The Armstrongs purchased the house with the intent of tearing it down and rebuilding — which is exactly what they did. One of the challenges was to create a new house that looked old, like it always belonged in the confines of the well-established Ladue neighborhood. The Armstrongs commissioned Amie Corley of Amie Corley Interiors to design their new house. She did her best to recreate the feel of bright, cloudless skies and warm, balmy breezes — with a dash of Miami splash. The result was that the homeowners get to live on the beach and they live in St. Louis.

In some ways, Fashion Group International St. Louis’ Watch Party outshone the NYC extravaganza with its homegrown originality. 150 local fashionistas showed up and showed out at the Ritz Carlton in tandem with the Met Gala in NYC on May 5th. Unlike the Big Apple’s event, the St. Louis rendition had a runway fashion show featuring the best of the best. Feast upon the pics here from the evening’s buffet of Superfine: Tailoring Black Style inspired by the Black Dandy. It truly was THE Red Carpet event of the year.

Clementine’s is Missouri’s only micro-creamery. It now has eight locations in St. Louis and will soon expand to Kansas City. To celebrate, for its 10th birthday, Clementine’s has cut a record. A limited-edition vinyl record filled with original songs about ice cream written and recorded by St. Louis artists will launch May 13. “Songs About Ice Cream: Tasty Trax on Wax” will be available for purchase at all Clementine’s locations (excluding Kirkwood) as well as clementinescreamery.com. Celebrate with week-long events May 12-17.

St. Louis Public Radio’s SOLD OUT 2025 Hear the Future celebration and fundraising event Friday, May 2nd at the Four Seasons-St. Louis was both a fantastic event and an opportunity for passionate public radio supporters to come together to address the threats to public media. It raised nearly half a million dollars and was attended by 400 ardent supporters. If federal funding is cut for the coming fiscal year, STLPR will need to raise an additional half-a-million dollars annually. Donations can be made anytime at stlpr.org.

Climbing from usher almost 30 years ago, like mountain of stairs at the theater, to President and CEO of the Muny, Kwafe Coleman has risen. He now leads the charge for the world renowned St. Louis Muny Theater in Forest Park. Built in 1915, the amphitheater holds 11,000 neighbors, and has the distinction of having 1,500 free seats, and produces Broadway-level musicals each summer. Read here how this first-generation Ghanian from Bellefontaine Neighbors in North County hoists the banner for the storied St. Louis institution.

For Tamara Keefe, the founder, CEO and self-described “Flavor Temptress” behind Clementine’s Naughty & Nice Ice Cream, ice cream is something far more profound than a simple sweet indulgence. To her, it is a vehicle for connection, a channel for transformation and an art form that has redefined what it means to follow your passion. Read here how she traded the corporate rat race for going back to her childhood roots — ice cream as a way of bringing people together.

Grab your hats & cheer for your horses for Kentucky Derby Day, this year held on Saturday, May 3rd.  If you can’t hop a flight to Louisville, and don’t want to sit on your couch to watch on TV, here are some ways to get out and about to Watch Parties in St. Louis to enjoy the 151st Run for the Roses and sport your finest Derby hat.

Get ready to take a scoop of goodness from all that life has to offer as the calendar turns and presents yet another May, and then another June to us. Leaf through the pages of our May/June issue, either here digitally, or physically, once it arrives on your doorstep. See life through the prism of opulence with which many of us are blessed. No matter how much bad news you hear, always remember that like the mouthwatering treat you see on the current cover of our magazine, we live in the land of milk and honey with the world’s largest economy and all that comes from it. Life is good. Following are samplings that await in the pages of our new issue.

May will be poppin’ with music and peppered with people as the popular concert series Twilight Thursdays returns to the Missouri History Museum. To get things started, the Missouri Historical Society will dedicate the newly renovated Edward and Margaret Imo Family Plaza on the morning of May 1st and continue concerts with food, fun and more through month’s end. Details here in the article.

