A once neglected corner in downtown Bartlesville has been transformed into a community hot spot thanks to the imagination and hard work of Samantha Nikkel and her husband Ron.

Samantha Nikkel, whos tried a lot of things from running marathons to skydiving, said she never expected to be operating a restaurant. But thats exactly what she and her husband are doing.

The inspiration behind the citys latest fine-dining opportunity stemmed from Samantha Nikkels desire to further enhance the relaxed atmosphere of her adjacent clinic and spa.

Located the corner of Fourth Street and Shawnee Avenue, Samanthas has quickly become a popular gathering point for lunches, dinners and casual get-togethers.

I was getting a lot of people from surrounding cities coming to the spa, and when they came here, they wanted to linger a bit, she said. I thought it would be nice to have a place where they can sit and have a cup of tea and a bite to eat.

Her idea to expand the tranquil feel of 5 Elements Clinic and Spa is reflected in the restaurants soothing waterfalls, cozy nooks with fireplaces and gazebos in the spacious outdoor eating area.

When we were building it, people wanted to know what I was up to and started to ask if I would do parties, birthday parties, anniversaries and little gatherings, said Nikkel. From there, I thought if we had parties, we need to have some beverages for a variety of guests besides just tea and coffee so we went through the process of getting a liquor license. After that, we realized we really need to have real food.

News soon spread that the couple needed a chef, and it wasnt long before they hired Shaun Coyne, who holds more than 25 years in the restaurant business. His culinary experience has lead to a elegant and creative menu items such as pineapple chicken sliders. Soup, salad and sandwich choices will also continue to evolve at the restaurant.

Were coming up with foods and ideas in an environment no one else has. The fun part was creating something so unique for Bartlesville that even Tulsa people are saying they dont have and theyre coming up here, said Nikkel.

Well have a different menu with each season and of course well have our weekly specials menu to make interesting and fun. Were going to have entertainers here, so that its just not a food experience but the whole dining experience.

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Once neglected corner now community hot spot

In your backyard, you can install beautiful hardtop gazebos, pergolas or canopies to add shaded areas around the yard and deck. Set up a sun shade next to the swimming pool so the kids can take a break from the heat. Open shade gives you protection from sunlight but still allows cool air flow. A hardtop gazebo canopy is suitable for adding shaded comfort that small to large groups can enjoy. Canopy tents are also available in open formations similar to a hardtop gazebo for quick setup and breakdown.

Outdoor shade tents like hardtop gazebos, pergolas and canopies are the right accessories to have for your next party or to enjoy all year round. You can hold an event in a sunny area and still have cooling shade when desired. Once you have set up your canopy tents, fill them up with patio furniture to create a comfortable and cool space to relax.

No matter what size backyard you have, it's easy to find the right outdoor shade for your home. Kick back and relax with a good book or enjoy a family lunch together underneath the shaded tent. Sears' selection offers you stylish gazebos, pergolas and canopies that seamlessly fit your backyard decor.

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Gazebos, Canopies & Pergolas - Sears - Online & In-Store ...

Pop Up Gazebos, Instant Shelters | Popup Gazebos 4u (Coventry) UK, gazebos are light enough to be portable, our mini marquees and instant shelters provide the ideal all weather solution for individuals, businesses, charities and event organisers requiring a portable shelter for outdoor events and markets, We have a large selection of waterproof gazebos and mini marquees available in different colourways, we stock red gazebos, white gazebos, blue gazebos, orange gazebos, grey gazebos, black gazebos, and other gaezebo colour combinations, our gazebo sizes ranges 3m x 3m gazebos, 3m x 4.5m gazebos and 3m x 6m gazebos, all our heavy duty gazebos, instant shelters and mini marquees can be custom printed in single and full colour with any logos or graphics, so if your looking to promote you business, product or organisation trust Pop up Gazebos 4u to deliver, we have skilled gazebo designers on-site to ensure your branded gazebos or promotional gazebos looks the business, as well as printed gazebos we supply a wide range of gazebo accessories including gazebo canopies, gazebo sidewallsand gazebo leg weights all at factory direct prices.

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Pop Up Gazebos | Branded Gazebos | Promotional Gazebos ...

Traditional Malay wood-carvers a rare breed

JOHOR BARU: The traditional Malay woodcarving is one of the country's most priceless heritage that dates way back into the country's history.

Its intricate motifs today still grace palaces, gazebos, pergolas and traditional Malay houses, and does not fail to impress all who view it.

