#Guest House shed Portland

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Finding the best custom sheds near me in Portland and Salem.

When you're in search of high-quality, durable, and beautifully designed custom sheds near Portland or Salem, Better Built Barns is your go-to destination. We specialize in crafting custom sheds that perfectly blend functionality, style, and affordability, ensuring that your outdoor storage needs are met with a structure that stands the test of time. Here's why our custom sheds are the perfect addition to your backyard or garden.

Why Choose Better Built Barns for Your Custom Shed?

At Better Built Barns, we take pride in creating sheds that aren't just functional but are also tailored to meet your unique specifications. Whether you're looking for a shed to store your garden tools, outdoor equipment, or even to create a personal workshop or home office, we’ve got you covered.

Custom Designs: No two homes are the same, so why should your shed be? Our custom sheds allow you to choose from a variety of sizes, styles, and materials. Whether you're located in the lush landscapes of Portland or the picturesque surroundings of Salem, we can build a shed that complements your home and your needs.

Durability You Can Trust: All our sheds are built to last, designed to withstand the elements, from the rain and wind of Portland to the changing seasons of Salem. We use high-quality materials and superior craftsmanship to ensure your shed remains sturdy and reliable for years to come.

Local Craftsmanship: As a local business with a strong presence in both Portland and Salem, we understand the specific requirements of the climate in the Pacific Northwest. Our team of expert builders is dedicated to providing the best in local craftsmanship, ensuring that every custom shed we build is not only beautiful but also perfectly suited to Oregon’s weather conditions.

Finding Custom Sheds Near Me in Portland

Portland is known for its vibrant culture and lush outdoor spaces, making it the perfect place to have a custom shed that adds both practicality and aesthetic appeal to your property. Whether you need a small garden shed to store your tools or a larger structure to serve as a backyard studio, our Portland customers appreciate the versatility and durability of our sheds. Our process is straightforward and stress-free. From the moment you contact us, we work with you to design a shed that fits your space and meets your needs. We deliver and install your shed on-site, ensuring a seamless experience from start to finish.

Locating Custom Sheds Near Me in Salem

For our customers in Salem, our custom sheds offer the perfect solution for enhancing your outdoor space. Whether you're looking for a classic barn-style shed or a modern, sleek design, we work with you to create a structure that aligns with your vision. Living in Salem often means having space for larger yards, gardens, and even small farms, which is why a custom shed from Better Built Barns can be a valuable addition to your property. Our sheds offer not just storage, but also an attractive, well-built addition that boosts the value and usability of your outdoor area.

The Better Built Barns Difference

What sets us apart from other shed builders in Portland and Salem is our dedication to quality and customer satisfaction. We understand that investing in a custom shed is a big decision, and we’re committed to making the process as smooth as possible.

Here are a few reasons to choose Better Built Barns:

Custom Options: We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. You have control over every detail of your shed, from the design and layout to the finishing touches.

Professional Installation: Our experienced team ensures that your custom shed is delivered and installed with precision, allowing you to start using it immediately.

Affordable Pricing: Despite the superior quality and customization options, our pricing remains competitive. We believe in offering great value for your investment.

Conclusion

If you’ve been searching for "custom sheds near me Portland” or “custom sheds near me Salem”, look no further than Better Built Barns. We’re ready to help you design and build the perfect shed that meets all your storage or workspace needs. To get started, contact us today or visit our website to explore our gallery of past projects. Let us bring your vision to life with a custom shed built to the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship.

[better-built-barns]

Enhance your property with a guest house shed in Portland and Salem

At Better Built Barns, we pride ourselves on delivering superior quality Guest House Shed Portland and Guest House shed Salem. Our sheds are not just ordinary storage spaces; they are designed to offer a blend of functionality and aesthetic appeal, making them perfect for use as guest houses. Whether you are looking to expand your living space, accommodate guests, or create a serene retreat in your backyard, our guest house sheds are the perfect solution.

Why Choose a Guest House Shed?

Versatility and Functionality

Our guest house sheds are incredibly versatile. They can serve multiple purposes, from a cozy guest room to a private office or a hobby room. The flexibility in design allows you to customize the shed to meet your specific needs.

Quality Craftsmanship

At Better Built Barns, we use only the highest quality materials and skilled craftsmanship to ensure that your guest house shed stands the test of time. Our sheds are built to withstand the elements and provide a comfortable living space year-round.

Cost-Effective Solution

Building a traditional guest house can be expensive and time-consuming. A guest house shed offers a more affordable and quicker alternative without compromising on quality or comfort.

Features of Our Guest House Sheds

Superior Construction Materials

We use premium materials, including treated wood, high-quality roofing, and insulated walls, to ensure durability and comfort. Our sheds are designed to provide a safe and secure environment for your guests.

Customizable Interiors

Our guest house sheds offer customizable interiors to suit your preferences. You can choose from various flooring options, wall finishes, and layouts to create a space that reflects your style.

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is a key consideration in our designs. Our sheds include features such as insulated windows and doors, energy-efficient lighting, and heating options to ensure comfort and reduce energy costs.

Design Options for Guest House Sheds in Portland and Salem

Classic Designs

Our classic designs offer timeless appeal with their traditional aesthetics. These sheds feature charming details such as gabled roofs and decorative trims, making them a beautiful addition to any property.

Modern Designs

For those who prefer a contemporary look, our modern designs offer sleek lines and minimalist features. These sheds are perfect for urban settings and blend seamlessly with modern architecture.

Custom Designs

If you have a specific vision in mind, we offer custom design services to bring your dream guest house shed to life. Our team will work closely with you to create a design that meets your exact specifications.

The Building Process

Consultation and Planning

The process begins with a thorough consultation to understand your needs and preferences. We will assess your property and provide recommendations based on your requirements and budget.

Design and Approval

Once the design is finalized, we will seek your approval before proceeding. Our team will ensure that every detail is perfect and meets your expectations.

Construction and Installation

Our skilled craftsmen will then construct your guest house shed with precision and care. We handle all aspects of the construction process, from foundation work to the final touches, ensuring a seamless installation.

Benefits of Adding a Guest House Shed to Your Property

Increased Property Value

Adding a guest house shed to your property can significantly increase its value. It provides additional living space, which is a desirable feature for potential buyers.

Accommodation for Guests

A guest house shed offers a comfortable and private space for your guests. It ensures that they have a pleasant stay without infringing on your privacy.

Potential Rental Income

If you are looking to generate additional income, a guest house shed can be rented out. This can be a lucrative option, especially in popular areas like Portland and Salem.

Why Better Built Barns is the Best Choice

Experience and Expertise

With years of experience in the industry, Better Built Barns has a proven track record of delivering high-quality guest house sheds. Our expertise ensures that you receive a product that exceeds your expectations.

Customer Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is our top priority. We are committed to providing exceptional service and ensuring that our clients are happy with their investment.

Competitive Pricing

We offer competitive pricing without compromising on quality. Our goal is to provide you with a high-quality guest house shed at a price that fits your budget.

Conclusion

If you are considering adding a guest house shed to your property in Portland or Salem, contact Better Built Barns today. Our team is ready to assist you in creating the perfect space to meet your needs.

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The Best Guide to Guest House Sheds in Portland and Salem

At Better Built Barns, we understand the importance of having additional living space. Whether you need a guest house shed Portland or a guest house shed Salem, we offer superior solutions tailored to meet your specific needs. Our sheds are designed to blend seamlessly into your property, providing a functional and stylish space for guests, family, or even as a rental opportunity. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the benefits of guest house sheds, design options, and why Better Built Barns is the best choice for your project.

Why Choose a Guest House Shed?

Maximize Your Property's Potential

Investing in a guest house shed is an excellent way to maximize your property's potential. These structures offer versatile space that can serve multiple purposes:

Accommodation: Perfect for hosting guests, providing them with a comfortable and private space.

Home Office: An ideal solution for remote work, offering a quiet and dedicated workspace.

Rental Income: Generate additional income by renting out the space on platforms like Airbnb.

Hobby Room: A dedicated area for crafts, workouts, or any other hobbies.

Cost-Effective Solution

Building a guest house shed is often more cost-effective than constructing a traditional home extension. With a variety of sizes and customization options, you can create a functional living space without breaking the bank.

Quick and Efficient Construction

Our guest house sheds are pre-fabricated, ensuring a quick and efficient construction process. This means less disruption to your daily life and faster occupancy.

Design Options for Guest House Sheds

Customizable Designs

At Better Built Barns, we offer a wide range of customizable designs to fit your aesthetic and functional preferences. Our design options include:

Traditional: Classic designs that complement any property style.

Modern: Sleek and contemporary designs with clean lines and minimalist features.

Rustic: Charming and cozy designs that bring a touch of countryside elegance.

Interior Layouts

We understand that every homeowner has unique needs. Our guest house sheds come with various interior layout options, allowing you to choose the configuration that best suits your requirements. Some popular layouts include:

Open Plan: A spacious design with a combined living and sleeping area.

Separate Rooms: Distinct living, sleeping, and bathroom areas for added privacy.

Loft Space: Utilizes vertical space, offering a sleeping loft and more room on the main floor.

High-Quality Materials

Our commitment to quality is reflected in the materials we use. We offer a range of high-quality materials to ensure your guest house shed is durable, weather-resistant, and aesthetically pleasing. Options include:

Wood: Classic and versatile, providing a warm and natural look.

Metal: Durable and modern, ideal for contemporary designs.

Vinyl: Low-maintenance and weather-resistant, perfect for long-term durability.

The Better Built Barns Difference

Expert Craftsmanship

At Better Built Barns, we pride ourselves on our expert craftsmanship. Our team of skilled professionals ensures that every guest house shed is built to the highest standards, providing you with a structure that is both beautiful and functional.

Personalized Service

We believe in offering personalized service to every customer. From the initial consultation to the final installation, our team is dedicated to understanding your needs and delivering a guest house shed that exceeds your expectations.

