Award-winning Latimers Deli on Whitburn Bents Road has been serving up the North Seas finest seafood since 2002, now theyre set to reel in even more customers with a takeaway hatch.

Despite an incredibly challenging 16 months for the hospitality sector, the family-run business has had one of its busiest years yet, since it reopened last June following the first Lockdown, selling two tonnes of dressed crab a week.

With demand for their shop growing they needed more prep space, so have converted the former cafe area which couldnt operate its regular number of tables due to social distancing.

The conversion has also given them the chance to utilise an old night service hatch from the units time as a garage, to create a takeaway hatch serving seafood boxes, with everything you need for a picnic on the beach.

As well as crab and lobster boxes, available for one or two diners, people can also pick up bacon sandwiches for breakfast, seafood sandwiches, afternoon teas, cakes, coffees, homemade lemonade and freshly-squeezed orange juice.

Ailsa Latimer said: The picnic boxes come with everything you need, including a wooden knife and fork, napkins, hand wipes, bread and butter and mayonnaise. Theyre ideal for taking on to the beach, to the park or on to the path to Souter. We have such an amazing location here, and this really helps to make the most of it.

"Weve always had the hatch but it was only really used for ventilation before. The size of the cafe meant it just wasnt safe for our customers and staff, and we needed the extra prep space. People have loved what weve done with it. Weve stuck to our USP, which is the best seafood in the North East and all the awards we have for it.

Speaking about their loyal customer base, Ailsa said: "Weve been so lucky and are so grateful for the support weve received, weve never been busier.

Theres not been many wins with Lockdown, but people appreciating whats on their doorstep is one of them.

Latimers gets its seafood from day boats along the North East coast from Blyth and North Shields down to Bridlington. The day starts early, meeting the fishing crews at 3am to pick up their haul and begin the labour-intensive process of prepping the seafood.

The new developments at the site have meant the fishmongers has been able to take on a new apprentice, with other roles also opening up ahead of the busy summer season.

Ailsa said: Local people have always known about what we have here, but all the new developments mean more people are coming from outside the area to appreciate the coast and its fantastic that they have so much choice.

*Latimers shop and hatch is open Tuesday-Sunday 9am-5pm. The menu includes a range of options, with a bacon sandwich priced 3.95 and a crab sandwich priced 4.95. A crab box for two is 25 and a lobster box for two is 40.

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Latimer's launches new takeaway hatch for seafood picnic boxes on the beach - Sunderland Echo

Lions and bears didn't make the cut as stars on the new San Antonio Zoo parking garage, but a giant tiger, behemoth butterflies and a towering giraffe tower might make passersby say "Oh my."

The installation of the massive animal graphics on Tuesday marked the completion of the $11.75 million parking garage. The structure, which provides 612 more parking spaces for the zoo, has been in the making since 2017, when city voters approved a bond to pay for the addition. October 2019 was the first time zoo guests were able to access the much-needed parking spaces, but the just-added decor makes the addition official.

The installation of the massive animal graphics on Tuesday marked the completion of the $11.75 million parking garage. The structure, which provides 612 more parking spaces for the zoo, has been in the making since 2017, when city voters approved a bond to pay for the addition. October 2019 was the first time zoo guests were able to access the much-needed parking spaces, but the just-added decor makes the addition official.

The installation of the massive animal graphics on Tuesday marked the completion of the $11.75 million parking garage. The structure, which provides 612 more parking spaces for the zoo, has been in the making since 2017, when city voters approved a bond to pay for the addition. October 2019 was the first time zoo guests were able to access the much-needed parking spaces, but the just-added decor makes the addition official.

The eye-catching structure will be hard to miss for drivers heading north on U.S. Highway 281 towards the zoo. A larger-than-life Sumatran tiger, four monarch butterflies and a three reticulated giraffes (the largest towering nearly 50-feet high) greet guests as they exit for the highway for their animal adventure.

READ ALSO: How the Houston Zoo is helping Caribbean parrots survive a volcano

Unlike other zoo stars, like Timothy the Hippo, the additions haven't been officially named yet, but spokeswoman Hope Roth says she's heard families already welcoming the decorative animals to the city with nicknames.

The new garage cements the zoo's presence on the other side of the highway. Roth says many visitors don't realize that the zoo's property extends west of the freeway.

"That is the zoo's foot print. Most people think of the zoo only being on one side of 281," she adds. "The other side is going to be the future expansion of the zoo behind the new parking garage."

The new parking garage isn't alone on the piece of land. The zoo's extended exhibit, a medieval-themed "Dragon Forest" is also at the spot on Tuleta Drive.

READ MORE: Carnival loses $2.1 billion waiting for cruising to resume

Though spliced by the highway, Roth says the parking garage is the same distance from the zoo entrance as the Train Depot lot is.

The giraffes aren't the only ones standing tall amid the big reveal. Zoo CEO Tim Morrow is, too.

"I stand by my belief that we have created the most beautiful parking garage on the planet, and I hope that this garage inspires and delights everyone that sees it," his statement reads.

Roth says there are some fun "Easter eggs" hidden in the graphics of the giraffe. If you spot them, let us know!

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Texas is home to 'most beautiful parking garage' on earth - Laredo Morning Times

Megan Johnson -- Globe correspondent

June 30, 2021 11:19 am

$469,000Style Gambrel CapeYear built 1770; additions sinceSquare feet 2,326Bedrooms 3Baths 2Sewer/water PublicTaxes $6,514 (2021)

A piece of Kingstons nautical history, 170 Main St. was originally known as the Captain Nehemiah Drew House, named for the master of a sailing vessel.

The Gambrel Capes white front stands out with a red ledged and braced door, which opens into the front entry, currently a music nook. The slightly bow-shaped doorway leading into the 205-square-foot living room is a reference to the captain, who built the home. Wide pine floors sit under three large windows, and a working wood-burning fireplace, one of three in the home, features an intricately carved mantel. Recessed lighting gives the home a modern edge.

Steps away is the family room, once the kitchen, with a teal accent wall. The working brick fireplace has a bread oven built into the hearth. A wood beam painted teal bisects the room, cascading down the wall, while decorative roping along the chair rail is a nod to the homes nautical history. Two 9-over-9 windows face the backyard, while a small window sits nearby for an extra punch of natural light.

One of the coziest places in the home, the 133-square-foot den, has two 12-over-12 windows and built-in cabinetry underneath a cove that brings the height in that section of the room to 10 feet.

The first-floor bathroom, found off the den, combines crisp white bead-board wainscoting and tile and rich green walls. Theres built-in shelving, a jetted tub, and two windows with shutters. A three-bulb light fixture over the mirror hangs beside another shelf.

The dining area, found off the family room, accommodates a table for eight in front of four nearly floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the deck and backyard. Slate blue walls complement ceramic tile flooring the color of brick, and only a peninsula separates the dining area from the kitchen. In the latter, a stainless-steel stove, dishwasher, and refrigerator provide modern amenities, but the white custom wood cabinetry dates to when the kitchen addition was built in 1978. Theres plentiful counter space under recessed lighting, and a window over the sink reveals a blooming rhododendron outside.

Back in the family room, a doorway leads to the knotty-pine stairwell. Slightly steeper than a typical stairway, it features a rope instead of a handrail. The steps turn the corner onto the upstairs landing, with the primary bedroom straight ahead. The 186-square-foot space has ample storage thanks to double closets, and a single beam bifurcates the room between two windows. The space is home to the propertys third working wood-burning fireplace.

