Tennessee Williams Festival Boosted by Record Amount Raised at Annual Society Pool Party
Here’s a recipe for the perfect society event for a scorching St. Louis summer day. Take one part historic mansion. Mix with 75 patrons of the arts. Add the cast of Tennessee Williams’ hottest play. Stir in a heaping helping of brie, beignets, and berries. Garnish with a spritz of sparkling summer libations. Splash liberally in a newly-installed pool. And voilà! You have the ingredients for the Tennessee Williams “Brunch with Blanche” Pool Party Fundraiser to raise a record sum for the storied institution’s 10th season. Click here to see all how it all turned out.
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Simply Serene
The primary bedroom is a sea of serenity — so also is the entire house now that it has been renovated. That was the goal when designer Julie Abner began working with the homeowners. As a master at modern minimalism the redesigned house stands as testament to her talents and expresses exactly what the homeowner wanted. Take a journey with us to discover how the mutual goal was met and the home is now peaceful and serene.
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Queen of the Night
Lambert International is slated for a multi-billion-dollar update. Director Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge will overseeing it all. Prior to her appointment as director, the vital regional economic engine had seen drastic decreases in the number of flights in and out. Hamm-Niebruegge is a visionary. Under her watch, the airport is set to undergo a vast transformation. She has received approval from the airlines to spend the first $1 billion on the first of two phases. While preserving the airport’s historic Minoru Yamasaki dome windows and the ticket lobby, the two existing terminals will be raised to become one. The western half is slated to open by the end of 2028; the eastern portion by the end of 2031.
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Reinventing an Original
Upscale Italy has crossed the pond and come to Westport with Basso on the Plaza, the newest addition in firmament of mega-developer Lodging Hospitality Management’s properties. For years, LHM has been reinventing the now 52-year Westport Plaza in an effort to make it one of the region’s top entertainment districts. The upscale feel was evident with the debut of 360 Westport in 2024 on the rooftop of the iconic gold tower. Now, 2025 adds to Westport’s high-end venues. It’s a place where you know you can find good Italian food and are welcomed into a dining setting unparalleled in the area. See for yourself here.
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Returning to the Garden, and St. Louis
Founded in 1859, the Missouri Botanical Garden is the oldest botanical garden in continuous operation in the United States and one of the most respected plant research institutions in the world. With the 2025 appointment of Dr. Lúcia G. Lohmann as president and director—the first woman to hold this prestigious role—the Garden enters a bold new era, bridging its storied legacy with a forward-thinking vision for sustainability, education, and global scientific leadership. See more of the garden here.
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St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Fabulous Fox Help Raise $350,000 for Tornado Relief
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) and the Fabulous Fox announced that more than $350,000 has been raised to support the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’ Disaster Relief Fund, a joint initiative that included a benefit concert on June 29 at the Fabulous Fox and a related online donation effort.
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Summer May Be Glorious, but It’s Brutal on Your Hair. Kiwabi of Japan to the Rescue.
Summer may be glorious, but it’s brutal on one’s hair and scalp. UV rays, chlorine, saltwater, and heat can all leave it dry, faded, brittle, or frizzy, whether it’s color-treated or not. Kiwabi, the premium Japanese scalp and hair care brand, is known for merging traditional Japanese botanical ingredients with cutting-edge science. Their haircare essentials offer an elevated line of UV-protective, damage-defying formulas that keep all hair types looking vibrant, healthy, and glossy in any climate.
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An Invitation to Savor
At Baetje Farms, nestled in the quiet countryside of Bloomsdale, Missouri, visitors are offered more than just a tour — they are invited into a slower rhythm of life, where craft, care and connection to the land shape everything from world renowned cheese to hospitality. Although only 52 miles outside the city, in a world moving at hyper speed, Baetje Farms offers a pause where guests are embraced by a cathedral of trees and natural borders of river and wild growth.
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Caught in the Eye of the Storm
On May 16, 2025, an EF3 tornado with winds up to 152mph hit St. Louis and put newly-elected Mayor Cara Spencer’s leadership skills to the ultimate test. Soon after the hit, Mayor Spencer would realize the extent of the damage quickly. Tree root balls the size of Mini Coopers lined the streets and sidewalks all over the city. Branches jabbed gaping holes into roofs. Cars were crushed. Live power lines crashed onto the streets and sidewalks. Citizens were injured. The tornado lasted five minutes. The recovery will take years. And years.
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Brunch With Blanche Pool Party Raises Funds for Streetcar & Beyond 10th Anniversary Season of Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
For ten years now, the institution (and yes, they can officially call it an institution at the decade mark) has lifted high the banner and has been the siren call that beckons all to bask in the brilliance of St. Louis’ adopted son, and arguably the greatest playwright in the nation, the inimitable Tennessee Williams. This month and next, the festival shifts into high gear with events at the St. Louis County Library, the Missouri History Museum, a CWE mansion, and the eleven day festival itself in the Grand Center Arts District.
