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. 

The pseudo-Alpine facade of Schneithorst's has been a landmark at the corner of Lindbergh Boulevard and Clayton Road for almost 60 years. In recent times, the lot has been altered somewhat. Now the restaurant is part of The Village at Schneithorst’s, a development that includes several retail establishments that cluster outside the restaurant like a feudal village. While the building and the surroundings may have changed, the food at Schneithorst’s remains—in many ways—unchanged.

A two-story home in Ladue with 12 rooms, 5 bedrooms, 5 full- and 1-half bath is listed for $1.375 million.

Cini is now open in Ladue’s Colonial Marketplace. The ‘fast-casual’ Italian restaurant concept was created by DAVID JONES and DOUG TIEBER (developers of Buffalo Wild Wings in the St. Louis area), along with FRANK and CARMELO GABRIELE of Il Bel Lago. Short for ‘arancinis,’ the name comes from a traditional fried Italian street food staple made with rice and vegetables, which will be handmade daily at Cini. Also open at Colonial Marketplace is The Original Pancake House, known for its mouth-watering breakfast treats like the Dutch Baby and Apple Pancakes. 

This is a story of a family home’s last surviving member, who set out to preserve his family’s example of a Victorian way of life to be enjoyed by others for years to come.

MISSION: St. Louis County National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) works to eliminate racial discrimination and ensure political, educational, social and economic equal rights for everyone. The nonprofit stands for the belief that people of all races, nationalities and faiths are created equal. 

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.

Who would have thought that Coldplay on cello could sound so cool and mellow? Or that tickling the ivories while whistling La Vie en rose can put the exclamation point on a romantic standard?

“I’ve got a story to tell.” Kristina Blank Makansi and her daughter, Amira, hear those words a lot when people find out they publish books. Their publishing company, Blank Slate Press, was founded in 2010, and is steadily building a list of novels that it has brought to market.

Men have it pretty easy when it comes to wedding attire: If the invitation says black tie, a tuxedo is in order, whether you own one or not. If you’re in the latter category, you must rent one. But don’t let the young guys at the tux shop rent you anything but the most traditional of tuxedos. In addition, instead of patent leather shoes that look like plastic, I recommend you wear a highly shined pair of black, lace-up dress shoes.

It's so small that if you blink, you might miss it—but that would be a shame because restaurateur Zoe Pidgeon's newest eatery, Bar Les Freres, definitely is a stop you want to make.

In recent months, Home Wine Kitchen in Maplewood has found its way onto a slew of best-of lists and chef/co-owner Cassy Vires has been getting national attention for her skills in the kitchen.

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.

Chef Gerard Craft is a constant fixture in the local—and now, national—food scene with his frequent culinary accolades; and maybe most notably with the recent opening of his latest eatery, Pastaria, in Clayton, and the relocation of his flagship restaurant Niche right next door, which we visited recently. To say it was an over-the-top culinary experience would be a gross understatement.

One in 88. That is the stunning statistic defining how many American children have autism, based on recent research.

Feeling a little green-eyed towards someone else’s green thumb? MoBot horticulturists explain how can homeowners achieve formal gardens in St. Louis backyards.

John Mineo's Italian Restaurant has been a fixture in Town & Country for 40-plus years, emphasizing traditional Italian dishes and upscale service. Tucked away in a small shopping area on Clayton Road, the eatery had escaped our attention for far too long, and we were happy to remedy that oversight recently.

One of our favorite LN spring traditions is to introduce you to the new class of Women of Achievement award recipients. Here, we present seven of the 10 honorees for 2013, shot on location at Neiman Marcus, where all clothing and jewelry noted are available for purchase.

Kim Eberlein (Volunteer Leadership)

This year is the 20th anniversary of Dining Out For Life, the national fundraiser for AIDS service organizations. This year's event on Thursday, April 25, involves a variety of local eateries that will donate 25 percent or more of your bill to Saint Louis Effort For AIDS (SLEFA). More than 100 area restaurants are participating. For the full list, visit diningoutforlife.com/stlouis/restaurants. Since 1990, Dining Out For Life has raised more than $4.3 million for SLEFA.

A one-and-a-half story home in St. Louis County with 10 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 3 full- and 1 half-bath is listed for $979,000.

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. 

SweetArt Bake Shop in the Shaw neighborhood is a marriage of food and art. And that works out beautifully for owners Cbabi and Reine Bayoc, who happen to be husband and wife.