A second door opens into an 87-square-foot space the floor plans call a den. The homes final two bedrooms and bath radiate off this space. The second serves as an office and has built-in storage, two windows, a double-door closet, and two alcoves. The third bedroom, a turret-style space added in the 1880s, offers a built-in corner bookshelf and brightly painted wood-paneled walls. The chalkboard and a ceiling painted to look like a sky (including a cloud shaped like a gummy bear) provide plenty of character, as does the 12-foot ceiling, which adds to the castle-like ambiance.

In the bathroom, one finds ceramic tile flooring, a granite sink, a cabinet, a three-bulb light fixture, and a barn door-style mirror. Theres a shower, additional storage, and a window overlooking the patio.

Back on the first floor, a door from the family room leads to the unfinished basement, a combination of dirt and cement flooring that follows the contour of the house.

A door in the dining area exits to the curved brick patio, a beautiful outdoor area with blooming roses and custom-made window boxes. That patio is also the path to the deck, which wraps around a screen porch. The backyard slopes upward to shrubs and the driveway. A large paved area at the driveways end provides 10 uncovered parking spaces. A fieldstone wall encloses a planting bed and extends around the homes perimeter.

The detached two-car garage offers a side entrance that leads up to a 473-square-foot unheated bonus room, a rec space featuring a skylight and a double closet, as well as two other small rooms.

A shed sits on the half-acre property, which is surrounded by mature trees and dense woods not far from the Jones River.

Lauren Mello, broker/owner of Advocate Realty Associates in Kingston, has the listing.

See more photos of the home below:

Megan Johnson can be reached at [emailprotected]. Send listings to [emailprotected]. Please note: We do not feature unfurnished homes and will not respond to submissions we wont pursue. Subscribe to the Globes free real estate newsletter our weekly digest on buying, selling, and design at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter @globehomes.

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Home of the Week: A shipshape Kingston antique with nautical past - Boston.com

A village of Chenequa home on North Lakethat was once home to several generations of theReuss familywas recently listed for sale for $5.8 million.

Northcote Estate, 7141 N. Highway 83, features 140 feet of lake frontage,a 5,710-square-footmain home that hasfive bedrooms, eight bathrooms andfour fireplaces. The property also includes a guest home that is over 1,000 square feet, a carriage house that is over 500 square feet, six garage spaces, a swimming pool,petanque court and a tennis/pickleball court.

Waukesha County tax records show James and Dona Schlesing as the current owners.According to the listing, the property taxes arejust over $31,200.

Real estate agent Maureen Stapleton, whose company, Stapleton Realty listed the property, said the land was originally the location of a fur trader's cabin in the mid 1800s. Designed by the architectRichard Phillips, the residence was built in 1920.

"Much of the elaborate wood cabinetry, beams and trim were constructed from lumber grown and milled on the property," an informationsheet of the estate stated. "Recent renovations and additions have preserved the period charm and include enhanced modern amenities."

RELATED: A historic Oconomowoc Lake home sold in May at likely the highest sale price ever in the county

Gustav Reuss, a German immigrant who served as president of Marshall & Ilsley Bank in the early 1900s, once owned the estate. His son, also named Gustav, owned Northcote Estate andwas M&I's vice president years later.

The third generation of the Reuss family to own Northcote was Henry S. Reuss, who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1955-83. Stapleton said at the time Reuss owned the property, he hosted Bobby and TedKennedy onthe Chenequa property.

RELATED: A Whitefish Bay historic home formerly owned by Peter Buffett is for sale for nearly $7 million

"For each of these generations, it served as a three-month summer residence," the informationsheet noted. "What is now the guest house was originally a four-bedroom servants quarters. The carriage house and its attached apartment was occupied by Rudy, the family chauffeur."

Richard Weening, a legislative assistant to Rep. Reuss, also owned the property. In the mid-1980s, Weeningplanted nearly 3,000 vines on the property.The Northcote wine label was established and was served in many local restaurants and bars, Stapleton said.

ContactEvan Frank at (262) 361-9138or evan.frank@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Evanfrank_LCP

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

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A 15-acre Chenequa estate that was once owned by a U.S. congressman is on the market for $5.8 million - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

For many of us, the last year and a half has been a blur, a foggy morass during which time crept and progress seemed to slow to a standstill. And yet, since March of 2020 the official start of the pandemic there has been a remarkable amount of activity in the restaurant world.

Dont believe us? Here (in chronological order no less) are 46 new and notable arrivals on the Cleveland food and beverage front.

Citizen Pie Roman CafChef Vytauras Sasnauskas, who also operates wood-fired pizza shops in Collinwood and Ohio City, opened Citizen Pie Roman Caf in the former home of Erie Island Coffee on E. Fourth Street. Unlike the Neapolitan pies he bakes to order at his other pizzerias, Roman Caf sells Roman-style pizza al taglio, a focaccia-like pizza that is baked in advance. A daily assortment of rectangular-cut slices are at the ready for take-out or a quick reheat in the shops oven. (Scene's Citizen Pie review.)

Summer House In March of 2020, Summer House opened in the former Swingos space at the Carlyle in Lakewood. This restaurant from Tony George promises guests a summertime vibe 365 days of the year. The large space has been completely reimagined, with a 50-seat bar and stellar views of Lake Erie and downtown Cleveland. The bill of fare is Mediterranean, but there are plenty of creative American dishes on the menu as well.

Shinto Japanese Steakhouse (Westlake)Sheng Long Yu, owner of the 17-year-old Strongsville restaurant of the same name, opened this splashy west-side eatery in the former home of Miami Nights. Inside the meticulously renovated space are multiple hibachi tables, conventional tables, a sushi bar and cocktail bar. Japanese food fans can enjoy an extensive menu filled with sushi, teriyaki and lively teppanyaki-fueled feasts.

Boaz (University Heights)Aladdin's Eatery unveiled its health-focused, fast-casual spinoff Boaz Caf in Ohio City back in 2017. Last year they added this larger second shop in University Heights. Boaz focuses on light, bright, fresh and vividly flavored Middle Eastern fare. This quick-serve eatery offers everything from build-your-own bowls to Aladdin's staples like fattoush salads, beef shawarma plates and rolled pita sandwiches.

Proof Bar-BQAfter years of delay, Proof was set to launch on March 18, 2020. That didnt happen. Instead, this barbecue joint located in the lower level of the Tremont building Crust Pizza and Visible Voice Books opened its doors in May. Inside or out, the inviting restaurant specializes in Texas-style barbecue like slow-smoked brisket, pulled pork and chicken, which are sold by the pound or in dishes like nachos, steamed buns and tacos. (Scene's Proof Bar-BQ review.)

Thai ThaiFrom the day it opened in 2016, Thai Thai was an undeniable hit. The only downside: the wee 15-seat dining room. After temporarily closing in October 2020, Thai Thai finally reopened in its new, larger Lakewood home last spring. Now heat-seekers can enjoy electrifying dishes like larb, gai yang, tom yum soup, pad Thai, kra praow and Massaman curry in a more comfortable environment.

Chimi and AmbaSince the start of the pandemic, chef Doug Katz has opened two ghost kitchen concepts. Chimi, a South American-themed eatery, launched last summer while Amba, an Indian one, debuted in early winter. Both are pick-up or delivery only. Chimi offers customers dozens of options that range from small bites to large plates. Warm wraps are used to scoop up grilled chicken, braised short rib and shrimp Veracruz. Amba stars vibrant dishes like mixed vegetable pickles, biryani with saffron, chicken masala and chicken kofta. Amba proved so successful that Katz will open a brick-and-mortar version of it in Ohio City later this year. (Scene's Chimi and Amba reviews.)

