This summer, think of your backyard as the next decorating frontier. Use designer-quality furniture, rugs, lighting and charming decorative accents for stunning results.

Across

After living in Chicago for a few years, St. Louis natives Anne Pennick and John Smith returned home shortly before the birth of their son, Evan. Missing the urban, walkable lifestyle that Chicago offered, the  couple moved to the Central West End in fall 2011. Anne, a faculty manager for Kaplan’s online classes, and husband John, an attorney with Callis, Papa, Hale & Szewczyk, appreciate the closeness of everything the CWE has to offer, as well as the diversity of their neighbors. We asked Anne to share more about the appeal of the Central West End.

When the Walker family moved to Frontenac five years ago, they immediately were greeted with a friendly welcome. Stephanie, a North Carolina native, is a former attorney and homemaker; and her husband Chip, originally from Virginia, is a managing director at Wells Fargo Advisors. The couple has two children, 9-year-old Thornton and 8-year-old Emmi, who attend Conway Elementary. Simon, a yellow Labrador; Macie, a Goldendoodle; and a cat, Trixie, are the family pets. Stephanie told us more about what she and her family enjoy in Frontenac.

Cristina Grace Wetterau and Andrew John Orchulli

Mimi Fonseca was presented at the Fleur de Lis Ball in 1980, and what she remembers more than anything is the family atmosphere. “My whole family was there: my grandparents, aunts and uncles, sister and brother.”

Unreliable and second-hand gossip from around the world*

The Baldwin Report

Christmas came early to the staffers of Ladue News. Several weeks ago, we received fantastic news: LN’s weekly readership adds up to approximately four times greater than that of the competition. The numbers from the recent 2012 R2 St. Louis Scarborough Report are a testament to our loyal readers, who have come to rely on our publication as a source for good news, useful information and lively entertainment features.

A divorce can be one of life’s most difficult hurdles. And for men who often don’t share their emotions as openly as women, surviving the process can become overwhelming without a 'road map' for navigating the legal, financial and emotional issues that arise, says E.B. Gunn, New York Times best-selling author of The Gentleman’s Guide to the Nasty Divorce.

Across

When I was a kid, we had some fun Christmas traditions. For one thing, Santa Claus brought the tree. That essentially meant that my parents pulled an all-nighter Christmas Eve to transform the living room into a Macy’s holiday window. What I now realize was a desperate attempt to get a few moments of precious sleep, my parents told my brothers and me that when we woke up Christmas morning, we could go downstairs on our own and open our stockings.

Franco in Soulard has announced that JOHN DREJA, late of Vin De Set, is the new executive chef, taking over for chef KRIS JANIK.

Have you ever visited the Campbell House downtown? It was the home of St. Louis businessman Robert Campbell, who lived there with his family from 1854 to 1938.

Everyone has a different idea of how to decorate for the holiday season. I thought it would be nice to showcase the home of one of our area's leading floral designers, and talk about his decor choices. 

Play: Fully Committed

Santa Claus is coming to town…to the town of Whistler, that is, in British Columbia. He’s making a list and checking it twice so as not to miss any of the action-packed activities and après-ski excitement awaiting him in this winter paradise.

Yule Style

Story: Sam is a struggling young actor in New York City. To make ends meet, he toils away taking reservations in the cramped, windowless basement office of a tony restaurant in Manhattan. A typical day for Sam is dealing with upper-class sorts making calls for the ‘best’ table at the trendy establishment, as well as taking myriad and maddening orders from the maitre d’, the executive chef and his co-workers. He also gets to listen to the sundry excuses offered by his talent agent for Sam’s meager acting assignments.

Perhaps I am being naïve. Perhaps my memory has faded. Or perhaps in 1978, I didn’t have 42,000 cable channels. As a kid, there were a handful of Christmas specials to which I looked forward. I should probably say 'holiday' specials—not because it is politically correct but because most of them had very little to do with Jesus’ birth—The Little Drummer Boy being the obvious exception. I mean, the island of misfit toys and Frosty locked in a greenhouse don’t exactly scream Silent Night.

At this point in the holiday season, you are either a) giggling like a kid who just found a last-minute way to get off the ‘naughty’ list, or b) ready to rip the nose right off of Rudolph at the next sound of a jingle bell. Hopefully, like me, you’re somewhere in between. Don’t get me wrong, I love everything about Christmas; but c’mon, the decorations going up way before Halloween and Black Friday is now on Thursday? So to get myself properly in tune with all things merry, I made my way to Main Street in St. Charles, where every year, the city turns the old town into a living, Victorian-era Christmas village. It even feels a bit like Charles Dickens’ London town as I walk down the cobblestone street and hear the slow clip-clop of a horse and carriage. I pass the chestnut roasters huddled over on open fire and carolers singing. Jack Frost is here, and of course, nipping at someone’s nose. It’s a perfect scene, but I still can’t find the man I came to see, the one who will help me put things in perspective: Ebenezer Scrooge (aka actor Vince Wieck). I finally spot him; however, I must be brief. Mr. Scrooge is on a tight schedule, but has begrudgingly agreed to an interview with me.

Last week, Missouri’s own ‘Secret Santa’ was spotted in Staten Island, N.Y., handing out money to hurricane-stricken residents. The tradition was started more than 25 years ago by a Kansas City businessman named Larry Stewart, who remained anonymous up until his death in 2007. Since then, his closest friends have taken turns playing the role of Santa to help Americans in need.

We’re all familiar with the Norman Rockwell version of Thanksgiving dinners: grandma with the turkey, grandpa ready to carve, smiling faces, and children sitting expectantly—family bliss immortalized. I’m certain that all of your holiday celebrations are exactly like that, right? On the outside chance that you’ve experienced otherwise, here are a few tips for dealing with the stress that sometimes accompanies this time of year.

2013 Charitable Events & Fundraisers