ANN ARBOR, MI It doesnt take long to understand why realtor Matt Dejanovich calls the patio and entertaining space at 2997 Devonshire Road the most expansive hes ever seen in Ann Arbor.

The fenced-in patio area sets the tone with a heated main pool, 90,000-gallon connected pond, waterfall and stone grotto for the recently renovated home built by noted Ann Arbor builder Henry Landau as his personal residence. A 90-foot-long granite terrace overlooks the pool area one story above, with access to a built-in hot tub.

Theyre easily the finest residential pools Ive ever seen, said Dejanovich, a real estate agent for Real Estate One. The pools are nicer than most resort hotels.

The home for sale at 2997 Devonshire Road in Ann Arbor features a number of amenities and entertainment options, including a wine room.Photo provided | Matt Dejanovich, Real Estate One

Listed at $1.995 million, the 7,900 square-foot brick contemporary home in the desirable Ann Arbor Hills neighborhood features 5 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms on a 2-acre site that includes a second parcel available for additional building overlooking Gallup Park.

Making the patio area the standout feature of the home was a long time in the making, Dejanovich said. After it was sold by Landau, the next owner made it his mission to build the patio and add-ons by hauling in large, specialized rocks.

The vision was never fully realized by that owner, Dejanovich said, but was renewed by its next owners who worked over the next five years to complete the pools, which had been abandoned.

The kitchen inside a home for sale at 2997 Devonshire Road features professional grade appliances, cherry cabinets and granite counter tops.Photo provided | Matt Dejanovich, Real Estate One

With so many outdoor amenities, Dejanovich said the last two owners of the home were able to use the space for entertaining and other charitable benefits.

Its the perfect house for that kind of lifestyle, he said. Its spacious and dramatic and really unlike most other houses you see in the greater Ann Arbor area.

Beyond the standout patio area, the home features plenty of additional entertainment options including a billiards room, sauna, wine cellar and exercise room, Dejanovich said.

The home for sale at 2997 Devonshire Road in Ann Arbor features numerous entertainment options, including a billiards room.Photo provided | Matt Dejanovich, Real Estate One

The home itself is an architectural gem, Dejanovich said, with a grand foyer and Art-Deco inspired stair rail greeting guests. The living room features an 18-foot ceiling, massive fireplace - one of three in the house - and a wall of glass overlooking the pool.

The kitchen features professional grade appliances, cherry cabinets and granite counter tops all overlooking the outdoor terrace area with floor-to-ceiling windows.

The upper level of the home includes a master suite with a dressing area, walk-in closets and a master bathroom, as well as a second bedroom suite with a full bathroom.

The home for sale at 2997 Devonshire Road in Ann Arbor features a waterfall constructed from large, specialized rocks, as part of its elaborate patio area.Photo provided | Matt Dejanovich, Real Estate One

The homes finished walkout lower level includes two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a recreation room, wine cellar, billiards and sauna. Additionally, Dejanovich said the home is a dream for those looking extensive storage space, with a second garage located underneath the patio with space for several more vehicles, in addition to an attached garage on its main level.

Its a unique setup, he said. That space could be used for many different possibilities, in terms of hobbies.

View more photos of the home in the gallery below:

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$1.9 million Ann Arbor home features pools, waterfall

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Waterfall, pools highlight extravagant features of this $1.9M Ann Arbor home - MLive.com

A PYTHON measuring five-foot caught hiding on an Australian familys patio was nearly missed - as no-one could spot it.

Professionals from Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers were called to capture the deadly reptile from a family home in Queensland on Monday.

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The stealthy coastal carpet python was hiding in the BBQ area of the patio, in a picture shared by the company on Facebook.

The cluttered communal area featured multiple hiding places for the long snake such as a clothing rack, coffee table and shelving units.

The image was posted with the caption: Lets see if you can spot the snake in the photo. Bonus points if you can guess the species as well.

But several eagle eyed spotters found the snake poking its head out from under the corner of a blue sofa which was nearly hidden to the naked eye.

One Facebook user said: " 'Either I'm blind... Or there ain't no snake... I've been looking for 10 minutes!"

Meanwhile another Brisbane man desperately trying to spot the terrifying animal said: "'Looks like a tail on the floor between the two chairs. Carpet python? Or something under the Coffee table but I can't call on what that might be?"

Sunshine Coast wrote: I think I made that too easy haha. Carpet Python head at the base of the couch! Well done to those who got it!

The coastal carpet python, also known as McDowell's carpet python, is commonly found in new South Wales.

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And although they are non-venomous, their aggressive and unpredictable behaviour can cause serious lacerations and tetanus infections.

On average, the large reptiles reach 2.7 to 3 metres (9-10 feet) in length when they are mature.

But since the pictured snake was only 5ft (1.5 metres) long and appeared to have a small head, it is thought the reptile was a juvenile.