Lakewood Truck Park Five years in the making, Lakewood Truck Park finally opened last summer, just in time to take advantage of alfresco social-distance partying. The 12,000-square-foot property features two bars, a rotating selection of food trucks and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Fun events like yoga, cornhole tournies and Tiki Tuesday with live steel-drum music keep the vibe lively and beverages flowing.

Cleveland Breakfast Club and Cleveland Vegan Club Yours Truly closed its Shaker Square location after nearly 30 years, but it was quickly replaced by a twin-concept eatery from the owner of Angies Soul Caf. Cleveland Breakfast Club and Cleveland Vegan Club operate out of the same property, with the former focusing on breakfast, brunch and lunch service and the latter vegan smoothies, bowls, sandwiches and wraps.

Hibachi Japan Steak House (Solon)For decades, Hibachi Japan Steak House has entertained and fed generations of Cuyahoga Falls residents. Last year, owner Morgan Yagi expanded northward, converting the former Akira restaurant in Solon to a new Hibachi Japan. The main dining room has 12 hibachi tables where guests can enjoy teppanyaki-fired dinners built around soup, salad, fried rice and a choice of chicken, shrimp, lobster and steak, but also sushi in the form of rolls, platters and pieces.

HakoA partnership between the owners of Sapporo Sushi (which closed last summer) and Ohashi in North Olmsted netted Hako, a new Japanese restaurant in Lakewood. The space formerly was home to Kim's Aji Noodle Bar and Yuzu. Diners enjoy a freshly remodeled interior alongside nigiri sushi, sashimi, traditional and eclectic rolls and noodle bowls. (Scene's Hako review.)

BettsIn March, the Kimpton Schofield Hotel in downtown Cleveland shuttered its restaurant Parkers, making way for a transformation that netted Betts. The new breakfast, lunch and dinner eatery opened last summer with a menu built around elevated, health-conscious fare. The name Betts was chosen as a tribute to Elizabeth Schofield, the wife of the buildings architect and namesake Levi Schofield.

Sixth City Sailors ClubJoseph Fredrickson and the team from Society Lounge snatched up the former Hodges space downtown just in time to take advantage of that spacious courtyard patio and outdoor bar. The affordable, approachable neighborhood bar features slushie drinks, draft cocktails and quick-fire cocktails. To go with the refreshments is a seafood-focused menu starring items like clam chowder, shrimp fritters, crab cakes and fried clams. (Scene's Sixth City Sailors Club review.)

UJerk Caribbean EateryUJerk, a Jamaican-themed fast-casual restaurant, opened in the City Club Building downtown. The colorful restaurant specializes in jerk chicken salads, sliders, sandwiches and wraps. Other items like tuna salad, shrimp salad and falafel also can be enjoyed in slider, sandwich and wrap form. On weekends, UJerk trots out the Rasta Pasta, an Alfredo-esque pasta topped with jerk chicken. (Scene's UJerk review.)

17 RiverLast summer, Rick Doody unveiled this well-appointed restaurant in the former Jekylls Kitchen space in Chagrin Falls. The interior has been completely reworked to open the space up and better align it with those dramatic water views. All new furniture, fixtures, fabrics, flooring and lighting complete the transformation. Classic American grill dishes like lobster bisque, wedge salads, cedar-plank salmon, pork chop Milanese and steak frites with Bearnaise are whats for dinner.

Home BistroLittle Italy didnt get to celebrate the Feast last summer, but it did score a wonderful new restaurant. Home Bistro is a revival of a Chicago spot of the same name that husband-and-wife team Victor Morenz and Emily Gilbert owned before returning to Northeast Ohio. The transformation of the space, formerly Gusto, has restored much of the turn-of-the-century elegance to the property. From the kitchen, Morenz turns out an eclectic roster of globally influenced dishes that always hit their mark. (Scene's Home Bistro review.)

Hell's Fried ChickenSheng Long Yu, the entrepreneur behind Shinto, Kenko, Dagu Rice Noodle and Ipoke, opened this streamlined fried chicken concept in University Circle. The fast-casual eatery offers a concise menu of fried tenders, whole wings, thighs and sandwiches, fresh-cut fries, coleslaw and garlic bread. An assortment of available sauces ranges from sweet to hot. (Scene's Hell's Fried Chicken review.)

Bar OniLast summer, chef Matt Spinner announced that he was closing Ushabu, his shabu-shabu restaurant in Tremont. But he also announced its replacement, Bar Oni, which opened last fall. The hip, casual izakaya specializes in yakitori items like grilled chicken, sausage, pork belly and assorted vegetables. The skewers are joined by tempura, dumplings and pork katsu. To drink theres beer, sake and draft cocktails. (Scene's Bar Oni review.)

Cloak & Dagger This bookish cocktail lounge has nicely settled in at the revolving-door space in Tremont that has been home to many short-lived restaurants. Billed as a neighborhood craft cocktail bar, the library-themed salon boasts a book-like menu filled with libations described with tasting notes like herbal, floral, smoky and spicy. The beverages are buoyed by an all-vegan roster of bar bites like fries, pork rinds, BBQ chicken skewers and banh mi sammies.

Soba Asian KitchenAfter working for years in a traditional hibachi-style Japanese restaurant, Jingbo Xiao had the brilliant idea to adapt the food to a fast-casual concept. He did just that when he opened his first Soba in Sandusky. He followed that up with a new location in the former Jimmy Johns space on Coventry. The fully customized bowl-type experience tops bases like fried rice, egg noodles and soba noodles with veggies and proteins like chicken, steak and shrimp capped off with sauces such as teriyaki, garlic butter and yum-yum. (Scene's Soba Asian Kitchen review.)

YonderThe folks behind the fast-growing Boiler 65 concept opened Yonder last fall in the two-story brick building in Midtown formerly home to La Bodega and Angie's Soul Caf. This updated breakfast and lunch place offers counter service and some dine-in seating. On offer are creative breakfast sandwiches and brunch dishes, some of which are jazzed up with funky additions like Fruity Pebbles.

LeavenedIan Herrington devoted a decade of his life to the art and practice of baking before opening Leavened, a European-style artisan bakery in Tremont. The sleek, modern storefront anchors the Tappan, a new residential building on Auburn. Visitors can expect fresh-brewed coffee, fresh-baked loaves and a light caf menu of soups and sandwiches. Dont miss the rustic sourdoughs, rosemary focaccia, cardamom buns and fruit-filled Danish. (Scene's Leavened review.)

Chicken RanchAnthony Zappola closed the Rice Shop last Thanksgiving, but the University Heights space quickly transitioned to Chicken Ranch. Chef Demetrios Atheneos, formerly of Forage Public House, Oak Barrel and Bold, opened this quick-serve fried chicken spot in early December. Its home to one of the best chicken sandwiches in town, but also ribs, shrimp, salads and sides. A great assortment of sauces adds to the fun. (Scene's Chicken Ranch review.)

Habesha EthiopianWhen it opened in Kamms Corners this past December, Habesha Ethiopian and Eritrean Restaurant increased the number of Ethiopian restaurants in Cleveland to three and is the only such eatery on the West Side. Fans of the cuisine will discover a familiar assortment of platters that combine vegetarian and/or meat-based items all served with injera bread for scooping and enjoying. Of course, the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, accompanied by the heavenly aroma of freshly roasted beans, is part of the experience.

The Sleepy RoosterIn February, Craig and Sarah Fitzgerald opened The Sleepy Rooster in Chagrin Falls. After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu Institute in Pittsburgh, Craig worked in fine dining restaurants in Pittsburgh and Florida. At Sleepy Rooster he focuses on top-flight breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes like fresh-baked biscuits and gravy, goetta and eggs, avocado toast and fried bologna sandwiches. (Scene's The Sleepy Rooster review.)

