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

Extremely rare pieces from one of the largest private collections of Alexander McQueen’s work are among those to be showcased in an upcoming exhibition at the World Chess Hall of Fame. 

As vibrant as Seattle days are, after-dark activities are equally as spirited with untold clubs and bars ranging from the Old World elegance of Oliver’s Lounge to great jazz at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley.

TAYLOR ROBINSON, a senior at Ladue Horton-Watkins High School, is one of 814 high school athletes nationwide who have been nominated to play in the 2013 McDonald’s All American Games. The 2013 nominees include high school basketball players from across the country who have been selected by coaches, athletic directors, principals and members of the McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee. Pictured: Taylor Robinson with Colleen Schoendienst, local McDonald's owner/operator

Just when it seems like the ethnic design trend has run its course, these out-of-the-ordinary patterns demonstrate their staying power. In fact, designers say ikat, susani, and batik-inspired patterns are so enduring, they’ve become staples in American design, just like traditional and modern.

‘Autism’ is a word tossed around in medical circles and news reports as a catchall description for a whole range of symptoms.

April

Thank you for the great spread in LN for our Change Begins with Me exhibition opening. You have been wonderfully supportive and we couldn’t be more pleased with the impact. You are the best. (2/8/13 issue, p. 7)

With spring weather finally upon us, kids and adults alike are anxious to experience the great outdoors. Lucky for us, St. Louis abounds with family-friendly ways to enjoy natural beauty.

Kim Eberlein (Volunteer Leadership)

You voted, we listened! Ladue News readers know what they like; and with this year's Platinum List, you've made your voices heard. This list compiles the best of St. Louis. 

Elaine Blatt welcomes guests into her contemporary Ladue home with a warm smile and cup of frothy cappuccino. The day she welcomed me was particularly cold and snowy. She was busy packing for an upcoming photo journey, destined “to get out of the cold.” She also was completing work on From Field to Fork…The Plants We Eat, her photography exhibit opening March 15 (through May 31) in Monsanto Hall at the Missouri Botanical Garden. It the first time I have seen the petite and stylish redhead casually dressed without one of her signature hats atop her head.

Congratulations to Villa Duchesne senior Sarah Sutherlin, who has been selected as one of Missouri’s top youth volunteers of 2013.

Rather than list the local institutions that Bob and Mary Lee Hermann have supported, it would almost be easier to list those they have not been involved in—if you could think of anything to put on that list. So while they may protest that they’ve slowed down in recent years, it’s no surprise to those who know them that they would be named among LN’s Most Dynamic St. Louisans.

The father-and-son team of Bob and Steve O’Loughlin is going non-stop, working to create or redesign the next the next big St. Louis hotel ‘experience.’ In the past couple of years, the tandem has been even more successful than usual. The highlights include opening the hugely popular Three Sixty atop their Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark and re-energizing the storied Cheshire Inn. At the same time, they made major purchases: Among them, the Marriott St. Louis Airport, Westport Plaza and one of the crown jewels of St. Louis, Union Station—yes, Union Station!

Surprise! That was the word of the day at Clay Elementary School in North St. Louis, the site of KIDSMART’s 11th birthday party. The organization, which equips underserved students and their classrooms with basic school items, surprised 200 students last week with backpacks filled with supplies, balloons, cupcakes, and appearances by Rampage the Ram and Louie of the St. Louis Blues.

Trend section: Black & White Work Wear

The hoopla surrounding the upcoming presidential inauguration will most likely dominate the headlines in the coming days. But with the deluge of the 24-hour news cycle, I suspect even the most avid political junkie would experience coverage fatigue sooner rather than later.

While Clayton was incorporated into a city in 1913, its presence was established long before it became official. Born out of the separation between St. Louis city and county and the need for a new county seat, the city took roots in 1877, when Ralph Clayton donated 100 acres of farmland and the Hanley family added four more. The fact that 36 years passed before Clayton became an official city was especially intriguing to Mary Delach Leonard when she wrote Clayton, Missouri: An Urban Story, just in time for the centennial anniversary. “You look at that, and wonder why it took so long for Clayton to become a city. But when you learn about the history, you discover that there was this group of people who just knew how to get things done, so they didn’t feel the need to establish an actual city with a mayor, etc.”

Clue to Alzheimer’s Found in Brain Samples

Missouri History Museum’s new George Washington exhibit goes behind the iconic figure on the dollar bill to reveal the first president’s true self. Life-sized figures and intimate objects tell the story of Washington’s greatest interests and diverse career paths—from a farmer, surveyor, architect and military general to president of the United States. LN recently spoke with Elizabeth Chambers, collections manager for the president’s hometown of Mount Vernon, to learn more about Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon, which runs through Jan. 20.

I’m in a quandary. There is something I just don’t understand. Granted it’s not a mystery of the universe, nothing Socrates and Plato would have debated, but still. It literally keeps me up at night.