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Read more here:
Terrifying five-foot carpet python found hiding on familys patio but can YOU spot it? - The Sun

Image courtesy of Washington Fine Properties

This week, Maryland Mansions explores Westover, a Washington Fine Properties listing in Bethesda, Maryland,that's on the market for $17.5 million. Even if it were an old shack in the woods, the location would make this a spectacular property. Sitting right on the Potomac River, there are beautiful, sweeping views from most spots on the property. Also, the house isn't a shackit is a fabulous combination of entertaining space and family comfort packed into an elegant brick mansion at 6699 MacArthur Blvd, Bethesda, MD.

The mansion sits on two acres of beautiful river-front property with gated entry, and it is close to, but not in, D.C. The driveway leads to a large motor court, complete with a basketball hoop so that a pick-up game with your friends will never require leaving the comforts of home again. Adjacent to the motor court is a very generous two-car garage, which also houses the utility room and connects to the kitchen through a mudroom entrance. The mudroom also leads to a sizable side patio, which connects to the back patios via stone stairs.

The main entrance features a covered porch area which leads to the foyer through elegant double doors. Once through the vestibule, the foyer is spacious and beautiful, with herringbone pattern hardwood floors and two grand staircases that sweep up either side. The rest of the foyer opens into a large hall the leads to the back patio. The dining room connects to this area on the left, and the living room connects on the right. Beyond the dining room is a kitchen that any chef would adore, featuring built-in cabinets, an oversized island with a sink, a double range with two ovens, and a walk-in pantry. The kitchen connects to a round sunroom that is perfectly sized for a breakfast nook and looks out over the side yard through floor-to-ceiling windows. Beyond the sunroom is a large family room that features a stunning fireplace and walks out on to the upper back patio, which overlooks the pool.

Traveling to the other side of the house, the living room features another fireplace and walks out onto the back patio as well. Beyond the living room is a small wet bar room that leads to a secluded study. The study also walks out to the upper back patio, and it includes a gas fireplace and built-in bookshelves. In addition to these living and entertaining spaces, the main level also includes a walk-in closet, two powder rooms, and two additional staircases, one that leads to the lower level and another that leads to both the lower and upper levels.

The upper level houses most of the home's bedrooms and bathrooms. The main double-staircase from the foyer opens into a hallway and an unassuming library. While not huge, it features lots of built-in shelves and double doors that open onto a small balcony that looks down on the patio, pool, and river beyond. To the right of the library are three of the home's bedrooms, each with an attached, private bathroom and walk-in closet. In addition to these rooms, there is also a sitting room that connects to the secondary staircase and provides attic access. This sitting room is small by the standards of this house, but at over 144 square feet, it is still a fully usable room.

The left side of the upper floor includes another bedroom (again with a private bath and walk-in closet) and the master suite. This suite connects to the main hallway through a private sitting room, includes two separate full baths, and three walk-in closets. The full master bath is larger than most bedrooms (and many D.C. apartments) and it includes a huge tub and separate shower. The bedroom proper has a gas fireplace, a private balcony, and many windows that overlook the side and back of the property. There are also multiple linen closets and a small laundry room on this level (so you don't have to cart your laundry all the way to the basement).

Speaking of the basement, the lowest level of this home is truly more than just a basement. It features a billiards room, a gym with attached half-bath, a rec room with a wet bar and a fireplace, a wine cellar with built-in seating, and an additional room that could be either a den or another suite (with an attached, private full bath and closets, of course). There is also a large laundry room on this level. Most of the rooms walk out onto the covered lower back patio, which includes both built-in fire pit and grill areas and opens onto the large pool area. This patio and pool area looks out over the river and includes staircases on either side to access the other upper patio areas.

At just under 12,000 square feet, this home offers almost everything the discerning homeowner looks for in a mansion, and anything that is missing certainly could be added, given the space available. With subtle sophistication, this home offers space to entertain, space to relax, and space to play.

What do you think of this Maryland mansion? Let us know in the comments!

*Images courtesy of Bright MLS andWashington Fine Properties

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Maryland Mansions: The $17.5M Bethesda Beauty Has Everything You Could Ever Need - Our Community Now at Washington, D.C.

In the Rose Garden

Shes in the rose garden again, staringat her right arm, its pale soft undersidethat never gets the sun, never gets tanned.

Its very strange, she thinks, because the veinsat her wrist are greenish-blue: but the bloodthats blossoming, overblown already,

dropping fat petals on her dress, her shoes,the path with its edging of sharp pointedtiles (weathered is the word shell later hear

and not understand) the blood is brilliantstartling red, much redder than the cloudsof dark pink roses tangled above her

red, and at its heart a splinter, a glimpseof white, bright as the spiny shells that markthe drop from the patio, where her parents

and the others are talking, moving theirmouths and making gestures, though the sounddoesnt reach her the drop from the patio

down to the lawn, and all the way beyond to where she is, in the rose garden, staringat her right arm, its strange new blossoming.