Keep The Change Kitchen CollectiveChef Ben Bebenroth wasted no time closing his farm-to-table bistro Spice Kitchen at the outset of the pandemic. A year later he launched Keep The Change Kitchen Collective, a virtual food hall that operates out of the 10,000-square-foot Spice Catering HQ in Detroit Shoreway. Pick-up and delivery customers have their pick of multiple concepts like Winner Winners roasted chicken dinners, Leifs burly salad and grain bowls and Woo! Noods & Rice.

Chattys PizzeriaIn March, longtime Michael Symon Restaurants employee Matthew Chatty Harlan opened this popular pizzeria in Bay Village. The one-of-a-kind setting in the Cleveland Metroparks Huntington Reservation is only part of the draw. The family-friendly restaurant also dishes up great thin-crust New York and thicker Grandma-style pies along with charcuterie boards, burrata salads and meatball sandwiches. (Scene's Chatty's Pizzeria review.)

Avo Modern MexicanGabriel Zeller and Julie Mesenburg, who also operate Char in Rocky River, grabbed the keys to the slick Bakersfield Tacos space in Ohio City and opened Avo in December. Avos aim is to elevate the mod Mex experience with tacos starring house-made tortillas, arepas topped with barbacoa and larger plates like grilled shrimp in spicy cream sauce with corn cakes. An excellent bar program is the cherry on top. (Scene's Avo Modern Mexican review.)

Sauce the City GalleyWith the addition of Pearls Kitchen in late winter, the Sauce the City Galley became, for the first time since the Ohio City Galley closed, fully occupied with restaurants. In addition to original tenant Sauce the City, the food hall now features chef Jose Melendez pan-Latin Twisted Taino, serving mofongo bowls, tostones, empanadas and tripletas, chef Tiwanna Scott-Williams Pearls Kitchen, a comfort-food spot selling Southern-inspired dishes like blackened salmon BLTs, shrimp and grits and bourbon bread pudding, and Good Meal Jane, an enigmatic pizza ghost kitchen. Next on leader Victor Searcy Jr.s to-do list is getting the bar back in business. (Scene's Twisted Taino review.)

Pizzeria DiLauroAdam and Tiffany DiLauro parlayed a mobile pizza truck following into a brick-and-mortar success story. Occupying a prime corner spot in Bainbridge, this retro-chic neighborhood slice shop offers up a great experience from beginning to end. The main attractions are the thick-cut Sicilian and thin-crust New York-style pizzas, but diners also load up on salads, wings, charcuterie plates, meatball and Italian sandwiches and house-made cannoli. (Scene's Pizza DiLauro review.)

City Pop Sushi This visually appealing eatery downtown is a candy-colored homage to Japanese pop culture. Original artwork is joined by an arcade game, TVs streaming city pop music videos, and short roster of contemporary sushi rolls. Rolls, both grab-and-go and made-to-order, feature fully cooked items like bacon, steak and shrimp. They are served with dipping sauces like wasabi mayo and yum-yum.

The Last PageWithin a tsunami of fast-casual monotony, The Last Page at Pinecrest is a welcome detour. This modern-day supper club offers an immersive, upscale experience, from the luxuriously appointed waiting area to the grand bar in the rear of the drama-filled dining room. A lengthy menu avoids categorization of any kind, presenting instead a blitz of 25 appealing items that lean on various cultures and cuisines. (Scene's The Last Page review.)

Kindred SpiritCleveland-based Forward Hospitality completely reimagined the former Sawyer's space at Van Aken District into a more approachable casual restaurant. The space now offers unobstructed sight lines from end to end, inside and out. A chart-style menu is ideal for grazing, with dips and spreads, composed salads, wood-fired meat, fish and veggie kebabs and a few mains. In addition to the roomy front patio, guests have access to Garden City, a cocktail-focused rooftop bar that also opened in the past year. (Scene's Kindred Spirit review.)

Van Aken District Market HallThe Market Hall also was the site of expansion during the pandemic. In addition to original tenants like Banter, Brassica, On the Rise and Craft Collective, the bright, buzzy food hall added Domo Yakitori & Sushi, starring sushi, yakitori and okonomiyaki, Lox, Stock and Brisket, with its killer fried chicken and brisket sandwiches, and Old Brooklyn Cheese Co., which stocks a line of award-winning cheeses and mustards.

Acqua di LucaThe transformation from XO Prime Steaks to Acqua di Luca is complete. The eight-month process has netted a gorgeous new seafood-focused Italian restaurant from the owners of Luca and Luca West. Exposed brick walls, expansive fold-away windows, new blond wood flooring and an open kitchen give this prominent Warehouse District space a whole new lease on life. Chef-owner Luca Sema beams from that shiny open kitchen while preparing dishes like crudo, frutti di mare and roasted whole fish.

GomaEast 4th Street's third act is well underway after the departures of Lola, Greenhouse Tavern and Chinato in the past two years with Dante Boccuzzi being the next powerhouse Cleveland chef to set up shop on Cleveland's restaurant row. Goma, Boccuzzi's ninth restaurant, is opening around July 1st in the former Chinato space, which will be unrecognizable to anyone who enjoyed a meal there. Gone are the dividing walls and newly installed are two garage doors on the Prospect Ave. side, opening the space and putting it right in the action at the corner of East 4th. Split between sushi much like you'd find at Ginko and the addition of shabu shabu, tempura, salads, seafood and veg-focused apps as well as udon and ramen, the menu draws on Boccuzzi's experiences in kitchens in Taiwan, Tokyo and the famed Nobu.

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While You Were In: 46 New Cleveland Restaurants to Try This Summer - Cleveland Scene

The American muscle car is as much a state of mind as Detroit steel.

When the engine turns over, birds shake from tree limbs and bystander blood thrills with the roar.

And yes, there was a time when rock and roll groups composed lyrics as paeans to the kings of the road. As the decades passed, those cars have dwindled, but enough remain in the bright colors of a Crayola box to provoke oohs and aahs of admiration and heartfelt pangs of nostalgia.

Cars and Guitars was such a walk down memory lane Saturday afternoon, a glorious display of horsepower and gleaming paint arrayed on downtown Seymour streets. Some 253 vintage, classic, high-performance symbols of the highway were parked, hoods up for inspection, under a brilliant sun that highlighted their best attributes.

Roughly 95% of the vehicles dating back decades to when a car was as much status symbol as mode of transportation shimmered with the same gloss they flashed the day they rolled off of a showroom floor.

These were well-loved and well-scrubbed Fords, Chevrolets, Cadillacs and Corvettes, but always the eye was drawn to symbols of the 60s and early 70s when the cars and drivers were young and life was full of promise.

"Everybody loves the muscle," said organizer Gary Colglazier, happy Cars and Guitars was successfully resurrected after a year of enforced idleness due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This was otherwise the 16th annual rendition of Cars and Guitars. Over the years, some $100,000 was raised to construct playgrounds for physically challenged youngsters across Seymour.

Colglazier said three have been developed, and money from Saturday through $20 car registration fees for the show-and-tell, T-shirt sales, a 50-50 raffle and donations will go toward improving grounds.

Colglazier didnt yet have a cash count Sunday, and since there was no admission fee, he was not certain how many people wandered past the cars and listened to the guitars of Sounds of Summer: A Beach Boys Tribute later in the evening.

"Its hard to gauge," he guessed, "a couple, 3,000 people altogether."

The original Beach Boys, of course, knew how to make music out of horsepower with such tunes as "409" and "Little Deuce Coupe." Appropriately, "409" was released in 1962. The California crooners had company in odes to the open road. Jan and Dean sang "Dead Mans Curve" (1964) about drag racing and "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena" (1964) and Ronny and the Daytonas worshiped a "G.T.O.," also in 1964.

