Golden oldies and a pond (June 8 through Aug. 17)

On the local free outdoor music scene, the Carondelet Community Betterment Federation stands out because its shows are geared toward an older crowd, with German, Dixieland, polka, old country western, classic rock, bluegrass and big band acts. My kids enjoy it because their fellow audience members, delighted by the simplest antics, are unfailingly friendly. Typical grandparents! Of the CCBF’s three concert locations this year, the kids prefer the Carondelet Park spot, which is on a hilltop above a fishing pond with a large sprayer. Thus a Sunday evening outing combines most of their favorite things: extra attention, music, a picnic and moving water.

The Carondelet Park series started last week; this week’s show is the Waterloo German Band on Sunday (June 8 ) from 6 to 8 p.m. Its partner series is on Mondays from 7 to 9 p.m. at St. Louis Square Park (for the first part of the summer, then it moves to Bellrive Park). The Buffalo Bob Blues is the band Monday (June 9). For a full list, check the CCBF schedule online or call 314.752.6339.

Wine, women and song (weekends)

This week we’ll be taking out-of-town guests to sample Missouri wine country, so I started checking into the free entertainment the wineries are offering this weekend. To my delight, one of our favorite duos, Mo and Dawn, is playing at Blumenhof Winery in Dutzow from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday (June 8). I love the slightly incongruous pairing of a very urban soul/jazz/electronica act with the countrified setting. One of the only drawbacks to Blumenhof is that its courtyard is in a slight valley, which sometimes blocks the cooling breezes. The wineries along the bluffs overlooking the Missouri River might be a better choice for the 90-plus days this weekend — Montelle, Mount Pleasant and Balducci are some of our favorites in the Augusta area, which is the closest American Viticultural Area (a grape-growing region designated by the U.S. government) to St. Louis. Like Blumenhof, nearly all of the region’s other wineries offer live music on weekend afternoons, and some go into the evening hours as well. For links to the wineries, visit the state Wine and Grape Board’s homepage.

Our next-door neighbors rarely head west when they’re seeking a winery day out — their choice is the Ste. Genevieve area, particularly Chaumette Winery. We always enjoy comparing our picks from the west against theirs from the south. We’re fans of the grape varieties that grow well in this region, Norton and Chambourcin, Traminette and Vignoles. To learn educate yourself in them before your winery visit, check out the Wine and Grape Board’s link above, or check out its new site, NortonSays.com, which is, of course, all about Norton grapes.

Some of the wineries don’t allow picnics, but a few do, so if you’re set on bringing your own food, be sure to call ahead. The beverages, obviously, should be purchased on site. All of them are friendly to children, within reason (no letting the kids run wild while you’re off sampling!); we’ve seen plenty of kids at tasting counters sipping their own grape juices.  If you’re making a day of wine tasting, be sure to bring a cooler along, ’cause there’s nothing worse for wine than sitting in a hot car all afternoon!  You’ll also want to call ahead to find out what music is on the schedule, because most of the wineries’ homepages are updated infrequently.  The vintners are too busy out in the vineyards, for which we can only salute them with a heartfelt toast.

Two popular concert series kick off (June 4 and 7)

The Whitaker Music Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden is the place to be tomorrow (June 4) when it kicks off with Erin Bode at 7:30 p.m. at the amphitheater.  It’s one of the few times picnicking is allowed in the garden, so load up your classiest grub and arrive early to secure a good spot.  Admission is free from 5 p.m. on, including the children’s garden — can I plug that wonderful place too often??  I’m a huge fan of Erin Bode too, and I feel a little guilty about it because I’ve only ever seen her at free concerts like this one. (Someday I’ll have to shell out for a ticket!)  Her brand of jazz is a perfect pairing with beautiful outdoor venues and a nice glass of wine.  Or donuts … World’s Fair (located just west of the garden on Vandeventer and Shaw) is open until 6 p.m.

The series runs every Wednesday through Aug. 13, with performers who need very little introduction to St. Louisans  (Javier Mendoza, Kim Massie,  Alvin Jett and Phat Noiz) and a few newcomers (Anita Rosamond).  See the schedule on the garden’s homepage.

