions are on Saturday, July 25 from 9:30 AM-12:30 PM. The top 10 performers will be invited back to participate in the semi-finals show on Sunday, July 26th at which one finalist will win a trip to LA to compete in the finals for the Grand Prize!

The Grand Prize includes:

-$5,000 cash
-Photo spread in OK! Magazine
-5 day/4 night trip to Hollywood
-Meet and greet with a top talent agent and studio executive
-plus the final performance will be included on the FAME DVD!

More information can be found on the attached flyer at GenerationFame.com

You got big dreams? You want be in a talent show? Well talent shows cost and right here's where you start paying…in sweat!   

This year the main stage’s big draws are two big bands and one small duo.  The Counting Crows will start the weekend and play July 3 at 8:00 p.m. The band is known for such hits at “Mrs. Jones” and “Actually in Love”. On July 4 the afternoon will start with a performance by Nat and Alex Wolff, two young entertainers best known for their hit Nickelodeon series The Naked Brothers Band. July Fourth’s music performances will be brought to a close by Train who will take to the stage at 8:00 p.m. Train is a rock band that has sold over 4 million albums and is best known for songs such as “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” and  “When I Look To The Sky”. Other local artists such as Magnolia Summer, The Feed, The Incurables, Green River Ordinance, and Jon Hardy and the Public will be occupying the stage between the main acts. [morelink]

One of the best things about Fair St. Louis is always the perpetual smell of delicious food coming from the grounds. You will have plenty to choose from; pulled pork sandwiches, philly cheesesteaks, pad thai, turkey legs, kabobs and gyros are always crowd favorites. If you choose to wash your food down with a cold beverage, know that quenching your thirst is for a good cause. The beverage booths are staffed by volunteers and raise funds for local charities. In 2008, the Fair Saint Louis Foundation donated nearly $100,000 to 12 non-profit groups through the Community Vendor Program.

Fair St. Louis will have plenty to offer in kids entertainment as well. The K-Town Kids Zone has its own performance stage and will feature circus, music, drumline and dance performances. There are also planned competitions for kids of all ages to take part in and attractions like an arcade zone, inflatable games and a rock-climbing wall. The best part about the activities is that they are all entirely free.

On Saturday, the 132nd annual Veiled Prophet Parade plans to officially kick off Independence Day and promises to bring huge crowds to the fairgrounds. The annual spectacular winds through downtown St. Louis starting at 10 a.m. and will be lead by the parade's honorary grand marshal, Fredbird. The parade theme, “Everybody Needs A Vacation,” promises some fun floats and over 100 units will stretch the parade to be about five miles long.

Each night will close in an earsplitting and eye-popping display- fireworks. Put on by Gateway Fireworks Display, Fair St. Louis’s fireworks shows have, in the past, been ranked in the top ten for Fourth of July Fireworks displays in the United States. This year Gateway Fireworks Display promises the same quality.

Though Fair St. Louis is always an excellent event, a few flaws are ever present in its organization. Here are a few tips to avoid hassle. You are getting a free day at the fair but your car is not. Skip expensive parking altogether by taking the Metrolink into downtown or park in garages typically used for Busch Stadium parking since the Cardinals are out of town. Traffic after the fireworks can be a nightmare. Either leave early and watch the fireworks from your car (preferably not while driving as to avoid accidents) or just stick around downtown and grab some food while you wait for the traffic to clear out. If you want to see a performance on the main stage, get there on time so there is still space for you to garb a seat on the stairs in front of the Arch, a perfect seat to hear the music and a perfect view for the show. Also, no pets are allowed on fair grounds, no matter how much you love Fido, make sure to leave him at home.

With so much happening at Fair St. Louis this year there is no way toastedrav can preview everything, so head to celebratestlouis.org to find out all the details.

Image courtesy of Celebrate St. Louis

On May 25 the Saint Louis Symphony Volunteer Association is hosting the 37th annual Gypsy Caravan at the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus. 

This is no small event. A city within a city will be created for up to 25,000 shoppers who will descend upon the scene to wind their way through the booths of over 300 vendors from across the country. 