"Shes real fine, my 409; Shes real fine, my 409; My 409; Well, I saved my pennies and I saved my dimes." That was 409 in part, from the Beach Boys and Sounds of Summer.

After the cars in the flesh.

A passerby took one look at the 1957 red Chevy Bel Air with red fuzzy dice hanging from the rear-view mirror and blurted out, "Still is a classic."

Owners Bev and husband Harold Ruddick of Scipio like to think so. Of the time-honored tradition of the dice, she said, "Have to (have it)."

This baby has been in their possession for about eight years, found online in Tennessee. Harold had one like it in high school, but that was a long time ago. This car has been babied with most of it original from 64 years ago and just 5,633 miles on the odometer.

"Weve won a lot of awards with it best in class, age group," Bev said, noting the trophies live in the living room on the fireplace mantle.

Bev, 71, wore a T-shirt where the phrase "American Muscle" was included, a phrase connoting several things to her.

"These are strong cars," she said. "Theyre drivable, and you have fun in them."

Worth showing off

The license plate on Royce Clouses 1966 Chevy II read "Deuce." That is Royce, not as in Rolls-Royce, a brand of vehicle notably absent.

Clouse, 71, obtained the car about five years ago after his wife passed away and he was looking for something fresh as a hobby.

One day, he was in the barber shop and mentioned the type of car he wanted, and a guy being trimmed in the next chair heard and said, "I know where one is at." It was up the highway in Indianapolis, and Clouse said, "Are you kidding me?"

Now, it is his, and if anyone leaves fingerprints on the turquoise paint job, he immediately runs a rag over the spot. Special cars need a special touch.

"I try to stay within 60 miles (of Seymour)," he said. "I dont drive it on the interstate. I take care of it."

Brother Floyd Clouse, 74, showed off a glistening red 1934 Chevy Coupe.

"I got it all shined up," he said.

No cross-country trips for his car, either. This Clouse remembers the oldie-but-goodie car songs, citing "Shut Down" by the Beach Boys and "G.T.O."

"I grew up in the car generation," Floyd said of the era when many of the cars nearby on Chestnut Street were in their primes. "Kids these days arent interested."

The truth is "kids" need to drive to work and senior citizens may have stockpiled enough cash to find their favorite cars of the past and trot them out only for special shows like this one. The youngsters need something utilitarian, the oldsters may be able to indulge.

Plus, they have sweet memories going for them. When they were in their teens or 20s, there wasnt a heck of a lot of attention paid to miles per gallon. The cars were about looks and power, not fuel efficiency. Compact cars just arent as much fun.

Nobody writes songs about Toyotas and Nissans.

"Youve got it," Colglazier said. "No, no. But then, little cars do have a following among the younger generation."

The owner of a vintage car knows he or she is onto something when people stop by and say "Nice car."

Scarcity counts. These cars are collectors items and dont get used for routine grocery store trips very often or for everyday commuting. They are the stars of the show wherever the show is, so they get driven whatever distance is involved to get from the garage to display.

Marlene White, present with her familys 1939 red Studebaker, said people on the road or the side of the road react with "Thumbs up."

"Sometimes, we just take it out for a drive," she said.

Spectators may not know the model or year, but they know they dont see anything like it often. The most commonly used word owners hear is "Cool."

One of a kind

Unusual appearance compared to the everyday compact or sedan on the highway produces attention.

Maybe its just him and his generation, but Jim Hurley, 71, said when he was younger, he could name every make and model that drove past. Not now, said Hurley, who accompanied a 2007 blue Corvette to Cars and Guitars. He wore a T-shirt extolling the virtues of cars and rock and roll blended together.

"Of course, I followed the Beach Boys," Hurley said. "I knew every song they had. Little Deuce Coupe was my favorite. 409. When it comes to cars, I cant tell the difference between a 2011 and a 2012 now."

If these cars could talk, they would each have a story, even if they do lay about in barns or out-of-the-way garages most of the year now.

Take Kenny and Cindy Mundys 1978 black Corvette. That year, Kenny attended the 62nd Indianapolis 500 with his father and was so struck by the pace car model he pledged to own one someday. It took 42 years, but he acquired one of the cars and he accessorizes and shows it off.

Additions include a doll-like pit crew worker who bends over the engine, a Bobs Big Boy figure with a tray of plastic food in an homage to drive-in burger joints and checkered flags that wave in the breeze.

The car is a testament to "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" even though it didnt race. It is inescapable, however, Mundy has fun with this special toy.

"I do, I do," he said.

Most of the shows cars were factory produced, and while some owners strive to restore them to perfect original style, others prefer a personal touch.

The green color of Floyd Tuttles 1950 Mercury does not occur naturally in nature. Call it a spinoff of photosynthesis. It would practically glow in the dark.

Tuttle, of Pekin, was 15 when his mother bought the car for $125 59 years ago. That was some deal.

He was too young to drive it initially, then joined the Air Force for four years. When he got back to the car, he needed other transportation, so he parked it. Tuttle and the car have aged together. He is 74, and the Mercury has 9,000 miles on it.

"He has been with it longer than me," said Rhonda, his wife of 50 years.

In 2015, Tuttle drove the car for the first time since 1968. At the time, it was white. Although the paint job has been significantly upgraded since when the Mercury went green, it was a spray-paint job for $10. The color was called Bermuda green.

Two years ago, pre-pandemic, Tuttles Mercury was featured on the back of the Cars and Guitars 2019 event T-shirt.

The Mercury doesnt get out much, but when it does, it creates a sensation among those who catch a glimpse.

"They wave and look," Rhonda said. "Its nostalgia that something that old is still on the road."

Out there flexing those American muscles.

Originally posted here:
Oldies but goodies stars of Cars and Guitars - Seymour Tribune

Logic1000 debuted in 2018 with an undoubtedly excellent self-titled EP, packed with tracks that tip between techno, IDM, and garage. The record put her firmly on the map as a producer to watch, and dance heavyweightsmost notably Four Tetchampioned Logic1000 consistently. But while the EP was a strong introduction to Logic1000 as an artist, she herself has admitted that the production was scattered.

Recently, Logic1000 has been curating her own musical identity through remixes; her work for Lpsley, Christine and the Queens, and Caribou has allowed her to find a throughline in her own sound through the additions of her signature clean garage beats and hook-bolstering harmonies. These act as a strong introduction to her latest EP Youve Got the Whole Night to Go and give a taste of Logic1000 as a producer with a keen ear for melding the underground with pop-worthy hooks. Though just four songs, it shows Logic1000 flexing her stamina and spinning ideas more consistently across the EP.

Central to the feel of Youve Got the Whole Night to Go is a sense of expansiveness throughout, from the wafting trance drones and the vocal samples fed back and forth through a tape machine on Like My Way to the airy, echoing melody and bouncing bassline of Medium that sound as though theyre reverberating around an empty dance floor. This spaciousness unites each track in spite of the EPs varying genre aspirationsI Wont Forget gives lighthearted house; and Medium is eclectic and glitchy, whereas Her ends the EP on a downright dirty, sweaty, techno note. It all grants Logic1000s productions a touch of something bigger that stretches outward and upward, hinting at her ability to reach beyond the underground to break into a wider consciousness.

