Neighborhood farmers markets are re-opening and welcoming back local producers—a very exciting time for those of us who enjoy the bounty of our bi-state area!

The weather teases us. Sunshine and splendor one day, and back to chilly grayness and wicked winds the next. It’s a sure sign that spring is here, and with that touch of spring fever, my thirst for warm-weather wines is growing.

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. 

Becca Edwards & Peter Jordan

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.

Story: Bernard is an architect, and a very successful one at that. When he’s not designing fancy buildings, he’s designing romantic conquests from his fabulous apartment in Paris. When his old chum Robert pays an unexpected visit, Bernard is delighted to welcome him and promptly introduces Robert to his fiancée, an American stewardess named Gloria.

Sitting down to talk about Shakespeare Festival St. Louis’ programs to avert bullying, the first obvious question is, What does Shakespeare have to do with bulling? As it turns out, the connection runs deep.

Maybe your bedroom closet space is limited to a few flimsy wire racks and a metal pole, or you struggle to fit groceries in a disorganized pantry. Perhaps there’s no storage system in the garage, or the entertainment center is overrun by cords and DVDs. If you find yourself in such a situation, California Closets may have the answer to your home organization problems, says James Cline, the company’s retail sales and marketing VP. “We work to align our customer’s needs and desires with an exact solution. We could have two spaces with the same dimensions, but because we are customizing each for that particular customer, you’ll never see the same design twice.”

Looking to add a little color and pattern to your abode? Consider geometrics. Few fabric patterns pack as much punch per square inch. Geometrics add instant graphic interest and style.

The original booklet for the City Library described it best: The main purpose of the building has been kept in mind throughout its planning and construction...that its purpose should be reflected in its architecture and that its plan should be adapted to its needs.

With one-of-a-kind pieces collected from Vicenza, Italy and Basel, Switzerland, to Hong Kong and Brazil, Simons Jewelers strives to provide the most beautiful selection of fine jewelry throughout the world. Every piece of gold jewelry, diamond, strand of pearls and colored stone is hand-selected to meet the high standard of quality that St. Louisans have come to expect at Simons.

Some of the city’s exclusive restaurant wine cellars have been opened to reveal their most prized bottles of wine. Take a look at these cellar highlights, as well as their dining accompaniment recommendations.

Zia's on The Hill has been a popular eatery in that neighborhood since the mid-1980s, eventually venturing into retail sales with salad dressings and sauces, and most recently entering the food truck scene with its own rolling restaurant. The Zia's brick-and-mortar space, which takes up the corner of Wilson Avenue and Edwards Street, used to be an Italian grocery back in the day and still exudes an Old World charm. 

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. 

Unless you’ve graduated from a particular school, you may not know how or why it got its name. We delve into the history behind some local schools and the meanings of their monikers.

There's finally a chill in the air, signaling that fall is upon us. In addition to better weather and some glorious foliage, the shift in seasons also brings a changing of the menu at many local eateries.

All trips to Italy are eating trips, aren't they? It was going to be a leisurely time on La Bella Vita, a barge floating through the countryside Cole Porter wrote about in Kiss Me, Kate--Mantua, Padua, Venice.

All nonprofits planning events next year, take note: Butler's Pantry has announced it will donate $2,013 to each non-profit organization that hosts an event at its Palladium Saint Louis event space in 2013.

Federico Barocci is the type of artist who often is mentioned in art history books, but never the center of attention. St. Louis will get its first real look at the Renaissance painter when the Saint Louis Art Museum opens its exhibition, Federico Barocci: Renaissance Master, which runs from Oct. 21 through Jan. 20.

This week, we continue our conversations with LN’s Show House designers. The 2012 William Bernoudy Ladue News Show House opens Oct. 5 and runs through Oct. 21. For ticket information, visit laduenews.com or call 269-8836.

After almost seven years of providing a wide variety of high-quality curtains, Ellen Ross found the next step for her shop, The Curtain Exchange, in a partnership with bedding specialist Peacock Alley. “We think it’s a good addition so we can do the entire bedroom, not just the curtains,” Ross says.

In the warmer months, there is a natural shift toward whites and rosés with their cleaner, more citrus notes. Let’s circle the globe for some good summer sippers.

Q: My family loves fresh pasta and we go to The Hill every Saturday night to satisfy our craving. I hear that fresh pasta is easy to make at home. Do you have a beginner’s recipe that I can try?

•  Maggiano’s Little Italy and Make-A-Wish Foundation are partnering for a Casino Night event at the restaurant on Wednesday, June 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. The evening will feature dinner, casino games and prizes, and will raise funds to help a local Make-A-Wish ambassador achieve his dream of going to Hawaii. For info and tickets, call 827-2148.
• Look for The Shaved Duck on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, where it will be featured later this year.
• Chef ERIC BRENNER, of Moxy fame, will be heading to NYC this summer to work full-time for Bold Organics, the organic gluten- and dairy-free frozen pizza business he helped found last year. Brenner tells us he’ll be heading up the marketing effort, as well as working on product development, but he’s not leaving St. Louis behind: He’ll still be involved with Robust (where he has been serving as ‘chief culinary officer‘), including the opening of the restaurant’s new digs in the Mercantile Building downtown, as well as consulting for Isle of Capri. Good luck!
• 4 Hands Brewing Company will be working with several local restaurants this year on custom concoctions. The brewery is creating PiPA, an American pale ale, specifically for sale at area Pi Pizzeria locations. There are plans in the works for a collaboration with Pappy’s Smokehouse, dubbed Smoked Pigasus, which will be available around town in September. Pappy’s will be smoking the malt for this rye porter. And there will also be a collaboration on a sweet potato-based brew called Morning Glory with restaurateur DAVID BAILEY, which will be showing up in area watering holes.
• Chaumette Vineyards & Winery in Ste. Genevieve has opened the Barn At Chaumette, a renovated stable that will serve as a premier event space, and will be hosting Five First Fridays to celebrate. The events will feature live music, food and drink and be held on the first Friday of the month from June through October. The owners hope to take advantage of the ‘barn wedding’ trend. More info is available at 573-747-1000.
• Mobile eatery Steamroller Bagel & Deli has hit the streets, offering fresh sandwiches on steamed bagels. Fans can keep up with the truck on Twitter @SteamrollerSTL, on Facebook at SteamrollerSTL or on the company website, steamroller.com. Speaking of food trucks, local favorites Seoul Taco and Guerilla Street Food head to Chicago in July for a brief tour, showcasing the best of St. Louis street foods.
• Look for Melt, a new cafe boasting coffee, specialty drinks, waffles and more to open its doors this month at 7700 Ivory Ave. in Carondelet.