[morelink] The vendors may not actually be gypsies, but they have earned the nickname.  Most of the vendors are people who travel around the country in the style of gypsies to sell their wares from the back of trucks and in a variety of sales.  This year, the caravan includes vendors from 13 different states and some coming from as far as Florida and Montana.

Shoppers' goals at the Gypsy Caravan are simple; find bargains and spot the unique treasures. There is no way any St. Louis mall can match the variety of items the caravan has to offer.  Antiques, collectibles, jewelry, furniture, fashions and crafts are just highlights of some of the goods offered. Over the past few years the caravan has earned praise as the best flea market in the Midwest for its cross of goods that make it something of an art fair and an antique mall.  Whether you leave with a bejeweled birdcage, a U-Haul of furniture or just a new shirt, something is bound to catch your eye with so much promised variety.

Rain, shine, or St. Louis humidity, the event will be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, May 25. Past shoppers recommend going early in the morning to find the best steals if you are insistent on finding true treasures.  Shopping early has an added price however.  From 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. admission is $20.  If you are more laid back and choose to pursue a relaxed Memorial Day plan, head over at any point of the day and also take advantage of the food vendors and street entertainers who will be in attendance as well. After 9 a.m. admission is only $5.

The proceeds from this admission charge benefit the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and the Symphony's education and community programs that reach out to thousands of young people each year. 



So stop by the Gypsy Caravan at the UMSL campus on May 25 and support the Symphony because you really never know when you may actually need a birdcage or if an antique garden gnome is just what your living room needs. 


To find out more visit http://www.slso.org/gypsycaravan/ for details.

_________________________________________________________________________

I have updated this story, check out the gallery for photos of the "treasures" I discovered! [gallery]

From coming face to face chest with a massive polar bear (forgive the redundancy,) to donning a penguin suit, Ends of the Earth offers an interactive experience designed to familiarize visitors with their neighbors to the far north and south. Add to that the fact that the exhibition affords parents convenient "one stop shopping" for their kids' bear skull viewing and whale tusk gazing desires, and you're left with an exhibition that's worth the eight bucks. Act now (or ever), and they'll let you enjoy the rest of the Science Center for free! Peep the gallery for a few shots from ToastedRav's visit and check out slsc.org for info. galore.

[gallery]

For a mere three bucks, visitors can make their way (after a proper arm-washing, of course) to the 17,000-gallon tank to experience hand to fin contact with two varieties of the velvety creatures. Throw in an extra buck and you'll receive a cup of food to disperse among the 32 rays as you see fit. Though the excitement of a stinger to the eye is almost too much to handle, staffers have ensured no such incident will occur, as these creatures are barb-free...so get your jollies elsewhere, sicko. Visit the Zoo's site for hours, prices, and more; and check out the gallery for ToastedRav's shots.

[gallery]

How to win tickets:
Leave a comment to this post - those that leave the first 5 comments receive a pair of complimentary tickets to the May 9th bout. Tickets will be held at box-office will call and ToastedRav.com will notify winners Thursday, May 7th. [morelink]

ARRG's season-long food drive to help Operation Food Search in St. Louis has been a great success. The roller girls have collected more than 650 canned goods and $750 in donations in the last three bouts—mostly from ARRG’s loyal fans. Spectators can bring canned goods for free prize drawing tickets for goods and services from our skaters and sponsors. Past items included handmade jewelry items, artwork, rock-n-roll crafts and gift certificates from sponsors such as Cheap TRX, Mamacita's and Onesto. Fans can get two free tickets per three canned goods they bring to each bout this season.

When:
Saturday, May 9th,
Doors at 7:00pm
Bout at 8:00pm

Where:
Bout will be held at the All American Sports Mall
11133 Lindbergh Business Ct. & Hwy 55
St. Louis, Mo 63123
Click here to purchase tickets online

Last night, I had the pleasure of going to the sold out show at the fabulous Fox Theater to see HBO's folk comedy wonders from New Zealand, Flight of the Conchords.

