Current Owners: Templeton Investment Assets, Inc. Listing Price: $5,200,000 Beds: 6 Baths: 8

Not every home in the tony La Jolla neighborhood can boast sweeping ocean views, but that doesnt stop many properties from commanding multimillion-dollar price tags.

The estate at 6397 La Jolla Scenic Drive South sits over a mile from the coast, but is just a few blocks from Soledad Park, nestled in the wooded Muirlands neighborhood on the western slope of Mt. Soledad. Built in 1958 but completely remodeled in 1990 and remodeled again with an expansion in 2011, the home features six bedrooms, eight baths, and over 6300 square feet of living space.

Huge wood-and-wrought-iron double doors lead to the grand entry from the street. Inside, exotic solid merbau wood flooring covers much of the home, with bronze accents embedded in the entry foyer and a basket-weave border pattern of merbau and travertine in the office.

There are two master bedrooms (plus three more with private baths) the largest is nearly 400 square feet without counting the bath, which features a Kohler jet tub, his and hers toilets, showers with jets, and separate sinks. The bronze floor accents continue in the master bath as well. The bedroom itself features a granite slab fireplace made of Typhoon Bordeaux granite imported from Brazil.

The kitchen features cabinetry from noted La Jolla designer William Ohs, along with professional-grade appliances including dual chefs ovens. In addition to the kitchens dining area, the home boasts a formal dining room and two outdoor gazebos with formal and casual outdoor seating options. The home also has two bars, one poolside and another adjacent to the living room.

A large game room upstairs leads to a separate guest suite, also equipped with its own bath and a private balcony with views of the surrounding hillside.

Outside, the half-acre estate features a unique palm tree fountain, a grassy yard with full complement of childrens playground equipment, and a lounge area with fire pit in addition to the aforementioned gazebos and poolside bar with built-in barbecue.

Tax records show that the house last sold in 2003 for $1.8 million, though there is a conflicting listing that shows the home as having sold for $2,650,000 in 2006. There is, however, a transfer noted without a sale price in December 2006, with the buyer, a Templeton Investment Assets, Inc., paying cash for the property. Both of these sales would have occurred before the most recent round of renovations, as the living area at the time was listed at just 4258 square feet, nearly 2100 less than at present.

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No ocean view, but the place is still worth millions

Additional homeless shelters opened their doors overnight on Monday due to freezing temperatures in the metropolitan area.

At "The Opportunity Center" in Jackson - which is typically a daytime assistance center - a Salvation Army Food Truck made a stop to make sure people were being fed.

The center has about 700 people on its rolls but coordinators did not expect that many people to show up. They're capacity might actually be closer to 70 people, one coordinator said.

"But it's all about just really getting to know these folks. These folks are just like us and have issues and problems just like us. They're just in different circumstances," Christie Burnett, director of the Opportunity Center, said.

"The problem is, with the bitter cold tonight, within 30 minutes you could begin to experience frostbite. Even with clothes and even with shoes and with socks you can begin to get frostbite. Some of the folks that sleep outside or under the bridges or under the gazebos or things like that - they don't have the proper insulation," Capt. Ken Chapman with Jackson Salvation Army said.

"And many of them are mentally ill and don't even know how to take care of themselves," Chapman said.

Copiah County homeless shelters also opened on Monday night.

In Jackson, homeless shelter coordinators say they're also expecting to open their doors again tomorrow as temperature may be below freezing.

Read more from the original source:
Jackson Homeless Shelters Open in Frigid Temperatures

Topics: dragon boat, gazebos, grafton, stolen

GRAFTON Dragon Boat Club wants the people of the Clarence Valley to join around 62,000 people around Australia in the search for three portable gazebos that went missing from its clubhouse last month.

Club president Martin Thompson said news of the thefts, which the club only discovered recently, had been posted on the Dragon Boats Australia Facebook page, which had 62,000 members.

Mr Thompson said the biggest of the three gazebos had a big Grafton Dragon

Boats Club logo on it and another had NRMA Roadside Assistance all around the skirting.

"We've let everyone know on Facebook so they'll be keeping their eyes open and we would like everyone in the Clarence Valley to do the same," Mr Thompson said.

He said the club had last used the gazebos at its final regatta of the year in November and locked them away in its shed.

"A couple of members had noticed the biggest of the gazebos was missing, but we thought someone had borrowed it for Christmas," Mr Thompson said.

However, a more detailed inspection soon after revealed three of the club's five gazebos was missing.

"We thought something was a big odd, because the door of the shed had become stuck and we had to wiggle and wobble it to get it open," he said.

Link:
Thefts a bit hit for club

Our Father's House on Lunenburg Street in Fitchburg is a lifeline for the homeless, especially in the winter. The shelter's 28 beds have been full since last week due to the cold weather. SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE / BRETT CRAWFORD

Sentinel and Enterprise staff photos can be ordered by visiting our Smugmug site.

As the temperature drops, local organizations are rallying to give the homeless a warm place to stay.

Kevin MacLean, director of homeless services for Our Father's House, said the 28 beds at the Fitchburg shelter have been full since last week due to the cold weather.