Youve Got the Whole Night to Go also works as a concept album, tracing the almost forgotten flutters and rushes of a good night out. Like My Way functions as a pregame track, the light trance paired with sharp hi-hats and a cheeky ascending bassline echoing the heady mixture of vague excitement and nerves. The way the muffled melody of I Wont Forget gradually becomes clearer is reminiscent of the sudden clarity of music that hits when the club doors fling open. A strained vocal sample cuts through with I wont forget, but the rest of the sentence is lost in the first muffled voice, as though the remembering is more important than the thing remembered. The immersive hard techno of closing track Her recalls that exact moment halfway through the night when you feel you could continue full-throttle forever. It seems cruel that a release that speaks so potently to the club experience probably wont be played in its proper setting for a while, but for the moment, its a necessary simulation of it.

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Logic1000: You've Got the Whole Night to Go EP | Review - Pitchfork

CD Projekt Red announced that it would release a free DLC update in "early 2021." Here are three simples features it needs to add.

CD Projekt Red announced thatCyberpunk 2077will receive a free DLC additionin "early 2021." The Polish developer didn't reveal anything other than the update's vague release window on December 29, but it might have a lot planned for the coming year. Cyberpunk 2077'sfree DLC's landing page stated that it "starts to hit Night City" in the first few months of 2021, which suggest the content will be a rolling series of updates, much like what was added toThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

CDPR had previously teased its plans for a complimentaryDLCpackbeforeCyberpunk 2077'scontroversial and buggyrelease on December 10. Since then the developer has focused on shipping a steady stream offixes to address the game's most flagrant hitches.Players who have already sunk tens, if not hundreds, of hours exploring Night City now have new features and improvements to look forward to, but what will Cyberpunk's free DLC include?

Related: What Cyberpunk 2077's Best Starting Area Is

CDPR hasn't unveiledwhat it's cooking up for the update just yet, but theinitial addition will likely be on the lighter side and won't change the overarching narrative of the title. The company is planninga premiumCyberpunk 2077 expansionfurther down the line that will take players "deeper into the world of Cyberpunk 2077, offering substantial, story-driven content." Don't expect a monumental facelift to Night City in early 2021, but there are still plenty of small changes CDPR canmake to improve its latest title's immersiveness and replayability.

For a world that's obsessed with cybernetic body modifications, it's ludicrous that players can't change theirCyberpunkcharacter's hairstyle and facial hair after the character creation menu. Ripperdocsseem like the perfect merchants to offer these styling services and they should also extend their expertise to makeup, eye-color, teeth, and most, if not all, of V's physical traits.

CDPRadded barbers intoThe Witcher 3as part of a free DLC update, so it's likely this feature will eventually make it intoCyberpunk 2077. If players can embed a Mantis Bladeinto V's arm, they should be able to change their in-game appearance whenever they want.

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Cyberpunk 2077 DLC: What CDPR Needs To Add First | Screen Rant - Screen Rant

Jared C. TiltonGetty Images

They said it couldnt be done back in April.

In the midst of the COVID-19 shutdown, NASCAR officials were deep in the complicated work of trying to save the 2020 season. It wasnt just enough for league president Steve Phelps to complete a partial season. The industry needed to reach 38 televised Cup Series events.

Without the full slate, teams would not receive the complete allotment of NASCARs broadcast money and couldnt afford to send cars to tracks. The sanctioning body would not meet the terms of its TV agreements.

Two months and nine weeks passed without a green flag. The completion of a full season that ended short of Thanksgiving felt like a near impossibility. There were just too many moving parts to navigate.

The tracks owned by either NASCAR itself or Speedway Motorsports Inc. provided flexibility, but the Cup Series was also contractually obligated to compete at independent venues Indianapolis, Pocono and Dover.

A self-inflicted complication was that NASCAR also wanted to complete the regular season in time to contest the 10 Cup Series playoff races as originally scheduled.

To do so, NASCAR and its TV partners would need to mutually agree to several midweek races, which would also be complicated by the eventual resumption of the stick and ball season. At one point during the summer, a major first happened when the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and NASCAR all contested events at the same time.

Talk about crowded airwaves.

And yet, NASCAR was able to become the first major televised sport to return from the shutdown, accomplishing all of its goals with a regular season that largely ran in Sunday-Wednesday-Sunday intervals from May to September.

That asked a lot from fans, officials, competitors, broadcasters and the independent media.

Certain states wouldnt permit fans, and some like California or New York, wouldnt allow events whatsoever. To contain costs, additional races were added close to home at Charlotte and Darlington. The All-Star Race was moved from Charlotte to Bristol because Tennessee permitted up to 30,000 fans. Watkins Glen was replaced with the Daytona Road Course.

It worked.

NASCAR completed a full regular season, teams got paid, and the playoffs took place as scheduled. The campaign ended with the divisions most popular driver (Chase Elliott) winning three of the final five races to capture his first championship.

He won when it mattered the most, upsetting historic seasons by Denny Hamlin (7 wins) and Kevin Harvick (9 wins) to capitalize on the playoff format.

The 2021 schedule was released to much fanfare. There are several new teams on the grid at the expense of several veteran departures.

AD 2020 was a frustrating year for numerous reasons but NASCAR ended it with a considerable amount of momentum.

In no particular order, here are the stories from the 2020 NASCAR season that well be talking about for years to come.

The 2020 Season Was Completed

For nine weeks, and after just four races to start the season, NASCAR was shut down by COVID-19 in exchange for the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. In the meanwhile, series officials were at work putting together a schedule for all three national tours that essentially amounted to one-day shows without practice or qualifying sessions.

NASCAR scheduled doubleheaders for Michigan and Dover, alongside the pre-scheduled one at Pocono -- in addition to the points races at Charlotte and Darlington for cost containment purposes.

When Watkins Glen couldnt happen, NASCAR pivoted to add a replacement race on the Daytona International Speedway Road Course. Chicagoland, Sonoma and Richmond were canceled in exchange for the races in the Carolinas a byproduct of the flexibility of NASCAR and SMI owning a majority of the dates.

"I believe (we were) the only sport that finished a full season," Phelps said. "The NFL is obviously in the midst of theirs. We are hopeful that they continue with their progress and finish their season. But as of now, as of tomorrow, we're the only major sport that finished a full season. (Im) certainly proud of that."

Out With the Old, In With the New

The NASCAR Cup Series ownership pool is about to get younger and more diverse.

Consider the stalwarts of ownership before we look at the fresh faces: Chip Ganassi is 62. Gene Haas is 68. Rick Hendrick is 71. Jack Roush is 78. Joe Gibbs is 80. Roger Penske is 83.

Sure, some of these teams will be inherited by their next-generation successors, but the Cup Series needed a fresh coat of paint, and it will get it next season following a considerable amount of ownership turnover in advance of the Next-Gen cars debut in 2022.

Archie St. Hilaire (61) has sold his ownership charter for Go Fas Racing to the new Live Fast Motorsports team owned by BJ McLeod (37) and Matt Tifft (24) with McLeod behind the wheel. Justin Marks (39) has launched Team Trackhouse with an ambitious diversity and education platform with Daniel Suarez behind the wheel.

NASCAR spotter and executive turned sports agent Jeff Dickerson (45) will expand his Spire Motorsports entry into a two-car effort after purchasing the charter owned by Leavine Family Racing owner Bob Leavine (76).

And, of course, the most notable additions to the ownership landscape are Denny Hamlin (40) and Michael Jordan (57) with the launch of 23XI Racing for driver Bubba Wallace

Bubba Wallace and Social Activism

Few things in NASCAR are transcendent these days, but Bubba Wallace generated headlines across sports, pop culture and the mainstream this summer for his increased activity and leadership within the social activism realm.

Wallace is the only full-time Black driver across all three NASCAR national touring divisions and the first since Wendell Scott from 1961-1973. He called for NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag this summer, which it did, and raced at Martinsville Speedway in June with a #BlackLivesMatter scheme.