Narratives describing strange, sometimes dreamlike, episodes from a female protagonists childhood dominate the second section of Helen Tookeys four-part collection of poems and prose poems, City of Departures. Some of the subjects are literary heroines or versions of them: here, the pronoun she leaves identification open. Her experience is both individual and representative.

The experience the poem describes self-harm or suicide attempt is dispassionately presented by the third-person narrator. The protagonist is dispassionate, too, curious about the effects of her own action, but observing them from a distance. Theres a fine level of formal and tonal control in the poem, reflecting this stance a stance we might call writerly in its discipline.

The first tercet simply presents the child or young woman noticing the pallor of her right arms underside. And then the narratives rich visual detail emerges: veins, blood that is blossoming already into fat drops, the rose garden itself and its larger setting where, like magnified thorns, there are sharp-pointed tiles edging the path and spiny shells that mark / the drop from the patio. A single sentence gathers energy as it unrolls across the six ensuing stanzas, and its length necessitates a little well-judged repetition. While setting the poem back on its narrative course after some important descriptive digressions, the reappearance of two grammatical subjects, the blood and the drop from the patio, suggest the unstoppable flow of blood and sentence.

Central to the flow of meaning is that splinter of white brightness, located in the blood itself, or, rather, the redness of the blood. We might think of Blakes sick rose, revised so that theres insight rather than corruption at its heart.

The narrative is clear and secretive at the same time: it prompts questions. I wanted to know whether the first line implied that the protagonists self-harming was frequent (shes in the rose garden again) or whether previous excursions to the rose garden would have had a different emphasis. The latter seems more likely, because the bloods blossoming is described, later on, as new. The rose garden as symbolism offers various interpretative possibilities. Then theres the interplay of the different kinds of drop, the blood, dropping like overblown rose-petals, and the drop between the raised patio, where the parents and the others are talking, and the garden. Are these adults quarrelling, discussing their problem child, or simply enjoying a glass of wine? We dont need to know, of course. Its enough that were shown the childs wilting isolation when were told that she can see the adults gestures, and their mouths moving, but not hear what theyre saying. The physical setting, aesthetic, expensive and sharp-edged, skilfully embodies the difficult family story.

In the Rose Garden might be partly about puberty, a terminus for a reluctant departure from childhood into womanhood. Its an interpretation that would fit the collections larger context of loss and dislocation. The title prose poem is here and perhaps makes an interesting comparative text. While not wanting to shoehorn a delicate and elegant poem into the Brexit boot, I couldnt help finding a certain aptness to the UKs current historical moment. Perhaps In the Rose Garden might also be read as a parable about declarations of independence, and their price?

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Poem of the week: In the Rose Garden by Helen Tookey - The Guardian

10775 FALLS CREEK LANE, WASHINGTON TWP.

Custom-built home features multiple-use floor plan

Contributing Writer

Spacious social areas, two possible main bedrooms, an abundance of storage and a full, finished lower area allows for multiple options of the floor plan of this custom-built two-story located within the Waterbury Woods subdivision of Washington Twp.

Listed for $767,000 by Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Professional Realty, the brick two-story at 10775 Falls Creek Lane has about 5,340 square feet of living space plus the lower level. The house sits among the trees with a canopy of mature trees along the fenced back yard.

There is an oversized, three-car, side-entry garage. The back yard has an elevated concrete patio with a balcony wooden deck extension. A second wooden balcony deck is off the executive office and has steps that lead down to one of two paver-brick patios. A paver-brick walkway connects the patios, and there is a play area near the back of the property, which is surrounded by a wrought-iron fence.

Formal entry opens within the two-story foyer with an open staircase that leads up to the catwalk hallway. Wood flooring fills the foyer and continues down the foyer hallway into the two-story great room.

Windows surround a gas fireplace that has a wood-cap mantel and mirror and fill the great rooms two-story wall, allowing for views of the park-like back yard. Another wall has built-in bookcases and media cabinetry. A couple of pillars offset the great room from the walkway to the casual entrance from the garage and mudroom. Above the pillars are windows that accent the upstairs hallway and are viewable from the front foyer, creating a transparency between the formal and casual areas of the home.

Off to the left of the foyer is the formal dining room, which has a pocket door that opens to a butlers pantry. The pantry has a bar area and an appliance nook and is across the hallway from the kitchen.

Three walls are filled with white cabinetry, which offers storage space for just about everything. Drawers and glass-panel hanging cabinets create a china cabinet and buffet area across from the built-in booth seating with matching table within the breakfast room. The cooking area has a double-sink, below corner windows. A gas range has a stainless-steel backsplash above, along with a matching hood-vent. There are double wall ovens, a trash compactor and microwave. An angled island has a vegetable sink, storage and seating for six. Marble-tile countertops complement the white cabinetry, which also includes mail slots, spice and linen drawers. A walk-in pantry provides additional storage.