On Saturday (June 7), another favorite concert series begins over in Lafayette Square.  The bandshell in Lafayette Park is the focal point for a laid-back, spread-out picnicking scene that’s ideal for young kids who won’t sit still — they won’t be constantly trampling on someone else’s blanket!  Kim Massie kicks off the series‘ first concert at 6 p.m., followed every two weeks by another lively band (including Power Play, Zydeco Crawdaddies and Ralph Butler).  There’s usually a bit of concession activity (sno cones, etc.) but you should plan to supply the bulk of your libations yourself.  Or swing by the restaurants along Park Avenue for a take-out meal and drinks to go with it.  Might I suggest 33 Wine Shop and Tasting Bar (there’s no sign but the address is 1913 Park Ave.)?

Three great ways to spend Friday night (May 30)

I was at our gate talking to a neighbor today when I realized summer is officially here: The first rivulets of sweat ran down my bra when I was doing absolutely nothing except standing in the sun.  I’m sure the happiness will wear off quickly, but for today it feels great.  Our water-loving plans are made for tomorrow, and for tomorrow evening (May 30) we’ve got three great options, all outdoors:

1. Olivette summer concert series in Stacy Park: A friend from Olivette sent out a notice that her neighborhood is ground zero for a summertime series that kicks off with games an inflatables at 5 p.m., followed by snowangeldust from 7 to 9:30 p.m.  The series continues June 8 and 15 and July 13 and 20, with Bob Kuban Brass, The Ultraviolets, The Smash Band and  Sh-Boom.  The flyer says there’s plenty of parking, but according to my sources that depends on your definition of “plenty,” so you probably want to come early.  Bring picnics or purchase food on site.  For details, call Olivette Parks and Rec at 314.991.1249.
2. Jungle Boogie at the Saint Louis Zoo:  This annual series needs little introduction — it’s a summertime classic.  This week’s band is Motown group Arvell and Co.; music is from 5 to 8 p.m. at the central plaza.  Jungle Boogie continues throughout the summer (nearly each week; check the schedule online for details).
3. Parents as Teachers end-of-year picnic:  At pavilion #2 in Forest Park, one of my favorite early-childhood education programs is celebrating another successful year with a boatload of activities for kids, from parachute games to tie-dye spraying.  The event runs from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and includes a bike-fitting workshop (but you have to call ahead for that at 314.454.5437.  Helmets will be available for $8, or you can bring your own).   They’ll provide popsicles,  but it’s BYO for other foods and beverages.

Movin’ and Groovin’ kiddie-style (May 28 and Aug. 9)

After an unexpectedly extended weekend, I’m back with a quick tip on an event bright and early tomorrow morning (May 28):  an open house for Kindermusik at the Des Peres Lodge from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m.  I’ll admit this is short notice, but my bet is that there are still spaces available (call 314.434.9496 to find out and register).  The objective is to introduce new families to the Kindermusik concept (a combination of movement and rhythm-making that gets kids and parents grooving along with music) in the hopes that they’ll find a summer camp or fall session at the St. Louis Kindermusik Academy that fits their schedule.  It’s also a benefit for the Saint Louis Symphony (a $5 donation to the cause gets you free admission to the open house).

We’re not eligible for the open house because we’re longtime fans of Kindermusik.  M. had a school-year’s worth of weekly classes (thanks to a preschool that hired an excellent Kindermusik instructor, Karen Zelle) and occasional summer sessions too.  He has always loved music, but the classes helped him find the beat and really notice that his body could work in unison with it.

If you can’t make the event tomorrow, there’s another chance on Aug. 9 at the Jewish Community Center’s Marilyn Fox Building in Chesterfield.  The contact number is the same, or you can e-mail kmacademy@kindermusikstl.com.

