Location, location, location.

If you've lived in this area for any length of time, you've noticed that Coeur d'Alene is growing. Luckily, it retains the small-town atmosphere that we love - but growth is inevitable. And if you look around, you'll notice the lake to the south, Canfield Mountain to the east, and the Spokane River to the west. So that growth has to head northwest, toward the prairie.

And that's where you'll find The Landings.

"The Landings is in a special location," says Brad Richmond, Realtor with Northwest Realty Group, representing Hallmark Homes. "The growth comes northwest from downtown. This is where all the land is. You're right in the middle of that." He points out how easy it is to get to Post Falls and Spokane, but that the neighborhood is also close to the services of Coeur d'Alene, to schools and to shopping. The Prairie Trail runs right past it, so you can access the wide network of bike and walking trails in the area. It's centralized in Kootenai County, he says. You're truly in the middle of everything.

One of the many benefits of living on the prairie is the views. "You have mountain views all the way around," Richmond says, "with Canfield, Signal Point and Rathdrum Mountains."

Hallmark Homes has been constructing homes in The Landings for two and a half years. Richmond says in the past year, three new builders have started homes in the neighborhood, highlighting the continuing popularity of and interest in it.

"It's a very diverse neighborhood," says Richmond. Homes range from $140,000 to more than $300,000. There are apartments and condos, as well as single-family homes.

There is a strong homeowners association, as well as an active neighborhood watch program. They maintain a comprehensive website that serves as a great resource for the residents of the area. HOA fees are $175/year, which cover maintenance of the common areas.

The crown jewel of The Landings is Landings Park. "This park is a home run," says Richmond. The developer donated 11 acres, and worked with the city to create this beautiful spot. It features a playground and splash pad for summer fun for the kids; basketball, volleyball and tennis courts; paved bike trails and walking paths; a disc golf course; covered gazebos and restrooms. Every spring and summer, the community sponsors special events.

Hallmark Homes is a local, family-run business owned by Mike Fitzgerald and his son Michael. Fitzgerald has been in the business most of his life, and his son has followed in his father's footsteps. "He's an old-school builder," says Richmond, who has been selling for Hallmark Homes for 15 years, and joined Northwest Realty Group a year ago. "He includes standard

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Neighborhood of the week: The Landings

Ice Sweeps Away Docks On The Muskingum River

The Muskingum County Emergency Management Agency is keeping a close eye on the Muskingum River.

Ice broke loose on the Muskingum River Friday afternoon, tearing out docks, gazebos, trees, and other debris. EMA Director, Bo Keck, said his office has been monitoring the river ever since it froze across earlier this winter. He called what happened Friday "devastating."

"We're a little concerned about the Lorena right now. And then of course down stream, what's this gonna do going down into the Philo area," Keck explained.

So far no homes have been damaged, and as ofright now, Keck said there's not much they can do.

"We were concerned it would back up behind the bridges and of course put a lot of weight there. And now our concern is the damn here at the Y-Bridge to make sure it doesn't back up, that it just keeps going over it."

At this point, Keck said theywill continue monitoring the river.

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Ice Sweeps Docks And Debris Down The Muskingum River

We had another cruise ship in port on Monday but if I hadn't seen it I would be none the wiser. Why isn't it reported/advertised before the arrival so locals and businesses can get involved?

I was lucky enough to be in Akaroa over Waitangi Weekend and in the four days there they had five cruise ships in and the locals went to much effort to welcome the visitors.

There were a number of gazebos on the wharf and waterfront with information and tour opportunities for the visitors and nearly every shop in the town had welcome signs in their windows and there was a market with locals selling their wares.

There were also local limousine rides, vintage car rides even motorbike sidecar rides - all of which were extensively used as a novelty ride around the town.

Having been on cruises myself I know first hand that you don't always book your excursions before arriving in the port, rather wait and see what the locals offer on arrival.

I see Aoraki Tourism has an extensive list on its website welcoming the visitors and listing things to do but after speaking to a few visitors down the street, they were completely unaware of this.

My question is: Who is responsible to advertise the arrival and allow locals to promote Timaru and wider South Canterbury, and why don't we (Timaru) do more to welcome visitors?

Some examples: Approach schools, charity or sporting groups to raise extra money by selling items direct to the tourists.

Approach the vintage car or local car clubs and giving them the opportunity of providing rides.