Sustainable Practices

We are committed to sustainable building practices. Our sheds are constructed using eco-friendly materials and methods, ensuring minimal impact on the environment.

Guest House Sheds in Portland

Embracing the Portland Lifestyle

Portland is known for its vibrant culture and emphasis on sustainable living. A guest house shed from Better Built Barns fits perfectly into this lifestyle. Whether you're accommodating visiting friends or creating a home office, our sheds offer a practical and stylish solution.

Local Building Regulations

We are well-versed in the local building regulations and zoning laws in Portland. Our team will handle all necessary permits and ensure that your guest house shed complies with local codes, providing you with a hassle-free experience.

Guest House Sheds in Salem

Enhancing Your Salem Property

Salem, with its rich history and scenic beauty, is an ideal location for a guest house shed. Our sheds are designed to enhance your property, providing additional space without compromising on style or quality.

Community-Focused Solutions

We understand the unique needs of Salem residents. Our guest house sheds are built to meet the community's standards and expectations, offering a practical solution for those in need of extra space.

Conclusion

A guest house shed from Better Built Barns is a smart investment for homeowners in Portland and Salem. With customizable designs, high-quality materials, and expert craftsmanship, our sheds offer the perfect solution for additional living space. Whether you're looking to accommodate guests, create a home office, or generate rental income, our guest house sheds provide versatility and value. Contact us today to start your project and see why Better Built Barns is the preferred choice for discerning homeowners.

[serveandfolly]

Be still my beating heart: My longtime partner, Brian Libby, wrote this OR Arts Watch article twinning the stories of two of my favorite artists, actor River Phoenix and musician Elliott Smith, and relating them through their time in our hometown of Portland, Oregon. The original story (link above) shows photos of some of Elliott’s Portland homes and the road with “the fucked-up face” from My Own Private Idaho, but I’ve pasted all the copy below. Hope some of my fellow River and Elliott fans enjoy this as much as I did.

River and Elliott: Remembering two troubled princes of 1990s Portland

River Phoenix and Elliott Smith brushed Portland and maybe Portland brushed them

NOVEMBER 27, 2018 // CULTURE, FILM, MUSIC // BRIAN LIBBY

There’s a name you keep repeating You’ve got nothing better to do

— Elliott Smith, “Alphabet Town”

From James Dean to Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain to Heath Ledger, we have immortalized a constellation of famous artists—especially musicians and actors—who died young and, then, through a combination of their talent and the public’s grief, lived on. Robbed of the futures we imagined for them, yet frozen in time and thus never to suffer the indignities of aging or late-career artistic mediocrity, their luminosity—and our love for them—intensifies as if in proportion to the tragedy.

Portland and Oregon haven’t traditionally produced a lot of bold-type names that have endured in the international pop zeitgeist. Far from America’s entertainment capitols, this is arguably a place where talents are nurtured, not where one becomes a full-fledged star. The most high-profile artists, such as the great abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko or Simpsons creator Matt Groening, have tended to move on and live their career-defining creative moments elsewhere. Yet even if their time here is fleeting, sometimes these artists don’t just remain culturally relevant long after their deaths but also come to represent something essential about a particular time in the city.

Last month brought reminders of two such one-time Oregonians and what they left behind. October 21 was the 15th anniversary of musician Elliott Smith’s death, at the age of 34 in 2003, while Halloween brought the 25th anniversary of actor River Phoenix’s death, at the age of 23 in 1993. They died a decade apart, but each moment of mortality came in Los Angeles, and the two sites are less than nine miles away from each other: Phoenix outside West Hollywood’s Viper Room club after an accidental overdose, and Smith by stabbing at his home in Silver Lake (a presumed suicide but never officially determined).

The coincidences don’t end there. River Phoenix and Elliott Smith were born within a year of each other: Smith in Nebraska (he was raised until age 14 in Texas) and Phoenix in Madras, Oregon (raised mostly in Florida). Each arguably made his most famous work in collaboration with director Gus Van Sant. Phoenix co-starred (along with Keanu Reeves) in Van Sant’s 1991 film My Own Private Idaho and Smith was nominated for an Academy Award for the song “Miss Misery,” on the soundtrack to Van Sant’s 1998 film Good Will Hunting. Each struggled with drug abuse, which in different ways led to each artist’s untimely death. River Phoenix and Elliott Smith presumably never met, yet each is a kind of fleeting prince of ’90s Portland, and their work acts as time capsule and talisman for the days many locals now look to longingly: a grittier, more affordable and off-the-radar city that predated Portlandia, a succession of swooning New York Times stories, and an ensuing wave of tourism and gentrification.

Like Rothko, neither stayed here for good. But also like Rothko and many of the city’s other most famous sons and daughters, Phoenix and Smith were transplants to the city who saw Portland with fresh eyes. Like rain clouds that give way to bright sunlight almost daily for much of the year, each artist’s Portland-based work is personal and often deeply melancholic, yet also joyful, lyrical and instinctual. It’s not always pretty, yet we are drawn to their work again and again.

By the time Phoenix signed on to star in My Own Private Idaho, he had long since become a star, thanks to such minor Hollywood classics as 1986’s Oregon-filmed Stand by Me and 1988’s Running on Empty, the latter of which brought him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. But Idaho, the third in Van Sant’s trilogy of Portland-set films (preceded by 1986’s Mala Noche and 1989’s Drugstore Cowboy), would become the role of Phoenix’s career and the standout classic in its director’s now decades-long portfolio.

While Drugstore was initially a greater critical success for Van Sant, winning Best Film and Best Director from the National Society of Film Critics in 1989, Idaho is somehow the film that endures in public imagination and as a lasting artistic achievement. Besides being a landmark of gay cinema, casting two young Hollywood heartthrobs as lovers, it also turned out to be Van Sant’s most cinematically ambitious effort.

The premise of My Own Private Idaho is audacious if not a little crazy. The film is a loose interpretation of Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part I and Part II—the story of a delinquent, debauchery-loving prince planning to shed his skin and embrace his more virtuous monarchical destiny—transposed to the realm of contemporary Portland street hustlers. As legend has it, Phoenix and Reeves spent nights on the streets of Old Town researching their roles by hanging out with the city’s young street denizens, some of whom would enjoy supporting roles in the film.

Phoenix plays a hustler named Mike with a handicap—narcolepsy drops him off to sleep in any moment of stress. We first watch him collapse in sleep by the side of a rural highway, his possessions and even his shoes stripped from him as he slumbers; then he collapses in the middle of turning a trick, carried out of a rich woman’s house by his fellow hustlers and left slumped against a tree. Reeves’s young Prince Hal figure, Scott (in this case a Portland mayor’s son), is along for the ride as part brotherly companion, part lover. Yet this quirky Shakespearean tale is also bookended by and interwoven with a larger quest, played out under the limitless skies and golden hues of the eastern Oregon landscape, as Phoenix’s Mike searches fruitlessly for his long-lost mother: to the Idaho of his youth, to Italy, and finally back to Portland.

Part of what makes My Own Private Idaho so great is how Van Sant conjures indelible cinematic moments: time-lapse footage of clouds rolling over the Oregon landscape; symbolic slow-motion shots of salmon (Mike’s spirit-animal; Phoenix even wears a salmon-colored jacket) fighting their way upstream; and even an entire house falling from the sky onto the highway. It’s dazzling cinema that makes both rural and urban Oregon its muse like perhaps no other movie. That Van Sant has gone on to make several Hollywood movies that overdose on schmaltz and are short on cinematic eye candy, and few if any great works of art (the Cannes winner Elephant and the Matt Damon/Casey Affleck vehicle Gerry perhaps being exceptions) only makes Idaho all the more special in his oeuvre. In fact, it’s as if Van Sant refuses to enter Idaho-like territory. Consider, for example, that his last film, Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot—a profile of cartoonist John Callahan starring River Phoenix’s brother, Joaquin, which is set in Portland and another story of a lonely man’s longing for his mother—was shot in Los Angeles. Suffice to say, there are no houses falling onto the highway.

At least unofficially, My Own Private Idaho owes as much to Phoenix as Van Sant—and not just as it relates to the acting. After all, River Phoenix didn’t just act in Idaho; he reportedly was able to alter the script and his character. The draft that Van Sant brought to the actors didn’t include romance between their two lead characters, but by the time production was complete, Idaho’s most touching moment was a campfire embrace wherein Mike declares his love for Reeves’s Scott. Phoenix is at his zenith here as an actor, a marvel of delicacy, communicating a blend of easy cool and endearing vulnerability.

Both Phoenix and Reeves came to the Idaho cast with something to prove: that they could be serious dramatic actors. To a large extent it worked for both. While Reeves has never been considered a master thespian, his roles in blockbuster franchises like The Matrix and even the more recent John Wick movies have cemented his place in movie history. And for Phoenix, post-Idaho there was no longer any doubt that the child actor we’d seen in Explorers and the angst-ridden teen of The Mosquito Coast (not to mention a memorable “Family Ties” guest-starring turn) had graduated to leading roles with the charisma, looks and vulnerability of a budding superstar. Would it be going too far to say he was the James Dean of his time? Maybe. But the comparison is not ludicrous.

Of course longevity was not to be for Phoenix. Within 25 months of Idaho’s release, his story ended, just like Mike’s, collapsed on the pavement—in this case on a Hollywood sidewalk rather than Highway 216, and sadly, not simply asleep for a few minutes. The brother with him that night, Joachin Phoenix, would go on to enjoy the long acting career River never got.

The year of Idaho’s release was also a turning point for Elliott Smith. In 1991 he had just returned to Portland after four years at Hampshire College in Massachusetts, and promptly formed the band Heatmiser with three musician friends. Over the ensuing years, Heatmiser would become a fixture at celebrated indie-rock clubs like the X-Ray Café and La Luna, while also recording albums like 1993’s Dead Air and 1994’s Cop and Speeder that infused punk energy with melodicism. The band was part of a broader indie rock scene that included Pond, Crackerbash, The Spinanes, The Dandy Warhols and Quasi.

