By day, they may be all business behind an office desk. But by night, they know how to let loose. LN recently caught up with some local working dads who use their garage bands as an after-hours outlet.

Spring is here, and your best friend is sitting by the door, ready to play. We scoured the shops for the best toys to get you—and your pet—outdoors.

Grand Center Inc. will be presenting its annual Visionary Awards to six area women on May 13 at The Sheldon. Ranging from theater to music and every art form in-between, these women are making a difference in the St. Louis artistic community—and they don’t plan on stopping any time soon.

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. 

Today’s homebuyers are looking for move-in ready houses, real estate experts say. Here, local agents take us inside a Ladue residence to demonstrate how a few affordable upgrades can go a long way in boosting a home's curb appeal.

Does your pet have a case of bad breath? If so, don’t blame Fluffy or Fido, area vets say. Good oral hygiene is an important part of your pet’s grooming, and this often-overlooked aspect of their care should start early.

Getting ready to put your house on the market? We surveyed local design and landscape experts for quick and easy ways to make your home look its best, both inside and outside.

So, there’s a movie coming out this week called The Last Exorcism Part II (the sequel to The Last Exorcism). Now, one would think that a movie called The Last Exorcism would not have a sequel—presumably because that exorcism was the last one (still, a movie called The Second-to-Last Exorcism might not have had the same box office draw). In any event, apparently the ability to do a back bend is synonymous with demonic possession and we have another last case. A last, last exorcism, if you will.  Of course, if Weekend at Bernie’s II taught us anything, it’s that Hollywood can make a sequel out of anything.

About one in seven people experiences a random nosebleed at some point in his or her life, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology. Children and people older than 50 are the most likely to have a sudden nosebleed, and the trigger can be as minor as blowing one’s nose too hard or as serious as a clotting disorder.

Story: Bobby Gould and Charlie Fox have clawed and scrapped their way through the celluloid jungle known as Hollywood for more than a decade. Now, Bobby has a corner office at a big production company and Charlie has brought him a killer script. It’s by a hot writer named Doug Brown, a ‘buddy movie,’ and Charlie says it’ll make boatloads o’ money for both of them. It’ll also put their names together on the silver screen as producers of this can’t-miss hit.

Teresa Borbonus has a long history with Des Peres, having moved there with her family when she was just 2 years old. Later in life, after living in University City, Teresa and her husband, John, an associate circuit court judge for St. Louis County, returned to Des Peres, moving into her childhood home. The couple lived there with their children, Bella 11; Evie, 9; and Gia, 7, before moving to a new home in a different part of Des Peres last year. Teresa took a few minutes recently to discuss her family’s love for the neighborhood.

The headline for this column sounds like a dreadful (or possibly entertaining) reality television show. Unfortunately, it is something that every parent has experienced.  In fact, many may say that you have not earned your parenting stripes until you have suffered the pain of a problematic play date.

Will the door be scratched up this time? Or will the pillows be in tatters? Separation anxiety can cause pets to be destructive in ways that make their owners not even want to leave the house. And while it’s a stressful situation, most dogs can overcome it. “We have a lot of interventions to help us, and we have good success in many, many cases,” says Dr. Debra Horwitz of Veterinary Behavior Consultations. “It is one common reason people end up giving their dog to a shelter, but it’s a very treatable condition.”

LN’s holiday collection to benefit NURSES FOR NEWBORNS runs until Monday, Dec. 24. Suggested items for donation include baby formula, diapers, boy/girl toys (newborn to age 8), clothing (preemie to size 8), non-perishable food items and grocery gift cards. Collection boxes are available at our offices, 8811 Ladue Road (Ladue and 170), Suite D. To see the complete Wish List, visit laduenews.com.

This season, Ladue News is collecting Wish List items for Nurses for Newborns. We invite you to stop by LN and contribute new or gently used items to this very worthy cause!

There still is plenty of time to make a difference in the lives of struggling St. Louis families during this season of giving. As you may know, Ladue News is holding a Holiday Wish List Drive for Nurses for Newborns. We’re told that some of the families served by the organization are going hungry because parents are squirreling away their money to buy presents or to save up for the holiday meal.

Be a part of goodwill and good cheer! LN’s Holiday Wish List Drive for NURSES FOR NEWBORNS continues through Monday, Dec. 24. The organization, which helps at-risk young mothers and their babies stay healthy, as well as offering other means support to their families, is experiencing even greater need this holiday season. Suggested donation items include boys’ and girls’ clothing (infant to size 8), toys (newborn to age 8), non-perishable food, diapers, infant formula, baby wipes and grocery/Walmart/Target gift cards. Collection boxes are available at our offices, 8811 Ladue Road (Ladue and 170), Suite D. For the complete Wish List, visit laduenews.com.

Perhaps I am being naïve. Perhaps my memory has faded. Or perhaps in 1978, I didn’t have 42,000 cable channels. As a kid, there were a handful of Christmas specials to which I looked forward. I should probably say 'holiday' specials—not because it is politically correct but because most of them had very little to do with Jesus’ birth—The Little Drummer Boy being the obvious exception. I mean, the island of misfit toys and Frosty locked in a greenhouse don’t exactly scream Silent Night.

Emmy-nominated actors and real-life married couple, MICHAEL TUCKER and JILL EIKENBERRY, will return to St. Louis to headline a St. Louis Jewish Book Festival event this week. The former L.A. Law co-stars will appear Dec. 10 at the Jewish Community Center for a presentation, followed by an audience Q&A and book-signing. Tucker’s latest book, After Annie, is his first novel. He also authored I Never Forget a Meal, Family Meals and Living in a Foreign Language. For ticket information, call 442-3299 or visit stljewishbookfestival.org.

Story: It’s the holiday season, and an assortment of relatives and friends gather at the comfy, suburban English home of Neville and Belinda Bunker for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Neville’s tipsy sister Phyllis is there along with her husband Bernard, a plodding physician who insists each year on performing a puppet show to the boredom of the children and adults alike. There’s also Phyllis’ and Neville’s Uncle Harvey, a retired security officer with a penchant for absorbing himself in bloody flicks being shown on the telly.

Washington University has awarded filmmaker KEN BURNS with its 2012 International Humanities Medal. Burns was presented with the award for having a significant impact on American society with his contribution to the arts.

“On Christmas Eve day, my husband Ray and I take all 24 grandchildren to the mall in the morning and meet in the food court. Then ‘Bud’ (what the grandchildren call Ray) gives each of them an envelope filled with their holiday money. They must then shop for whatever they want, come back and show off their purchases. It’s so much fun to see the kids (and now young adults) run off to shop and see what they can get. It’s even more fun to see how excited they are to show us their purchases! And, every now and then, Bud gets a call to ‘come quick!’ because a special purchase requires just a little more....”

Kids’ imaginations are running wild at some of the latest creative and technologically advanced toy stores in St. Louis. LN takes a peek inside...

November