French doors open from the kitchen out to a solarium or sunroom, which has a cathedral ceiling and ceramic-tile flooring. A single door opens to the concrete patio and adjoining deck.

Down the hallway from the kitchen is a mudroom area with access to the laundry room, a half bathroom and garage.

Off the foyer is a short hallway that leads to a possible first-floor main bedroom suite or guest suite. The hallway provides access to a bedroom with a walk-in closet, a full bathroom with ceramic-tile surround walk-in shower, and the executive library and sitting room. The library has a wall of built-in bookcases and a desk. Patio doors open to the rear balcony deck.

Upstairs are four bedrooms, including the main bedroom, and two full baths. Located at the end of the hallway, the main bedroom is divided by a dual-sided gas fireplace, creating a quaint sitting room with window-seat storage. The private bath has a whirlpool tub that separates two single-sink vanities. There is a walk-in ceramic-tile shower with seat and two showerheads and a walk-in closet with built-in organizers.

Two bedrooms at the opposite end of the hallway share a Jack-and-Jill bathroom, each bedroom having a dressing area with a vanity sink and a walk-in closet.

The lower level has been finished into a family room with a stone gas fireplace and above ground windows. Tucked into one corner is a kitchenette with a double sink, microwave shelf and refrigerator surrounded by hickory cabinetry.

Double doors open into a possible media room with a walk-in closet and access to the mechanical room and a single door opens into a bonus room which could be an exercise room.

Down a short hallway are two bedrooms, each room has a large above-ground window and large closets, plus a full bathroom.

WASHINGTON TWP.

Price: $767,000

Open House: Jan. 26, 2-4 p.m.

Directions: Yankee Street to east on Social Row to right on Falls Creek Lane

Highlights: About 5,340 sq. ft., 7 bedrooms, 4 full baths, 1 half bath, spacious kitchen, butlers pantry, 3 gas fireplaces, built-ins, library, 2 main bedrooms, finished lower level, recreation room, kitchenette, media room, 2 HVAC systems, 3-car garage, sun room, 2 wooden decks, concrete patio, 2 paver brick patio, fenced wooded yard

For more information:

Susan Piersall-Hanes

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Professional Realty

(937) 672-5146

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A wealth of options - Dayton Daily News

Where to Watch the Super Bowl in Houston: Sports Bars, Parties & More - Thrillist

Super Bowl LIV is imminent, and while its totally cool to DoorDash and watch Kansas City take on San Francisco whilst pantsless on your couch, you may want to actually put on some pants and watch the showdown locally. As such, we scouted the streets in search of Houstons finest Super Bowl viewing spots -- from sports bars to bbq spots to breweries, each offering choice screen setups, plus specials, deals, parties, and more for the big game.

Warehouse DistrictPre kick-off, Saint A is hosting its annual Super Beef Sunday event, which marries bbq from Louie Mueller Barbecue, Reveille Barbecue Co., and JQ's Tex Mex BBQ with Saint Arnold beer, from 11am to 2pm in its Beer Hall. The que will provide a nice base if you plan on sticking around for the game on the giant screen in its outdoor Beer Garden later. With skyline views and flowing beer, we think youll want to.

EaDoSure its a soccer bar first and foremost, but the lineup of 20 strategically placed TVs and extensive, 100-tap beer list make the indoor-outdoor space a choice spot for football watching, too. The Super Bowl watch party promises a DJ, photo booth, and games plus, theres ax-throwing in case your teams losing.

MontroseA smart 40-tap library of rotating craft brews and 27-screen setup make this Richmond sports bar a game day winner. Watch the Chiefs and 49ers face off at the Revelry Super Bowl House Party, rocking live music from 2-5pm, patio games for pregaming, free swag, and specials from beer buckets to $20 all-you-can-eat burgers, hot dogs, and Frito pies. Youll also get the chance to pick your team, and every time they score, youll score a free Jell-O shot.

HeightsThis modern Texas ice house will host its 4th annual Super Bowl Sunday potluck, as Agricole Hospitality folk beef up the spread and guests bring their favorite Super Bowl masterpieces to share. The food truck will be open and slinging eats like tacos, burgers, wings, and nachos, and there will be beer specials to boot. The game day fun goes down from 4pm to midnight.

MidtownThe 5th Annual Super Boil is going down starting at 11am at this Game Day haven, which also happens to rock a super solid TV setup (the flatscreens are 80+ deep), DJ, and specials just for Super Bowl LIIV. The first 100 patrons will receive a complimentary pound of crawfish, and first 200 earn raffle tickets for prize drawings throughout the game. Call to reserve one of the biggest, most desireable tables (minimums will be in place), or snag open seating available at the bar, high top tables, and outside.