After Nirvana’s breakout success, both indie and major labels began combing Portland clubs looking for the next grunge sensation. And what was grunge but punk with a little more melody and a flannel shirt? Heatmiser received enough attention that a major label, Virgin Records, eventually came calling. But by that time Smith was ready to venture out on his own, breaking up Heatmiser just as they’d made the big time. As the singer-songwriter explained in a later interview, he had grown tired of screaming all the time as a member of a loud rock band. And besides, by that time Smith was gaining notice for a series of stripped-down solo albums with little more than voice and an acoustic guitar. To the astonishment of many, they sounded less like punk or grunge and more like Simon & Garfunkel or Nick Drake. Smith’s solo debut, 1994’s Roman Candle, was released at the height of the grunge era but also just nine months before Kurt Cobain’s suicide, essentially prefiguring (and perhaps even giving birth to) the emo-core wave that would in time follow grunge.

In the four years between Roman Candle’s release and Smith’s leap to international fame with the Oscar nomination for “Miss Misery,” local audiences who had feasted on loud guitars and pounding punk rhythms filled Portland clubs for his solo acoustic shows, trading chaotic mosh pits for stillness and pin-drop quiet. Not only was there the wistful simplicity of Smith’s voice and acoustic guitar. It was also how the singer-songwriter bared his soul in his lyrics. Though some songs were inspired by others’ lives, it was clear that for the sensitive, often-depressed Smith, music was a confessional and a lifeline. Yet in his almost Lennon-McCartney like gift for melody, even his sad songs feel uplifting.

In those early Elliott Smith albums recorded here, through his 1997 masterwork Either/Or (his last for indie label Kill Rock Stars before signing with the mammoth Dreamworks and leaving Portland for New York), the singer-songwriter also painted a cinematic if melancholy picture of the city. You can almost feel the gray wintertime skies in songs like “Alameda,” as he sings:

You walk down Alameda Looking at the cracks in the sidewalk Thinking about your friends How you maintain all them in A constant state of suspense

For your own protection Over their affection Nobody broke your heart You broke your own because you can’t Finish what you start

When the Oscar nomination for “Miss Misery” came, Smith’s life changed overnight. If that new audience and international media attention meant exponentially greater album sales and the end of his penny-pinching way of life—staying in nice hotels on tour instead of sleeping in the van or on some stranger’s floor, not to mention no longer moonlighting as a drywall contractor by day—it also isolated Elliott from his community of not-so-affluent friends and musicians still sleeping on those floors. This time in his life was also accompanied by increasing drug abuse and greater depressions. Perhaps Smith new that despite overwhelmingly positive reviews for albums like XO and Figure 8 as well as a worldwide audience of admirers (he was particularly smitten when a musical hero, Elvis Costello, attended a London show), DreamWorks saw its Smith signing as essentially an investment that didn’t quite pay off because he wasn’t the megastar they envisioned.

Like Cobain, Smith also retained that nagging Gen X rocker’s worry that he’d sold out. Maybe today a young fan who falls in love with Figure 8 doesn’t care that it was recorded for DreamWorks instead of Kill Rock Stars. After all, going to a major label gave Smith a bigger palette of instruments and fellow musicians to work and record with. Yet for Smith, the decision wasn’t without impact. In “King’s Crossing,” one of Smith’s best posthumously-released songs, he sings, “The method acting that pays my bills/keeps the fat man feeding in Beverly Hills.”

Particularly in the couple of years before his 2003 death, Smith was a shell of his former self, consuming cocktails of heroin, crack and prescription drugs. At times onstage, he even had to abort songs halfway through because he couldn’t remember his own lyrics. Yet Smith was also in those final months showing signs of recovery and renewal, which enabled the superlative album he was working on when he died. Songs on the magnificent From a Basement on the Hill (including “King’s Crossing”) exhibit a layered richness of sound that goes beyond what he recorded in Portland a few years earlier. Yet it all screeched to a halt in Silver Lake—whether inevitably, as some observers maintained, or out of the blue.

Today I can’t look at certain places in Portland and Oregon without thinking of them.

For River Phoenix and My Own Private Idaho, there is the Elk statue downtown on Southwest Main Street between Chapman and Lownsdale squares, where early in the film Scott cradles a sleeping Mike in his arms. There is also the stretch of Broadway downtown near the Benson Hotel where the duo cruise the street on Scott’s motorcycle, handsomely and heroically, like cinema’s sunglasses-masked successors to The Wild One and Easy Rider. And perhaps most of all, there is a lonely stretch of Highway 216, east of the Cascades and not far from the tiny town of Tygh Valley, where River Phoenix begins and ends the movie, succumbing to narcoleptic seizure. Last year my partner and I found the coordinates online and made a pilgrimage. To get there you drive white-knuckled through a series of hairpin turns through a small Deschutes River gorge, and then suddenly you come onto a plateau where the road seems to unfold forever.

If one seeks vestiges of Elliott Smith’s Portland, it’s not just the venues where he took the stage (one of which, La Luna, is now a café of the same name), but also, if you know where to look, one of the many Southeast Portland houses where he lived and recorded. Roman Candle, for instance, was recorded in a home on Southeast Taylor Street that recently was listed for rent. (And yes, I admittedly took a tour.) Smith also lived in another Southeast Portland house, off Division Street, that prompted him to sometimes spend late nights hanging out on a bench in the rose gardens of Ladd’s Addition; the documentary Heaven Adores You includes a long shot looking down over the neighborhood. In “St. Ides Heaven,” he writes

Everything is exactly right When I walk around here drunk every night With an open container from 7-11

Division Street itself also wound up inspiring a lyric in “Punch and Judy” (on Either/Or), albeit not exactly an ideal marketing tagline:

Driving around up and down Division Street I used to like it here It just bums me out to remember

Every time I listen to “Punch and Judy,” that line makes me wonder what Smith would have made of gentrified Division Street now, with its canyon of condos and string of popular restaurants. It’s a phenomenon that has swept most close-in east side neighborhoods—precisely the formerly cheap old houses he and his friends used to inhabit.

Even so, to absorb the work of Smith (especially his early records) and Phoenix (particularly My Own Private Idaho) is to make a nostalgic return to ‘90s Portland. And yet, through the power of these works and these two princes’ immense talent, their work also transcends that time capsule. Even if their tragically early deaths don’t guarantee them true artistic immortality, the more Portland changes, the more their works resonate.

[nightmare-afton-cosplay]

Red-Hot Real Estate: 10 Homes for Sale in the Nation’s Hottest ZIP Codes

realtor.com

Eighteen days. That’s the average time a home spends on the market in one of the nation’s 10 hottest ZIP codes.

Realtor.com®’s resident data crunchers recently identified the nation’s most scorching housing markets of the moment, where homes are flying off the market, and the results were a bit of a surprise. No big cities crashed the party.

Instead, the research showed a spike in interest in areas where buyers can get more for their money—where the price per square foot is relatively low and the quality of life is high. Some of the popular destinations, like those in Maine and New Hampshire, seem to reveal a shift in buyers’ interest in getting away from cities and moving closer to more rural areas.

To give you a taste of what you can expect in each of the 10 hottest markets, we plucked a favorite home currently for sale in each ZIP code. If you spot one you like, you had better act fast. These red-hot markets slow down for no buyer!

Have a look at some of these sought-after homes—many of them are priced for far less than you might think.

1. Colorado Springs, CO (80911) 1020 Walsen Rd, Colorado Springs, CO

Price: $849,000 Horse property with a view: For equine lovers, this spectacular home sits on 5.5 acres. The main three-bedroom house was built in 1984 and boasts vaulted ceilings, a stone fireplace, and hardwood floors. Also included are an ADA-compliant guest cottage, loafing shed, and toolshed.

Colorado Springs, CO

realtor.com

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2. Reynoldsburg, OH (43068) 689 Culpepper Dr, Reynoldsburg, OH

Price: $275,000 Waggoner Hills: Built in 1995, this four-bedroom home comes with hardwood floors and a basement. The backyard is perfect for entertaining and backs up to the woods for added privacy.

Reynoldsburg, OH

realtor.com

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3. Rochester, NY (14617) 476 Lakeview Park, Rochester, NY

Price: $92,500 Historic Colonial: Here’s where your dollar will stretch! Featuring a five-digit price tag, this three-bedroom home was built in 1912 and offers 1,448 square feet of living space. Highlights include coffered ceilings, remodeled sleeping porch, and updated electrical systems. The home also has a basement and attic for even more living space or storage, a detached two-car garage, and fenced yard.

Rochester, NY

realtor.com

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4. Melrose, MA (02176) 89 School St, Melrose, MA

Price: $515,000 Fixer-upper with flair: This two-bedroom home will need a little interior TLC to keep up with the rest of the residences in this high-end hood. But on the exterior, the home’s red paint gives it oodles of curb appeal, adding style to the tree-lined street. The Cape Cod home boasts hardwood floors, is close to transit lines, and offers limitless possibilities to create something spectacular.

Melrose, MA

realtor.com

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5. South Portland, ME (04106) 119 Skillings St, South Portland, ME 04106

Price: $299,999 Storybook shingle: Ringed with multiple yards, this four-bedroom, 2,253-square-foot home has plenty of space for a family to spread out. Inside, there are hardwood floors as well as a newer heating system. Outside, the shingles add a touch of storybook charm to this Colonial from 1930.

South Portland, ME

realtor.com

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6. Topeka, Kansas (66614) 1616 SW Boswell Ave, Topeka, KS

Price: $229,000 Updated Colonial: This classic center-hall Colonial received a nice little face-lift. There’s a new kitchen with granite countertops, updated bathrooms, and gleaming hardwood floors. The five-bedroom home spans three floors and includes a large backyard. The pretty red shutters and door set against the crisp white exterior make for a picture-perfect residence.

