Zebras and kudus and nyalas—oh, my! There’s a whole new crop of adorable baby animals at Saint Louis Zoo’s Red Rocks area this summer, including Makena, a female Grevy’s zebra foal; a lesser kudu (east African antelope) named Esther; a female nyala (southern African antelope, shown in photo) named Monsoon, a female addax named Elsa, and two red kangaroo joeys. All are endangered or nearendangered species, which the Zoo seeks to protect.
Deborah Gross of Town & Country recently tap-danced her way to victory at the Ms. Senior Missouri Pageant, which celebrates the beauty, elegance and talent of women age 60-plus. Gross wowed the judges with a showstopping dance to 12th Street Rag. The pageant is sponsored by the Missouri Cameo Club, a group of former pageant contestants who perform for local senior organizations and raise money for charity. Next stop for Gross: the Ms. Senior America Pageant this fall in Atlantic City.
Forest Hills Country Club celebrates its 50th anniversary in December. The club, which underwent a major renovation in 2011, originally opened in 1964 and has hosted numerous golf tournaments of note, including the LPGA Michelob/Heartland Classic and regional qualifying for the U.S. Open.
Two local businesses, K. Hall Studio and Sucre Shop, are finalists for Martha Stewart’s American Made, a national awards program that celebrates entrepreneurs who have turned their passion for handcrafted goods into small, American-based businesses. Winners will receive $10,000 in cash, a trip to New York City to attend the awards event, and the opportunity to be featured on marthastewart.com and in Martha Stewart Living. K. Hall Designs, located in Brentwood and Plaza Frontenac, produces bath, body and home products; Sucre Shop creates eco-friendly party and giftware sold around the world.
He’s only 16, but Matthew Pearlman just published his third book. The Valley Park High School student spent the last year researching Backstage and Behind the Scenes: What a Teen Reporter Learned from Rock Stars and Performers. The book features interviews with Kelly Clarkson, Journey, the Eagles, Nelly, Jason Mraz, 50 Cent, and more than 30 other stars. “Performers aren’t that different from the rest of us,” Pearlman says. “They’ve had to work hard, overcome adversity and continue to reinvent themselves to make their dreams come true.” Pearlman’s interview collections (the first two focused on pro athletes and mixed martial artists) are available at amazon.com and other retailers. Proceeds benefit anti-bullying charities. His parents are Bryan and Lena Pearlman of Creve Coeur.
Picture by Robin Winkleman/Saint Louis Zoo