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

Chill Cool Frozen Yogurt in Clayton will be celebrating its third anniversary on Friday, April 19. At 3:30 p.m. that day, Fredbird will make an appearance to hand out limited-edition Chill batting-helmet bowls with frozen yogurt purchases. The store also will present its third annual donation to Friends of Kids With Cancer during the celebration. By the way, Chill has some new spring flavors on the menu: Root Beer Float, Mango Sorbet and Pina Colada.

Next stop, Clayton! STL Culinary Tours has added Clayton to its growing list of neighborhood-centric foodie excursions. On Saturday, March 9, the company will conduct a tour of some of Clayton's finest eateries. The tour will start at Bar Les Freres and will traverse the neighborhood, stopping at Extra Virgin, Oceano Bistro, Little Country Gentlemen and end up at I Fratellini. For more info and to purchase tickets, go online at StlCulinaryTours.com.

Whether it’s a romantic date, business meeting or wedding rehearsal dinner, Cielo offers a high-end dining experience amid stunning panoramic views of the Arch and downtown St. Louis.

For those just not up to the chore of making a Turkey Day feast for the whole fam, Cielo Restaurant in the Four Seasons downtown has the answer: Chef FABRIZIO SCHENARDI and his crew are whipping up Thanksgiving dinner to-go. The dinners include delectable items like roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted sweet potato puree and a take on a holiday favorites, green bean casserole, as well as a whole roasted free-range turkey (brined for a full 48 hours before baking), and a choice of two pies from pastry chef PETER WHITLEY. The cost per dinner is $295 (excluding tax) and it feeds 10. Orders have to be received by Monday, Nov. 19, and can be made by calling 881-2105.

Looking to please your palate with something new on the menu? We asked sommeliers and wine directors from local restaurants to suggest wines to pair with their new and signature offerings for fall. 

Who doesn’t love ice cream? With all of the flavors and textures available, there’s a variety of this frozen dairy goodness to please every palate. Here are some decadent delights available around town that make fine use of ice cream.

SAM FOX, the former U.S. ambassador to Belgium, is the recipient of one of that country’s highest honorific decorations, the Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown. The award was presented during a Washington reception in Fox’s honor by Belgian Ambassador Jan Matthysen. The Grand Cross was bestowed at the behest of KING ALBERT II in recognition of Fox’s meritorious service to the Belgian state when he was posted in Brussels from 2007 to 2009.

Sure, anyone can say they provide ‘service with a smile,’ but at the Four Seasons— St. Louis’ only five-star hotel—that smile means a whole lot more. It’s no surprise that the property came out on top of U.S. News and World Report’s latest hotel rankings locally: Service ranks supreme here, from the cheerful doormen and the efficient front staff to the attentive spa personnel and the engaging folks at Cielo restaurant and bar.

St. Louis has an abundance of culinary destinations that offer al fresco seating options in addition to their fine food and drink. Here’s a list of some of our favorite fresh-air dining spots.

With spring in full effect, many local watering holes are featuring the flavors of the season on their drink menus. Here are some particularly refreshing springtime libations we sampled in our travels around town.

• Restaurateur ZOE PIDGEON, the force behind such popular eateries as Bobo Noodle House and I Fratellini, is planning a new project. Pidgeon has taken over the space across the street from I Fratellini, formerly the longtime home to Wydown Shoe Repair, and plans what she calls a petite cafe/bar with a French accent. The new eatery is still unnamed, but plans are currently in place for a summer opening.
• It’s already time to start planning that Easter brunch. Cafe Madeleine at the Piper Palm House in Tower Grove Park will be serving an array of locally inspired favorites on Easter Sunday, April 8, and will offer three seatings: 10 a.m. to noon; noon to 2 p.m.; and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Reservations can be made by calling 575-5658. At Vin de Set, chef IVY MAGRUDER and staff will be preparing some classic brunch dishes and some French fare, as well. Call 241-8989 for reservations and info. And Bixby’s in the Missouri History Museum will be featuring a varied brunch menu, a complimentary glass of Champagne, and as always, a grand view of Forest Park. Three seatings will be available for this brunch, as well: 10 a.m. to noon; noon to 2 p.m.; and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. For reservations and info, call 361-7313 or visit online at bixbys-mohistory.com.
• Gastronomes who’re interested in getting an up-close view of what goes on in a professional kitchen can now dine at the chef’s table at Cielo in the Four Seasons. For $125 per person, diners get a five-course, wine-paired dinner prepared by chef FABRIZIO SCHENARDI, personal service from restaurant manager ALEC VAN MEIJEREN and a birds-eye view of all the behind-the-scenes action.
• Congrats to chef JOSH GALLIANO of the recently shuttered Monarch in Maplewood. He’s been named People’s Best New Chef-Midwest by Food & Wine Magazine. Another popular Maplewood chef, CASSY VIRES of Home Wine Kitchen, also was in the running.
• Oenophiles interested in exploring Missouri wine country can now download apps for their iPhone and Android devices, courtesy of the Missouri Wine and Grape Board. Links to the apps can be found at missouriwine.org. Old-schoolers also can download a hardcopy of the 2012 Missouri Wine brochure at the site, as well.

