TREEmendous Treehouses Go To Extremes at Botanical Garden

TREEmendous EXTREME TREE HOUSES

Where/When: Missouri Botanical Garden grounds through Aug. 21, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Why Go: Branch out from the ordinary notion of tree houses with an imaginative and creative display of non-traditional structures. The winning works of a juried competition among local designers, architects, schools, studios and individuals are at ground-level beneath the canopy of the Garden’s oak, elm, ginkgo and other trees. The exhibit a celebration of the U.N. International Year of Forests.
Price: Entrance fee to Botanical Gardens.

Where/When: Washington University, Brown Hall 100, 1 Brookings Dr.; 8 p.m. Friday; 5 and 8 p.m. Saturday  The festival runs through April 16.
Why Go: Enjoy the local premieres of critically-acclaimed Italian films. And yes, there are English subtitles.
Pricing: Free

KEYNOTE SPEAKER ELAINE VIETS AT MO WRITERS GUILD

Where/When: 900 Sheraton Westport Plz, Sheraton Westport, April 9, 4:30-10pm, as part of the MWG Conference 2011 (Missouri Writers Guild.) Tickets are offered to the general public for the banquet dinner Saturday evening.
Why Go: The keynote speaker will be St. Louis' hometown favorite writer, Elaine Viets. She wrote a column for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for many years and now lives in Florida writing best-selling mysteries.
Pricing:  Tickets $45 each which includes dinner, Viets' speech and book signing before the dinner.

THE ART FAIR AT QUEENY PARK 

Where/When: Queeny Park in Manchester, 550 Weidman Rd., Fri-Sun, April 8-10. Friday 6-9pm, Sat. 10am-7pm, Sun. 11am-4pm. Free parking and indoor Greensfelder Recreation Complex.
Why Go: In its 36th year, the arts/crafts show has a drawing each weekend day for $100 art gift certificates to spend on the works of 130 juried artists from 20 states. Media includes jewelry, painting, pastels, drawing, photography, ceramics, wood, sculpture, printmaking, digital, fibers, glass and mixed.
Pricing: $5 admission; online find $1 discount coupon

TOWER GROVE HOUSE REOPENS FOR THE SEASON

Where/When: Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd.; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Why Go: Visit the home of Garden founder, Henry Shaw. Restoration has been done over the years and the home is full of 19th century treasures that actually belonged to Shaw as well as  many of the same era.
Pricing: Entry included with Garden admission, $3-$8