Having been a fan since the first season of the show, I was amped for the concert and couldn't wait to see if their personalities were as naive and dry as portrayed on their show. Turns out, Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement were some of the wittiest performers I've witnessed in my day. [morelink]

To start the show, the duo rocked out their heaviest electronic jam, Too Many (Censored) On The Dance Floor in their signature robot costumes from the show. After the number, Bret joked about how once he got on stage, he didn't even know if Jemaine was next to him performing because Jemaine was late to stage and he couldn't see to the side of him.

Their casual and seemingly improvisational droll between sets proved to be more humorous than their quirky songs, and they joked that if you didn't like the talking, just be patient and there will be more songs, and if you are just here for the talking, please wait out the songs as their would be more talking.

In one of the breaks between songs, the duo graciously thanked St. Louis and talked about their day visiting Union Station and how great St. Louis city was. Jemaine joked, "You probably think we say the same thanks to every city" and then ripped off his blue button up shirt to reveal a Cardinals t-shirt, which drove the crowd wild. Bret chimed in, "Yes, we love your hardball team." Jemaine then quipped, "I thought that was a band." 

The hour and a half long set was filled with both Season 1 and Season 2 songs from their show, such as Carol Brown, Robots, Bowie, Foux du Fafa and Mutha'uckers, as well a few songs that stayed true to their folk format that were not featured on the hit show. To keep all of the songs fresh, some lyrics were changed up a bit, which only brought on more laughs. 

I was truly amazed at the vocal range the guys are capable of; Jemaine can go from an extremely low-octave to a high-pitched note in seconds and Bret also has an incredible capability to sing like a woman, which really brought their bantering love songs to life. 

One of the greatest aspects of their performance is also the range of instruments they play. Most of the electronic instruments left me scratching my head, as they look like toys I used to play with as a child. Nevertheless, they rock out every instrument from drums to the keytar, and make it look hot. 

Towards the end of the show, the guys opened up a dialogue with the crowd, which after about 10 minutes, jokingly regretted. People in the crowd were shouting requests, asking where Murray was and yelling, "Season three!" to which Bret replied, "HBO pays someone to say that at the shows." Jemaine quickly chimed back to the audience in good humor, "You do season three!" 

Bret even ran out into the crowd at one point and played a keytar solo, where he was pretty much molested by female fans. (Although he acted bashful, he liked it.) 

Jumping backwards, the opening act for the show, Eugene Mirman, got quite a few belly laughs out of the crowd. Most of his adult material is explicit, but I would say it was all in good fun. His rant about Delta Airlines' incompetence was definitely something to be heard. To learn more about Eugene Mirman, click here.  

Overall, Flight of the Conchords delivered a stellar, unforgettable performance that kept The Fox audience grinning from ear to ear. 

To check out more photos from the event, click here to see what iParty was able to capture. Sadly, my camera phone photos are not worthy of sharing. 

Will there be a season three of Flight of the Conchords? Unfortunately, they are saying no. The buzz is that the guys struggled to crank out Season 2, and they declared back in August that it would be their final season. However, I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Yisss. 

This past Sunday Food Outreach hosted its largest annual fundraiser A Tasteful Affair !   The always-popular auction and food extravaganza was held in the Khorassan Ballroom at The Chase Park Plaza, from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.  (VIP preview party 1:00 – 2:00 pm)  Last year’s event drew a crowd of 1,500 and raised more than $280,000.  This year Nearly 1400 people packed the event and over $210,000.00 was raised. [morelink] No one ever leaves A Tasteful Affair hungry -- more than 35 restaurants and caterers are participating, including ~scape, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, SqWires, Mike Shannon’s, Lo Russo’s, Bryan Young Catering, Bistro 517, Serendipity, Butler’s Pantry, Orlando’s Catering, Pasta House, Roxane, Companion, Patty Long Catering, Onesto Pizza, and many more.