Advertise that a ship of visitors is due a few days before it arrives and encourage local business to welcome them.

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Letter: Cruise ships

Only a handful of stalls were at Sudbury market on Saturday as the bad weather keeps stall holders away.

Ross Bentley Monday, February 17, 2014 3:00 PM

Market traders in west Suffolk have thanked loyal customers for supporting them during the bad weather - but warned the heavy rain and wind is taking its toll.

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On Saturday, Sudburys normally vibrant market of 30 stalls was reduced to six vans as traders with canopies decided it was too windy to set up. Over in Bury a reduced market went ahead minus the gazebos after a safety meeting between market officers and traders was held the night before.

The high winds of Saturday follow on from flooding the weekend before and torrential rain over the past weeks that has reduced custom.

Dan Ashdon, who runs Waters Edge Provisions on Sudbury market selling eggs, spices and dry goods, said he was a few hundred pounds down on what he normally takes at this time of year.

Today it has been too dangerous for the stall-holders to set up and last week people were preoccupied with the floods but we have very loyal customers who support the market whatever the weather - its the passing trade weve missed out on.

Fishmonger Dave Monro said he had his regulars - some he has been serving for 20 years - to thank for keeping him ticking over. Its been the second year that February has been bad - last year it was really cold and we had snow but we want to thank those customers who keep coming rain or shine, he said.

In Bury, fruit and veg trader, Martin Hart, said he was hopeful trade would pick up when the weather improves.

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Sudbury/Bury: Market traders admit heavy rain and high winds has hit takings but thank loyal customers for coming out ...

QUEENSBURY For SUNY Adirondack students who smoke, the gazebos on campus offer a safe haven.

I come out here to enjoy my smoke after all the stress from school, said Whitney Morehouse of Lake George.

Morehouse also likes the chance to socialize with other smokers.

Theres so many people that I dont see on a regular basis that Ill see out here, she said.

The gazebos are the colleges only designated smoking areas, but that will change in the fall when the campus goes tobacco-free.

The Board of Trustees in December voted to move forward with the plan to prohibit cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and electronic cigarettes from campus. The decision brings the college in line with a SUNY goal of getting all campuses smoke-free.

College officials are stressing education instead of punishment and are hosting workshops next week for students and staff looking to snuff their smoking habits. The first workshop will start at 12:30 p.m. Feb. 19 in the Miller Auditorium of Dearlove Hall. A second workshop is slated for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 20.

Some students dont plan to attend the sessions. Tricia Pratt, of Wilton, said she has been smoking for 25 years and doesnt plan to quit.

Ive figured its my only bad habit, she said.

It is a habit brought on by stress, say smokers, and its hard to stop.

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SUNY Adirondack offering workshops to help students quit smoking before campus goes tobacco-free

Worried about your wedding dress being damaged before the big day, your cake supplier going bust or your wedding day being rained out? Theres insurance for that.

With the cost of the average Australian wedding reaching $54,000, brides and grooms are increasingly taking out insurance.

The products insurers are selling protect the wedding party against such events as severe weather, the bride or groom being struck down with a sudden illness, loss of wedding documents and damage to gazebos, staging, flooring, chairs, tables and so on.

Some products will also protect the bride and grooms home contents while away on their honeymoon if the home is burglarised and their wedding gifts are stolen.

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Sejal Patel, who moved to Australia from England three years ago, spent about $200 on insurance to cover her destination wedding in Thailand in April.

In England theres insurance for everything - wedding insurance is much bigger, says Patel, who is preparing for her wedding in Phuket.

I probably got it because of the large cost of the wedding and Id heard of it. I assumed it was the normal thing to do.

In Thailand we have the hotel where we are having the wedding and there are multiple suppliers, so in case anything goes wrong we want to be covered.

We were also thinking about weather and if something happens to the hotel before we get there wed need to be covered.

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Australian insurers are now offering 'wedding cover'

Muthoot Leisure and Hospitality Services (MLHS), the hospitality division of Muthoot Group today announced the acquisition of Costa Ricas high-end property Xandari Resort & Spa. This is the first acquisition by an Indian hospitality company in Central America.

Based in Alajuela, Xandari Resort & Spa becomes the first overseas acquisition by MLHS. The resort was added to Muthoot group in December 2013. MLHS has also extended its collaboration with Raxa Collective to manage the property hereon. The company plans to spend Rs 200 crores in next two years for its expansion plans, said George M George, executive director of the company. The group has also planned to scale up its overseas operations by adding more properties in Central America, Africa and Sri Lanka.