A big BBQ fest (May 23-26)

One of the advantages to having a self-proclaimed 5-year-old vegetarian in the house is that we save big money at events like the Rib America festival this weekend (May 23 to 26) downtown at the Soldier’s Memorial (Tucker and Market streets). The hubby and I, on the other hand, LOVE barbecue — something we never have the patience to make at home — and we usually eat ourselves silly. Although Rib America offers free admission to kids under age 12, standard admission for adults is $5. That doesn’t include any food, which tends to be on the pricey side. Happily for me, roasted sweet corn is one of the cheaper items, and the kids are perfectly content to fill up on that.  I recommend saving yourself the fee by arriving early, say before 5 p.m. on Friday (23rd) or before 1 p.m. the other days (24th, 25th, 26th). It’s that much more money to spend on ‘cue.

Our game plan for the festival is usually as follows: Arrive early to save $$$ and beat the crowds (lines can get long at the most popular stands), eat ourselves silly, then find a spot to set up camp and watch the live music on stage. This festival always brings in a few well-know oldie acts from the ’80s (and as a child of the ’80s, I can vouch for the fun of going down memory lane!); this year’s include Dennis De Young of Styx, KC and the Sunshine Band, Night Ranger and .38 Special. Those headliners close the nights down, but the music begins earlier in the day and is thankfully not limited to hair bands (memory lane is only fun for so long) — check out the event’s homepage for a full schedule.

A North St. Louis parade at 120 (May 18)

The tradition of the May Day parade started in 1909 or 1910, and within a dozen years it was an annual event. It’s commonly known as the Annie Malone parade, and it’s huge — the second-largest African-American parade in the U.S., with 100,000 spectators and hundreds of participants, including (my favorite!) marching bands, floats and cars. When the parade took place in North St. Louis, mom-and-pop vendors would line the route selling hot dogs cooked over charcoal on portable grills. When the route moved into downtown, there was a bit of an outcry that some of the home-cooked flavor would be lost.

Based on the turnout in subsequent years, though, it doesn’t really matter where this parade takes place — it’s all about having a good time and raising money for the Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center. The upside to the downtown location is that most of us have already viewed at least one parade there and have our favorite spots staked out along the route (in this case, it’s along Market Street from 20th to 7th streets). We prefer to park near the stadium, but this year there’s a baseball game at 1:15 p.m., so things will be hoppin’ and we might have to rework our system. The parade steps off at 1 p.m. on Sunday (May 18 ).

Aside from the parade, there two other May Day weekend activities to note: a gospel music celebration on Saturday (May 17) at 6 p.m. at Antioch Baptist Church, and a two-hour blues music festival on Sunday (May 18 ) following the parade at around 4 p.m. The entertainment for the Bluesfest is being coordinated by Cafe Soul, a very popular monthly open mic event. Winners of its own in-house contest will perform along with the national winner of the McDonald’s R&B Soulsearch. The face of Cafe Soul, CoCo Soul, will MC — and according to the online press release, will also open the mic to anyone with a mind to perform at the festival. Others scheduled to appear include local favorites Kim Massey, Lamar Harris, True Lyric, Slky Sol, and poet Mocha Latte.

The weather should be cool but nice, which can only contribute to the festive atmosphere. And with the sad news out of North St. Louis this past week, people will be looking to lift their spirits.

A note from May 19:  In news reports on this event, you might have heard/read that three gunshots were fired along the route.  That happened about a block from where we were, and we didn’t hear them, although we did see a few police officers running in that direction.  A few groups of people high-tailed it away, mostly families but also some white teenage kids, one of whom was giddily announcing to his cell phone, “We just saw someone get shot so we’re out of here!”  However, no one was actually injured — the teenage perpetrator fired into the air and was caught soon after.  The vast majority of the crowd stayed calm, realizing that the lack of an ambulance meant that no one had in fact been shot, something which the police confirmed to those of us along the route as we waited for the parade to resume.

We’ll amble on over to this free concert (May17)

We love our smack-in-the-middle-of-things location, but one drawback is that few of our beloved free concerts take place within walking distance of our house.  That’ll change this weekend, when Benton Park hosts an outdoor free concert.  This is our first concert in Benton Park, and we’re full of anticipation.  The act is Rough Grooves, a four-piece, high-energy blues band, playing from 4 to 6:30 p.m.  Wear the kids out and get them home just before bedtime!  I love it.