Have you ever wondered what happens when the Zoo closes and the keepers go home for the night? Well ... what if the animals put on their very own Shakespearean performance?! That’s exactly what will happen this summer when The Saint Louis Zoo partners with St. Louis Shakespeare Festival for a wildly fun, original production of “Romeo & Zooliet” to the Zoo this summer. Learn about how you can get tickets and watch as a little zoological Broadway meets the Bard.

Lion + Owl is a pioneering kids’ apparel company based in St. Louis, MO, that designs and manufactures innovative clothes kids feel good wearing. Kids want the freedom to play, explore, and express themselves comfortably. L+O designs are thoughtfully created to make getting dressed a fun and a confidence-boosting experience. From playful colors to cozy, sensory-friendly textures, their pieces are made to fit kids’ lives — not the other way around. Learn more about how they are redefining kids’ apparel for the nation right in your backyard.

When We First is a unique, first-of-its-kind full concierge matchmaking service and dating app with innovative features and a human touch, blending the two worlds of matchmaking and technology in a way that’s never been done before. It is the only dating app to create a seamless value ladder. Through the ‘Human Button,’ customers can request real-time support, guidance, and encouragement—going beyond AI chats to connect with real experts behind the scenes. The app is available for download in St. Louis now, with concierge services on the horizon.

Château Elan Winery and Resort, in the rolling foothills of North Georgia, is a driveable destination with an "across the pond" ambiance. If you are a wine devotee, tours and tastings are available daily, including a behind-the-scenes tour of the winery and production rooms. Château Elan Winery and Resort has mastered a blend of luxurious accommodations, a wide selection of varied activities, and sumptuous cuisine always nearby. It is worth the trip across the pond.

A proposed funding freeze could slash nearly $6.5 billion in international aid to the Sub Saharan Africa — drastically reducing access to food, shelter, and medical services in refugee camps and already vulnerable communities. In the face of an escalating humanitarian funding crisis, Microfinancing Partners in Africa is stepping up as it hosts its 19th Annual African Gala at the Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis to raise crucial support. The Gala will be held Saturday, May 3rd.

The World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries, the leading chess cultural center in the country, will present “Charles Houska: Master of Play,” a joyful and colorful retrospective celebrating the vibrant, whimsical world of Charles “Charlie” Houska—one of Saint Louis’s most beloved and iconic pop artists. This unique collection reflects his lifetime cannon of work, and will be on view from May 1, 2025, through April 5, 2026. This exhibition marks the artist’s 60th birthday and the 25th anniversary of his Central West End-based Houska Gallery.

The Fashion Group International Saint Louis presents THE red carpet fashion event of the year! Join them at the Ritz-Carlton Solarium for a watch party of the Met Gala held live in NYC on Monday, May 5th. This year’s theme is “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” honoring the museum’s exhibition, which will highlight the archetype of the Black Dandy. The FGI Met Gala Watch Party runs from 5:30-9:30pm. Learn about the party and background on the gala itself.

Parents can now feel safer each time their child or teen picks up a mouse, types on a keyboard, or commands a game controller or joystick. Once they enter the world of online video gaming, they are exposed to possible threats. Youth engaging in esports in the St. Louis region and beyond can now have the unparalleled protection of Kidas' AI-powered ProtectMe technology at Contender Esports.

Although Earth Day 2025 is officially Tuesday, April 22nd, many people are working or in school. So Earth Day Weekend is the is the time to honor the planet and all the ways to sustain it. Celebrate the earth this year at the river’s bend in Alton at Old Bakery Beer Company on Saturday, April 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. More than 30 regional vendors and earth lovers with gather for an afternoon filled with live music, environmental education, earth-friendly retailers, a native plant sale, great food and drinks, and more.

One Cardinal Way epitomizes downtown luxury living. No expense has been spared to create an unparalleled living environment for residents—whether they’re here full-time or seeking a home away from home. See here how the iconic Gateway Arch and the steady flow of the mighty Mississippi on one side, while Busch Stadium and a sprawling cityscape stretch as far as the eye can see, offering breathtaking 360-degree views from its apartment homes.