MidtownThe Midtown location of this beer-forward concept is pretty much covered in side-by-side flat screens inside and out, making it damn near impossible to have a bad view of the Big Game. Youll have to take your eyes away from the game for just a second, though, because theres an epic 365+ beer vault and solid roster of pub grub waiting for you -- think brew pretzels and cheese dip, hot wings, mac & cheese burgers, and short rib tacos. The Studemont location has a smaller outdoor area, but its inside is another excellent choice for game watching.

HoustonThis cult favorite wing and sports bar is taking reservations for tables, which 1) takes the guesswork out of what time to show up to snag a seat, and 2) means you can guarantee youll be eating wings on Super Bowl Sunday. These are two very important matters. Reservations are $10 per seat (you have to reserve the entire table at the time of calling) and will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis.

Various locationsThis Houston institution has five locations and a yuge menu; the one-pound burger is its very worthy claim to fame, but youll also find tailgate classics including wings, nachos, chili cheese dogs, and pulled pork sandwiches. Oh, and cheap pitchers, an extensive TV spread including projection screens, live DJ music during half-time, and rowdy, ready-to-party crowd.

EaDoThe monster pub boasts Houstons biggest and baddest 21-foot HDTV, plus the 50 other HDTVs in the main area and projection screens in every damn room. Expect an energetic crowd of sports fans, a generous roster of specials, a lineup of 250+ beers, and pub grub ranging from nachos and wings to burgers to 16-inch pizzas. Niners fans should head across the street to Luckys Lodge, where the H-Town Empire 49 fan club will be passionately screaming at the Big Screen in the parking lot.

MidtownAs the Niners take on the Chiefs, you can take on beer buckets, shot specials, and $3 drafts at this fun-loving beer garden. The string-lit patio sports views of the Downtown skyline, and its dog-friendly and kid-friendly (until 9pm). Theres also a cozy hammock garden, and some vintage arcade games to keep you entertained if the half-time show goes south.

DowntownNot only does this swanky, two-story sports bar inside Downtowns Marriott Marquis have two 30-foot-tall high-definition screens, it also has first-come, first-served front row leather recliners. Youll definitely have to show up early to snag one, but theres also plenty of other seating, and of course bar space for since youre probably too nervous to sit anyway.

MidtownMultiple TVs with game and sound on? Check. Beer flowing? Check. Crawfish boiling on the patio, drink specials all day long, and a shotski ready for when your team (or DraftKings team) scores? CHECK, CHECK, CHECK. Game day is BIG at this small-but-mighty Midtown sports pub.

MidtownIf its a nice night, this sports bar and party spot has outdoor seating up the wazoo. Grab a swing seat or covered table to cheer on whichever team youve bet on, and play some corn hole and sip big ass Texas beers while youre at it. You can expect equal amounts of fun at its other locations around town, including Bellaire, EaDo, Katy, Rice Village, Shepherd, and The Heights.

Memorial CityWhat better way to watch the big Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers showdown than on a colossal, 24-by-14-foot big screen HDTV with surround sound? We cant think of one for Memorial City-area folk. Dont forget your lawn chairs and blankets.

Shady AcresFun fact: You can watch Super Bowl LIV from the comfort of your very own swing at this cool kids patio bar (which also boasts 49 TVs, covered and open-air seating, and booths inside in case Houston weather decides not to cooperate). Beers and on-tap house cocktails will keep your thirst quenched while you yell at the screen, and your bar tab will transfer to the food truck so you have one less chance to forget your card somewhere.

WashingtonDont want a bar scene? Watch the game on the jumbo screen at B.B. Lemons lawn, instead. The Washington location of this HTX-meets-NYC concept will be offering Super Bowl specials including $5 domestics and $24 buckets, half-off bottles of wine, and $6/12 wings by the half and full dozen.

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Brooke Viggiano is a Houston-based writer who really feels like shes winning the big money in her $3 DraftKings tourney this Super Bowl. See if she does on IG @brookiefafa or on Twitter @brookeviggiano.

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Where to Watch the Super Bowl in Houston: Sports Bars, Parties & More - Thrillist

Good news for the Tucson dining community: Renees Organic Oven is spreading its wings. After 15 years of balancing bespoke customer service and nationally acclaimed dishes with a tight bottom line and even tighter dining quarters, the restaurant is moving into a larger space later this year.

To the relief of many, the new location is just around the corner from the old one, in the same sprawling Foothills shopping square. Renee Kreager the friendly public face of the restaurant that bears her name, while husband Steve Kreager holds sway in the kitchen said, We love that were near major attractions Sabino Canyon and Mt. Lemmon. We didnt want to give that up.