He added that the concept of eco-friendly resorts originated in Costa-Rica and this acquisition is part of promoting environment-friendly projects around the world. Moreover, it is aligned to our vision of offering excellent service and hospitality to our guests, complemented by exquisite exposure to the heritage of that region. I am confident that the uniqueness of this property will appeal to global visitors and will go a long way in strengthening our business here. Having said that, India continues to be our focus market and we will announce our domestic expansion plans very soon, he said.

Xandari Resort & Spa is a tropical paradise of 24 individually designed villas nestled on a 40 acre plantation overlooking the Central Valley of Costa Rica. Each villa is beautifully designed and dressed up in a combination of barrel vaulted ceilings, thatch roof, colorful walls, tile floors, original artwork by the owners, rattan chairs and traditional textiles. Adding serenity are the expansive lawns, covered by palapas. Guests are offered therapeutic spa service, set in the tropical garden with private palm-roofed gazebos, each with its own Jacuzzi and view. The resort also offers farm-fresh scrumptious cuisines for the guests.

Costa Rica stands as the most visited nation in the Central American region, with 2.2 million foreign visitors in 2011. International tourist receipts rose to $2.4 billion in 2012, and the lead country of origin was the United States of America, followed by Nicaragua and Canada. Ecotourism draws many tourists to visit the extensive national parks and protected areas around the country. The resort has received many recognitions and awards for its exceptional hospitality, George said.

MHLS owns six properties in Kerala, Cardamom County, a conservation focused Resort in Periyar Tiger Reserve, River Escapes, with a fleet of houseboats endowed with Imperial guest rooms in Alappuzha, Pampa Villa, a whispering riverfront villa in Champakkulam, Kayal Villa, an exotic backwater villa at Panangad, Spice Harbour, a Boutique hotel in the Mattenchery, Pearl Beach, a sparkling villa-resort in Mararikulum, all in Kerala .

Continued here:
Muthoot acquires property in Costa Rica

This large, classic colonial stone house was built in 1930 in Bingham Farms, a tiny area of fine houses on big lots, winding streets and woods. It stands on more than four acres with a fountain, two gazebos, a bridge, a second small house and a showplace colonial-style garden, built to mimic Mt. Vernon.

It comes with a heck of a pedigree. The man who built it was industrialist George Kennedy, a golfing friend of Henry Ford and head of auto supplier Kelsey-Hayes.

Kennedy hired that eras esteemed residential architect Wallace Frost to design his home, now listed at $2,975,000. But before it was done, he quarreled with Frost, fired him and hired Albert Kahn.

Although the house is pushing 85, its on only its second owner. Kennedy stayed till he was 90. Then 37 years ago, he sold it to Carole and John OGurek.

But Kennedy didnt let go easily, Carole OGurek said. A strong-willed man even at 90, hed drop in to visit the family, usually on slim notice. Hed pull up with his chauffeur. Hed march in and look around, she said. Hed note their changes and tell them which ones he didnt like.

Carole OGurek and her late husband were history buffs who had toured most of the founding fathers homes. From those visits, she said, We recognized how well this architecture copied that 18th-Century design.

That includes the deep colonial woodwork, the wainscoting, the set-back mullioned windows, the heavily trimmed front entrance.

When you enter there, you are in a large foyer that includes a graceful curving staircase. To one side is a walnut-paneled sitting room, to the other side a 20-by-40-foot living room that runs from the front of the house to the back. The owners bedroom is directly above it and the same size.

The OGureks enlarged the original kitchen, which had been a beat-up little place used only by staff. From the kitchen, a second smaller staircase leads up to three bedrooms and a bath over the garage, also meant for staff. Carole OGurek, a tutor, made that into a place to meet students.

They added a three-season sun room off the living room that combines stone structure with three sides of screens and storms. When I sit out there, I can hear my fountain, she said.

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Michigan House Envy: Bingham Farms mansion mimics Mt. Vernon

We supply Pavilions,Kiosks,Gazebos for many purposes
http://www.SphereSystems.ie.

By: Sebastian Ciesla

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We supply Pavilions,Kiosks,Gazebos for many purposes - Video

20 Especial Gazebos

By: Canal Floripa

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20 Especial Gazebos - Video