Dog lovers are invited to join the Gateway Arch Park Foundation and Purina at Gateway Arch National Park on Saturday, April 12, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This free, family-friendly event celebrates the bond between pets and their owners with a group dog walk, fun activities, entertainment, and enjoying stunning views and iconic surroundings of Gateway Arch National Park. Learn more.

Orchestrated by global who's who in the worlds of architecture, culinary, and interior design, two recently opened luxury hotels demonstrate the staying power of the Eternal City. ROMEO Roma is situated within a historically significant 16th-century palazzo on Via di Ripetta, and Casa Monti, a 5-star boutique hotel that opened last summer are worth a trip to Rome.

Porsche adds a new Carrera S to the 911 lineup for the 2025 model year. The 911 Carrera S is available in both Coupé and Cabriolet versions. It bridges the gap between the 911 Carrera and the more performance-oriented 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid. See the new additions to the storied brand of luxury automobiles here.

Spring 2025 is in full swing. Soon April showers will bring May flowers. That means that St. Louisans will come out of hibernation and start buzzing like butterflies across the metro. Spread your wings and catch spring fever with our annual Sophisticated Guide to Spring. Ready, set, go! Watch the sophisticated rainbow that is St. Louis show off its myriad of colors here.

2025 brought a trio of highlights from the global tradeshow in Las Vegas to the world of luxury motoring. Following its exhibition at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Italdesign brought its Quintessenza concept to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Vegas. Aptera Motors unveiled its Launch Edition, a solar electric vehicle equipped with 700 watts of integrated solar cells. To round out the trio The BMW Group presented its new BMW iDrive – complete with its centerpiece, BMW Panoramic Vision. See more.

The Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis continues its Streetcar & Beyond 10th Anniversary Season with the second of many events to celebrate the milestone season. Famed author and scholar Tom Mitchell will sign copies of his book, Early Stories by Tennessee Williams at 6pm on Wednesday, April 2, at Left Bank Books in the Central West End.

Recently, our publisher, Craig Kaminer, welcomed his firstborn grandchild into the world. Here he contemplates the significance of this milestone event. He says that, “Becoming a grandparent is a milestone of a different kind. It feels less about achievement and more about legacy, connection, and love. It’s about witnessing life’s beautiful, continuous cycle and embracing the joy of watching it unfold anew.” Read more.

The Gateway Arch National Park and Gateway Arch Park Foundation are having a ribbon-cutting and programming to celebrate the reopening of the Park’s historic Old Courthouse, following only the second major renovation in the building’s history, the Old Courthouse will reopen its doors on May 3, 2025, ushering in a new era of accessibility, educational programming, and community engagement. Learn more.

From St. Louis To Cooperstown: Legends Born and Made in the Gateway City, tells the stories of some of St. Louis's most beloved players. These collective stories go beyond the individual and record-setting careers that made each a Hall of Famer. Walk through the chronology of baseball history and the moments each player had on their roads to Cooperstown. Pre orders are now being taken.

Celebrating its 25th year, the Shakespeare Festival unveils its 2025 season, including a joint venture with the Saint Louis Zoo. Through the years, the Festival has welcomed upwards of 50,000 people to the park for its summer shows, making it the largest free outdoor Shakespeare Festival between either coast. In 2025, big things are planned when you schlep your picnic basket to Forest Park’s Shakespeare Grove for an evening of free theater under the stars with fellow lovers of The Bard.

Industry projections show the gourmet and specialty markets industry will top $12.4 billion in the coming year. Local chefs and restaurateurs are cashing in. Many of the area’s high-end grocers and specialty markets aren’t new, but rather solo extensions of existing St. Louis restaurants, providing customers with specialty items and menu favorites. There are some new players on the scene. Read about them, their shops, and their wares.