At Talladega in June, NASCAR officials found a garage pull-down rope fastened as a noose within the stall that housed his Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Chevrolet. An FBI investigation determined that the rope was tied that way since the previous race in October, when it contained another car, and determined that a hate crime had not been committed.

"Whether it was tied sometime throughout 2019, the fall race there, someone did it with whatever intent they had," Wallace said. "We werent in that garage stall at that time, so we cant say it was directed toward me, which is good. It wasnt directed toward me or my family.

"But somebody still knows how to tie a noose and whether they did it as a bad joke or not, who knows? But it was good for the public to see. It still wont change some peoples mind of it being a hoax, but it is what it is."

Michael Jordan and 23XI Racing

Jimmie Johnson's (Sort Of) Retirement

Its not a goodbye, but its essentially a see you over there kind of thing.

Thats the best way to describe the retirement of NASCAR Cup Series living legend Jimmie Johnson. After seven championships, 83 wins and two decades of dominance, Johnson is simply trying something different.

Johnson has signed a two-year deal to race on the road and street courses in IndyCar with Chip Ganassi Racing and has teased an openness to attempt the Indianapolis 500, too.

Meanwhile, the 2020 season wasnt the send-off everyone had imagined when Johnson first announced his retirement. The pandemic began four weeks into the season, and tracks were forced to say goodbye the best way they could, even if most had little to no fans.

Johnson didnt win a race and he missed the playoffs by six points. He was forced to miss the Brickyard 400 due to a positive COVID-19 test and that was likely enough to derail his championship hopes.

There were other disappointments too, like a disqualification for a technical infraction in the Coca-Cola 600 that cost the No. 48 team 45 points after a second-place finish. He also crashed from the lead in the first race back from the shutdown at Darlington. He was fifth-place in points at the time.

He ended his full-time career with a fifth-place run at Phoenix.

"I thought I hit bottom a few times, and there was a bottom a little lower than what I envisioned," Johnson said. "I felt like on track there was mistakes that I made, and we had issues, times where the team made mistakes, had bad luck on track, supposedly had COVID and missed the Brickyard 400. There were just many lows that kept rolling. When I thought that was it, there was another low. I just had to figure out how to put a smile on my face."

The Wildly Different 2021 Schedule

The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series schedule looks radically different than any that has come before it.

To start, there will be seven races on road courses next year, more than double the amount from the previous two seasons and the most since there were four on the 1964 schedule.

Three of these races will take place on new venues or configurations: Circuit of the Americas, Road America and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, which replaces the Brickyard 400 on the tracks legendary oval layout.

But wait, theres more!

For the first time in 50 years, the NASCAR Cup Series will also contest a race on dirt. The annual spring event at Bristol will see its high banked concrete surface temporarily covered in clay for a doubleheader with the Truck Series.

The last of the new additions is a return to the Nashville region, home to one of NASCARs strongest and most loyal audiences, with a tripleheader at Nashville Superspeedway.

Absent from the schedule are Chicagoland Speedway and Kentucky Speedway. Texas Motor Speedway will only host one points paying race but gains the All-Star Race from Charlotte Motor Speedway.

"We said back early in 2018 that we wanted to evolve the schedule," said NASCAR Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell. "2020 was going to be a year where we could make some moves within the portfolio of races we had. You're going to see some really bold changes from NASCAR in 2021 and beyond. We believe we've delivered on that."

Kyle Busch's Championship Hangover

It has been a long time since the previous years champion suffered a hangover, but thats exactly what happened to Kyle Busch in 2020.

The two-time champion won just once, and that triumph came after he had been eliminated from the playoffs.

Worse yet, he called when he would be eliminated. Busch finished eighth in the standings, his worst such result since 2014. His average finish of 13.8 was his worst since 2010. He had won 26 races in the previous five seasons combined.

As a result, Busch will be given a new crew chief in Ben Beshore, with Adam Stevens (the architect of his two championships) moving over to the No. 20 team to work with Christopher Bell.

"We obviously weren't good enough," Busch said. "We weren't able to capitalize and do what we needed to do ... [My team members] give full effort, man. There's no quit. But it just hasn't quite lined up for us this year."

Ryan Newman's Daytona 500 Crash

Ryan Newman will contest the full Cup Series schedule for a 20th time in 2021, but he isnt sure how thats possible.

The Rocket Man believes he should have died at the end of the 2020 Daytona 500.

He was involved in a crash coming to the checkered flag of the Great American Race when he was turned sideways into the wall, flipped upside down and then hit on the drivers side door by an oncoming Corey Lajoie.

He was rushed to the hospital for what was later described as a bruised brain, where he left two days later holding the hands of his two daughters, a surprise to everyone. Newman called it a miracle and a testament to NASCARs safety initiatives.

He missed just three races as the COVID-19 pandemic shut the season down for two months just three weeks after his injury. He was cleared for competition by May.

"Its great to be alive," Newman said. "If you looked at my car, its a miracle."

Kyle Larson's Slur, Exile and Return

Kyle Larson has experienced a remarkable journey, both professionally and personally, during the 2020 season.

Through the first month of the season, Larson had guided the Chip Ganassi Racing No. 42 team to seventh in the championship standings and looked to be a consistent threat to contend in his final season before reaching free agency.

Then came the COVID-19 shutdown and Larsons casual usage of a racial slur during an iRacing broadcast. Within two days, every major sponsor on the No. 42 threatened to withdraw support of the team until Larson was removed. Thus, Ganassi fired and replaced him with the retired Matt Kenseth. NASCAR indefinitely suspended the 28-year-old.

Larson went on to enjoy one of the most remarkable dirt seasons of all-time, winning over 50 features within the confines of a Sprint Car, Midget and Super Late Model. Simultaneously, Larson increased his work with several inner-city youth and diversity foundations as penance for what transpired.

He was reinstated by NASCAR in October and was signed by Hendrick Motorsports for the 2021 season. He will continue working with NASCAR on diversity programs as per the conditions of his reinstatement.

"I definitely think theres probably a lot of people out there that have concern about me," Larson said. "Its not something that happens overnight.

"I think its something that takes time. I think people, as they get to spend more time around me or get to see what Im doing off the racetrack, outside the race car and get to really learn who I am, I think thats when the forgiveness will be there and people will have a more open mind to forgive me.

"I know that takes time. Its still been such a short time since this all happened that I still have a lot of my reputation to rebuild. I look forward to being around Mr. (Hendrick) and learn a lot off of him because hes probably one of the if not the most respected people in the garage area. It will take time, but I think who I really am will shine through and people will be able to forgive me."

President Donald J. Trump Attends the Daytona 500

Donald Trump became just the second sitting president to visit the Daytona 500. George W. Bush attended the 2004 race. He delivered a speech to the crowd before the green flag, met several drivers prior to the drivers meeting, and took several laps around the track in the presidential limo.

"The Daytona 500 is a legendary display of roaring engines, soaring spirits of the American skills, speed, and power," Trump said in his speech.

Chase Elliott Wins the Cup Championship

Chase Elliott captured the NASCAR Cup Series championship at just 24-years-old, adding to the family legacy established his by father and 1988 Cup Series champion Bill Elliott.

The younger Elliott won three of the final five races, including the final two at Martinsville and Phoenix to hoist the Bill France Cup. The win at Martinsville propelled him to the final four for the first time in his career, after getting denied just short of the championship race in three other playoff appearances.

Elliott won five times overall and now has 11 wins in 185 starts in addition to his winning the most popular driver award in each of the past three seasons.

"I've been thinking hard about (why I dont have the words to describe what this means) and I don't know why I can't put it into words," Elliott said. "I think part of it is that it's just a moment that I've wanted my whole life.

