New St. Louis Walk of Fame Book Released  Book Signing Event December 10 at the Moonrise Hotel

St. Louis -- A new, four-color book titled, "St. Louis Walk of Fame: 140 Great St. Louisans," is being released in time for the 2013 holiday season.  The 176-page, hard-cover publication spotlights 140 great people who have made significant contributions in shaping the culture of St. Louis, the nation and, in many cases, the world.  These individuals have been honored with a star and biographic plaque on the non-profit St. Louis Walk of Fame, which is located on the sidewalks along Delmar Boulevard in St. Louis' Loop neighborhood. The author, Joe Edwards, will host the first book-signing event for the new publication on December 10 from 6 to 7 p.m.  The signing will be in the Satellite Room of the Moonrise Hotel in the Loop, 6177 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63112. Books will be available for purchase on site. Joe Edwards The new book includes honorees from fifteen fields of endeavor including acting and entertainment, broadcasting, statesmanship, aviation, civil rights, exploration, politics, journalism, literature, music, science and education, city founders, disability rights, military and even the U.S. presidency.  To be considered for the Walk of Fame, inductees must have been born in the St. Louis region or spent their formative or creative years in the metropolitan area.  Their accomplishments must have had a national impact on our country's cultural heritage.   The St. Louis Walk of Fame is donating copies to all junior high and high school libraries throughout the greater St. Louis region in Missouri and Illinois, in keeping with its mission of promoting knowledge, education, career inspiration and community pride. World-renowned figures whose images and biographies appear in the publication include a diverse group of individuals, including musician Chuck Berry, aviator Charles Lindbergh, freedom-seekers Dred and Harriet Scott, President Ulysses S. Grant, athlete Jackie Joyner- Kersee, poet Maya Angelou, researchers Masters & Johnson, and actress Betty Grable.                                                                    The book project was spearheaded by the non-profit St. Louis Walk of Fame organization, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2013. The group's mission is to encourage pride in the community, career inspiration in individuals, and knowledge and awareness of the contributions St. Louisans have made to our national culture.  A book about the Walk of Fame was last published in 2001 with information on just 90 inductees available at that time. "This book lets people know what an amazing influence St. Louis has had on our national culture - possibly more than just about any other city in America," said Joe Edwards, founder of the St. Louis Walk of Fame. "It's clear that America's two great migrations - from south to north and east to west - collided right here in an explosion of creativity unlike any other national crossroads."  The new book explains the St. Louis Walk of Fame nomination and selection processes and showcases fascinating full-color photographs of the induction ceremonies over the past 25 years.  Tables of information list the Walk of Fame honorees by field of achievement, birth date, location of Walk of Fame stars in the sidewalk by both street number and inductee name, and the dates of ceremonies with acceptors. Full-color regional and street maps offer a helpful guide to the The Loop's Walk of Fame area. "St. Louis Walk of Fame: 140 Great St. Louisans" is available in The Loop at Blueberry Hill, 6504 Delmar; the Moonrise Hotel gift shop, 6177 Delmar; and Subterranean Books, 6275 Delmar. The book is also stocked in bookstores and gift shops throughout St. Louis, including Barnes & Noble locations, the Missouri History Museum book store, Christopher's in Kirkwood, Nagel's in North St. Louis County, Webster Books in Webster Groves, World News in Clayton, Best of St. Louis in South St. Louis County and the book store at Washington University.  The book is available online at www.StLouisWalkOfFame.org and www.BlueberryHill.com. "St. Louis Walk of Fame: 140 Great St. Louisans" is $25 per copy with proceeds going to the non-profit St. Louis Walk of Fame organization.

"NEW MOON ROOM" ROOFTOP EVENT SPACE TO DEBUT AT ST. LOUIS' MOONRISE HOTEL IN APRIL 2013 Loop Neighborhood Boutique Hotel  Adds Event Area Powered by Solar Cells

St. Louis -- January 22, 2013 -- A canopy of solar cells provides the power for St. Louis' newest special event space.  Overlooking the lively Loop neighborhood, the all-season New Moon Room will debut on the rooftop of the Moonrise Hotel in April 2013.  

In an unusual twist, the roof's 107 glass solar panels also act as a 2,100-square-foot ceiling for the New Moon Room.  The frameless modules allow sunlight to filter through to guests in the special event space while providing enough energy - 33,000 kWh - to power all the needs of the new facility.  

The glass-walled New Moon Room is designed to host up to 200 people for a reception-style event or 150 for a seated meal. Wedding parties will enjoy the room's flexible options for all of their needs. Meeting room-style setups can accommodate from 50 to 150 attendees.

Guests will have a view of the Gateway Arch to the east, Forest Park to the south and the streets of the vibrant Loop neighborhood below.  A giant moon sculpture revolves over the top of the hotel roof adding a fun touch to out-of-this world events.

Sixty feet of sliding glass doors, which lead to a spacious terrace, give the room an indoor-outdoor feel. The new 2,100-square-foot space also connects to the hotel's existing rooftop bar, which can also be reserved as part of the event package.  Furnishings will be contemporary with conversation and lounge areas throughout which can be reconfigured for any group's needs. The soaring ceiling slopes in height from 18 feet to 10 feet and comes to life at night with a fiber optic star field that follows the Moonrise Hotel's space themes. Lighted planet-style globes will hang from the ceiling to add to the atmosphere.

When not in use for special events, the New Moon Room will offer food and beverages in the evenings, featuring small plates and bottle service.  Guests can move between the New Moon Room and the hotel's popular outdoor Rooftop Terrace Bar.  Sunday brunch will be served in the venue from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. beginning in May 2013. 

Loop developer Joe Edwards gives a tour of the New Moon Room at the Moonrise Hotel. Photo: Micah Usher

The Moonrise Hotel is located at 6177 Delmar Boulevard in the Loop neighborhood.  Named one of "10 Great Streets in America" the Loop is home to the St. Louis Walk of Fame honoring famous sons and daughters of the region and six blocks of dining, shopping and entertainment options. 

The full-service boutique hotel includes 125 guest rooms, 10 suites and an additional 2,000 square feet of meeting space. The hotel is located close to The Pageant, the historic Tivoli movie theater, Pin-Up Bowl and all of the shopping, dining and entertainment options in the Loop neighborhood. 

The hotel's quirky and contemporary design follows a space-aged theme with 20th century memorabilia reflecting America's fascination with the space race and the solar system. The Moonrise's sleeping rooms feature pillow-top beds, down-filled duvets, flat-screen televisions and technology docking stations.  Eclipse Restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night fun is located in the colorful lobby.

The Moonrise Hotel in St. Louis' vibrant Loop neighborhood.

MetroLink, St. Louis' light rail system allows Moonrise guests to access Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, the America's Center convention complex, Washington University, the Grand Center arts and entertainment district, the Galleria shopping mall, the downtown Clayton neighborhood and St. Louis' sports facilities from the Loop station.

To book the New Moon Room, contact the Moonrise Hotel's sales and catering department at 314-685-3404 or email Jane@MoonriseHotel.com.