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

Steve Scorfina, antique 'picker,' was once the lead guitarist for legendary rock band REO Speedwagon, and later, the iconic ‘70s St. Louis band, Pavlov’s Dog.

Creating good by giving back is a gift to yourself, local financial advisers say. But before making a major donation to support your favorite cause, heed the following pieces of advice to avoid scams, maximize that gift and leave a lasting legacy of philanthropy. 

The high cost of raising a child is indisputable, and my wife and I are somewhat in denial about how much we spend on our children’s extra-curricular activities. Sure, we know what it costs to sign up for hockey, and we know the fee for each tennis lesson. It is those incidentals and unexpected opportunities that are difficult to determine. And to be honest, my parental enjoyment of these activities might be diminished if I paid too much attention to these financial expenditures.

In celebration of Earth Day this month, we focus on electric/hybrid automobiles. Though some may think electric cars are something new, from about 1900 to the late 1920s, there were a number of electric cars built and sold in America, including Milburns, Bakers and Detroit Electrics. They were mainly driven around town by women who didn’t want to deal with the oil, gas, fumes and shifting of an internal combustion engine.

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.

The Gatesworth is getting ready to break out the silver, as it celebrates its 25th anniversary this fall. That kind of longevity doesn’t come easily, and it has been earned with a commitment to providing the highest possible level of service, says director of operations Bob Leonard. “We do quality, not quantity,” he says. “We’re not trying to run 30 senior living facilities—we have one at each level of care. We decided to do one thing, and do it right.”

The next time you think you’re too smart to be scammed out of money, consider the Ladue businessman who recently lost $3 million in a Jamaican lottery scam.

Let's face it. Nobody really knows which investments are going to be sure-fire winners. Even the savviest financial gurus tell horror stories about seemingly reasonable ventures that inexplicably went south.

Story: Roz is struggling to make ends meet as the proprietor of a daycare facility. Her only employee, Joy, has taken early education classes and badly wants to work with children, but instead is stifled handling secretarial chores. It doesn’t help that she is Roz’s niece and has a troubled love life that she just as soon her aunt wouldn’t divulge to her mother

F. SCOTT GALT, SARA MELLY, ANNA SELBY, B. SCOTT EIDSON and NANCY HAWES have joined Armstrong Teasdale LLP as partners; M. COURTNEY JACKSON and JONATHAN SHULAN joined the firm as associates.

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.

I proudly admit it: I am a Downton Abbey fan. More important, I am a fan of English architecture and design, and what better example is there than Highclere Castle, the historic home of the eighth Earl of Carnarvon and the inspiration behind the hit series?

With tax season almost upon us, Truffles in Ladue has decided to give its customers a break with a unique promotion. The restaurant has announced it'll be ‘Tax Free Till Tax Day,’ and pay all taxes that its customers usually are responsible for from March 1 until April 15. Hey, every little bit helps!

When facing an impending divorce, it can feel like you are drowning in a tumultuous sea surrounded by major decisions about the most important aspects of your life. The family law firm of Green Cordonnier & House aims to be a life jacket for you during that time, helping you protect what matters the most, says partner Margo Green. “It’s very important that the attorney you choose to guide you though that process understands the traumatic nature of the situation. You may not be able to see clearly at that moment, but with so many years of experience, we are confident that we can guide you in the right direction.”

A tough economic climate, an aging baby boomer population and the high prevalence of social-media use are predicted to create the biggest hurdles for local attorneys and their clients this year. 

Dr. SHARI COHEN opened her new practice at 555 N. New Ballas Road, in Creve Coeur. The practice shares office space with medical psychotherapist BRUCE SCHMIDT.

Get out this weekend and take advantage of the last few days of the 4th annual Clayton Restaurant Week, which wraps up Sunday, Jan. 27. The establishments participating this year include: Alexander’s Restaurant; Araka; Bar Napoli; Barcelona; Bocci Bar: Cardwell’s; Coastal Bistro & Bar; The Crossing; Crushed Red; J. Buck’s; Jimmy's On The Park; Mad Tomato; Oceano Bistro; Remy’s Kitchen & Wine Bar; Roxane; Ruth's Chris Steak House; and Tani Sushi Bistro. Participating restaurants are offering a special three-course dinner promotion for a fixed price of $25 per person, plus tax and tip. Guests also have the option of adding a $5 ‘Extra Helping’ donation to their dining bill to support Operation Food Search. More details are available at claytonrestaurantweek.net.

Some of life’s biggest moments—marriage, the birth of a child and retirement—are a time to celebrate. But local legal professionals say families should also remember that life-changing events mean changes in your life insurance coverage.

With the enactment of the American Taxpayer Relief Act on Jan. 2, your 2013 tax return may look very different from last year’s. We asked local tax and financial experts to share some reminders for 2012 and advice for maximizing your tax outcome in 2013.

While those lavish business trips on your tax return are of concern to the Internal Revenue Service, failing to report income or avoiding filing taxes altogether are the biggest offenses that can land you in hot water.

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.”

As Clayton celebrates its centennial anniversary, LN asked some longtime Clayton business leaders about their hopes for the city's next 100 years.