"You want time to stop so bad in that moment and that's just not how time works. You can't just pause. Like anything else in life, when you're having fun, time flies.

"So, I had that moment, one that I couldn't ask for anything more and time just cruises on. And it's hard to sit down right now and think too much about it, because if you do, time flies and we'll be right back in Daytona. So, I'm getting there. I don't know that I'm there yet, but I'm getting there."

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The Best Stories From a NASCAR Season They Said Couldn't Be Done - Autoweek

Earlier this week, a report surfaced via ESPN that the Portland Timbers were exploring options for sending Jeremy Ebobisse out on loan to a team in the German 2. Bundesliga. It set off a bit of a discussion amongst Timbers fans, both on twitter and in the comments section, around its validity, rationale, and potential impact for both player and club. Despite being only a reported rumor in its current state (one that doesnt even merit a post on the league website at this moment, for what its worth), the prospect clearly struck a nerve amongst the Rose City faithful.

In that spirit, it seems appropriate to take a moment to look at why the rumored move might make sense, why it actually might wind up being only a rumor, and what the news itself represents for the future of Jebo in Portland.

The biggest beneficiary of a potential loan might be Jeremy Ebobisse himself. After putting in another solid season in 2020, Jebo was treated to a December filled with reports of Portland working their hardest to bring back Felipe Mora. This is nothing against Mora, who has proven to be a solid addition to the Rose City. But Ebobisse, despite putting in the work to perhaps earn a starting job, has instead been stuck behind forwards each season hes been in Portland. Now, he faces the prospect of being behind another player who may start ahead of him for another season. With no signs that he will undoubtedly be the starting striker next season, if he wants to start and develop, moving to Europe might make sense.

It might also make sense for the Timbers if they are choosing to prioritize the impact that Mora and Niezgoda may bring. Rather than deal with a striker conundrum and potentially scorned players, they could make their 2021 forward hierarchy the clearest it can be by letting Ebobisse spend some time away. Of course, they would need to sign at least one player to shore up depth at the forward position, most likely even a couple. But it would make the depth chart much more straightforward for this season at least.

It may also make the beginning of the season more straightforward as well at least from a playing time and competition perspective. The 2021 season start date is rumored to be in March, but that isnt confirmed at this point, so it could wind up being later in the year. Another complication are the reports from ESPN suggesting that the league is seeking to terminate the current collective bargaining agreement with the MLS Players Association, setting up a potential work stoppage next year (that is a whole can of worms worth its own article at some point in the future).

In either of the above scenarios, players may be faced with the prospect of not having games to play for an extended period of time. Sending Ebobisse out on loan to play games when he would have none available is good for his development and for the Timbers, as they have a key player getting meaningful minutes where there may be none to be had stateside.

There are indeed arguments in favor of a loan move for Jeremy Ebobisse. But, as appealing as it may seem on the surface, the deeper you go the more you realize that a loan move probably isnt in the cards.

Is saying its the silly season enough of an explanation? No, seriously rumors and reports like these around talented players popup every single gosh dang winter. It doesnt matter how many years theyve been with a club, scuttlebutt around players moving or being loaned to places make the rounds on the internet without fail.

This recent rumor has all of the trappings of one of those. Rather than being shared by a specific journalist or having its own dedicated article, it was included in a running log of transfer notes and rumors. The tweets that have been circulating also do not cite a specific report or journalist, only including that sources have shared the news with ESPN. I do not doubt the stature or reputation of the worldwide leader, but this rumor doesnt quite crack the level of theres some smoke there if youre looking for a fire.

Plus, Portland will be in dire need of depth at forward this season. Jaroslaw Niezgoda is sidelined for the foreseeable future with an ACL injury, and even if Mora is the presumptive starter, there is need for a backup. The MLS season is long and arduous, and balancing fatigue and injuries are essential for success, with the pandemic making this even more true (just look at how 2020 ended for Portland for evidence of that).

The Timbers will also be embarking on another CONCACAF Champions League campaign, which in addition to league play and the potential return of the U.S. Open Cup makes three competitions that Portland will want to be competitive in. Managing minutes with depth will be all the more important next year. Moving a player in a key position doesnt make sense- at least, as the roster is currently constructed.

Does the rumor have legs? Potentially! Theres always at least a grain or two of truth to any transfer season rumor. It is a possibility that a 2. Bundesliga team dialed up the Timbers and potentially inquired about acquiring Ebobisse on loan. Or maybe Portland is doing their due diligence and is asking around for potential fits and taking a players interests into account, as they did with the Marco Farfan and Julio Cascante trades. But the confluence of evidence really doesnt add up to Portland being without one of their key and proven players for such a busy season. I will gladly raise my hand and say I was wrong if it does come to pass. But based on the evidence in front of us right now, a loan move feels unlikely at the current moment.

Whether the loan happens or not has a to be determined outcome. But that doesnt mean that the news itself wont have immediate impact for the next season of Portland Timbers soccer.

The loan happening or not has no bearing on the questions that are now being asked around Portlands development plan for Jeremy Ebobisse. He just signed a contract extension with the team in the beginning of 2020, so presumably he still figures into their plans. Whether its as a contributor on the field or a potential asset to be traded or transferred, however, is the question that remains unanswered. And all of that is after you consider what Ebobisse wants for his own career. He has talent and wants to be in a situation to showcase it, but the current situation in Portland may not allow him to do so.

The fact of the matter is that if Mora returns, Portland has three starting caliber strikers once Niezgoda heals. All are in or are entering their prime, and all represent significant investments. None of them want to be perpetually riding the pine. Its like having three expensive and fancy sports cars; you cant just leave one sitting in the garage collecting rust all year, but you may not have time to drive all three.

Lets game this out: We can assume that the likeliest outcome will come to pass, and Jebo stays in Portland for 2021. He spends the first chunk of the season backing up Mora, making some spot starts at either forward or as a winger, but mainly comes off the bench. Niezgoda returns around the summer, and then all three forwards trade time a la the way they did in the 2020 season. Lets say Ebobisse has a similar return to what he did in 2020, something around the eight to nine goals, three to four assists range. Solid for his role, but not spectacular numbers or much of an improvement from 2020.

Ebobisse is a soon-to-be 24-year-old talented forward, a fringe national team player, and one who has been discussed in some circles as having a potential future on the senior USMNT if he can put up better numbers. Can he afford to have his fifth full professional season in MLS be one where he is still a backup and spot starter, even though he has shown that he likely can reach full starter level? Is he satisfied in that role? Im not him or a professional player, so I have no idea. But my gut tells me that a rising young player would want to play as many minutes as they can.

2021 may represent an inflection point for the Timbers and Jeremy Ebobisse, loan or no loan. Giovanni Savarese, Gavin Wilkinson, and the rest of Portlands decision makers need to decide how they view Jebo as a player. If they still see him as the future of the forward line, there may be some decisions that need to be made around either Moras or Niezgodas futures in Portland. If they see the newer additions as their best chance at sustaining success and winning trophies, it may be in their and Ebobisses best interest to make a call on his fate in green & gold sooner rather than later.

Either decision carries hefty long term implications. Do you gamble that Ebobisse will develop and blossom, while moving on from proven veteran entities? Or do you potentially miss out on Ebobisse turning into a game-changing forward for your team by moving him? When Portland traded up to draft Ebobisse in the 2017 SuperDraft, they showed that they werent afraid to take a risk to try to find future success. The decision that they make around what to do with Ebobisse in 2021 may prove to be just as risky, and just as impactful.

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That Jeremy Ebobisse loan rumor, and what it means for 2021 (whether it happens or not) - Stumptown Footy