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As the Planet Heats Up, So Does Midsummer in St. Louis as Shown in Our July/August Issue
As you globe trot this summer, you may notice that the planet is getting warmer. 2024 was the warmest year on record since 1880. Record-setting temps have swept the country in June, and St. Louis is no exception with the heat index soaring to 105 degrees or more. It’s about to heat up a whole lot more, especially when the July/August issue of Sophisticated Living St. Louis hits your mailbox, or you pick it up at one of our advertisers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably from the Show-Me State, and as always we SHOW YOU the best in fashion, travel, cuisine, architecture, design, and philanthropic endeavors to be, well, for lack of a better word...seen.
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All You Need is LOVE
LOVE Wine is a new collaboration that celebrates women in wine and art. Recently, J. Vineyards & Winery in Healdsburg, California, debuted LOVE Wine. It is a collaboration between the sparkling wine house and the art and design initiative grantLOVE, created by artist and philanthropist Alexandra Grant. Each new bottling of LOVE Wine will feature a unique label created in collaboration with a leading female-identified artist. Learn more here about this labor of love.
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Ruth's Chris Creates Its Own Fireworks This Year with Signature Burger
Ruth's Chris Steak House is creating its own fireworks this year with its RBAR Burger - a special grind on a brioche bun with Havarti cheese, lettuce, tomato & smoked onion aioli and signature chips accompanied by its hand-crafted Wildberry Lemonade, a red, white and blue salute to the 4th. Celebrate the 4th downtown with a view of the Independence Day fireworks, or at the Chesterfield location.
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Drop-Top Delectation
Powered by Aston Martin's new 5.2-liter V12 engine delivering 835PS and 1000Nm of torque with a top speed of 214mph, the Vanquish Volante is the fastest, most potent front-engine production car on sale today. Read and see here why it created such a stir since it made its debut in March, and it is still making waves in the industry today.
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A Tribute to the Spirit of Exploration
Beretta unveiled its annual one-off shotgun late last year, dedicated to Marco Polo's legacy. Made at Beretta's headquarters in Gardone Val Trompia, Italy, the shotgun is a one-of-a-kind firearm crafted on the legendary SO6 EELL Sparviere over-and-under platform. The Marco Polo PB Selection shotgun is an ode to a brave traveler who wasn't afraid to face new cultures and people. More here.
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Missouri History Museum Ignited Pride Month with a Bonanza of LGBTQIA+ Performers with Its Annual "Queer Writes Celebration
On June 5th, Joan Lipkin’s “Queer Writes 2025” at the Missouri History Museum helped launch Pride Month this year. In its third outing, the community was showcased. In 2023, the award-winning theatre artist, Lipkin, founded this out-of-the-box literary event of local LGBTQ+ writers or those with St Louis roots. It was the most ambitious production to date. “Queer Writes” is part of the Missouri History Museum’s Pride Month programming as well as its Thursday Night at the Museum series.
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Missouri Historical Society Opens Tuskegee Airmen Exhibit on Juneteeth
The national observation of Juneteeth commences with the opening of The Missouri Historical Society Tuskegee Airmen: America’s Freedom Flyers at Soldiers Memorial Military Museum on June 19. The exhibit will run through November 2, 2025. This exhibit tells the story of the first Black pilots in the U.S. Army Air Corps and their courageous service during World War II. Through images and interpretive panels, Tuskegee Airmen: America’s Freedom Flyers celebrates the resilience and impact of these trailblazing servicemen who fought for freedom abroad and equality at home. Details here.
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Uncorked
Discover the finds that New York and Paris-based certified wine specialist Vicki Denig has found while she recently scoured the globe. She shares with you here a handful of the most interesting, delicious bottles she found during her search, as well as a bit about their stories, what they taste like, and the context in which she enjoyed them, and how she thinks you'll best enjoy them, too.
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Bush Babied
A pioneer in tented safari camps, conservation-minded and amenity-rich Finch Hattons Luxury Camp in Kenya's Tsavo National Park continues to raise the bar. This 17-tent safari camp is rose to infamy in the late 1800s due to a pair of man-eating lions who preyed upon construction workers building the Kenya-Uganda Railway. Experience the beauty of the breathtaking terrain. See wild animals in their native habitat. Explore all facets of bush country. And glimpse all that Richard Branson's luxury travel brand has to offer in the family-owned resort.
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Stirred, Not Shaken
Why would someone who gets seasick while snorkeling endeavor two crossings of one of the most dangerous sea passages in the world? The answer is simple: love. Not the love of seasickness, but the love of a spouse who had traveled the world and longed for an adventure in the elusive seventh continent. Experience with them incredible ice and calm seas during their cruise to Antarctica with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions.
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