GREAT NEWS! Stay home on the evening of Monday July 23, as the Nine Network of Public Media broadcasts a special “Living St. Louis” at 7 p.m. on the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s concert recorded in April.  It features SLSO Principal Cello Daniel Lee performing Dvorak’s Cello Concerto and Smetana’s “Sirka” from “Ma Vlast,” and I can tell you that this performance is special as I heard it in Powell Hall in the spring. Danny Lee is considered one of the fastest rising stars in the world of American symphonic music.  The program will include an interview with Lee.

DOG ON THE ROOF: “On The Road With Mitt And the Mutt” is a political humor book by Bruce Kluger and St. Louisan David Slavin (yes, Ray and the late Alberta’s kid) published by Simon and Schuster. You can find this slim and very funny tome at Barnes & Noble.  The book chronicles Mitt Romney’s infamous family adventure with his wife, five kids and their dog, Seamus, the Irish setter who was tethered to the station wagon’s roof as they explored coast-to-coast.  Slavin and Kluger, now New York residents, began writing and performing satire for National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” in 2002.  Their cultural and political commentary has appeared in countless publications across the country, including The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune.

‘OUR TIME,’ (JDRF’s annual musical revue) will be presented by the Arch City Theatre Troupe at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 9 and at 4 and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 10 at Nerinx Hall High School Heagney Theatre, 530 E. Lockwood in Webster Groves.  “Our Time” will include Broadway favorites from shows like “Oliver,” “Hello Dolly,” “Grease” and “Singing in the Rain.” The annual music review is produced, directed, choreographed and performed by 40 kids, ages 8 to 18, from 20 St. Louis area schools with all proceeds going to JDRF (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). Admission is free, but donations to JDRF over the past seven years have raised more than $125,000 for diabetes research.  The event also features a bake sale, blind bid auction, raffle and flower sale.

‘THE VIOLET HOUR,’ a play by Richard Greenberg presented by Max & Louie Productions, opens Thursday, Aug. 23 in COCA’s Black Box Theatre, 524 Trinity Avenue. This comic fantasy about fate, ambition and loyalty takes place in 1919 New York where the life of a young publisher is about to change forever. “The Violet Hour” will be directed by Sydnie Grossberg Ronga. Tickets are available at www.maxandlouie.com and at the COCA Box Office by phone at 314-725-6555.  In case you are curious about who Max and Louie are (as was I), they are beautiful little Bichon Frises who belong to Stellie Siteman, the nonprofit’s Artistic Director, and De Kaplan, its Managing Director.   

CIRCUS HARMONY, whose members hail from different neighborhoods throughout the St. Louis area, will host the Galilee Circus, a Jewish/Arab youth troupe from Israel from July 22 to Aug. 5. The purpose of this international get-together — a collaboration since 2007 — is to promote “peace through pyramids, harmony through handsprings and joy through juggling.” When they join together,” according to their director, Jessica Hentoff, “these children demonstrate in a breath-taking way what can happen when people of different nationalities and backgrounds concentrate on what they can do together instead of what sets them apart.” To see Circus Harmony, the St. Louis Arches and the Galilee circus perform, go to www.circusharmony.org.

HERE’S A COOLING THOUGHT: The Fountain, a very attractive art deco eatery located at 3037 Locust Street in the Grand Center area is celebrating National Ice Cream Day with $5 sundaes every Sunday in July.  The restaurant is not only stunning in appearance, but its food is also delicious, especially the fine ice cream as well as yummy soups and sandwiches.