Those skilled in traditional Malay woodcarving have to undergo a process as intricate and tedious as its designs as well, making them a rare breed of artisans.

One of them is Mohd Nor Zaini, 35, whose passion for woodcarving has led him to learn the trade and set up his own business in Batu Pahat, Johor.

He first entered the field in 2000, by enrolling for an 18-month course in a Wood-based Furniture Industry at the Mara Training Institute.

After that, he worked for eight months with a company making private yachts using Burmese teak, before pursuing his studies in the Art of Woodcarving for three years.

Mohd Nor then worked on improving his skills by taking on jobs at carpentry workshops around Muar. He used the money he made to buy woodcarving machines.

"Besides carpentry stints at the workshops, I also took on odd jobs until I could raise enough money to start my own business at the end of 2006," he told Bernama, who met him while on a media tour with Kraftangan Malaysia to Johor.

He said the first machine he bought was a router. He then added on a jointer, planer, a sawing machine and a lathe.

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Traditional Malay wood-carvers a rare breed

Tips On Gazebos

By: Top Garden Structures Decorating

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Tips On Gazebos - Video

PREMIER homegrown property developer Escandor Development Corporation (Esdevco) marked milestones Thursday, Dec. 18, with the blessing of CAME, Clubhouse at Matina Enclaves, and the groundbreaking of its The Enclaves Residences' first of six buildings with no less than Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte as special guest.

Mayor Duterte led the ribbon cutting before Bishop George B. Rimando, auxiliary bishop of Davao and parish priest of San Pablo Parish, blessed the two-storey 900-square meter clubhouse that features a mini gym, kids' playroom, billiards table, function/meeting room that can accommodate 150 to 200 persons, snack bar, gazebos for the whole family to enjoy, among others. It will also have a 25-meter swimming pool and kiddie pool that will be finished by summer next year.

Project director Gerald Kent M. Garces said, "Sa second floor, malaki ang balcony where people can hang out especially sa hapon kasi mahangin at may umbrella tables din."

"We had our groundbreaking for the clubhouse last June and we committed to complete the clubhouse construction by December, and we did," Garces said.

He also said that the start of construction for the first condominium building of The Enclaves Residences was way ahead of schedule. "We're six months early as we are supposed to start mid-June next year. We decided to start this month because we are equally as excited as our buyers to have the building completed and ready by mid 2016."

Esdevco president Glenn Escandor, for his part, said, "This is our first major project that is why we in ESDEVCO are committed lto exceed all expectations of our buyers, partnered sales networks and the public in general."

Escandor added that having Mayor Duterte lead the groundbreaking ceremony of their condo and blessing of the clubhouse is "monumental".

"This signifies his full trust and confidence in Matina Enclaves and ESDEVCO and we are grateful that he has accommodated us with this good gesture. At least everyone has the assurance that just like the Mayor we also mean no-nonsense commitment," Escandor said.

Also present during the activity was Escandor's mother Violeta, wife Michelle and his brother Gerome.

Duterte, who arrived at the area with executive assistant Christopher "Bong" Go via chopper, said in a media interview: "I whispered to Glenn we are the sons of the migrants. His father was a soldier sa akin was government employee. Somehow we have prepared the place for the next generation. Si Inday Mayor, si Paolo Vice-Mayor then si Glenn top-rate businessmen. So we would like them to prepare this world for their sons and daughters until the end of time."

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Esdevco's milestones: clubhouse blessing, condo groundbreaking

Your patio and backyard should be beautiful extensions of your home. Gazebos create shaded seating areas perfect for picnics and parties. From simple to elegant, these outdoor structures allow you to put together a relaxing outdoor living area. At Sears, you can get everything you need to turn your yard into a cozy oasis.

Put up a new gazebo so you can kick back and relax without having to shade yourself from the sun. Unlike a pergola, you'll be fully sheltered from the sun with a gazebo. Our selection of options ranges from a variety of grill gazebos specifically meant to shade the chef to gazebo kits that you build yourself. With a kit, you can customize a perfect match with patio furniture you already own. Whether you build it yourself or choose a pre-built option, keep guests shaded and protected from rain with a new outdoor gazebo.

There's nothing like being able to retreat to your own backyard for a refreshing break in your day. Combining outbuildings with luxurious accessories such as hot tubs adds elegant style to your outdoor patio gazebo, yard and garden. Shop Sears and get exactly what you've been looking for to create the outdoor getaway of your dreams.

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Gazebos: Create Cooling Shade with Gazebo Kits from Sears

PARK lovers have launched a campaign to Save the Poole Park Playing Field after fears that a much loved area will become a bog garden.