With more than 300 silent and live auction items, A Tasteful Affair party-goers found many enticing items at every price – tickets to cultural and sporting events, a variety of restaurant gift certificates, vacations, artwork, furniture, you name it – all to benefit Food Outreach in its mission to provide vital nutritional support to low income men, women, and children battling Cancer or HIV/AIDS in the greater St. Louis area.  In 2008, the need for Food Outreach services reached its highest level in its 21-year history.  More than 372,000 nutritious meals were provided to individuals in 137 Missouri and Illinois zip codes.  Currently, they are on target to serve 400,000 meals by year end.  The food that they provide helps clients tolerate their treatments and improves drug effectiveness.  The claim of serving everyone who comes to their doors is tied to the success of A Tasteful Affair.

KMOV's Virginia Kerr MC'ed the event which kicked off with a live performance by Kim Massy. 

This is a great organization to support and they are always looking for volunteers. for more information on Food Outreach log onto their website www.foodoutreach.org or call 314-652-FOOD (3663)

Style On!

DSly

[attachment:2868]

Some of my favorite photos came from the concert in the art gallery and, of course, the fun that was going on down the street at the children's concert.  (Unfortunately I didn't get the name of the performers, so if anyone knows please leave a comment!)

For the uninitiated, Cherokee Street has been on of the best places to find good food, awesome art and an array of funky little shops since as early as 1912. Its charm is such that those that have been there are soon attached.  A quick shout on Twitter for people's thoughts on Cherokee Street immediately returned some great quotes/tips for new comers:

hollymccaig: "love the stores with salvage home stuff. I just love antiques."

Businesshealth: "retro 101 is fantastic....so is Elders."

I also got "Friend-of-the-Site" Bill Streeter, of the wonderful video podcast LO-FI SAINT LOUIS, to give me his thoughts on Cherokee Street.  They are the perfect thoughts to leave you with:

Cherokee St. is like a neighborhood you might find in LA or Chicago where the hipsters and the immigrants mingle. It's a street of dreams in a literal sense, the immigrant merchants and restaurateurs to the art galleries and off beat shops, and of course there are places like Apop records, Foam and the Cherokee st. Business incubator--this is a street where people with out a lot of means are able to make things happen for themselves--where they get a chance to experiment and do things their own way. It's a refreshing polar opposite of the kind of strip mall corporate retail you will find in the county. There are no big box stores here and few big name brands. There is certainly nothing cookie cutter about Cherokee.

For more information check out Cherokee Street News or Cherokee Street.com

[gallery 10]

How to win tickets:
Leave a comment to this post - those that leave the first 5 comments receive a pair of complimentary tickets to the April 11th bout. Tickets will be held at box-office will call and ToastedRav.com will notify winners Thursday, April 9th. [morelink]

When:
Saturday, April 11th,
Doors at 7:00pm
Bout at 8:00pm

Where:
Bout will be held at the All American Sports Mall
11133 Lindbergh Business Ct. & Hwy 55
St. Louis, Mo 63123
Click here to purchase tickets online

• Friday night is a jam band lover's delight when Umphrey's McGee takes the stage at The Pageant. The band is on tour supporting their latest release, Mantis, and their shows are always a crowd pleaser; when they played last summer's Live of the Levee concert series hundreds of fans stood in a heavy downpour with thunder and lightening dancing till the band had to stop. You won't have to brave the weather for this indoor show, which starts with opens with Oklahoma rockers, The Uglysuit at 7:20pm and Umphrey's takes the stage at 8:30pm. Tickets are $25 for general admission and balcony seating.
  
  You could also grab the kids and head up to the St. Louis Art Museum to check out the Ming Dynasty exhibit. Normally you have to pay to get into the special exhibitions, but on Fridays you can check out one (or all three that are currently at the museum) for free. The Art Museum is open until 9pm on Fridays and admission is always free.


• Saturday you can check out St. Louis Fashion Week and shop trunk and sample sales in the designer's marketplace from 11am until 5pm. There will be two runway shows besides the marketplace to check out (daytime show starts at $15 and the evening show starts at $25), but shopping the marketplace is free. Before you head down, check out ToastedRav's Fashion Week preview to see learn about the shows, events and designers that will be taking place all weekend.
  
  For the adults who love a circus but like their performance a little more risque, the Bacchanal Canivale at the Koken Art Factory is a must attend event.  This costumed extravaganza (don't forget to wear your toga) starts at 8pm and will feature burlesque performances, fire eating and aerial performers as well as grape stomping, food and music.  St. Louis' premiere burlesque dancer, Lola Von Ella, will be taking the stage before heading to Europe for a festival and a cross country performance tour.