Topeka, KS

realtor.com

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7. Hudson, NH (03051) 22 Robin Dr, Hudson, NH

Price: $649,900 Golf course adjacent: This roomy home features high-end upgrades, including vaulted ceilings, a home theater, and a cedar-lined, screened porch. Custom touches include a kitchen backsplash with tile imported from Turkey. Outside, the 1.5-acre lot runs adjacent to a golf course and includes a large, fenced yard with irrigation, 1,200 square feet of decks, and a shed.

Hudson, NH

realtor.com

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8. Worcester, MA (01602) 316 Lincoln St, Worcester, MA

Price: $575,900 Mixed-use in MA: Opportunities abound! This intriguing three-story home comes with an attached executive suite with three offices, conference room, reception area, and bonus living room. Sitting on nearly a half-acre, the four-bedroom main home measures in at a sizable 4,889 square feet. And don’t worry—parking won’t be a problem—there are six parking spaces plus a detached two-car garage. It’s close to the UMass Memorial Medical Center, shops, restaurants, and schools.

Worcester, MA

realtor.com

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9. Springfield, VA (01602) 8114 Edinburgh Dr, Springfield, VA

Price: $675,000 Sweet Springfield: This four-bedroom brick Colonial is a classic bit of Americana built in 1978. Elegantly remodeled and filled with natural light, it’s an ideal family home. The wooded and fenced backyard, complete with pergola, makes it a postcard-perfect property close to the Pentagon and Washington, DC.

Springfield, VA

realtor.com

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10. Raleigh, NC (27604) 3920 Lauriston Rd, Raleigh, NC

Price: $365,000 Brick beauty: This brick Colonial was built in 2000 and recently received a fresh paint job and new carpet. Sitting on nearly a full acre, the three-bedroom home has a lovely foyer, shiny hardwood floors, and crown molding. Outside, the yard is outfitted for entertaining with a deck and patio.

Raleigh, NC

realtor.com

The post Red-Hot Real Estate: 10 Homes for Sale in the Nation’s Hottest ZIP Codes appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

from https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/homes-for-sale-in-the-nation-hottest-zip-codes/

[princessweddingrings-blog]

Princess Wedding Day Dress Up Games

40 Rustic Barn Wedding Venues - Charming Country ...

Table of Contents40 Rustic Barn Wedding Venues - Charming Country ...Affordable Wedding Venues In New Jersey—new Jersey BrideWedding Venues San Diego — The Thursday ClubLa Jolla Wedding Venues - The Meritage CollectionThe 25+ Most Popular Portland Wedding Venues [Updated For ...25 Unforgettable Wedding Venues In San Diego49+ Of The Best Connecticut Wedding Venues (Find Amazing ...

Your visitors will be invited to take a gondola ride up Aspen Mountain to an elevation of 11,212 feet, where they will certainly reach your event at The Wedding event Deck or adjacent Aspen Hill Club. Impressive views of the well known Maroon Bells and the Rocky Mountains will mount the special memories developed on your big day.

Stunning 360-degree sights turn from the Channel Islands beyond Santa Barbara to rambling canyons under old canopies of Eucalyptus. Great smelling Magnolia and also orange blossoms perfume the landscape for a wedding event experience like nothing else. Santa Barbara, CA The Cattle Ranch at Rock Creek Miles of river, forest, valley, and view supply almost unlimited opportunities for picture-perfect and impressive events, intimate brunches, and also festive receptions.

Right here, you can wed at the Historic Barn, or claim "I do" amidst the wild blossoms as well as Large Sky background. Philipsburg, MT Glenmere Manor Establish on 150 acres of lavish landscape, Glenmere Estate delivers you to Europeonly 50 miles far from New york city City. The 5-star hotel enables for buy-outs, so the property might become your own for the weekend.

Wedding Locations - Callaway Vineyard & Winery

Chester, NY Malibu Rocky Oaks Estate Vineyards This top-rated vineyard place boasts scenic sights of the Santa Monica Hills and rolling hills of California for an overpriced experience like no other. Pro idea: the estate recommends reserving dates from April to November for the ideal climate and also greenest creeping plants. Malibu, CA AMAN Venice Establish in one of the city's eight spectacular significant palazzos on the Grand Canal, AMAN Venice embodies all that is excellent and sensuous concerning La Serenissima (Northern Italy).

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Venice, Italy Little Girls of the American Change Hall This desirable place just blocks from the White Home includes marvelous views of the Washington Monument. Crystal chandeliers, antique home furnishings, and also glamorous Beaux-Arts design are just a few of the factors we like this historic space, whose indoor/outdoor alternatives are both stylish as well as picturesque.

Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards Sweeping views of rolling hillsides as well as vineyards coupled with a culinary experience like no various other is all you need for a successful celebrationand Pippin Hill has you covered on all accounts. What's more, the home is owned as well as operated by Easton Concierge Team, co-founded by one of FAIR Bride-to-be's Leading Wedding event Organizers worldwide, Lynn Easton of Easton Events.

Wedding Locations - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks ...

11 Cheap Wedding Venues - Nerdwallet

It walks an equilibrium in between English elegance and playfully surrealfor some, Aynhoe Park is a diverse play ground of the creative imagination; for others, it's a research study in refinement. For all, nevertheless, it is an escape from the foreseeable and also a remedy to the everyday. See exactly how this pair wed at Anyhoe Park and also merged the English countryside with Burning Guy ideas to suit their style.

Select an intimate event in the church bordered by frescoes, or capitalize on one of the bigger places on residential property (for approximately 500 guests). Appreciate supper outside in the yards or indoors at the Conventino, an old church inside the building developed into an excellent hall. Florence, Italy Haiku Mill A stunning home situated on Maui's north shore, off the renowned Road to Hana, you'll find Vintage Europe meets natural Hawaiian natural beauty at Haiku Mill.

Maui, Hawaii Ritz Paris Paris, while understood as The City of Light, is also undeniably the city of love and romance. And the Ritz Paris is a jewel box in the facility of it all, with its sweeping views of the Place Vendme. With magnificent ballrooms, perfectly assigned suites, and also some of one of the most quintessentially Parisian information in shop, it's no surprise fashion new brides throughout the globe desire of wedding celebration inside its walls and in it's private courtyard.

Charleston, Sc Wedding Venues - Official Charleston ...

If you can't make a decision whether a lush ballroom reception, a countryside event, or a '20's glam after celebration feel is appropriate for you, this location might house them alland a lot more. Asheville, NC Flora Farms This farm-to-table venue and also restaurant is a Cabo fan-favoriteand permanently reason. With countless personal outside locations for events, like a Mango Grove with a brick barn, an herb garden amphitheater, a gorgeous potting shed, dining establishment, and a lot more, the variety of visitors as well as time of year help determine which area is ideal suited for you.

San Jos del Cabo, Mexico Atlanta History Facility Assume Gone with the Wind at this historic home in the heart of Georgia. With lovely style and also gardens, take into consideration the majestic lawns at the Swan House Manor or the rustic beauty of the Smith Household Farm as well as McElreath Hall for your wedding event settingeither method you'll like its Southern style.

Using a special setup for any size party (huge or tiny), the remarkable clocktower is stylish, open, and airy. And also when you aren't dining in among the city's ideal understood buildings, your guests can delight in all the restaurants, tasks, and sites SF needs to provide. San Francisco, CA French's Factor Make your wedding party seem like a getaway, a get-together, and also a wedding event all-in-one at French's Pointa gorgeous 14-acre venue on the coast of Maine.

Wedding Venues In San Diego - Dream Beach Wedding

Best Wedding Venues & Destinations In The Caribbean ...

Stockton Springs, ME The Frick Collection Evoking the prestige of Gilded Age New York, The Frick Collection is an internationally recognized gallery and also research study center known for its recognized Dutch Master paintings and outstanding instances of European sculpture as well as ornamental arts. While many New york city City places of this caliber feel grand, large, and also bryllup nordsjælland extra fitting for a huge visitor list, this unique area gives a sophisticated yet intimate feeling for any kind of event, reception, cocktail party, or welcome dinner.

New York, NY, UNITED STATES Domaine de Andols Exuding pure deluxe in unique ways, Domaine de Andols features special, modern rental properties for you and also your visitors as well as a marvelous centenary tree changed right into restaurant at the bottom of the Domaine. Offering fresh as well as regional products at this put on hold tree top terrace, the view of the Domaine and the odor of the lavender areas are simply a couple of the factors you'll never want to leave.

Saint-Saturnin-ls-Apt, France Taj Lake Royal residence Hosting previous clientele such as Jacqueline Kennedy and also Queen Elizabeth, this regal and entirely charming palace in Udaipur is incomparable. The hotel's striking white marble facade with views of Udaipur, the Aravalli mountains, and temples around work as the utmost backdrop for an intimate wedding celebration in India.

Venues - Visit Loudoun

Pro Tip: Right here, you'll likely need to schedule a certain variety of spaces for up to 60 visitors, so ensure to confirm your matter. Udaipur, India 4 Seasons Lanai Breathtaking sights of the Pacific and a genuine Polynesian social style meet the best in service, convenience, and top quality at the 4 Seasons Lanai.

Lanai City, Hawaii The White Elephant A New England location with a preppy panache, the White Elephant harbor side inn hosts weddings on its well-manicured yard. For those looking to throw an especially lavish occasion, the whole resort (with space for 300 visitors) is readily available for rental fee. Functions comply with on the balcony overlooking the waterside, with enough oysters and also mixed drinks to please even the pickiest of visitors.

The location comes complete with a range of options, both indoors and also out, like the sophisticated Chandelier Ballroom, which houses 8 bespoke Baccarat crystal chandeliers, and also the 8,000-square-foot Wonderful Lawn, with boundless ocean sights. Montecito, CA Cedar Lakes Estate This is where you ought to head if "down to Earth," "rustic," "nature-lover," or "modern bohemian" best defines you or your visual.