• We received some really sad news for the St. Louis dining scene: Monarch in Maplewood will be closing its doors after a nine-year run, with its last day of service on Sunday, March 11. Owners JEFF ORBIN and AARON TEITELBAUM cited the weak economy, the prevalence of “discount dining deal programs” and the large size of the venue as some of the main reasons for the closure. The duo have announced plans to open another concept this fall. We’ll keep you posted.
• MICHAEL DEL PIETRO’S latest restaurant, Tavolo V, is on track to open at the end of this month at 6120 Delmar Blvd. in the U. City Loop.
• We recently got word that Tony’s, Cielo and Giovanni’s On the Hill have all been awarded the 2012 AAA Four Diamond Award. Well done!
• JOHN GRIFFITHS, executive chef at Truffles in Ladue, will be heading to NYC to cook at the James Beard House in June. Griffiths will be preparing a six-course dinner inspired by his journey as a chef for James Beard Foundation members and the media. Congrats!
• Two of the city’s best chefs recently got national exposure: GERARD CRAFT of Niche and WES JOHNSON of Salt were both featured on the TODAY Show, where they did cooking demos. Craft appeared Feb. 27, while Johnson took his turn Feb. 29. Way to represent the Lou!
• Popular wine and gourmet food shop Parker’s Table, which closed its location in the CWE in 2009, has reopened in Richmond Heights at 7118 Oakland Ave., behind the Tip Top Cleaners.
• The 17th annual St. Louis Microfest will be taking place Friday, May 4, and Friday, May 5, at the Upper Muny parking lot in Forest Park. Some 80 craft beers and 50 international brews will be available for sampling. Proceeds from the event benefit Lift For Life Gym. Tickets and more info can be had at stlmicrofest.org.
• One of our town’s premier java purveyors, Goshen Coffee in Edwardsville, has a new owner. JAY BEARD recently purchased Goshen from founder MATT HERREN, who will continue to be involved in the company.
• The folks at Stone Soup Cottage in Cottleville have released the March and April class schedule for the successful ‘Cooking at the Cottage’ group classes offered at the restaurant. The classes are centered around recipes featured in the cookbook authored by owners CARL and NANCY MCCONNELL, Stone Soup Cottage: A Vignette of Seasonal Recipes. Get the full class schedule at stonesoupcottage.com.

During one weekend, a beautiful wedding is held on the eighth floor terrace of the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis, overlooking the Gateway Arch. A couple days later, the area is transformed for an evening of wine and cheese pairings as part of a company retreat. With a variety of spaces and options for a multitude of events, the hotel aims to accommodate every client who steps through the downtown hotel’s doors. “We run the full gamut: from weddings to social gatherings to corporate events,” says director of catering Marianne Moore. “Clients have the freedom to customize their event however they’d like.”

Next weekend’s Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM) gala will honor the legacy of former director PAUL HA, whose leadership oversaw the construction and opening of CAM’s new facility in Grand Center. Ha also is credited for positioning the museum as a national and international leader in the field of contemporary art. Ha resigned late last year to become the new director of Massachusetts Institute for Technology (MIT) List Center for the Visual Arts. Proceeds from the Feb. 4 gala benefit CAM’s exhibition and education programs.

◆ Congrats to local landmark Tony’s. The eatery has been awarded the 2012 Forbes Four-Star Award. It’s the only four-star restaurant in St. Louis, and only one of two in the state, the other being The American Restaurant in Kansas City.

◆The latest Saint Louis Bread Co. bakery/cafe officially opened on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 10336 Clayton Road, adjacent to Plaza Frontenac. The new location features Bread Co.’s fresh artisan breads and quality ingredients, as well as the company’s take-out concept, Saint Louis Bread Co. Catering.

    The 1950s-inspired costumes for SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL ST. LOUIS’ upcoming production of The Taming of the Shrew were unveiled during last week’s spring fashion luncheon at The Zodiac at Neiman Marcus. Executive director RICK DILDINE held court, joined by costume director ALISON SIPLE and director SEAN GRANEY, who offered behind-the-scenes details about the production, set for May 25 through June 19 in Shakespeare Glen at Forest Park.