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Our first Remarkable Room is a sophisticated space that was designed with the homeowners’ college-aged daughter in mind. We love its fun yet sophisticated style. The vibrant fuchsia accent wall and chartreuse furnishings provide visual interest and contrast against the dramatic black and white elements. What do you like about this space?

SLHL January/February 2010 issue. Photography by Michael Jacob. Interior design by Mim Phillips of Mim Phillips Interiors, www.mimphillipsinteriors.com

July 23
Celebrate St. Louis Summer Concert Series will feature a free, outdoor concert by Sara Bareilles, who takes the Budweiser Main Stage at 8 p.m. Local opening band is Jeremiah Johnson & the Sliders at 6 p.m.

July 23-25
CATS at The Muny in Forest Park. See one of Broadway’s longest-running musicals while enjoying a warm summer evening outdoors. Performances begin at 8:15 p.m. each night. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.muny.org.

July 24
Henry Shaw’s 210th Birthday Celebration at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Celebrate the Garden founder’s birthday in true Victorian style, with old-fashioned entertainment, including music, a silhouette artist, stilt-walker, magician, actors in Victorian fashions and children’s games in the Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden. Activities will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Spoehrer Plaza outside the Ridgway Visitor Center. General admission is free from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.mobot.org.

July 24
The Semi-Annual Cash & Carry Boutique Warehouse Sale will take place at 285 Lamp & Lantern Village in Town & Country this Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shoppers will receive designer discounts at 50% off and more. Entry costs $10 at the door until 1 p.m., and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Covenant House Missouri. Cash only and all sales are final. For more information, visit www.cashandcarrysale.com.

July 24
Art of Food Fundraiser at Mad Art Gallery. This annual fundraising event for Slow Food St. Louis will take place at Mad Art Gallery, 2727 S. 12th St., from 6 to 10 p.m. Proceeds from the event will benefit Slow Food St. Louis’ Small Farm Micro Biodiversity Grant, which has raised more than $12,000 for local farmers over the past two years. Art of Food will highlight the area’s top restaurants, featuring hors d’oeuvres made with fresh and local ingredients. There will also be a cash bar, food-themed artwork by local artists and gift baskets filled with specialty goodies from boutiques, wineries and restaurants, which will be up for auction. Tickets are $30 for Slow Food members and $40 for non-members in advance. Tickets are $40 for Slow Food members and $50 for non-members at the door. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.artoffoodstl.com.

July 24-25
Greater St. Louis Iris Society Sale. New cultivars and old favorites are sold by the area’s top growers, who are on hand to give plant care advice and share information about their organization. Located in the Orthwein Floral Display Hall of the Ridgway Visitor Center, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entry included with Garden admission. For more information, visit www.stlouisirises.com.

July 24-25
Local Foods Tasting in the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Garden Gate Shop. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.mobot.org.

July 24-25
“Berries & BarBQ” Wine Trail in Hermann, Missouri. Visit Missouri Wine Country to enjoy wonderful wines and savory barbecue at seven stops along the scenic Wine Trail. Tickets are $30 per person and include a souvenir wine glass. Tickets are limited, advance purchase is required and there are no refunds. To purchase tickets, call 800-932-8687. This event will be held rain or shine on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.hermannwinetrail.com.

July 25
Gateway Festival Orchestra Free Concert: “Gotta Dance.” Now in its 47th season of free Sunday evening concerts, the Gateway Festival Orchestra will perform favorites from the world’s greatest composers at 7:30 p.m. on Brookings Quadrangle at Washington University. For more information, visit www.gatewayfestivalorchestra.org.

CASAs for Kids Playhouse Celebration will kick off with a Wild West Fest at Ambassador Floor Co. in Chesterfield, 17770 Chesterfield Airport Rd., on July 31 from 6 to 10 p.m. Tickets cost $50 per person in advance and $65 per person at the door. Ticket cost includes admission for one, dinner, beer and wine, square-dancing and front-row chances to win a one-of-a-kind playhouse, including a general store, schoolhouse, hotel, restaurant, stable, theater and sheriff’s office/jail.

This western town of playhouses will be on display, and four of these unique, 7-foot by 7-foot structures will be auctioned off during the event. To win one of three non-auctioned playhouses, you can purchase raffle tickets from July 24 through August 4 in Chesterfield Valley. They will join three other playhouses – a pirate ship, cottage and skate park – as part of a raffle at The St. Louis Mills Mall on August 6 through 15. These playhouses serve as tangible symbols of CASA’s commitment to finding safe and permanent homes for children.

Order your tickets to Wild West Fest online at www.casastlcounty.org (please print a Google receipt as your ticket to the event), by e-mail at information@casastlcounty.org, or by calling the CASA office at 314-615-2908. Raffle tickets can be purchased at The St. Louis Mills Mall, through www.casastlcounty.org, by calling the CASA office at 314-615-2908, or via e-mail at information@casastlcounty.org.

Saturday, July 17
Clayton Farmer’s Market. 8:30 a.m. to noon. West parking lot of Straub’s Market at 8282 Forsyth Boulevard.
Enjoy live music by Coco and Lafe, a singer/songwriter folk and blues duo, while you shop the Market. These talented musicians are based in Vermont and on their second national tour of farmers’ markets. For more information, visit www.claytonfarmersmarket.com.

Saturday, July 17
Tower Grove Farmers’ Market & Bazaar. 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tower Grove Park, west of the Pool Pavilion.
Shop fresh, local produce, meats and more. You can also participate in a free yoga class at 9 a.m. For more information, visit www.tgmarket.org.

