April 2008 Events

Wed April 9
7 pm
Authors @ Your Library Presents Keisha Ervin
She will discuss her new book, Torn.
Carpenter Branch Library
3309 S Grand

Sat April 12
2 pm
Authors @ Your Library Presents Eric Jerome Dickey
He will discuss and sign his newest book, Pleasure.
Carpenter Branch Library
3309 S Grand

Fri April 18
Dinoroarus Exhibit Opens
All day
St. Louis Zoo

Sun April 20
St. Louis Earth Day Festival at Forest Park
Earth Day: Party for the Planet family activities at the Zoo.
For information, call (314) 781-0900

Thu April 24
Dining Out For Life
Various restaraunts will donate 25% or more of your bill's proceeds to St. Louis Effort for Aids.

Thu April 24
6:30 pm
MO Words: The Power of Words
Missouri History Museum

Thu April 24
9pm
ALIVE 5th Anniversary Party
HOME Night Club at AmeriStar Casino
St. Charles, MO

Sat April 26
10 am - 4 pm
Wings of Spring - 3rd Annual Confluence Birding Festival
Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary
West Alton, MO - Hwy 67 near Alton, Illinois
Daily Activities include Live Bird Displays (Owls, Ravens, Hawks, Pelicans, & More), Kayak Trips, Bird Cruise, and Live Entertainment

Sun April 27
1 - 5 pm
Grand Opening & Open House of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic
1864 Little Brennan Road
High Ridge, MO (South of I-44 & 270, off of South Gravois)
Walk through of the facility and visit the 'patients' - raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, opossums, and a baby fox.
636 677-3670

Sun April 27
Celebrate St. Louis /Live on the Levee Trivia Night
Jive & Wail Piano Bar
7376 Manchester Road
Volunteer! Shifts: 3:30 - 7:30 PM (5 volunteers needed) & 4:00 - 8:00 PM (10-15 volunteers needed)
Organizers of Celebrate St. Louis/Live on the Levee are seeking volunteers to help with tallying score sheets and monitoring the silent auction at their trivia night fundraiser. There will be live music, 50/50 raffles, silent auction, drinks, food & more! If you are interested in volunteering, contact us at: volunteer@fuelforthecity.org.

Sun April 27
Niki Exhbit Opens
Missouri Botanical Gardens

Tue April 29
Twilight Tuesdays Begins!
The Bosman Twins
Identical twins Dwayne and Dwight Bosman bring their "rough and raw" style of jazz to Twilight Tuesdays.
Front Lawn of the Missouri History Museum

Tue April 29
6:00 -9:00 pm
Old Bags Event
The Living World at the St. Louis Zoo
Charitable Event benefiting the Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition. For more information, please visit http://www.marketvolt.com/custapp/cc.aspx?CM=54045019&X=3189083&MailingID=40281&LS=184.

Wed April 30
7 - 8 pm
NPR News & Notes will feature fellow St. Louis Blogger The Black Snob
KWMU FM 90.7 Tune in

Ongoing - All Month

Fairy Tale Exhibit featuring illustrations of famous characters, styles.
Schlafly Branch Library
225 N Euclid

Chuck Close at Shearburn Gallery

April 4- May 10

Dinoroarus Exhibit at the St. Louis Zoo

Open April 18 through September 1, 2008

Step back in time to see roaring, spitting, moving dinosaurs in this one-of-a-kind walk-through exhibit. Admission is $1.50 for Zoo Friends members and $3 for non-members. Children under two are free.

Threads of History - A major Exhiit of early American Quilts at the St. Louis Art Museum

Open now through May 26, 2008

Cost: $6 adults, $5 students & seniors, $4 children 6-12, free under 6.

Niki Exhibit - Colorful, Playful Mosaic Sculptures by Niki De Saint Phalle at the Missouri Botanical Garden

Open April 27 - October 31, 2008

2008 Fête Society Theme: Activing Living. Active Learning

St. Louis, Missouri is the best place to be in the Spring and Summer. There is so much to do, see, experience, and enjoy!

This year's theme was inspired by yesterday's race and my receipt of many upcoming events calendars from the Zoo, the Library, Trailnet and my Missouri Conservationist Magazine. I like having subscriptions (print and/or electronic) to these many different organizations. I know what's going on. So I enourage everyone to get hooked in too. I'll be posting from these calendars. So no excuses. Get outside. Get your family moving and learning. Time at the Botanical Garden or free concert/movie at one of the local parks is perfect way to connect with your friends and family and no break your wallet.

Make this year a fantastic year!

St. Louis Marathon - Get Fit Fête!

26.2 miles - that's a Marathon!

Two of Fête's fittest participated in today's Spirit of St. Louis Marathon. I was standing in the median in Soulard near the Brewery and all one could see was a "sea" of bodies. I was beginning to fear I overlooked our friends when I spotted the first, then the second -- and still running in their desired pace group.

Quiet as it is kept, TE was walking until he saw me with camera in hand. PH waved happily but was rather consumed with the Itunes. Woo --hooo! No small feat. I figured if they could run 13.1 miles, I could walk the ~2 miles down to cheer them on.

The Marathon itself is something to behold. I took a crack it once 2 years ago. (Walking of course.) It's no punk. I only did half of the half marathon....

But a Marathon is People, lots of people. Observing it near the race loop in Soulard (near AB Brewery) was great. I stood in the median and got to see the everyone pass by twice. The 2 leaders just zoomed by. There was this one older guy who had an awkward neck posture while running. But he floated, literally. He had absolutely no bounce or shock on this feet. Most runners were 30 and 40 somethings - from the look, but people of all ages, young and old were there. All shapes, too. There were 2 wheel chair runners and one woman running with her friend who had no arms or legs. Hell, I felt shame. If this woman with no arms or legs could run the marathon, all of us should commit to a more active and healthy life style this spring.

What's more is the aftermath. Thousands of people are passing by. Running. Jogging, Walking. Several stop to stretch out calves and hamstrings. You tell by the agony in many of their faces that their knees or hips or feet or shins are killing them Yet, they continue. There are refreshement stops along the way. And people are drinking and dropping cups and protein bar wrappers. There are piles of trash and the volunteer staff cleans it up as soon as all of the walkers have passed.

There are port-a-potties for them to use, so they have to step of the race to use it. Then they continue.

The best part is piles of descarded clothing...and good stuff too.

I even scored myself a pair of great gloves!