He said United Way Emergency Shelter Fund money has been available since Monday to put homeless into local hotels and motels through Sunday morning, and he had placed an additional 16 people at the Motel 6 in Leominster as of Friday afternoon.

There were another nine people placed there by other agencies, such as the Montachusett Interfaith Hospitality Network and the Spanish American Center.

Sentinel and Enterprise staff photos can be ordered by visiting our Smugmug site.

Our Father's House is one of several local organizations that have access to the fund, which takes effect on any night when the temperature falls below 10 degrees, or any night with 6 inches of snow or more. The fund was set up by local philanthropist Ron Ansin about six years ago to ensure that homeless folks don't freeze to death on the streets during the winter.

MacLean said each day he finds out about more new homeless people throughout the 31 area towns Our Father's House covers. Some are staying in abandoned buildings and vehicles, while a few are even sleeping in town gazebos.

"Most people know that if there's someone on the street, we can get them off the street in this weather," he said.

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Winter headache for most. But for homeless, it's life and death

They both have leafy, flat lawns, gazebos and the ability to play home movies.

One sold this year for $67,000 while the other was 41 times that price.

The cheapest property sold in the Wellington region in the year to mid-December was a $67,000 unit in a Lower Hutt independent-living retirement home.

That's a world away from the most expensive confirmed sale - a $2.78 million home in Mallam St, at the city end of Karori.

And that may not even be the most lucrative land deal.

The Dominion Post understands a house sold privately in Roseneath in recent months for more than $5m, but because it was a private sale, it did not show up in figures supplied by PropertyIQ.

When the Mallam St property was marketed in February the "estate-like" four-bedroom home was described as the best family and lifestyle property that agent Nicholas Reeve had seen in 25 years on the job.

"It's very private, gets all-day sun and would be one of the closest Karori homes to the city yet offers so much space and seclusion."

The refurbished 1920s house sits on 1700 square metres of "sunny, leafy grounds, complete with full-sized tennis court and heated swimming pool".

Renovated in the past 14 years, the 380sqm house boasts bi-folding doors to a large courtyard, home-theatre wiring and a gated entrance.

Continue reading here:
Spot the difference - all $2.7m worth

The Fay House, a block from the crooked portion of San Francisco's Lombard Street, stands as a quiet reminder of the grand, gardened homes of 19th century Russian Hill.

For some, this showcase property stands too quietly.

Willed to San Francisco 15 years ago, the house at 2366 Leavenworth St. has gone mostly unused - and largely neglected - under city stewardship. Leaking water has damaged the ceilings, the interior walls are peeling, and the plumbing and electrical systems have become dated, if not unusable.

Many who have visited the house say the valuable real estate, sublime views of the bay and slice of local history are assets going to waste.

"The city has a responsibility to maintain this site," said Pam-Anela Messenger, who is part of a citizens advisory committee advocating for the property. "It could be a very interesting period-piece house. I think it deserves that recognition."

Officials with the Recreation and Park Department, which owns the site, say they simply don't have the estimated $1 million needed for restoration.

They've made the garden behind the house a priority and, to their credit, the rose beds, boxwood hedges, fruit trees and twin gazebos designed by noted landscape architect Thomas Church are well maintained by groundskeepers and volunteers.

The garden, which is open to the public as a small park, has become a tourist destination as well as a popular venue for weddings. But the house, which remains closed to the public, is another story.

Fixing it would require taking money away from more widely used park sites, said Sarah Ballard, spokeswoman for the park department.

"Like everything, it's a trade-off," she said. "When you're choosing between a playground or pool where children learn to swim and a house that at this point has no purpose, the choice is pretty obvious."

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S.F.'s historic Fay House badly needs repairs

Soccer Rapid City representatives report that they have raised more than $500,000 toward the group's share of an estimated $4.5 million, 12-field sports complex in northeast Rapid City.

The group broke ground in November on the project off North Elk Vale Road that was approved for $3.8 million in city Vision funds in 2005. Project officials anticipate the complex will be open by the fall of 2015.

Soccer Rapid City, through its fundraising leg Dakota Fields, ramped up its efforts to secure private funds this past summer after getting a green light in April from the Rapid City Council to move forward.

"There are a couple gifts that will actually be in-kind donations. In lieu of cash, it would be contribution of services or contribution of material," Roger Tellinghuisen, executive director of Dakota Fields, said Monday. "The bulk of it is cash donations."

Aside from gifts and cash, Tellinghuisen said the organization is soliciting donations for naming opportunities at the complex, where fields, scoreboards or gazebos would display the name of a major donor.

Tellinghuisen said the group is remaining secretive at this point in the campaign about the total amount of money they need to raise for the long-discussed facility.

"We're trying to keep that under wraps for a little longer yet," he said. "Let's just say we are making really good progress, but we still have a ways to go."

Soccer Rapid City originally proposed a 21-field complex with an indoor championship arena with a price tag of more than $10 million. Additional fields at the 80-acre, 12-field complex will be added as more funding becomes available.

"We really do appreciate the companies and the people that have stepped up to make these wonderful pledges and donations, and we're anxiously moving forward with this project," Tellinghuisen said.

