Kyle Beltran as Usnavi & the Company of the National Tour of IN THE HEIGHTS © Joan Marcus 2009

IN THE HEIGHTS, winner of four 2008 Tony Awards® and the 2008 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Show Album is playing in St. Louis at the Fox Theatre through Sunday November 22.

This show tells the universal story of a vibrant community in New York's Washington Heights neighborhood - a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. It's a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind.

I saw the show on Wednesday. There's a guy who comes out at the beginning with a boom box so I thought maybe it was set in the 80s. It became clear very shortly thereafter that was not the case. The music, the dress and the dance are all current. This is set in present day Washington Heights, a Latin Community in NYC's Brooklyn.

The lead male character raps- very reminiscent of Eminem. He sounds like him, and his music tells his story. He's from the Dominican Republic and is longing to go back. Running a convenience store turned out not to be the dream he envisioned.

Everyone in the community works hard to make ends meet and it is clear this is a community on the brink of change.

The music and dance are fantastic. It took me a while to figure out the moral to the story but then it all came together for me. Home and family is really what's important.

For more information, performance times or ticket prices visit www.fabulousfox.com.

The Nurses For Newborns Junior Board is comprised of young professionals in their 20's and 30's. They were founded by a group of young professionals over five years ago and have over 40 members.

Their purpose is to first and foremost be advocates for Nurses for Newborns Foundation, and secondly to help raise funds to further their mission.

They have hosted wine tastings, golf tournaments, trivia nights, texas hold'em poker tournaments, holiday food drives and have gotten private grants from their employers. They are very interested in hosting a kick ball tournament in the spring/summer, and would like to work with other Young Professional groups.

They are looking for new members and It's a great way to have fun for a great cause.
If you are interested in learning more about it or joining the junior board, contact Victoria Stanley at 314-544-3433 ext. 325 or email her at victoria.stanley@nfnf.org.

The Nurses For Newborns Foundation website can be found by clicking here.

To read about my Connect With...Spotlight of the Week mission, check out this blog entry.

Don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, just click here! You'll receive my 3 most recent posts in your inbox every Wednesday which will always include my weekly calendar!

Regardless, my calendar is always posted by Wednesday.... and let's be honest, most of the best events are late week /weekend right?

Whatever you decide to do with yourself...have a great week!!!

I love to travel. And whenever I have the time (and funds), I keep finding myself in the Caribbean. This trip was to St. Thomas in the USVI and while there, my group took a boat out for a couple days and island hopped in the BVI (British Virgin Islands).

The draw of the islands, their beautiful beaches and that crystal clear water have quite a hold on me. Plus I love being under the water, whether diving or just snorkeling. There's a whole other world down there. I thought I'd share a few pics with you. Enjoy!

Young Friends Of Jazz St. Louis is a group of men and women in their 20s, 30s and 40s dedicated to developing new and diverse audiences through promoting live jazz and supporting jazz education.

For more info or if you're ready to join, contact Regan Tadrus at regan@jazzstl.org or call 314-289-4030. You can also check out their Young Friends of Jazz St. Louis Facebook page. It's $35 to join and included in that you get free tickets to four performances at Jazz At The Bistro (plus more!).

On Wednesday, Nov. 18th, they will be hosting a happy hour event for current and prospective members where information on YFJSL will be shared. The happy hour is at 7:00 PM at Jazz At The Bistro, 3536 Washington Avenue. There will be light appetizers, wine and beer. Anyone who attends will get to stay, free of charge, for the 8:30 PM performance by Christian McBride.

To read about my Connect With...Spotlight of the Week mission, check out this blog entry.

Don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, just click here! You'll receive my 3 most recent posts in your inbox every Wednesday which will always include my weekly calendar!

The Rep Set is the Young Friends Organization of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. A dynamic social group for young professionals, Rep Setters enjoy a great evening at the theatre together, along with other special events and opportunities.

Join The Rep Set throughout the 2009-2010 season for Mainstage Saturday Nights! Choose your own series with three or more plays, for the special Rep Set price of $30 per show, and receive great subscriber benefits in addition to great seats. Go online to create your own package at www.repstl.org/repset.