While we’re out and about, we might head back toward Cherokee Street — remember a couple of weeks ago how I told you you’d get hooked?  Well, this weekend is the Cherokee-Lemp History Fair, complete with historical and architectural tours of a neighborhood whose roots extend to the 1840s, street musicians, food and art exhibits.  The festival covers the eastern end, the antiques district; check out the organization’s homepage for details.  What M. and I have enjoyed about this festival in years past is that the musicians are right on the sidewalk, often playing acoustic, which makes up-close listening highly enjoyable.  Come early and snag a good seat at one of the sidewalk cafes.

Then head over to Benton Park for that concert.  It’s a short walk up to Jefferson and Arsenal.  Details are on the neighborhood organization’s homepage.

Two twilight series: one music, one movies (Apr. 29 and May 2)

It’s back to lousy weather today, but I’m undeterred — I’m still going to post about two outdoor events. And if we’re all wearing parkas, oh well!

The first is the weekly Twilight Tuesdays concert series on the front lawn of the Missouri History Museum. The spring half of the season (it skips the hottest summer months) commences tomorrow (Apr. 29), with smooth jazz from the Bosman Twins from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Over the coming weeks the music will range from classic rock to disco/funk/soul to Motown to classic jazz. The spring finale on June 10 with The Smash Band will have a party feel — and by then the weather will be nice and warm, so hundreds of groups will be scattered around the lawn. Tomorrow’s show may be a little sparser, what with the daytime high predicted in the 50s — but that’s good for you and the kids, because you won’t have to arrive quite so early to find a primo spot. (In case of rain, the concert will be rescheduled; keep tabs by calling 314.746.4599 or by listening to the sponsor radio station, KEZK 102.5.)

In some ways it surprises me that so many people come to a venue where the sightlines to the stage are better from the back, but I think people come as much for the picnic and the Forest Park ambiance as for the music, as great as that music is. And although there’s food for sale from Patty Long Catering, people really do tend more toward picnics — some organizing very elaborate potluck affairs complete with wine and candles, others throwing together brown-bag sandwiches. (That’s my realm, although I usually do find a bottle of wine to bring too!)

At this week’s other outdoor sure-bet series, on Friday night (May 2), there’ll be plenty of music but no band in sight; it’s the Union Station Twilight Under the Train Shed movie series featuring a Grease sing-a-long. You might have already heard about this one — Grease is the second movie — but if not, you’ll definitely want to mark the first Friday of the month on your calendar to see some of the other well-chosen movies (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Independence Day, Singing in the Rain). There’s a recommended age cutoff of six years, which makes sense since showtime is 8:45 p.m. And I don’t know that I’d bring the young’uns to Rocky Horror anyway! For details, visit the homepage.

Now for one final note: If you read Saturday’s post you’ll know about our crazy daisy experiment. It didn’t go so well! The flowers sucked up some of the food-colored water, but veeeeery slowly and unevenly. They made more progress once we dumped in about 20 drops more food coloring to the half cup of water in the glasses, but it’s been four days now and I think we’ve got all the tinting we’re going to get. Still, it has made for a good lesson in how flowers pull water through their veins, especially in the daisies where we slit the stems and put them into two colors of water.

Girls rock (Apr. 22 and 24)

Yesterday M. and I went to see his babysitter sing in a recital — she’s one of the Opera Theatre Artists-in-Training (see a Fox News segment on the program here). It was a wonderful afternoon, hearing those beautiful voices and seeing 21 teenagers who’re so passionate about their talents.

I haven’t seen the new documentary “Girls Rock!” yet, but I suspect it’s uplifting in the same way as yesterday’s recital. I base that opinion on the review in last Friday’s Post-Dispatch and on the film’s Web site, including background on the Rock ‘N’ Roll Camp for Girls, where the movie is shot. Reviewers say this is a movie you should bring your daughters to, and I’m all for encouraging kids’ aspirations through the example of their peers. That’s why I took M. to see his babysitter in the recital.

You can see the documentary in screenings Tuesday (Apr. 22) and Thursday (Apr. 24) at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium. There is an admission charge for the shows, which begin at 8 p.m. (for admission prices and details see the Webster University Film Series site).