Quite a few people are upset about it, said resident Steve Baron and a Facebook page has the support of more than 360 people.

The field running along the side of Copse Close carries an underground pipe for water run-off from roads covering a vast area of Poole, stretching up to Constitution Hill viewpoint, almost to Ashley Cross and over to Poole Hospital.

This drains into the lake adding to the pollution and one proposal is to turn it into an open stream that would filter the water. This is included in a master plan submitted as part of the 2.5million Heritage Lottery Fund bid.

However residents fear they will lose a much-loved playing field enjoyed by families over many years which is also popular with dog walkers.

We need these open spaces for kids to play in, said Steve. I take my kids down there.

He added: We are not against the bid. But people feel this was under the radar.

John Austin-Williams of Copse Close said: Its just so well used. People like to bring picnics here, they bring gazebos and stay the whole day, have barbecues, keep fit groups meet here.

Lisa OSullivan of Parkstone Avenue said: We dont want this made into a dangerous place where it wont be safe to bring small children who run off.

John Harding of Copse Close said: We dont get Canada geese here defecating on the grass because there is no water. If there is water here they are likely to come across.

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Save the Poole park playing field campaigners launch bid to keep open popular open space

Neeko and Cezar 1-year-old German Shepherds with the Ross Police Department bounded over walls, through windows and up steps.

Their handlers shouted commands, in Dutch for Neeko, German for Cezar.

Los, Officer Don Sypolt said, and Neeko dropped his toy from his mouth. The dogs are trained in different languages so they don't confuse commands when working together.

Neeko and Cezar are new to the job, and last week Sypolt and Officer Pete Chuberko, who works with Cezar, guided the dogs through an agility course to familiarize them with what they'll encounter on the job.

The nine-obstacle course is the only one like it in the North Hills, said Sgt. Matt Grubb, head of the Ross K9 unit. And while the Ross department likely would have spent $3,000 to build the course, he said, Thomas Zegar, whose father is a Ross officer, did it for no charge.

It was his Eagle Scout project.

I know with my projects, K-9s will be trained to do what they are supposed to do and be able to help anyone in need, said Thomas, 17, of Hampton.

Eagle Scout projects in Western Pennsylvania help communities, churches, schools, state parks and police departments. The projects have honored veterans, raised money for local food banks, cleaned up rivers and sent soccer equipment to Uganda.

The Laurel Highlands Council of the Boy Scouts of America honored 444 Eagle Scouts this year, the largest number of scouts to attain the organization's highest rank in a single year.

Those Scouts completed projects that took a combined 90,000 hours of work and cost nearly $2.6 million, said Brian Tedeschi, the council's vice president of membership and marketing. Those projects built bridges and benches, fixed gazebos and gardens and put up fences and flagpoles that communities and organizations could never afford.

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Teens elevate Western Pa. communities with Eagle Scout projects

A mighty volunteer army, more than 600 strong, began gathering in the dawn hours at Fort Lauderdale's Osswald Park on a recent Friday even as the rain came down on the staging area roof.

The volunteers, assembled by United Way of Broward County and drawn from roughly 30 local companies, were there to put a new face on the park. The effort was all a part of Untied Way's Annual Day of Caring, which the organization's president and CEO Kathleen Cannon calls, "the whole community coming together to do something good."

The day's plan included painting fences and gazebos, pressure cleaning, murals and constructing bookshelves, among other projects.

The choice of location was simple: Osswald Park needed the attention, Cannon said.

"We research to find areas in need. Last year we did the grounds around the War Memorial Auditorium. We focused on veterans then. Now we're focusing on literacy," she said.

Each volunteer brought a book and massive packing cases were arrayed around the staging area to hold the donations.

By early morning, the park became a beehive of activity. Brooms, rakes, shovels and wheelbarrows were pressed into service.

"I love this," said Bob Guido, wheeling pots of flowers. "I'm with Holman Automotive, helping United Way to revamp the setting. We're in the community [and] we're giving back."

Workers began unloading foam containers of boxed sandwich lunches from a Publix semi-truck. Yellow-shirted AutoNation volunteers tore up the ground outside the park's main building, the Wallace J. Merriett Recreation Center. Inside a small crew in FPL T-shirts were hammering together and painting bookshelves provided by United Way and Home Depot.

Peter Moore, head of the engineering firm Chen Moore and Associates, was one of the volunteers helping to paint.

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United Way behind park's new makeover