February has arrived and I can hardly believe that we are already a month into 2017! It may be cold outside, but the real estate market in St. Louis is definitely hot, according to a November 2016 article in The Riverfront Times. Our great city has a lot of desirable housing with homes selling fast. What’s also great are the many events going on around St. Louis. Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and it’s time to enjoy a special outing with a special someone to celebrate all the love that surrounds us. Speaking of special… from February 2-4, St. Louis will be hosting the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference at the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel. The event highlights important business and community projects planned for our region. I will be moderating a discussion at the conference and hope to see you there -- or at some other happenings this month!
February 1 - 5
Tonight is PechaKucha Night at the New Partners for Smart Growth conference! This is an interesting event highlighting the smart growth taking place in our region, using a series of 10 presentations in a 20-images-in-20-seconds format.
Wednesday Night Improv is a weekly event at The Book House in Maplewood, where local improvisation artists perform unrehearsed material. Entertainment abounds!
Constellations will be on stage Thursday at the St. Louis Repertory Theatre. Nick Payne’s play centers on one relationship with many possibilities as Roland and Marianne meet at a party, and a variety of paths lead to different outcomes — some joyous, some tragic — but all with wit and wonder for love and for life.
On Thursdays (and Tuesdays), blues diva Kim Massie performs at The Beale on Broadway.
Join me downtown for the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference February 2-4 at the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel. The event highlights innovative business and community projects paving the way for a great future in our region. I will moderate a discussion at the conference, which centers on "Practical Tools and Innovative Strategies for Creating Great Communities". You'll learn about valuable new technologies and sustainability efforts taking root in our area, hear knowledgeable speakers, attend networking activities, information sessions, and unique workshops. See you there!
On Friday at the Marcelle Theater in Grand Center, see There's An Alien In My Soup, a one-man play about UFOs with stories drawn from actual military personnel who forsook their anonymity and risked threats for testifying against security oaths. Learn what happened when “They” came to earth.
Also on Friday, in Midtown, there’s a seat for you in the beautiful Powell Symphony Hall. Treat yourself and a friend to a one-night-only concert with our very own St. Louis-born artist. The time is right for A Night of Symphonic Hip Hop with Nelly.
Saturday is the last day to see “Into The Deep”, an exhibition by Karen Kunc at Atrium Gallery that feature masterful woodblocks, wax, and watercolor works. Kunc is represented in over 100 museums in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
While it is Super Bowl Sunday, you have time to take in other activities before the game starts. A nice event for the whole family is a classical music concert at Chaminade College Preparatory School’s Skip Viragh Center for the Arts. The Saint Louis Wind Symphony will perform Perischetti and the Symphony No. 6 for Band.
February 6 -12
On Monday see the stage play One Last Job by local playwright Patrick Conroy at McGurk’s Irish Pub and Restaurant in Soulard. This intense story involves a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the Irish Revolution and centers on an encounter between a young British soldier and a recently retired IRA operative. Their lives and the lives of their families become entwined around the thoughts and actions not entirely of their choosing. In war, lives are changed -- sometimes forever.
Rum Drum Rambles performs blues and Americana on Tuesday at The Handlebar.
Wednesday nights mark Whiskey 101 with Josh French, our resident whiskey expert, at The Rackhouse West Winery. Each week features a unique bourbon/whiskey/scotch for you to try. Get started on a Whiskey Club Punch Card, and ask Josh about all the details!
On Thursday I will be speaking on the response panel following the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council’s (EHOC) screening of A House Divided by Norman Lear. The film is about racial discrimination in the housing industry.
Thursday is opening night for Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream at the Scottrade Center. Join your hosts Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse as they, along with four of your favorite Disney princesses, skate into town for a magical musical journey. You and the children will make treasured memories as the Disney princesses inspire you to Dream Big!
Erin Bode will engage audiences with her one-of-a-kind voice and warm presentation style on Friday at Jazz at the Bistro, you might find me there!
On Saturday see Intimate Apparel, a touching story set in 1905 New York, at the Jewish Community Center. Esther, a black seamstress, lives in a boarding house and sews intimate apparel for clients ranging from wealthy white patrons to prostitutes. She begins to receive beautiful letters from a Caribbean man working on the Panama Canal, but Esther’s heart lies with the Hasidic shopkeeper who sells cloth. His heart is likewise with her, but the impossibility of the match is obvious to them both.
