The Place to Bee

Clarksville is the place to get your fill of two summer essentials: sunflowers and bees. On July 18 and 19 – clear your schedule now – the town will be hosting a Sunflower Festival. There’ll be sunflower-themed artwork on sale in the local shops and studios. Festival-goers can also meet with area beekeepers and learn the tricks of their trade. (The sweetest part is that it’s free.) Antique-aholics, feel free to explore the many boutiques – and while you’re at it, make it a honey of a weekend by staying overnight in one Clarksville’s quaint bed and breakfasts.

Sauce pick: Clarksville’s Sunflower Festival
Where to get it: July 18 to 19 – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., downtown Clarksville
Info: 573.242.3743 or www.clarksvillemo.us

Sauce Is in the Spirit

Cocktail connoisseurs, keep your eye on the Sauce blog and Twitter account next week. We’ll be reporting from the seventh annual Tales of the Cocktail conference in New Orleans – aka “the most spirited event of the summer.” We’ll tell you what we learn and who we see, including some of the biggest names in mixology and culinary: John Besh, Dale DeGroff, Susan Spicer and David Wondrich, among many others. We’ll also tell you what we’re drinking. And we promise not to rub it in too much.

Sauce pick: Sauce reports from Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans
Where to get it: July 8 through 12 – saucemagazine.com/blog and twitter.com/saucemagazine
Info: www.talesofthecocktail.com

Downtown Deal

From Live on the Levee to all-star baseball, downtown is the place to be this summer ... and the place to stay.

Thanks to the Hyatt Regency St. Louis Riverfront local staycationers are being an offered a special rate of $63. This deal applies to the first 63 rooms reserved each night through Sept. 1, and it’s in honor of the hotel’s $63 million rehab. Here’s what you’ll enjoy: the Hyatt’s comfy Grand Beds, 37-inch flat screens, and – doesn’t this sound divine? – “luxuriously appointed marble bathrooms.”

Best of all: We won’t tell if you never leave your room.

What: $63 rate to celebrate the Hyatt Regency St. Louis Riverfront’s $63 million renovation
When: Through Sept. 1
Where: 315 Chestnut St., St. Louis
Cost: $63 on the first 63 rooms booked each night
Info: 314.655.1234 or www.stlouisriverfront.hyatt.com