Wedding Venues - Discover Denton

From a treehouse to lakeside event, this property pride itself on only reserving a choose numbers of wedding celebrations each year to concentrate on making each of them one-of-a-kind, unique, and well-executed. Greenville, NY Nizuc Hotel & Medspa Just outside Cancnand just 10 minutes from the airportlies paradise, peacefulness, and also nothing close to the springtime break feelings you're utilized to in this part of the nation.

Remain in a modern-day high-rise with your very own exclusive dive pool, or select a relaxing garden villa in the mangroves. Boasting two special coastlines, a lush health facility by ESPA, six premium dining establishments, as well as sumptuous accommodations, Nizuc is suitable for wedding celebrations both big and also tiny. Location: Cancun, Mexico Amangiri Amangiri, which means 'relaxed mountain', is situated in Southern Utah as well as is a minimal's dream.

[nwbeerguide]

"2nd Annual Edgefield Brewfest" at McMenamins' Edgefield

The first one was so much fun, we’re doing it again! Join us for the 2ndAnnual Edgefield Brewfest.

On the same lawn where Edgefield Concerts take place, we’re bringing together more than 100 of Oregon and Washington’s best breweries & cideries for a day full of merriment. Wander the rows of taps to find your new favorite, or put together your strategic tasting plan, but whatever you do…pack up your chairs, bring the blankets, the kids & the dog and join us for some of the best beverages around, to the tune of live music and cheer!

Music:

Red Shed Stage The Hillwilliams • Bluegrass • Noon - 3 pm

Bigfoot Mojo • Gypsy swing bluegrass • 4 - 7 pm

Lower Venue Sliver Lake 66 • Americana • 2 - 5 pm

Participating Breweries and Cideries:

CIDERIES 1859 Cider Co. Finnriver Farm & Cidery  Portland Cider Company Runcible Cider Stone Circle Cider Tumalo Cider Co Wandering Aengus/Anthem Cider WildCraft Cider Works

KOMBUCHA Kyla Hard Kombucha

BREWERIES 54°40' Brewing Company Backwoods Brewing Company Bent Shovel Brewing Breakside Brewery Buoy Beer Company Culmination Brewing Co. Doomsday Brewing Company Double Mountain Brewery Ecliptic Brewing Everybody's Brewing Ex Novo Brewing Company Feckin Brewery Ferment Brewing Company Fort George Brewery Fortside Brewing Company Freebridge Brewing Full Sail Brewing Company Gateway Brewing Ghost Runners Brewery, LLC Gigantic Brewing Golden Valley Brewery Ground Breaker Brewing Heater Allen Brewing Kells Brewery Laurelwood Brewery & Public House Leikam Brewing Level Beer Loowit Brewing Company Migration Brewing Montavilla Brew Works Old Town Brewing Ordnance Brewing Oregon City Brewing pFriem Family Brewers Plank Town Brewing Co. Public Coast Brewing Co.  Rogue Stickmen Brewing StormBreaker Brewing Sunriver Brewing The Prodigal Son Brewery & Pub Three Mugs Brewing Co Thunder Island Brewing Co. Trap Door Brewing Upright Brewing Vanguard Brewing Company Von Ebert Brewing Wild Ride Brewing Wolf Tree Brewery Xicha Brewing Yachats Brewing

About Bigfoot Mojo

Blugrass duo

Upright bassist Belinda Underwood and national mandolin champion Josiah Payne met on the bluegrass scene in Portland, Oregon, as hired hands in other award-winning bands. Musicians in multiple genres since childhood, they both grew up in family bands before moving to Oregon, and were feeling orphaned without their families until they found each other in 2012. After playing together for 3 years as "Josiah and Belinda", they adoped the mascot of the Northwest when they became Bigfoot Mojo.

Songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, they have many creative offerings, including this new incarnation. Josiah and Belinda continue to mesmerize audiences with groove-based melodies and impeccable vocal harmonies (the kind that sound genetically-blended), setting a new standard for original music which defies genre boundaries.

Bigfoot Mojo plays with other amazing guest musicians to create a trio, quartet or bigger. Lately they have been featuring world-traveling guitarist Pete Kartsounes, when he is home from tour! Also featured is the young national twin fiddle champion Wilhelmina.

Josiah and Belinda also play together in the high-energy bluegrass band The Wild Wood and in their Middle Eastern funk band, Al Farasha.

Website:http://bigfootmojo.belindaunderwood.com/

About Silver Lake 66

Modern Americana

Maria Francis and Jeff Overbo define modern Americana with a winning amalgamation of classic country, folk and blues. Their songs have been hailed by numerous publications and radio stations for their knack of authentic, heartstring-tugging songwriting, impeccable harmonies and ardent guitar-playing. For nearly a decade through the 1990s, Francis and Overbo called Los Angeles home when they fronted a band called The Ruby Trees. The couple performed in a slew of local LA clubs, which includes appearances at Ronnie Mack’s Barn Dance at The World-Famous Palomino Club. Following a move to Portland, Francis and Overbo dealt with illness-related adversity that sidelined them from performance. But rising healthy and happy,  they found themselves adopted by a likeminded tribe of Portland musicians who helped them get back into the art of music-making. It was then that Silver Lake 66 was born. In August of 2016, the duo released a new LP, Let Go Or Be Dragged, featuring a collection of songs drawn from personal experiences of travel, love, loss and adversity. A group of local veteran musicians from the Portland Americana community round out the vocally driven, warm, tremolo-laden sound. The album has been a resounding success with Americana radio, receiving airplay from over 55 stations throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. The album hit #19 on the Roots Music Report’s album chart, and the song “San Francisco Angel” reached #18 on its singles chart. 

The Huffington Post’s Randy Radic describes Silver Lake 66’s music as “elegant simplicity” and “the real McCoy.” For Folk’s Sake’s Jonathan Frahm calls the duo “the real deal” and highlights their “sweet harmonies that mesh the entirety of their sound together.” 

…

About The Hillwilliams

Bluegrass

The Hillwilliams are a group of Portland, OR musicians who have come together to celebrate the high lonesome sound and hot picking of traditional Bluegrass.

Brought together initially by admiration for bluegrass masters like Bill Monroe and The Stanley Brothers as well as 1970s bluegrass supergroup Old and in the Way, The Hillwilliams blend three strong vocalists, smoking fiddle, mandolin, guitar, banjo and doghouse bass, into a fun high energy mix, that harkens back to classic bluegrass, while exploring an exciting sound of their own. Whether they are playing the best of the traditional bluegrass repertoire, or playing their own original bluegrass songs, their shows are fun, high energy events that leave audiences asking for more.

The Hillwilliams' first album of original material, "Hill Yeah!", was released in February of 2015.

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TheHillwilliams/

[youreghanamissme]

Carol Getting Married, Or Coming to America

8/14/17

My trip to America in a nutshell: Holly (the cat) hops onto my lap as I sit on the porcelain throne, scrolling through my Facebook news feed.

It's recommended that y'all put Calvin Harris' Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 in the background while reading forward. That album has been giving me life the past month and is somehow emblematic of this post.

Mona and I at Target. Initially, we tried the headbands on ironically, but then we kept wearing them around Target as we looked at stuff we didn’t need. When we got to the register, we bought them for their sentimental value. 

Adhering to the better judgment and insistence of a trusted friend, I took half an Imodium (anti-diarrheal pill) before my 14-hour journey from Tamale to Accra, and booooy was that rough but so, so necessary. I had been running (Ghana speak for recurrent diarrhea) for a week prior. Being a kitty-corner from a toilet/latrine was not just necessary; it was equal parts redemption and self-preservation. And while that plug kept my pride intact on the bus, it nearly made me want to commit seppuku. Accra was the same as usual: foreign to me (as a northerner), expensive, and awkward. Highlight of being in Accra two days before my flight: I got my (seven) cavities taken care of. Lowlight: half of those fillings chipped away or fell out entirely in America. Oh, Ghana.

My flight to Paris was an adventurous one. Without going into too many details, I sort of held up the flight. But only by no more than 5-10 minutes! And it wasn't really my fault!! The flight attendants blew the whole ordeal out of proportion, even going so far as talking smack about me—in my presence—in French. They probably needed to take half a chill pill. We got to our destination on time, and I don't regret what I did. Don't worry—it was neither illegal nor immoral.

Paris to San Francisco was one of my worst experiences to date. I felt restless. My body was tense, my neck was killing me, and I was in the thick of a four-seat row. It didn't help that European airline food is leagues better than what I had been eating lately, and I was losing the fight to reject free brie cheese, butter, and ice cream en route. Lactose intolerance, be damned!

My three week stay in America was split between San Jose and San Francisco, my parents' home and my sister's/BIL's house. I no longer had my apartment in Oakland, and while my friends and former flat-mate were more than willing to let me crash at their place, I felt a little weird about it. They had real jobs and some had real families, and I didn't want to loaf around on netflix all day in front of them... which is what I often did in San Jose. Hours and hours spent catching up to beloved shows and binging on ice cream, cake, chips (party size), and cookies. I gained about 7lbs by the time of the wedding, two days before my return to Ghana. Most of my SJ friends didn't live in the area anymore, and even if they had stayed to reside in the 4-0-8, we had drifted apart so that a lot of what we did together was reminisce. I spent as much of my free time as possible meeting up with old friends in Oakland and San Francisco. For those who have yet to revisit America, here's what's up:

Hawaiian poke bowls are now a thing

There are now many apps to have food delivered to you. Be the recluse you aspire to be!

Boba tea has expanded into the mainstream, something us Asian-Am's have known and drank for years

Kick-boxing-ballet is on the rise

Homelessness has increased significantly in the bay area

You can order your weed online and have it delivered to you via a phone app (in CA, at least)

Coming to America was... weird. It wasn't too much of a culture shock. Maybe because it takes a lot to faze me; maybe because I've gotten some pre-America exposure to department stores and grocery markets in Accra, but having set prices was oddly comforting. No more haggling over a couple Cedis and wondering if I got a fair price or an inflated foreigner price. And the American merchandising of consumer products? Alarming, alienating. I never realized how greatly consumerism and commercialism ruled Americana. Or how courtesy is a real form of currency.

I watched a YouTube video one day that convinced me I needed to go buy, or at least check out, some LUSH products because they were all natural and good for you and better for workers and the environment (1: covert advertising). I went to a LUSH store in San Francisco, and the people were all so nice and accommodating, if not a little too eager to have me sample something (2: everyone is kind of fake-nice in USA, but I know everyone is good people, especially retail workers. I've been there; I've done that). The store smelled divine; the products seemed truly high-quality. And then I looked at the prices. Holy Jesus, Mother of Mercy, and the ineffable Buddha. FUCK. Those prices were eye-gougingly high. But then it is America. And then I converted the costs into Ghana Cedis—something I had to intentionally prevent myself from doing as my vacation continued to preclude a moral quandry at every run to CVS—and I felt like an asshole. I then spent the next hour musing in the small shop to look for the cheapest thing to buy (3: because manners matter in America, and they were all SO nice. I didn't want to be one of those people who actually talked to the workers, stayed forever, and then left without buying anything. This is why I can never work in a book store, no matter how romantic and cool it seems... and how much I want a 10% employee discount). I left the store with a shampoo bar I could use but didn't really need. I won't reveal the cost, but rest assured that for the same price, I could have bought three shampoo bars on Amazon.

And that's another thing: Amazon! The paragon of consumerism in America! I am critical of it all, but I can't deny that I'm in it; they have me, my wallet, and my soul. Disregard my rants as I lather my tresses with my new sea salt LUSH shampoo bar. And you know what? It feels really fuckin' good, and it does voluminize my hair, I think...

Y'know, I feel like something of a celebrity in Ghana. I'm a foreigner and a novelty and most strangers want to be my friend. Why, the kids scream my name—“Deeshini! Deeshini! Deeeeeshini!!”—everywhere I go in the village. And while I didn't have the same A-lister power in America, a lot of people did want to meet me. I felt like the Queen-motherfucking-Bee in a teen movie. It sucked that I couldn't hang out with everyone since conflicting schedules and locale were an issue, but for the folks that I was able to see and spend some time with, I am so grateful and thankful. It meant more to me than I can articulate.

Since I've been gone, my friends got engaged/married, are making strides in the pursuit of their dream careers, and evolving into cooler versions of themselves (and they were already pretty dope creatures). I love all of that. We talked lives, marriages, politics, failed connections, social unrest, self-discovery, and all the minutiae over good beer and better food. That's mostly what I did: enjoy the best food (Thai food, Vietnamese che (desserts), sushi, smoked salmon, burritos, cream donuts, STRAWBERRIES and PEACHES and CHEESE #sighpies ...and PIE. All the pies, yespleasethankyoumuch) with high-quality company and drink my weight in liquor. I was reminded how lucky I was to not have to drink Club beer (aka Bud Light's even less impressive cousin) for another three weeks. Don't get me wrong—Club will do, but why drink Club when you can have a Rasputin? Or a quality IPA?

My sister and Nathan (BIL), bless their hearts, had a few crates of beer available at their wedding. I drank a few Anchor Steams to calm my nerves before my sister-of-the-bride speech. I wasn't drunk, but I got the hiccups anyway. The speech itself was worse than a train-wreck. It was a dumpster fire that somehow rolled down the street. I wish I could have also left the building and escape onto the streets of SF.

...Okay, no, I didn't. But I ended up ugly-crying/ bawling the whole way through... to the point where my sister AND our father told me, 30 seconds in, that I didn't have to finish what I had to say. I wanted to though; I'm no quitter! And especially not on a night that would be remembered for the rest of my sister's life!

Well, I tell you what, neither she nor the other 340-plus guests will forget the night I read my speech—something that should have been one minute but took three instead—through tears, frequent mucus snorting, and awkward pauses into a microphone. By the way, my mess was not only filmed on camera for future generations' sake, it was also live-broadcasted for all the guests on the mezzanine to see since they didn't have ground-floor views. So much for all that expensive make-up. It washed away in three minutes. I didn't think I'd cry. That's the problem. I should have known better. I'll cry at anything, even a drop of a hat if it happened in a way I deem poetic.

It wasn't something I shed a tear over, but seeing family was a huge joy of being back home. Carol's wedding became the impetus for the reunion of my paternal cousins. They hail from all over the world—Paris, Portland, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal, LA, New York. It was pretty cool. Some cousins I had never met before, and for others, it had been at least a decade since we were in the same room. I knew it meant a lot to my dad that several of his siblings made it to the wedding. He hadn't seen some of them in almost two decades. I don't think I would ever want to let that happen with Carol. Reuniting with my maternal cousins was something that I was also fortunate to do. I'm lucky I had cousins to grow up with; I know that's not the case for a lot of people. A lot of them had moved northward, towards Sacramento, as the Bay Area became too expensive to live in. It had been such a long time since I sat down and talked to the few that were in my age range. And on top of that—the baby cousins were no longer babies! Now they were in high school and finishing college, and I wondered to myself where did the years go?

The rest of the wedding banquet was bomb-diggity. There was a photo booth with props. Music was on point (leave it to my BIL to play the theme song to COPS at his wedding). The in-laws are Chinese, so of course we had a Traditional Chinese Ten-Course Meal. Yumsville, population: Diana. I ate until I couldn't eat anymore. Best part was the cake. I even ate other people's uneaten and half-eaten slices left on their tables as they headed home. Want not, waste not—cream and all!

By the end of the night, I was walking barefoot as I could no longer walk in those four inch heels that prevented my dress from dragging more on the floor than it did. My mom has night blindness, and my dad has avoided driving on the freeway for the past 15 years. It was up to me to drive us all and a fellow bridesmaid back to San Jose that night. It was a little nerve-wracking as I had only driven once before while being back, but it all went fine. Maybe driving is one of those things you don't really forget, like riding a bike.

Most of my time in America was spent before the wedding. Really, the whole point was to make sure my ao dai (one of my bridesmaid's dresses; an ao dai is traditional Vietnamese garb for gals) fit. I came back as early as I could to have alterations made in case the measurements I gave my sis didn't work out. I also wanted to help out with pre-wedding prep. While we never did go to the tailor before the wedding due to laziness (it fit, thankfully), I was glad to assist with the flowers and some small tasks.

When I was preparing to leave for America, I just couldn't wait to return to Ghana. I had work to do; a life to get back to with a purpose, but by the end of my stay, I wish I had more time to spend with my parents. They look older, more tired. I'm still in the selfish phase of my life: the unsparing twenties where hedonism is the choice idea, responsibilities feel better suited for my 30's, and I have few qualms about being an ocean away from my ma and dad. Good news is that they're both more or less retired now. Better news is that our relationship, no matter how frigid or awkward, is improving. They spent most of my time in America running around getting the house ready for the wedding. We're not Christians, so the house was renovated and the backyard landscaped to be presentable for the ceremonies—the American one (an officiant... who happened to be my sis' bff and a fellow bridesmaid!) and the Vietnamese/Chinese one (tea ceremony... where the groom's side of the family comes into the house in a procession, dowry-like gifts in hand)—at home. I was humbled by the tea ceremony, with all its intricate formalities and greetings and ancestral acknowledgment. I wondered quietly to myself: “Wow. This is a lot of bowing and citation to this person and that person... and who is that guy? I don't even know who they're talking about, but everyone else seems to. Will any of us second-generation American kids know how to guide each other through another tea ceremony when everyone from the old country has passed?” I'm sure my cousins and I will manage, somehow, but it did make me hyper-aware of how disassociated I feel from my Vietnamese culture sometimes. Not quite American enough for America, and not Vietnamese enough for the Vietnamese... It's sometimes a kind of limbo being the child of immigrants. Just a thought.

I think when everything was all over and everyone could finally breath a sigh of relief, both my parents and I regretted not spending quality time together. I say so because my dad said it indirectly. It's unfortunate, and I understood. I was in the same boat: the only reason I was even back was because of the wedding! My parents... they're old school. They didn't grow up hearing their parents say “I love you.” A roof, plentiful food, and all necessities met (and a few gratuitous material pleasures here and there) meant love. I'm learning more and more about how they communicate all the time, and I'm learning more about their lives too. They didn't like talking about it when I was little. I think it's an immigrant/ refugee thing. I've heard similar situations amongst friends and family. But the older I get, I think the more comfortable they feel about detailing their lives and all the struggles within it. It's the same for myself too. I'm learning more about the way I express myself—feelings, thoughts, friendship, and all. And I'm trying harder to communicate with them. It's humbling to realize how we will always be discovering more facets of ourselves. I can't wait to know what I will know and feel how I will feel at 40. In the meantime, I need to call home more.

[storiesbylove]

10 Trends Shaping The Future Of The High-End Cannabis Industry

HIGH-LIGHTS

Today is 4/20, the day the world celebrates all things marijuana.

With medical marijuana legal in 28 U.S. states and recreational marijuana legal in 8, the opening of laws, attitudes and beliefs are continuing to move the market forward in favour of mainstream marijuana use.

The legal cannabis industry in the U.S. alone may grow to $50 billion in the next decade, expanding to more than eight times its current size. Globally, several countries including Israel, Germany, Australia, and Spain have made strides toward full legalisation.

HIGH-END

As support for federal legalisation of marijuana in the U.S. grows, so too do efforts to transform cannabis — and the accessories associated with it — into high-end products.

The industry has seen a surge of innovation from startups and investors - from premium subscription services to celebs cashing in on the ‘green rush’, a new level of luxury and design is taking over cannabis culture.

And with 84% of cannabis consumers in the U.S. in full-time employment, with 65% having a household income of $75,000 or more, there’s no surprise cannabis is shaping up to be the luxury market’s next big opportunity.

1. FORMATS

BEYOND THE BAGGIE: The opportunity to capitalise on the legalisation of marijuana goes far beyond than the humble baggie. Formats range from dinner party vape pens, on-the-go pre-rolls & cones, candles & diffusers, to jars, bottles & fresh-seal pouches reimagined through a high-design lens.

Beboe launched a range of high-end marijuana products ‘engineered for social consumption’. The products were a result of celebrity tattoo artist Scott Campbell & fashion exec Clement Kwan’s desire to fuse marijuana with ‘dinner party culture’ – where once guests would bring a bottle of wine, now they may bring high-quality vaporisers to pass around the table. Beboe’s rose gold pre-loaded single-use vape pens retail at $60 each.

Celebrity cannabis brands have driven interest in better design & branding solutions, with the notable example of Snoop Dogg choosing to hire design agency Pentagram to create the packaging for ‘Leafs by Snoop’. His range includes a variety of flowers, high concentrate waxes, shatters & edibles (more on edibles to follow).

Other formats lighting up the high-end cannabis world are Lola Lola’s pre-rolls & cones - perfect for gifting. Format innovation from Allay in the form of edible oils, tabs & wristbands – and it doesn't stop there - Foria have created a range of oils & suppositories for ‘intimate pleasure’.

And if you can’t beat a good old baggie – Seven Point & Avitas have redesigned the format through a high-design lens.

2. MICRODOSING

Microdosing is the practice of taking tiny amounts of marijuana to experience it’s benefits with reduced side effects – increasingly embraced by professionals, users say it boosts creativity, increases focus & relieves anxiety.

From edibles to water infused with THC (the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis), to coffee pods & tea-bags, small-dose edibles make up one of the fastest rising sectors of the $6.7 billion legal marijuana industry.

Edibles: Microdosing allows users to control marijuana intake and manage their personal tolerance.

The small-dose trend borrows from the pharmaceutical industry’s ‘minimum effective dose’ principle, with products ranging from marijuana infused chocolates, sweets, mints, sauces and beverages – all containing between 5 & 10mg of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in weed.  

Défoncé Chocolate was created by an ex-Apple employee looking for a user-friendly edible. His flagship product contains 180mg of THC, which can be divided into 18 pyramids, or 10mg doses – roughly the equivalent to a couple of hits off a pipe.

Other popular edibles include Snoop’s ‘Dogg Treats’ & chocolates, Petra & Mr Moxey’s mints and 1906 microdosing confectionery.

Infusions: Brewbudz launched a range of single-serve cannabis infused coffee pods to cater for the increasing demand for marijuana-based beverage products.

Water Water is marijuana-infused, organic and has very few calories – making it a big hitter with dieters and diabetics. Bottles sell for $12 – $15 in dispensaries.

Seven Point also show up in the infusions market with their single-dose cannabis teabags.

3. ACCESSORIES

In line with the decriminalization of marijuana, the stigma attached to weed culture has started to shed. As the choice of being a cannabis consumer is normalized, we’re starting to see the design of accessories & lifestyle elements catch-up.

So, less UV blown-glass bongs & Bob Marley paraphernalia and more objects that integrate with a well-designed lifestyle.

Tetra is a tightly curated online store with accessories that ‘elevate the weed smoking experience’.

Launched by three female design journalists, the store retails both contemporary and vintage pieces – some created by notable designers, others have been custom-made for the site.

“While there is a lot of innovation in the area, most of the players aren’t driven by aesthetics” says Eviana Hartman, one third of Tetra.

Rendered in luxurious materials like marble, gold, brass, and ceramic, it’s clear that these accoutrements are made to be proudly displayed around the home.

Fashion brand Vetements is also taking a slice of the ‘green rush’ with their (sold-out before you can even text your dealer) $750 grinder necklaces.

4. RETAIL

Retail is one of the most interesting opportunities shaping the future of the high-end cannabis industry. As legalisation spreads, so does the acceptance of walking into a dispensary – and with restrictions on shipping products, more focus will be put on retail experiences and shopping tourism.

Luxury cannabis retail becomes so much more than a transactional experience – decoding flavours, sampling edibles, product education, sensory experiences, play, technology, third spaces & gifting all play a part in the future of weed-tail.

Silverpeak

Colorado’s Silverpeak Apothecary balances traditional retail design with the unique display and service challenges faced by the cannabis retail industry.

For example – retailers are permitted  to display sample jars with a plastic or metal mesh screen to allow customers the ability to smell the product before purchasing. However, open marijuana products are not allowed inside a licensed retail outlet.

Vertically integrated, with a growing facility just 20 miles away from their store, Silverpeak points to how high-quality marijuana may be retailed as legalisation spreads across the U.S.

Diego Pellicer

Diego Pellicer in Seattle isn’t short of luxury cannabis lovers – with buds retailing at $2,000 and a single marijuana cigar* selling for $3,600 – the ‘cannabis connoisseurs’ go above and beyond to provide bespoke luxury items for their fanatics.

*The cigar holds 28grams of flower & 7 grams of oil

Serra

With three stand-out sites across Portland, Serra’s Marketing Director, Cambria Benson, set out to create spaces where customers felt comfortable shopping for cannabis - without any sense of wrongdoing.

From the greenhouse displays to the origami-wrapped chopsticks used for measuring buds to the La Marzocco espresso machine – Serra feels more like walking into an Anthropologie store than a ‘head shop’.

5. THIRD SPACE

With the legalization of cannabis in motion, it’s unsurprising that entrepreneurs have recognized lucrative business opportunities in a market on the brink of skyrocketing success.

But whilst many have focused their efforts on legally offering a product that is, more or less, already available on the market, there has been less mention of those seeking to elevate the experience around the culture.

With locations in Toronto, Seattle & a pop up in Venice Beach, Tokyo Smoke dub themselves as a ‘lifestyle collective for cannabis, coffee & culture’.

Founded by former Google employee Alan Gertner & his father, Tokyo Smoke sells custom roast coffees, food, cannabis accessories and high-design homeware.

As the industry becomes more public, Tokyo Smoke aim to provide experiences that reflect the evolving perception of marijuana.

When regulations catch up with their ambition, they will also sell four strains of their ‘house marijuana’ – Go, Relax, Relief & Balance.

Founded by former Google employee Alan Gertner & his father, Tokyo Smoke sells custom roast coffees, food, cannabis accessories and high-design homeware.

As the industry becomes more public, Tokyo Smoke aim to provide experiences that reflect the evolving perception of marijuana.

When regulations catch up with their ambition, they will also sell four strains of their ‘house marijuana’ – Go, Relax, Relief & Balance.

6. TO YOUR DOOR

 In the U.S. alone, the subscription box market generates approximately $5 billion dollars annually. Customers are signing up for monthly & on-demand curated care packages – from socks to sex toys, artisanal bacon to pet treats.

With cannabis still being a surreptitious purchase for many, even where it’s legal, luxury subscription services are a no brainer – and with a high-end luxury marijuana market that caters for people willing to spend almost $3,000 for one joint, there really are no limits when it comes to subscription boxes.

FROM PRESCRIPTION TO SUBSCRIPTION: Au offer a range of subscription packages starting at $140 a month – from edibles, sampler joints & flowers to an ‘intimates’ box containing oils, candles, beauty products and 24-karat gold rolling papers.

California based subscription brand, Club M started selling similar curated cannabis goodies – but found the offer wasn’t cutting it, with customers demanding rarer strains of cannabis & more luxurious accessories.  The company shifted their focus and now offer limited edition $1,000 & $2,000 boxes to their subscribers, of which 60% are women.

Subscription company Potbox have launched an on-demand service, enabling the customisation of when & how often San Franciscans receive their bundles. It also enables people outside of Potbox’s normal delivery area to purchase a single Potbox whilst in town.

Nestdrop started life as an alcohol delivery service and later expanded into marijuana - delivering prescriptions to Angelenos with a medical marijuana I.D – think Deliveroo, but for weed.

7. FOOD

The luxury cannabis market is not just about getting high – it’s about the taste, texture, quality, feeling and environment in which it can be enjoyed. So it’s not surprising that in our food obsessed world, the luxury weed industry is taking dining to a whole new level.

Cooking With Cannabis: Los Angeles ‘canna-cuisine’ chef Chris Sayegh cooks elaborate multicourse meals infused with THC – customers can book private dinners or join supper clubs with menus ranging from $250 - $500 per person.  

Similarly, ‘Jeff The 4/20 Chef’ travels to celebrity homes (and yachts) to cook up infused feasts – kale salads and hazy Thai wings with doses of around 10mg per person – which he says would have about the same effect as having two glasses of wine.

Chef to Chelsea Handler, Andrea Drummer balances delicate flavours and sources only high grade buds for her dishes. Her creations were recently showcased at The Grammys with a 10 course menu.

And it’s not all celebrity chefs – VICE’s Bong Appetit uncovers cannabis cooks from around the world, including the Ganja Grandma & Koreatown’s Kimchi Kush cooks.

Cannabis sommelier courses are also a ‘thing’. Every marijuana variety has a unique structure that produce very specific scents - by distinguishing those nuances, exciting weed pairing menus can be offered as an alternative to wine pairing.

8. WELLNESS & BEAUTY

With vampire facials, snail serums and placenta face masks, the wellness & beauty industry have always been innovators - and whilst it seems as though ‘Cannabis Beauty’ is a sudden trend, brands such as Malin & Goetz and Dr Bronner’s have been using the ingredient long before legalization.

Cannabis is an antioxidant which helps slow down damage to skin cells - rich in supplements, cannabis properties are beneficial for many skin conditions and helps to prevent aging.

Featured in the pages of Vogue, brands such as Apothecanna and Defined dominate the cannabis beauty market – with anti aging serums retailing at $64 for 2oz.

Whoppi Goldberg’s home-spa range ‘Whoopi & Maya’ claims targeted relief for cramps and is picking up momentum with beauty bloggers after being featured in Vanity Fair.