Nor will Renees cozy ambience be sacrificed. We know that people love our intimacy as well as our genuine service, but we also know that our current space is a little too intimate, Renee smiled. Its very closed and busy. Were looking at a design that will let people know theyre still part of our dining ecosystem while having their own unique experience within it.

The design will feature a larger kitchen, a bar, and an outdoor waiting area, as well as more tables. Additional parking and greater visibility from Tanque Verde Road are other pluses of the mini-move.

(Note: The change of address will probably occur this summer and, because the new location is so close, the restaurant will only be shuttered for a short while, if at all.)

One thing that will not change is the menu, at least not for the time being and then only to add new dishes, not to subtract any favorites. The menu is very tried and true and loved, Renee said. Indeed, when she attempted to rotate out popular items such as the Thai Curry Pizza, long-time patrons rebelled. The pie returned early this year.

Creative, cross-cultural pizzas like the Thai Curry and Mid-East variety (made with hummus, feta, and olives) were ahead of the culinary curve when Renees introduced them to Tucson in 2005. So were highlighting organic ingredients and accommodating food sensitivities, practices that predate the restaurant.

When Renee became pregnant with her son, she had a mindset shift. I began investigating every ingredient of every food I consumed, Renee said. Some of my family thought I was nuts, but I didnt want to put anything into my body that wasnt healthy.

Although gluten-free pizzas are fairly common now, Renees was the first to offer them regularly. As a result, the restaurant has had plenty of time to get them right.

We tasted all the crusts available and now we are committed to Gourmet Girls, Renee said, referring to a local bakery that only makes gluten-free products. We know that we are paying more, but we would never switch.

Similarly, the restaurant debuted zucchini noodles (aka zoodles) long before they became a supermarket staple. Because theres so much water in them, zucchini spirals tend to get soggy when cooked, but Renees creates an al dente faux pasta that stands up to an array of sauces and protein add-ons. Its all in the timing, according to Renee, who noted the Zucchini Noodle Pasta Primavera has been the number one bestseller two years in a row.

But its the classic dough, perfected over time and made daily on the premises, that is at the center of everything we do, Renee contended. She is referring not only to the pizzas, but also to the focaccia in such creations as the Tailored Tony, topped with beef in marinara, roasted red peppers, basil, and mozzarella; and to the baked-to-order bread that accompanies appetizers like Oh, Honey, featuring local Dos Manos Apiaries honey, chevre, and Arizona pistachios.

And, oh, the calzones, those doughy pleasure pockets! You can have them your way, adding ingredients like roasted chiles, arugula, mushrooms, and house-made sausage to the standard ricotta, mozzarella, and marinara filling. Or you can just go the route taken by Guy Fieri and his Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives crew and choose the spinach dip variety, oozing cheesy, garlicky goodness with every bite.

The Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives segment, which first aired in March 2018, drew hundreds of people to the restaurant so many that it inspired the Kreagers to add patio seating to accommodate some of the overflow. Reruns still draw crowds, to the point that the couple has begun tracking the shows schedule so they can prepare for the deluge.

But even without the sudden customer bursts brought about by Food Network appearances and by major events like the gem show, Renees has had to disappoint diners who found the wait for one of the small number of tables discouragingly long. Adding to the problem: the kitchens diminutive size and limited equipment.

For one thing, Renees does not currently have any flame griddles. The sautees among the most popular dishes are prepared on tabletop burners.

Because guests are honored for what they individually want, many entrees have a note, and the cooks read every one of them, Renee explained. This often creates a lag time on orders, which leads to a slow turnaround of tables.

With a larger, better-equipped kitchen, one cook wont bear the entire burden of starting and bringing a dish to fruition.

But it is not only the difficult-to-meet demand for tables that causes congestion in the restaurant. Takeaway makes up some 30% of Renees business. Even those who phone in advance orders need to linger somewhere for a few minutes to retrieve them. In the new space, a patio with heaters/misters and cushy couches will serve as a waiting area.

So will a seven-seat bar, a perfect perch for those who want a sip and a schmooze while their order is being prepared. A self-described cocktail snob, Renee said the bar will be a bridge to a reinvigorated spirits program.

The program is already robust. In addition to a carefully curated wine and beer list that includes several Arizona varieties, youll also find a selection of mixed drinks made with local and/or organic spirits. These include creations such as the Maya BourbonMaya Teas blackberry sage tea, Whiskey del Bac bourbon, fresh lime juice, and a splash of orange liqueur; and the Desert Dweller, which spikes Cheris Desert Harvest prickly pear lemonade with two ounces of Purity vodka.

Currently, servers are responsible for mixing drinks, and theyre all made to specification from a manual.

For every drink we offer, we have a diagram of how its made, what its supposed to look like, how much ice goes into it, how long to shake or stir it, Renee said. You cant just order a Moscow Mule. We dont have the ingredients for that plus, its not in the manual.

Hiring mixologists to work the bar will add new energy to the cocktail menu and free up servers to focus on bringing over food.

When the Kreagers decided that the restaurants 15th anniversary would be a good time to shake things up, they faced a dilemma. They wanted to be able to serve their fiercely loyal customer base and new potential diners more efficiently, but they didnt want to jeopardize their already thin profit margin.

And so a GoFundMe campaign was born.

This turned out to be a smart move in several unanticipated ways. First of all, it forced them to solidify their plans. The couple had initially thought about expanding to a newly opened space next door, but concluded that starting from scratch was a much better idea.

And once they pinned down and articulated a rough blueprint, several investment angels offered a large portion of the original sum requested. This lowered the goal amount considerably, from $200,000 to $50,000.

In turn, having a less intimidating amount of money to raise inspired more members of the community to pitch in. One person offered to do a scotch tasting, Renee reported. Another offered to do goat therapy on the patio. In both cases, all the profits will be directed to the GoFundMe campaign.

The main foundation of why Renees is so respected is our service, which includes caring about individual food issues, Renee said. If you cant care about what a guest wants, you have no business owning a restaurant.

Its abundantly clear that Renees Organic Oven is heading in the right direction, with a future thats looking brighter than ever.

Renees Organic Oven, currently located at 7065 E. Tanque Verde Rd., is open from 11 a.m. 9 p.m. Tuesday Sunday.

For more information, visit reneesorganicoven.com.

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Renee's Organic Oven expands to new location with bar, patio & menu updates - Tucson Foodie

California is built for outdoor living.

It's time we take advantage of lower building costs and use patio covers in our backyards!

First it's important to know the different types of patio covers.

10 Types (at least)

Awning - no legs

Pergola - open air, maybe no floor

Gazebo - covered roof & floor

Retractable Cover - $700 manual $2500 motorized

Cable Shades - canvas cable canopies - https://www.infinitycanopy.com

Umbrellas - wheels, tilt, offset stand, solar LED lights, misters, fans

Sun Room

California Room

Movable louvers

Trees - evaporation, updraft, shade

Shade is an important job of patio covers! Make sure it'll do its job - Do a shade study. Solar angle in So Cal is 80 in June and 32 in December. That's why it's important to make sure your patio cover does a proper job of shade.

Questions to ask yourself.

How does it interact with the prevailing winds

How does it effect light in the house?

Does it obscure the view? - from downstairs and upstairs

Where and how do you mount it?

There are also a lot of accessories you can add to your patio covers.

It can be lighting, fans, misters, heaters, or tvs.

For more information, please listen below:

Original post:
Patio Covers Are Not As Easy As They Look | Home with Dean Sharp - KFI AM 640

Q: My roses bushes are in large pots on my patio, but they have a disease. When I put new plants in the pots, do I need to have new soil for them? Is there anything I can spray on them that will cure this disease?

A: Oh, I so wish you might have attached a photo of the disease. Roses have many diseases. Black spot is most common, of course, and some people confuse damage of thrips with diseases.

However, almost all of the questions Ive gotten over the past 10 years relative to rose diseases have been about rose rosette virus (RRV). It is spread by a wind-blown microscopic mite. Contrary to what some may try to get you to believe, there is no prevention nor any cure.

And none of these three problems is soil-borne, so changing the soil wont offer any help. In fact, if you have RRV in your neighborhood, its time to change to some other types of flowers until a workaround for the virus has been determined. It has been more serious in some parts of Texas than others, notably in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Those of us who have seen far too much of it recognize it on sight. It causes clubby new growth on rank-growing stems that have several times the normal numbers of thorns. The buds do not open properly, and over the course of a year or two, the plants lose vigor and die. As soon as its presence has been determined, infected plants should be dug and removed, put into plastic trash bags and sent to the landfill.

Q: I cannot find a local business that sells Carissa hollies. Any advice?

A: Without knowing where you are or where youve tried, I cant offer much specific help, but what I would suggest is that you talk to the owner of your favorite independent retail garden center. Carissa hollies are the best-selling dwarf hollies in Texas today.

Wait a few weeks until they are stocked up for spring. I would expect that almost every independent retail nursery in Texas will have them in stock. If they dont, they can easily order them in for you.

Q: At our place in the Texas Hill Country, we have a row of five elaeagnus plants that we set out to replace some old and tired hollies. The new plants had done well until the middle one suddenly died.

Cotton once was grown in this soil, so I wonder about cotton root rot. Weve had the property for 30 years and have never had this happen before. What might the cause be?

A: Ive grown and observed elaeagnus for all of my life. Ive rarely seen them die unexpectedly. Lace bugs are the main problem they encounter, and they only cause the plants to lose their color, not to die.

