LN’s 2013 Charity Awards had something new this year: an online system that offered readers the opportunity to nominate individuals and organizations for their community service. Congratulations to our winners!

Retasha Smith arrived at The Haven of Grace’s doorstep alone, pregnant and confused. But the organization quickly came to her rescue. A dependable support system and resources to become independent led her to a productive family life. 

“We serve some of the most frail and fragile people in the whole world,” says Sue Hockensmith, co-founder of Pony Bird Inc., a care provider for non-ambulatory individuals with profound mental and physical disabilities.

Story: Wealthy art dealers Flanders and Ouisa Kittredge have invited an important contact named Geoffrey to their swank New York City apartment to hopefully make a tidy $2 million profit on a Cezanne they’re selling. While the three of them converse, a young black man knocks at the door. He tells Flan and Ouisa that he is a classmate of their children at Harvard and that he’s in town awaiting the arrival of his dad, noted actor Sidney Poitier, who will be directing the film version of Cats.

Many of us are already making plans for Father’s Day—to show Dad just how much he’s loved and appreciated. In an ideal world, all dads should be celebrated. Of course, in the real world—at least in the world where Father’s Support Center operates—the issues of responsible fatherhood are complex. But so, too, are the solutions.

St. Louis restaurants were well represented on the Opinionated About Dining's Top 25 Midwest Restaurants list that was recently released. Niche took the No. 2 slot; Sidney Street Cafe was No. 8; Stone Soup Cottage was No. 11; Brasserie by Niche came in at No. 12; Farmhaus garnered No. 13; and Tony's landed at No. 20; and Harvest rounded out the list at 22. Well done!

A region-wide cakewalk, a Valentine’s Day ‘Burnin’ Love’ festival at Forest Park, and a giant heart sculpture in the Grand Basin are some of the highlights on tap for ST. LOUIS’ 250TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION in 2014. This week, before a gathering of the city’s civic and community leaders, the new nonprofit, stl250, announced some of the key events to commemorate the city’s founding by Pierre Laclede in 1764. The 2014 celebration will be co-hosted by Mayor FRANCIS SLAY and St. Louis County Executive CHARLIE DOOLEY. Stl250 co-chairs are Ameren’s TOM VOSS, and his wife, CAROL; with ERIN BUDDE as the organization’s executive director. Stay tuned, LN will have more details about the semiquincentennial milestone in the coming weeks!

A veteran of the industry, Matthew Monzon has been styling hair for more than 20 years—most of it spent as a freelance artist doing runway, catalog and editorial looks for the likes of Elizabeth Banks, Alicia Keys, Julianna Moore, Kate Winslet and a bevy of other celebrities and brands too numerous to name. We asked the New York stylist how to best tame our tresses for the summer season—and look great while doing it.

MISSION: Fathers’ Support Center works to improve the lives of children by bettering the father-child relationship. Fathers enroll for at least one year of program involvement, which starts with an intense six-week course meant to grow family, communication, relationship and employment skills.

An Old World charm with a pinch of modern ambiance is now greeting guests at Charlie Gitto’s on The Hill.

Marsha Mason’s horizons have expanded significantly from her childhood in St. Louis. The one-time Catholic schoolgirl attended Holy Rosary grade school in North St. Louis and later Mary Queen of Peace when her family moved to Crestwood. She became interested in theater while attending Nerinx Hall High School and the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University before embarking on her illustrious stage and film career.

THROUGH 6/16 TWELFTH NIGHT Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents its 13th annual play, Twelfth Night—an intimate, romantic performance set to live music—at Forest Park. Free. 8 p.m. nightly, except Tuesdays. 531-9800 or sfstl.com.

Story: Fledgling Wall Street stockbroker Billy Crocker is entrusted by his boss, Yale man Elisha Whitney, to sell Whitney’s vast number of shares in a company he’s been tipped is going to tank. When Whitney boards the S.S. American for a luxury cruise to London, Billy decides to stow away aboard the vessel in order to be near the woman he loves, Hope Harcourt, even though Hope is engaged to be married to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh.

If you find yourself packing for points more temperate, and find yourself—as I invariably do—looking for that perfect read, I have a few suggestions.

Whether you’re toting a clutch, a satchel or a handbag, sometimes, what matters is what’s inside. From basic rollerballs to a fancy flacons, there’s a fragrance that’s perfect for your purse or pocket.

When Chris Grimmig fell for Meredith Rull at her field hockey matches, he conspired with her teammates to take her on a date. “I got her number from her teammate and asked her to go to dinner,” he recalls. Luckily for Chris, Meredith said yes right away.

The new 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish was recently unveiled in St. Louis to great acclaim and fanfare, during a first-class affair hosted by J.J. Mills and Graham Hill of St. Louis Motorsports. The guest list included Julian Jenkins, the regional director for Aston Martin of the Americas, who led the introduction of the new 2014 Vanquish in the beautiful newly remodeled Aston Martin showroom.

In commemoration of its 90th anniversary, the APA has commissioned renowned local sculptor Harry Weber to create a ‘litter’ for its community art project.

Few warm-weather scenes are more picturesque than that of sinking into a wooden chair, surrounded by blooming plants, sipping iced tea. As lovely as it sounds, chipped, filthy or boring pots can destroy the mood. Upgrade your porch or windowsill oasis with new planters worthy of spring’s best flowers.

When it comes to summer fun, St. Louis makes it easy to be a kid—or stay young at heart. Follow this family-friendly guide to the city’s best summer attractions for kids—and their parents.

Story: Viola is washed ashore in Illyria after being shipwrecked with her twin brother Sebastian and others, whom she believes have died. Endangered in a strange land, she masquerades as a young page named Cesario and becomes employed by Orsino, Duke of Illyria.

Chef EDWARD FARROW has been tapped to oversee the kitchen at the soon-to-open Panorama Restaurant in the Saint Louis Art Museum's new East Building, set to debut this summer. Farrow is a CIA grad and a member of Slow Food and is known for his dedication to local purveyors. Most recently, he served as executive chef at the cafe of the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Az.

Ladue’s own GRANT WEBER will be featured on the Lifetime Television show, The Balancing Act. Weber is the CEO of Riley’s Premium Pet Products, a local manufacturer of healthy dog treats that are good enough even for humans to eat. In fact, we’re told that most of the Lifetime crew sampled the treats during filming! Weber’s segment on the show will air on Lifetime June 4 and 11 (6 a.m. St. Louis time).

Lots of events on the books now that the weather has (hopefully) come around: