Winter & Holiday Events in the City

Holiday on the Plaza -- Saturday, December 3 1:00-5:00 pm, Maryland Plaza in the CWE


"A spectacular multicultrual event showcasing holidy traditions from around the world.

Snow or shine, join us for an afternoon of festive family entertainment.

'Holidays of Light' Celebrate the many diverse cultures in St. Louis with lively holiday performances.

Also featuring:
Santa and his sleigh
Bob Kramer's Marionettes at Bissinger's
Ride the Holiday Llama
Petting Zoo
Magical tree lighting
Holiday refreshments"

proceeds to benefit Grace Hill


Santa's Workshop will also be back - remember to bring a new unwrapped toy or $5/child admission.

Wings in the City

Thank you to everyone who came out last Saturday to raise awareness for Wings in the City. It was a fun, family- friendly event and we hope to more like it in the future! To see pictures and learn more about Wings, check out Nicki Dwyer's blog at www.nickidwyer.typepad.com.

Maryland Plaza Movie Night - Free outdoor night!

Movies on the Plaza - The Wizard of Oz

Thursday, October 28th at 6:30pm - NEW TIME!!

Sing-a-long starts at 6pm

Come in costume and partake in pre-Halloween festivities!

MOVIE ON THE PLAZA Presented by Dave Mungenast Lexus of St. Louis When: THURSDAY, AUGUST 26th at 8pm Where: Maryland Plaza Fountainside Join us for one of summer's many pleasures – watching a movie under the stars in a beautiful setting. Enjoy an all-time favorite on the big screen, CASABLANCA starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Evening Highlights... FREE MOVIE SCREENING SHOWCASING NEW MODEL LEXUS HAPPY HOUR AT BISSINGER'S HANDCRAFTED CHOCOLATIER LUCKY COIN DRAWING Bottle Service & Private Table at Mandarin ($175 value) CHOCTAILS at BISSINGER'S HANDCRAFTED CHOCOLATIER Discover a full range of incredible offerings: drinks, savories and handcrafted confections. Open til 11pm. SPECIAL "MOVIE ON THE PLAZA" MENU CHOCTAILS Mungenast Mint Martini - $9 WINES 2008 Yealands Pinot Noir - $6 2008 Cimicky "Trumps" Shiraz - $6 2008 Alma Rosa, Santa Barbara County Chardonnay - $6 DESSERT Petite Truffle Tart - $4 FULL MENU ALSO AVAILABLE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! Dave Mungenast Lexus of St. Louis Bissinger's Handcrafted Chocolatier Central West End Association CWE Friends and Family Bring chair for viewing movie. No dogs please! For more information... www.marylandplaza.com 314.345.1000

Making memories and making a difference this holiday season

I think about all of the great opportunities around the holidays to make memories and to practice the generosity and kindness I tend to push to the back burner the rest of the year and I'm almost overwhelmed. Maybe if I didn't wait until the end of the year to take advantage of these opportunities I wouldn't feel this way. In any case, there are a bounty of opportunities in the neighborhood and beyond this holiday season. Here are a few I know about. Please share the ones you know about here as well.

Gardenland Express at the Botanical Gardens - Nov. 25-Jan. 3 enjoy the Gardens' annual holiday flower and train show. 9am - 5 pm daily. Regular admission plus $13 for adults, $5 for kids and free for members. www.mobot.org.

Holiday Cards by Our Little Haven - located in the CWE, this great place provides love and support for the youngest and most vulnerable amongst us who are recovering from abuse, neglect, abandonment or early childhood trauma in the greater St. Louis region. Check out their affordable holiday cards and support this wonderful neighborhood organization.

http://www.ourlittlehaven.org/olhpage.asp?SID=6524

Maryland Plaza - Saturday, Dec. 5th (3-5pm), enjoy caroling, hot chocolate, a visit from Santa Claus and much more at Maryland Plaza. Visit Santa's workshop from noon to 5 - admission for kids is a new, unwrapped $5 toy for the Salvation Army. http://www.marylandplaza.com/pdf/HOP-flyer.pdf

A Man for All Seasons - The St. Louis Actors studio presents this award winning play on Dec. 4-20th at the Des Lee Auditorium at the History Museum. http://www.stlas.org/detail_Man_for_Seasons.html

Wild Lights at the Zoo - Enjoy an illuminated holiday wonderland at the zoo Nov. 27-29, Dec. 4-6, 11-13, 18-23, 26-30. Light displays, free activities and attractions, rides, hot chocolate and snacks. Tickets sold each night until 8:15. http://www.stlzoo.org/events/calendarofevents/wildlights

And as you're cleaning out closets this winter and making way for the new, don't forget there are salvation army and St. Vincent De Paul drop off sites on Forest Park Pkwy.

Check back often for more updates!

Moms' Night Out!!

Now's your chance, moms!

Thursday, October 15th starting at 6pm

The Atrium Gallery has generously offered to host a special event for our group to check out the Gallery and enjoy some wine and light apps.

The Gallery event will conclude around 7:30, so the plan is for everyone to walk over to Herbie's @ 405 N. Euclid afterwards for some drinks.

Hope you ladies can make it, this will be a fun evening!

Here's a link to Atrium's site: www.atriumgallery.net

Raising a family in the CWE - a new book by local author

Neighbor and columnist for the West End Word, Jeff Fister, has just published a book telling the story of raising 8 kids and a brood of hens in the CWE.

He'll be signing copies of the book at 6 North on June 20th 11 am - 3 pm and donating $1 from each sale to CWE Families & Friends and $1 to Cathedral School.

On July 20th, you can find Jeff at Left Bank for a book signing.

I can't wait to read it!

Celebrating the holidays in the CWE

HOLIDAY ON THE PLAZA
Sat., December 6th, 3:30-5:30pm

Kick-off the holiday season at Maryland Plaza in the Central West End on Saturday, December 6th for the Fourth Annual celebration “Holiday on the Plaza” – St. Louis’ premier tree-lighting event.Bring the family, snow or shine for some holiday cheer. The festivities begin at 3:30pm with carolers filling the air with holiday music. Santa and his sleigh will be on hand along with Bojanles the parading reindeer, ready to pose for pictures with good little boys and girls.

And new for this year are performances by Bob Kramer’s Marionettes and a magical Santa’s Workshop. Children get in free to the indoor workshop with an unwrapped toy. Kids of all ages will be transported to the North Pole with Storytelling by Mrs. Claus, helping elves make toys and participating in activities provided by The Magic House, The Science Center, Home Depot, and Bowood Farms. Children will also be able to fill stockings for homeless children and color the cover of a holiday recipe book. Wow! All under the same roof.

And while the children are enjoying the workshop, adults can stop in Scape bistro for a Holiday Happy Hour hosted by a local radio personality.

The closing ceremony will be marked with the Ambassadors of Harmony performing their last set during the lighting of the 20-foot holiday tree by Santa and a special guest.

All donations throughout the event benefit KMOV-Channel 4 Kids Caring Four Kids.

Need to start your holiday shopping? Check out Poshpapers.net!

The owner, a CWEFF member, will donate 25% of the profits to CWEFF! Simply order byDecember 3rd, and type "CWEFF" into the comments section at checkout. Products include personalized placemats and plates for kids, holidaycards, personalized stationery and gifts for teachers, family and friends.

Fall Fun & Autumnal Affairs

Pumpkin carving and costume contests are just around the corner - feel free to share upcoming events & activities here.

Boo-Wood at Bowood Farms Nursery - 4605 Olive
Tues., Oct. 14th - Free

For children and adults, Bowood Farms celebrates a full moon and the Halloween season with a scavenger hunt and pumpkin painting inside the garden center. Pumpkin decorating starts at 4 p.m.; cider and hot dogs are served at 5 p.m. as an informal dinner alternative for families. Also, a plant list for special orange-and-black gardens comes from noted horticulturist and garden designer Dianne O'Connell.

CWEFF Event at Companion

6310gr8! Nights with CWE Families & Friends at Companion in the CWE
Wednesday, July 9th, 7-9pm
Meet your neighbors, have some fun and learn something new about the neighborhood
email info@cwefamilies.org for more information

Benefit Concert at Blueberry Hill

There will be a benefit concert for More Than Carpentry at Blueberry Hill coming up on Saturday, May 10 from 1:30-6:00pm. There will be two bands, Via Dove, a rock alternative indie band and Ryan Watts & The Campfire Club, a folk country western swing band. MTC is a faith based non-profit organization that focuses on a paid apprenticeship training program teaching carpentry, business, and life skills to Wellston residents. Tickets are $10 online or $12 at the door. Kids are free. For more information go to http://www.morethancarpentry.org/.

Stitch n' Pitch

Stitch N' Pitch brings together two timeless traditions — Baseball and the NeedleArts. Come see the St. Louis Cardinals play against the Houston Astros on May 28th and knit, crochet, embroider, cross-stitch and needlepoint. Beginners, intermediate and experts are all welcome. Last year over 800 people attended. Tickets cost $27. You can purchase tickets at Knitty Couture 6148 Delmar Blvd, Kirkwood Knittery on 10724 Manchester Rd., Chris' Needle Craft Supply at 13393 Olive Blvd., and others. You can get more info at http://www.stitchnpitch.com/

April 19: Kennedy Park Mulch Day

It really is almost spring (even though it did snow on Easter)! So come out and help get the park ready for a wonderful season of outside play. A great addition to the park is the water feature the kids will absolutely love. No more going outside the fence to play in the drinking fountain!

We'll supply bagels and coffee but we need at least a dozen pairs of helping hands to mulch and weed. We'll be there from 9-12!

Mom's Nights

The theme for our last Mom's Night was Summer Kid Activities. We covered local camp and class offerings in the area. If anyone is interesting in hosting a Mom's night, send an email: cwefamilies@yahoo.com

It's potluck, it's easy, it's a great way to meet with new and old friends!