The pseudo-Alpine facade of Schneithorst's has been a landmark at the corner of Lindbergh Boulevard and Clayton Road for almost 60 years. In recent times, the lot has been altered somewhat. Now the restaurant is part of The Village at Schneithorst’s, a development that includes several retail establishments that cluster outside the restaurant like a feudal village. While the building and the surroundings may have changed, the food at Schneithorst’s remains—in many ways—unchanged.

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

Farotto's Italian Restaurant has long provided a little bit of The Hill in the county. A recent trip back after a long absence was a reminder of just why we used to keep their number at the ready.

Love to report new places opening up: The Sweet Divine's new Soulard location at 1801 S. Ninth St. is now open for business. Likewise, Piccione Pastry at 6197 Delmar Blvd. in the U-City Loop is now up and running.

This is a story of a family home’s last surviving member, who set out to preserve his family’s example of a Victorian way of life to be enjoyed by others for years to come.

We recently made a return trip to the newly reconfigured Cheshire Inn to try out another of its eateries: Basso.

Now that spring is finally here, it's time to get out and nosh on what's new for the season. Here's a short list of seasonal dishes currently being offered by some of the area's best eateries, along with recommendations for the best wines to accompany them.

It’s been announced that after 30 years, Dierdorf & Hart’s Steakhouse will be closing its doors in Westport Plaza. Since opening in 1983, the establishment has served as a go-to meeting place for many a business deal and countless special occasions for local families. The restaurant was locally owned and operated by former football greats DAN DIERDORF and JIM HART, and managing partner LOU GARESCHE. Lunch service ended last week, and dinner service will continue until Saturday, May 18.

When we first heard about chef/owner Ben Poremba's innovative vision of turning an old South City house into a fine-dining restaurant (Elaia), and the retired service station next door to it into a wine bar (Olio), we were a bit unsure of just how it would work out. Since the dual concepts have been up and running for a while now, we finally stopped in for dinner at Elaia and are pleased to report the project is quite the success.

A 5-bedroom, 4-bath home in Franklin County is listed for $735,000.

Eric Rhone didn’t start out to be in the ‘funny’ business. Growing up in Normandy and Pine Lawn as the son of a Bi-State bus driver and city school district employee, he probably did not see himself running an entertainment company, making multi-million-dollar decisions and living in a palatial home in Frontenac.

It's so small that if you blink, you might miss it—but that would be a shame because restaurateur Zoe Pidgeon's newest eatery, Bar Les Freres, definitely is a stop you want to make.

Colonial Marketplace, LN’s longtime digs, is continuing to see new tenants sign on amid the homestretch of renovation on the dining, retail  and office plaza.

I have been a pet owner for many years—sometimes successfully; other times, not so much. I have had a towheaded 3-year-old come to me with a goldfish in his hand, and ask with utter sincerity why Gil doesn’t seem to like playing in the yard. I have had a guinea pig give birth not once, not twice, but three times on my watch. We had an albino gecko. Why, you ask? I wonder the same thing every day. I think it may have taken its own life, but the official cause of death is ‘accidental.’ Apparently, it accidentally stopped eating and drinking. I have had a puppy sit on my lap while I scratched her head and rubbed her back as she—unbeknownst to me—devoured a bird. But now, I fear my patience may have run its course. It appears our puppy—our adorable, precious, impossible-not-to-love puppy—has discovered a nest. Or a herd. Or a pack—of voles.

We have more national recognition for our local culinary scene to report:

In recent months, Home Wine Kitchen in Maplewood has found its way onto a slew of best-of lists and chef/co-owner Cassy Vires has been getting national attention for her skills in the kitchen.

I’ve been putting off writing this story for some time—too many things to tell you about and too little space. Yes, San Diego has a brilliant blue ocean and blue skies most of the time, mild temperatures year-round, a strong Spanish/Mexican heritage that permeates most of its architecture and culture, a huge U.S. Navy presence, amazing beaches and golf courses, a wealth of public and private universities and a world-famous zoo. You knew all this already, didn’t you?

As the executive director of Nurses for Newborns, Melinda Ohlemiller sees the struggles families face first-hand. “The families that we serve are in need in ways many of us could not imagine,” she says, recalling a recent home visit where a 4-year-old sibling sat on her lap and asked if she had a pencil. “She was so grateful; she had nothing to write with. We take a pencil for granted, and we take diapers for granted.” But despite the lack of basic necessities, “we also see incredible resiliency,” Ohlemiller notes. “Some of these families are beaten down, but they stand up, pick themselves up and move on. We want to be part of the solution. That’s our mission, to support them.”

Chef Gerard Craft is a constant fixture in the local—and now, national—food scene with his frequent culinary accolades; and maybe most notably with the recent opening of his latest eatery, Pastaria, in Clayton, and the relocation of his flagship restaurant Niche right next door, which we visited recently. To say it was an over-the-top culinary experience would be a gross understatement.

John Mineo's Italian Restaurant has been a fixture in Town & Country for 40-plus years, emphasizing traditional Italian dishes and upscale service. Tucked away in a small shopping area on Clayton Road, the eatery had escaped our attention for far too long, and we were happy to remedy that oversight recently.