Lunar New Year Festival would like to invite you to celebrate the biggest holiday in East Asian culture, Lunar New Year! The show will be filled with dazzling performances featuring song and dance from cultures throughout Asia. For 2017, LNYF is working with Beyond Housing, and proceeds go to this important St. Louis community development organization that offers holistic resources and support to the Normandy community, including services in health, education, jobs, and economic development. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday. Tickets are available at Edison Theatre Box Office or at http://edison.wustl.edu/event/lunar-new-year-festival/2017-02-10.
You definitely will want to attend Mardi Gras in St. Louis. Among other highlights you’ll be able to sample tasty recipes at the Mardi Gras St. Louis: Cajun Cook-Off at Soulard Market Park, also on Saturday.
Sunday is closing day for Impressions of War and Japanese Calligraphy and Painting: Highlights from the Collection at the Saint Louis Art Museum.
February 13 - 19
On the second and fourth Monday of each month, have fun playing Bunko in Belleville at Eckert's Country Restaurant. This is a good old-fashioned game the whole family will enjoy. $5 includes game, prizes, beverages, and snacks.
Tuesday is Valentine’s Day! Make it a special one with your sweetie... Go out on the town in Spectacular St. Louis for a romantic dinner, then take in a show, or two: To Kill a Mockingbird, based on the world-class book and classic film, will be on stage at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Check out the schedule for show times and other events at The Rep.
If you prefer a more upbeat outing on Valentine’s Day, make it a night to laugh at the jokes of “Earthquake” and “The African King of Comedy” at the St. Louis Laugh-A-Thon at Peabody Opera House.
Wednesdays are Open Mic Night with Eric Haeberle at the Archive Music House and Southern Grill in Soulard.
From Thursday (through Sunday), the 9th Annual St. Louis Centennial Beer Festival will be at Moulin Events & Meetings at the historic Schnaider Brewery Malt House in Lafayette Square.
Put on those dancing shoes and start stepping at the STL Square Dance! On the third Friday of every month, Folk School hosts square dances at the The Stage at KDHX in Grand Center. Dance tunes will be provided by a live band, with instruction and calling by Wade Pearson.
Tickets are available at Arch Rival Roller Derby for an action-packed match between M80s and Stunt Devils on Saturday at Midwest Sport Hockey in Ballwin. Now that’s different!
If you attended the Cajun Cook-Off last week as part of Mardi Gras, no doubt you’ll want to revisit Soulard Market Park this Saturday and Sunday for another unique tasting. At the Cruzan Rum Taste of Soulard, frosty Piña Coladas might well be on the menu!
Into The Woods will dazzle audiences with two performances on Sunday at Peabody Opera House. Venture deep into the woods where there is no fear of the wolf, the witch, or the giant, but rather faith in the ever-present power of wishes, which really do come true! You’ll hear the stirring and poignant song “Children Will Listen” in this Tony Award-winning musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine.
February 20 - 28
Young kids will enjoy Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood LIVE! at the Peabody Opera House on Monday. Be sure to purchase tickets for this production that celebrates the cherished legacy of “Mister Rogers Neighborhood”. Daniel (donning his red sweater) and friends will hop aboard the trolley on a musical adventure to explore their much-loved neighborhood of make believe. The show’s themes center around friendship, helping others, and embracing new experiences in school and in life.
Let’s Play Legos! On Tuesday, kids of all ages can construct something cool at the Lego Club at the Six Mile Regional Library District in Granite City, Illinois.
Wednesdays welcomes Storytime with Miss Cierra for young readers at West County Mall. Children will enjoy an activity.
Steinberg Skating Rink will be closed after today (Thursday). Hurry over to Forest Park for a favorite St. Louis wintertime tradition.
On Friday, the St. Louis Artists' Guild invites you to “Constructed Visions II”, a juried exhibition of regional sculpture and crafts, including ceramics, fiber, glass, metal, paper, plastic, stone, and wood. Cash prizes have totaled $1,000.
Saturday offers another art show… “Poppin’ Pastels” at Green Door Art Gallery in Webster Groves, presented by Gateway Pastel Artists (founded in STL,1998).
Shen Yun is a must-see at the Peabody Opera House, on stage Saturday and Sunday. Known thousands of years ago as the Land of the Divine, China was believed to be a sacred gift from the heavens. This ancient world comes to life on stage with classical and folk Chinese dance, authentic costumes, and breathtaking backdrops. Don’t miss it!
On Monday Stef Chura performs with special guest Dubb Nubb at Off Broadway.
Learn how to Feed Your Immunity with a nutrition class and cooking demonstration on Tuesday at Capitol Group Kitchen and Bath in Brentwood. Fight illness from the common cold to cancer by consuming the right foods and beverages… important stuff.
