THROUGH 6/30 SANDCASTLE BEACH The Magic House’s backyard has once again transformed into a beach, where visitors can stroll along the boardwalk, search for seashells and build sandcastles. $9.50. 822-8900 or magichouse.org. 

With a loyal local following and rave reviews from The Wall Street Journal to The New York Times, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis continues to draw adoring audiences from throughout the world. And its new season is set to be no exception. General director Tim O’Leary recently filled us in on the company’s worldwide impact and its four new shows, to feature classic and modern opera, jazz, romance and comedy.

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

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.

World-class artists are once again coming together for Sing for Siteman, a one-night-only performance to support cancer research for Siteman Cancer Center.

Beach season is almost here, and the look for summer is definitely Bohemian. Ethnic prints mixed with muted colors, fringe details and loose-fitting shapes work on everyone.

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

Story: Sam and Dinah are a young married couple living the good life in suburbia. Sam is a businessman who commutes by day to his job in the city, while homemaker Dinah tends to chores around the house and caring for their son, Junior.

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

It's springtime, and that means area restaurants are starting to unveil their new seasonal menus. U. City fave Blueberry Hill has announced four new specialty sandwiches, a Western Wagyu Burger, and a Blueberry White Chocolate Cheesecake to its menu; and also has re-introduced its popular Gazpacho. Modesto Tapas Bar & Restaurant has debuted some new items for spring, as well. The menu now has four new small bites, including the Fritada (a fried shrimp and scallop skewer) and the Banderilla (an anchovy, artichoke and olive skewer), as well as the return of the Judias Verdes, sauteed green beans with onions and sherry.

From every specially selected brick, cupola and stone fountain to each knowledgeable employee, Sterling Bank is “built to last,” says chairman and CEO Ken Poteet. And the company is building onto that rich culture with a new Chesterfield location, set to be open by the end of April and run by Poteet's son, Mclane Poteet. 

WEBSTER UNIVERSITY’s Chess Team, ranked No. 1 in the nation, will be competing as the top seed in the Final Four of Collegiate Chess this weekend. The team, coached by renowned chess grandmaster SUSAN POLGAR, will do battle against students from University of Maryland-Baltimore County, University of Texas-Dallas and University of Illinois. The six grandmasters who make up the Webster team include: WESLEY SO (also ranked No. 1 in the Philippines), RAY ROBSON (also ranked No. 8 in the U.S.), FIDEL JIMENEZ (also ranked No. 3 in Cuba), GEORG MEIER (also ranked No. 4 in Germany), MANUEL HOYOS (also ranked No. 1 in Mexico and is the reigning U.S. Open Champion), and ANATOLY BYHKOVSKY (also ranked No. 21 in Israel). Bring home a winner, Webster!

A telegraph key and $150 links St. Louisan Derek Cohn to Steven Spielberg’s Oscar front-runner, Lincoln. The movie has received widespread critical acclaim and has been nominated for 12 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

The Vogl family says Webster Groves is a true community, where residents can walk to local shops and restaurants and attend annual festivals with friends and neighbors. Kelly Vogl, an occupational therapist for BJC HomeCare, and her husband, Tim, president of Streamline Orthotics and Prosthetics, have embraced that community feel for 10 years. The couple has three children: David, 8; Patrick, 6; and Nathan, 3; who attend Bristol Elementary and The Lab School. Kelly talked to us more about family life in Webster Groves.

Renowned professional dancers from around the globe star on St. Louis stages throughout the year. And that same high-caliber talent also trains the next generation of local dance artists. It’s all made possible by Dance St. Louis.

A 14-year-old Jeremy Davenport sat in the audience of The Sheldon Concert Hall in 1984 and watched the great jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis take the stage. Afterward, young Jeremy got a chance to meet Marsalis. It was a night that would change his life. “It was the first time I got a chance to hear Wynton play live,” Davenport recalls. “He’s such a phenomenal trumpet player—he’s probably been the biggest musical influence in my life.”

There are plenty of restaurants around town that make one wonder just how they've been able to stick around on the dining scene so long. Pomme Restaurant is definitely not a part of this group. The Clayton mainstay just turned 10 this year, and our recent visit drove home just why they've succeeded for a decade in one of the most competitive dining neighborhoods in town.

Jazz St. Louis

While the local theater scene felt less ‘busy’ than the last few years, a couple hundred productions were available to patrons in search of something new—or something familiar and beloved—to entertain them. Of the approximately 135 productions I viewed this year, dozens were splendidly presented. The following list ranks the 11 productions that made the most impact—in one reviewer’s opinion—in this fabulous year:

Hendricks BBQ opened earlier this fall, bringing both over-the-top design and quality food and drink over the bridge to St. Charles.