In a related development, the Rushmore Soccer Club and Rapid City Youth Soccer League have unified into one organization.

More here:
Group says it has raised $500,000 for soccer complex

Gazebos come in both hard top and fabric top models, and are a great option for shading a seating or dining area in your backyard. Paired with a casual seating set, a gazebo delivers a breezy sitting area perfect for enjoying a coffee and reading a newspaper. Setting up a gazebo over a bistro set creates a cool and intimate dining space for two. However you choose to use it, Kmart has the right gazebo to suit your backyard style. An elegant curtained Garden Oasis Grandview Hexagon Gazebo with Netting fits right in among manicured shrubs and neatly mowed grass. Not only does the stylish all weather fabric top resist rain and sun, the attractive side panel curtains double as mosquito netting to keep out the bugs.

For poolside shade, it's hard the beat the Garden Oasis Terrace Gazebo. Set up this breezy gazebo with a couple of lawn chairs and a bar set for your very own poolside resort.

It's nice being able to take your favorite music outdoors without dragging along a stereo or mobile audio devices. There's nothing like relaxing with easy listening tunes in your backyard, or throwing on your favorite party mix to pump up a backyard gathering. Bluetooth patio furniture comes with wireless capability and high-quality speakers built right in for your convenience and listening pleasure. The Garden Oasis East Point Bar Set combines sun protection, bar service and your favorite music, all in one stylish gazebo set.

Pergolas are longer and thinner as compared to canopies, and are used to shade walkways rather than sitting or dining areas. If your backyard has a vegetable garden, flower bed, poolside area and children's playset, you might set up a pergola to connect any or all of these areas. The Garden Oasis Pergola with Canopy comes with a durable and stylish fabric top which provides immediate relief from the sun as soon as it's set up. For a more natural approach, you can assemble the Garden Oasis 8ft x 10ft Steel Pergola with Open Roof and encourage creepers to grow over the top. With a lush growth of attractive and fragrant vines like clematis and ivy, this open-topped pergola becomes a verdant, inviting sun shade. And for evening entertaining, your guests will be able to see where they're going as the Garden Oasis 8ft x 10ft LED Lighted Pergola lights up your garden walkways.

Read the original here:
Gazebos, Canopies and Pergolas: Get the Best Backyard Gazebos ...

Add richness. Add value. Add a touch of the Old World to your landscape with an elegant gazebo painstakingly handcrafted by a master Amish craftsman. Visit our Gazebo Buyer's Guide to see how easy it is to customize your gazebo with many creative options. See just how affordable it is for your dream gazebo to be delivered right to your door.

Quaint, delightful, surprisingly affordable; that's what you'll find with our Amish handcrafted playhouses. It'll also warm your heart to see your children playing grown-up and gathering with friends, right in the safety of your backyard. No matter your landscape, no matter your style, find a durable playhouse to delight the young ones in your life - and to please your eye.

There's something about Amish handcrafted patio furniture that says luxury, that says quality. And there's something about Cabinfield patio furniture that says more value for your dollar! Choose among beautiful gliders, rockers, chairs, swings, tables and footstools, bridges and arbors anything and everything you need for timeless outdoor entertaining and living.

A whimsical wishing well here, a handsome bird feeder there; accessorize your home and garden with our exclusive selection of fine Amish handcrafted lawn ornaments. You'll find wooden planters, windmills, water wheels, wishing wells, bird feeders, lighthouses and nautical dcor, mailboxes, weather stations and more - all in a variety of designs with many options.

Enhance your home with Amish accent items you'll treasure for years. Shop for handcrafted wood toys that spark imaginations and entertain for hours.

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Cabinfield - Amish Furniture - Amish Made Gazebos and ...

QUEENSBURY Smokers at SUNY Adirondack will be snuffed out this fall.

The colleges Board of Trustees voted Thursday to move forward with a plan to become a tobacco-free campus in September 2014. The plan would prohibit using cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and even electronic cigarettes from campus.

The administration will begin implementing the policy in March and stress voluntary compliance and education rather than punishments, according to SUNY Adirondack President Kristine Duffy.

We all stand ready to take the time and compassion to make this work the best we can, she said.

Chairman Mark Bulmer said it is not up to the board to dictate how the policy is implemented.

We expect the administration to use great discretion as we go forward and make good decisions. We expect them to develop the appropriate procedures to enact this policy, he said. I think we all recognize that this a cultural shift and we have to be cognizant of that.

College officials are planning smoking cessation activities in conjunction with the Student Senate and the College Activities Office.

Student Trustee Dan Roberts said two anti-smoking speakers are already booked and seminars planned. Students are organizing other incentives such as offering discount cards for the campus coffee shop for people who quit smoking and promoting use of the fitness center.

Not everyone is happy about the policy. Student Christopher Schmidt of Queensbury spoke before the board and presented a petition with at least 150 signatures.

He said people he has talked to in opposition to the policy have stated that it infringes on the rights of smokers, especially veterans who have served their country. Some opponents said they would leave the school.

Read more:
SUNY Adirondack will ban smoking in September