Saturday, July 17
Kirkwood Farmers’ Market Peach Festival. 10 a.m. to noon. Downtown Kirkwood.
Visitors will enjoy peach samples from local farmers, as well as peach treats and other menu items. Market customers will have the opportunity to cast a vote for the best locally grown peach. Live music from The Maple Jam Band from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit www.downtownkirkwood.com.

Saturday, July 17
Up on the Roof! at Bowood Farms. 10 a.m. 4605 Olive Street.
Free staff-run tours of the Bowood Farms and Cafe Osage rooftop gardens. See a variety of herbs, sedums and flowering plants thriving on the roof. The roof gardens are only accessible by ladder, so please wear sturdy shoes. Adults – ages 18 and older – only, for safety reasons. For more information, visit www.bowoodfarms.com.

Sunday, June 18
7th Annual “Paddle With Your Pooch” Boat Race. 12:30 p.m. The Boathouse in Forest Park.
The Boathouse in Forest Park hosts its 7th Annual “Paddle With Your Pooch” dog-and-master boat race this Sunday. KMOX personality Charlie Brennan will announce the event’s three heats and final race. An awards ceremony praising the top pooches and two-legged paddlers will follow. Food, beverages and Paddle With Your Pooch T-shirts will be available for purchase. Proceeds from the event benefit Forest Park Forever. The entry fee is $30 per dog-and-master team. (Maximum occupancy per paddleboat is three humans, plus one pooch.) Register online at www.boathouseforestpark.com. Pre-payment by credit card is required. Entries will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until 30 teams have registered for each heat. Registrations will be confirmed by e-mail. Additional entries will be put on a waiting list in the order received. Entry fees are non-refundable.

Greenscape also offers quite a few fun activities for green thumbs throughout the summer. Here are two events that are coming up this month:

July 24 – Garden Potluck Picnic
Bring a dish you’ve prepared using some ingredients from your garden or the farmers’ market and enjoy a picnic lunch at Greenscape with the staff. Share ideas with others on what tastes best from your garden and learn terrific tips. This is a free event, but please bring dish. Greenscape will provide cold refreshments. 12 to 2 p.m.

July 31 – Peach Party
Peaches are in their prime, so come celebrate the season with Greenscape! Enter the “Peach Party” contest by bringing a dish made with peaches for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to Greenscape Gardens. All entries must be received by 10 a.m. on July 31. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

With a new emphasis on dining and living spaces outside, I find myself looking at interior objects in a new way, and iron and metal objects make sense for outside use. (In truth, I’m also looking for things the grandchildren won’t break.)

Landscapers and interior designers have often used iron urns to enhance both our indoor and exterior plantings. I currently use iron urns purchased at Gringo Jones to decorate the top of our hutch in the dining room. They tie into the iron urns on the deck, which is accessed from the dining room.

My iron “mice,” originally purchased at Christopher’s to keep the napkins from blowing away outside, play among the desert plates on the hutch when not being used outside. My mom hates the thought of any kind of mice in the dining room – but the grandchildren love it. You just have to find a balance.

Jan Barboglio, fashion designer turned home accessories designer, has a wonderful selection of items, such as this incredible napkin ring, available through Maggies, www.maggies.com.

Her wine glass with an iron base makes a perfect indoor or outdoor selection for your tabletop. And, don’t forget her collectible iron bottle toppers for that bottle of wine you plan to share, which are available at Neiman Marcus, www.neimanmarcus.com.

In a recent magazine article, Jan Barboglio sets the table with white napkins, mice and her napkin ring – no wonder I love her designs!

Have fun and enjoy the summer – whether you are outside or inside!

Judy Moskoff
agardenershome@gmail.com
www.agardenershome.blogspot.com

Peruse the latest trends in kitchens and baths, and shop styles by your favorite local designers – all while supporting an extremely worthwhile cause. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served, and  participating vendors include: Design & Detail Showroom & Marketplace, S. King Collection, Blush, Macs Designs, The Desiging Block, Retta le Ritz and Teavana. The first 200 guests will receive a gift bag with items donated by these generous participants. Please RSVP to events@cheresseink.com or call 314-367-8954.

Karr Bick Kitchen + Bath is located at 2715 Mercantile Drive in Brentwood. Karr Bick will continue to donate a portion of their profits to Fisher House through December 2010.

1. Sandbar Curtain. Available at Anthropologie, 1155 St. Louis Galleria, 314-727-7419, www.anthropologie.com.

2. Coral Reef wallpaper, York Wallcoverings® Ashford House® By the Sea Collection, www.yorkwall.com. Available at Frank Patton Interiors, 13133 Manchester Rd., 314-965-4240, www.frankpattoninteriors.com.

3. Shell Overall wallpaper, York Wallcoverings® Carey Lind Riviera Collection, www.yorkwall.com. Available at Frank Patton Interiors, 13133 Manchester Rd., 314-965-4240, www.frankpattoninteriors.com.

4. Coral motif Harden sofa. Available at Edwin Pepper Interiors, 909 S. Brentwood Blvd., 314-862-6330, www.edwinpepper.com.

5. Melamine Sea Fan plates. Available at Anthropologie, 1155 St. Louis Galleria, 314-727-7419, www.anthropologie.com.

6. Stained Glass Sea Life napkin rings, set of 6. Available at Pottery Barn, 262 Plaza Frontenac, 314-996-2630 or 280 Chesterfield Mall, 636-536-6101, www.potterybarn.com.

7. St. Lucia wallpaper, Thibaut Natural Resource Collection, www.thibautdesign.com. Available at Frank Patton Interiors, 13133 Manchester Rd., 314-965-4240, www.frankpattoninteriors.com.

* Before you visit one of these locations to purchase an item on this list, please call the store to make sure the product you are interested in is still in stock.