Or, you may choose to attend individual Rep Set performances. To receive the special Rep Set price ($30 per show), you must have a Rep Set membership promotion code. Call the Box Office at (314) 968-4925 for more details.

Join us for our next exciting Rep Set Night at the theatre!

Saturday, October 31, 9:00 pm
A Halloween Treat with The Rep Set: It's not just a "whodunit", it's a "whodunwhat". We'll sell you the whole seat, but you'll probably only be sitting on the edge of it all night!

"Sleuth is propelled by its language, which is quick, clever, incisive and gradually revealing. It's a grand evening for anyone who loves a good mystery, and a very good looking one at that." -- Harry Hamm, KMOX-AM

"Shaffer's witty script...offers up steady stream of delicious and sharply barbed dialogue to enjoy. The Rep's current production is a dazzling show that engages the viewer from start to finish." -- Chris Gibson, broadwayworld.com

For more information about packages or tickets, call the Box Office at (314) 968-4925 or go online at www.repstl.org/repset

The Young Literati of the St. Louis Public Library Foundation is a group of young professionals ages 20s - 40s. They enhance the life and vitality of the Library by supporting its programs and building relationships with others who share a passion for the Library's work.

Young Literati Chair, Matt Nagel introducing the Library's new PAWS for Reading Program

The Young Literati are looking for individuals who have the vision and drive to help us support and advocate the St. Louis Public Library. Cost to become a member is $40 per person, $65 per couple. As a member you will receive special Young Literati benefits including a SLPLF Tote Bag, 10 -15% off all purchases at Left Bank Books, St. Louis Originals Rewards Card with 150-point balance for $10 off your next visit to any participating Restaurant, reserved seating for guest authors at the Library and Invitations to Young Literati and SLPLFoundation events.

2009 Young Literati Steering Committee

This year's fall fundraising bash, Stranger Than Fiction, is on November 14th. Partygoers are encouraged to dress as one of their favorite literary characters, or to wear an accessory that pays homage to a favorite character or writer. Backstage tours of Central Library will be given at the party with is from 7 to 10:30 p.m. at Central Library, 1301 Olive St. in downtown. Young Literati members ticket price is $50, non-members $75 which will benefit the much anticipated modernization and renewal of the downtown Central Library which gets underway next year.

To read about my Connect With...Spotlight of the Week mission, check out this blog entry.

Don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, just click here! You'll receive my 3 most recent posts in your inbox every Wednesday which will always include my weekly calendar!

The Garden offers many events and activities for young adults, including the Whitaker Music Festival, Best of Missouri Market, Japanese Festival, special evening programming, and educational classes that feature a variety of topics including cooking, wine tasting and gardening. There are also events specifically for Young Friends, including the 2nd Annual Fest-of-Ale on Friday, October 16, 2009 from 6 to 10 p.m.

Fest-of-Ale is sponsored by Anheuser-Busch and will feature specialty fall beers and fall themed appetizers. There will be live music by The Dusty Bottoms playing a unique mix of classic rock, American Folk, and vintage country music. Advance registration is required and reservations can be made by clicking here.

Tickets are $15 for Garden Members and $30 for non-members. Join or renew on-site and have your ticket cost deducted from the price of membership (limit 2 people per membership) and be entered to win a $75 gift certificate to the Container Store.

If you are interested in learning more, or joining the group, check out their website or e-mail young_friends@mobot.org .

To read about my Connect With...Spotlight of the Week mission, check out this blog entry.

Don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, just click here! You'll receive my 3 most recent posts in your inbox every Wednesday which will always include my weekly calendar!

I'm a haunted house junkie. I'm not really sure why I like being scared. It's kind of weird. Anyway, I went to the Darkness last night. It's a huge, amazing haunted house in Soulard. I went last year too, but this year they added a bunch of new stuff. I learned a few things about myself last night. When I get scared, I giggle, a lot. After I scream. And I get really sweaty...but I digress.

One of the new things this year is TerrorVisions in 3D. Wow. You get 3D glasses to wear before you go in this section. The best way I can describe it is a haunted circus with crazed clowns and really creepy circus animals. Even the floor was in 3D so at certain places it looked like there were giant holes in the floor. It was all very cool, and substantial.

The Darkness is open nightly from now through Oct 31. For other nights, times and ticket info, check out their website. Have fun!!!