Your photo does look like cotton root rot. Its a soil-borne fungus that can remain dormant in the soil for many years before it attacks susceptible plants. Hollies are highly resistant, which would explain why they would not have died.

Elaeagnus are listed by Texas A&M as tolerant, meaning they will occasionally succumb. So that could be the problem, or this plant might have been hit slightly harder by last summers drought so that it was impacted more than the others. That happens all the time.

Its one or the other, but thats as close as I can come.

Q: We had to have our live oak tree cut down and the stump and surface roots ground out. They were threatening our foundation. How long before the other roots will decay? We want to plant new sod there. Our yard is just too small for trees as large as oaks.

A: HOAs and cities that require two trees in compact urban lots should never recommend live oaks and other large shade trees. Its easy to forget that a tree thats 8 or 10 feet tall with a 2-inch trunk will eventually grow to spread 75 feet and cover an entire city lot.

Those old roots will eventually rot, but it may take many years. They may even try to send up tons of new sprouts this spring. In all candor, it might be easiest to get the folks with the root grinder back in to finish their job. I doubt if youll be able to dig them out by hand.

Q: We hired a lawn care company to care for our yard for the first time last year, but the backyard looks terrible. They didnt pick up the leaves, but merely mulched over them.

Since three large trees contributed to the leaf matter, I feel like the grass was smothered. Could they have brought disease in from other lawns they tend? Do you have any ideas?

A: I doubt if they carried diseases in. You really do need to remove leaves over the three- or four-week period of heaviest leaf drop in autumn to keep from having way too much organic matter being put back into the soil in a short period of time.

Its also possible that all of that shade has weakened your grass, so the decline may have nothing to do with the lawn care company. In the meantime, do get the leaves off the lawn each autumn. Put them into the compost pile or use them as a mulch in flowerbeds.

Mail questions to Neil Sperry, c/o Features Department, San Antonio Express-News, P.O. Box 2171, San Antonio, TX 78297-2171, or email him at SAENgardenQA@sperrygardens.com.

Read more:
Neil Sperry: Patio roses could be infected with rose rosette virus - San Antonio Express-News

One of several shaded patios and open spaces at chef Andrew Weissman's bar and grill called The Luxury, which has closed in preparation for its move to the airport this summer. Elsewhere Garden Bar & Kitchen is moving into the space.

One of several shaded patios and open spaces at chef Andrew Weissman's bar and grill called The Luxury, which has closed in preparation for its move to the airport this summer. Elsewhere Garden Bar &

Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff File Photo

One of several shaded patios and open spaces at chef Andrew Weissman's bar and grill called The Luxury, which has closed in preparation for its move to the airport this summer. Elsewhere Garden Bar & Kitchen is moving into the space.

One of several shaded patios and open spaces at chef Andrew Weissman's bar and grill called The Luxury, which has closed in preparation for its move to the airport this summer. Elsewhere Garden Bar &

San Antonio River Walk bar and restaurant The Luxury has closed; new Elsewhere Garden Bar & Kitchen plans to open in the space

Star San Antonio chef Andrew Weissman has closed his River Walk bar and grill The Luxury as he prepares to move the operation to the airport this summer.

He sold the warren of storage containers, shaded patios and riverside swings to entrepreneurs Terrin Fuhrmann and Nolan Ellis, who plan to rename the space Elsewhere Garden Bar & Kitchen, which they pledged on Facebook to transform the space into a carefully curated, overly landscaped bar and kitchen experience.

Closing the River Walk location of The Luxury allows Weissman to focus on the airport expansion as well as Mr. Juicy, which he plans to expand to the North Side in the late spring, he said. Mr. Juicy was named the best burger joint from the 2019 Express-News series, 52 Weeks of Burgers. Read the winning rankings here.

No opening date has been announced for Elsewhere. Its representatives could not be reached for comment.

Weissman opened The Luxury in 2013, an ironically named space cobbled together from cargo containers adjacent to the San Antonio Museum of Art on Jones Avenue just north of downtown. From its shady perch above the River Walks Museum Reach, The Luxury sold gourmet burgers, banh mi sandwiches, craft beer and one of the citys best fried chicken sandwiches.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonios restaurant scene rocked by 2019s high-profile restaurant closings

The operation is moving to the San Antonio International Airport this summer, along with a second location of Weissmans downtown coffee shop Sip Brew Bar & Eatery. Weissmans restaurant portfolio in San Antonio also includes the Olmos Park burger joint Mr. Juicy and the upscale La Cantera restaurant Signature, Inspired by Chef Andrew Weissman.

Mike Sutter is a food and drink reporter and restaurant critic in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | msutter@express-news.net | Twitter: @fedmanwalking

Original post:
San Antonio River Walk bar and restaurant The Luxury has closed; new Elsewhere Garden Bar & Kitchen plans to open in the space - mySA