• Sunday marks the final two performances in the Moolah Shrine Circus at the St. Charles family arena. This family friendly event will have more circus animals, clowns and trapeze artists than you can shake a stick at. The Sunday performances are at 1:30pm and 6pm, tickets start at $12 and proceeds will benefit the Shriners Childrens Hospital. To learn more about the Shriners Circus, the hospital and the group that dons the famous fez hats, check out our story about the Shriners.

Show winter's last stand who is boss by getting out and enjoying all of the great events and performances around town.  If all these carnivals, circuses and shows still aren't enough check out ToastedRav's community section to find even more events and goings-ons around town.

Go forth and do good,

Melody

Whether you're St. Louis born-and-bred or new to the area, most people take advantage of any and every opportunity to network. With the United Way's young professional group, GenNext, not only do you have a chance to meet many masses of other nine-to-fivers, you have a chance to give something back to the community, too.

If you're like some people (including myself), things like this always seem like a good idea, but that whole follow-through thing really stands in your way. To make it easy for you, GenNext is having an informational meeting this evening that includes mingling and the opportunity to chat with the group's steering committee. There will even be door pizes and very impressive drink specials.

When: Tonight (March 24)
Time: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: Cardwell's in Clayton

Not that I'm to say what qualifies you as being young or not, but the group is intended for young professionals in St. Louis in their 20s and 30s. If you're unable to make the welcome meeting tonight, the next day of service is in April for either the Children's Home Society of Missouri, the Mary Ryder Home or the Society of St. Vincent De Paul. See you there.

• Friday to get everyone fired up about next weekend's Bacchanal Carnavale celebration of St. Louis Burlesque (more on that next week), you can welcome spring with the St. Louis Burlesque Showcase Spring Fling. It all starts at 8pm at Off Broadway and tickets are only $15, but you might want to get there early and enjoy their happy hour from 4pm-9pm.
  
  If you are looking for something more in the family way, tonight is the Target Free Family night at the Magic House. Starting at 5:30pm families can get into the museum for free and enjoy all of the old favorites like the static ball, and head over to the newly opened expansion to see a recreation of the Oval Office or walk through a storybook in the Once Upon a Time Gallery.
  
  Also on deck for this evening for all of the "Twerds" (read Twilight fans) are the midnight DVD release parties at area Borders bookstores featuring vampire baseball, movie awards and of course your chance to get your hands on the highly anticipated 2-disc DVD. Check out Borders.com to see a list of stores that will be hosting the parties. Not that I am going or anything... but I know Brentwood Borders is having one that starts at 10pm.


• Saturday will be the second day of the 9th Annual Spring Indoor Bluegrass Festival, hosted by the Missouri Area Bluegrass Committee at the Holiday Inn in Eureka. Concerts will be at 1pm and 7pm and tickets start at $10 for the day, and you can get a weekend pass for $28.
  
  If you are more of an indie rock or electronic music fan, check out Minnesota's Tarlton when he swings through town to play at The Firebird with NYC's Bridges & Powerlines (who is stopping on their way to SXSW), STL's own Fractured Army & Dozemarypool. Doors open at 8:30 and this 18+ show is $7 for the of age crowd and $10 for the underage.
  
  Looking to take in some theater? The St. Louis stop for Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy continues at the Fox Theater with performances at 2pm and 8pm. Tickets range from $17 to $63 per seat, and you might even see some familiar faces on that stage since three St. Louisans were added to the cast during the open auditions earlier this month.


• Sunday if you haven't made it to the Green with Indie Craft Show by the time Sunday rolls around, this is your last chance. The show will be going during it's final day from 12pm until 5pm. Check out our story about the show from earlier this week to learn more and too see what awaits you in Webster University's Gym.

Enjoy the first official weekend of spring with music, crafts or vampires; the choice is up to you but be sure you get out and celebrate it which ever way you can!

Go forth and do good friends,

Melody