And it’s not just start-ups - established luxury brands such as  Malin + Goetz and Balenciaga infuse cannabis into their perfumes and oils.

Cannabis is also playing a role in wellness and active lifestyles:

Exercise and weed may seem like an unusual combination, however Everx CBD infused water claims to be the sports drink ‘athletes trust’ for it’s ability to relax the body and relieve pain post-workout.

Meanwhile, reality TV personality Bethenny Frankel found success with her ‘Skinnygirl’ line of low-calorie alcoholic drinks and is now looking to further her business into ‘wellness cannabis’ – developing a new strain of marijuana that eliminates the munchies.

9. TRAVEL

For a long time, Amsterdam was known as the capital of cannabis tourism, however with the legalisation of marijuana sweeping across the U.S & Europe, the ‘green traveler's’ map has started to shift.

BUD & BREAKFAST: Thanks to 4/20 specific travel agents like Bud & Breakfast (essentially the Airbnb of the weed world) you can upgrade your pokey hammocks & tie-dye sheets to luxury holiday rentals ranging from weed-friendly 15,000sqft mansions in Colorado, to tropical beach-side bungalows in Hawaii.

Billed as the ‘nation’s first cannabis-friendly’ resort, 170 acre Colorado ranch ‘Cannacamp’ is a lot like a vineyard - you can tour the grounds, take in the views, buy from the on-site dispensary and enjoy a farm-to-table meal.

Cannacamp prices start from around $400 per person, per night. For a more affordable option The Nativ Hotel in Denver offers 4/20 friendly stays from around $160.

10. MEDIA

As cannabis emerges from the black market into legal legitimacy, new publications – in print & online – are popping up with regularity, whilst mainstream press and lifestyle titles are also leaning into ‘weedia’.

For an industry of it’s size, there’s no surprise media outlets are dedicating themselves to pot culture.

Marijuana.com recently hired a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist to lead it’s editorial operations, whilst High Times magazine has been reporting on marijuana counterculture since it was founded more than 40 years ago.

Mainstream media has also joined the push into marijuana coverage – The Denver Post hired the paper’s first ever marijuana critic and introduced ‘The Cannabist’, a website dedicated to the cannabis industry.

And weedia doesn’t stop there – with a significant proportion of the luxury cannabis market being female, there’s no surprise publications such as Vogue, Vanity Fair & Elle are dedicating ink to cannabis content.

PR powerhouse Cheryl Shuman says “It’s becoming more chic to talk about marijuana, it’s like being part of a tribe, if you will”.

It’s not often entire industries are born, so it feels like an exciting opportunity to break all traditions - legal marijuana could be the first billion dollar industry not dominated by men.

For as long as VICE has existed, cannabis-culture has always played part in their reporting. Now, with verticals such as their food dedicated platform ‘Munchies’ and their TV channel VICELAND, VICE’s role in cannabis culture has shifted from ‘report’ to ‘create’.

With ambassadors such as rapper & chef Action Bronson and host of ‘Huang’s World’ Eddie Huang, the breadth of VICE’s cannabis-content has appeal far beyond the hardcore ‘Ancient Aliens’ community.

VICELAND will be celebrating 4/20 all week with a wave of content, social takeovers & pop-ups across NY & LA.

Kat Towers - Head of Culture 

Follow our Twitter & Instagram stories via @ehupLOVE

[adelaster]

Where to Begin?

We are Theo and Rachel. We’re both writers and interdisciplinary artists. Theo grew up in the Boston area; Rachel in Southern Indiana; and we each have lived for seasons in a range of other places across the U.S. and internationally. In 2009, we met in Providence through the MFA Playwriting program at Brown University. In 2011, we moved to Minneapolis, where we’ve been living and working for the past five years. Before writing, we both grew up doing visual art and music and acting; and we both still work across a lot of different disciplines.

We believe in the urgent importance of exercising and expanding the public imagination. We are committed to artistic inquiry and the many forms it can take, including creative research, experiments, practice, new work development, skill-sharing, community organizing, exhibitions, books, and performances. In other words, we love getting together in rooms with people and being terrible at a new thing we’re trying, and having big conversations, and throwing all the rules out the window, and experimenting, and investigating, and making unexpected discoveries, and sharing with the world, and growing in the process.

The Beginning Was Long Before Us

There is a beautiful stretch of land, informally known as “the Parsons Place,” in New Portland, Maine that has been in Theo’s family since 1902. To reach it, you drive until the interstate becomes a series of two-lane highways, through smaller and smaller towns, then over an old wire bridge and down a rutted dirt road. The land is about 100 acres. There’s a small white house, built in the early 1800s, with attached outbuildings: a well room, a carriage shed, and a big barn with one red wall. The outbuildings are filled with antique objects of fascination, like ancient ice tongs, wood saws, scythes and other tools, beautiful old heavy furniture, looms, a 19th century carriage, even a sleigh with working bells. Once upon a time, this farm was home to animals and apple orchards (there’s still a single apple tree in the front field). Before that, it was mostly deep dark pine forest; and deep dark pine forest is mostly what the land has returned to now.

The Parsons Place is beautiful and eclectic and warm. There is a smell of dust and peace, and old wood, and an edge of something more mysterious. It has been lived in, visited, and lovingly maintained by various members of the family for several generations. Over the years, the house and outbuildings were (literally at times) filled to the rafters with precious junk; collections of objects became stratified layers of time as decade after decade made their imprint. At some point, the kitchen, with its old iron and brick ovens, acquired linoleum flooring and a dishwasher. 1950s gadgets co-mingled with 1920s postcards, Ian and Sylvia records, various layers of wallpaper, board games and plastic soldiers, ceiling fans, quilts, books, sturdy writing desks, and all manner of arcane bric-a-brac from who-knows-when.

Theo grew up visiting the farm with his family in the summers. He never used the word “refuge,” but that’s what it was — a place of safety that invited a lingering in imagination, that slowed down time and multiplied space into a thousand Bachelardian crannies, where the silence at night pulls you in and reminds you that you’re an incredibly tiny blip in the vast expanse of time and trees and mountains and stars. A place where there are ghosts to speak to, and the sound of coyotes, maybe even wolves, in the distance. A place that inspires overwrought language about time and trees and ghosts and wolves and starlight.

In recent years, Theo’s family has been grappling with the reality that keeping up this farm is not sustainable much longer. Everyone is too scattered, and the maintenance on a house this old is significant, especially as it endures the winters of central Maine. While a few members of the extended family still live nearby, others now live in different states and can’t visit as often - including Theo’s amazing mother, Rae, who currently maintains the property with great care from Boston but knows this arrangement won’t work long-term. So the difficult decision was made to sell the Parsons Place. 

Of Course There’s No Single Beginning 

In Fall 2015, we made what we thought would be our last trip out to New Portland, to say goodbye to the farm. During that visit, we couldn’t help but marvel (not for the first time) over the farm’s remarkable capacity for supporting writing and thinking and art-making. We had dreamed many times before about the prospect of turning the Parsons Place into some kind of artist residency or retreat; but given other commitments and the financial reality of being “emerging artists,” we never gave the idea much serious thought.

On this visit, however - now with more experience in budgeting, fundraising, arts administration, and producing than in years past - we suddenly wondered what it would take.

Rae immediately offered to help us investigate. We did some initial crunching of numbers and realized the current annual expenses, even with inevitable repairs factored in, are far less than we expected. We had raised enough funds for our creative projects in the past that covering the annual costs for this space plus a modest budget for programming suddenly didn’t seem so far outside the realm of possibility. As we road-tripped back across the country, we couldn’t stop thinking and brainstorming about the possibilities. We began to envision a development space for collaborative performance work, a hub for skill-sharing and rural/urban dialogue and international exchange, a resource that could be accessible to artists of all ages, abilities, cultures, income levels, and family configurations—especially those who are currently underserved, for one reason or another, by higher education and traditional artist residency models. 

We envisioned a place where all of our far-flung colleagues, semi-nomadic peers, and local neighbors could intersect and work on projects they’ve been unable to get to for one reason or another, from plays to dances to operas to graphic novels to films to puppet shows to paintings to poems. We imagined sculptures and land art installations throughout the forest. We dreamed of a place where we could unpack questions about form and process; about how people are shaped by their environments and histories; about the interdependency of people coming from very different environments and histories; about interactions between people and nature in this era of global warming and mass extinction; about relationships between art and activism. A place with just the right balance of solitude and community, contemplative silence and dynamic exchange. A place that could have active relationships with all the different cities and towns we call home. 

We knew it could be so beautiful, such an exciting and important opportunity, if not for the big question of...

But Where to Begin?

Rae loved this prospect of the farm being repurposed in this way, so she took it off the market as we considered everything more seriously (the market had been extremely slow, anyway, with agents urging her cut the price lower and lower). Romantic as the project sounded, we were under no illusions about how much unromantic work would need to go into it and didn’t want to jump to hasty conclusions. We gave ourselves six months to make the first small but mighty decision: 1) drop the idea, or 2) do something (which then could be defined any number of ways).

Our deadline arrived - and we decided to do something.

The next steps, from March through the present, have involved lots more (ongoing) research and a week-long convening at the farm in September with colleagues from Maine, Minnesota, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont – as well as many other places in spirit. We worked on assorted creative projects, cooked meals together, did a whole lot of brainstorming, and made several field trips to visit and learn from Maine residents working in art and agriculture. More on all that to be posted here in the future, but in short - it was a really excellent, productive, saturating, and affirming week. 

We’re still processing the conversations and ideas that came out of that gathering, now very much alongside the widespread aftermath of the November 2016 U.S. presidential election, and we’re meeting with fellow artists and other colleagues in different cities to brainstorm further. We’re learning about what kinds of spaces already exist, what is missing, what is wanted, and what is needed. We’re doing some deep reflection on what makes sense for our own art practices (and souls), what it means to have access to this kind of space, and what it can offer to others that is genuinely valuable and accessible. In summer 2017, we’ll embark on some “beta programming,” to be detailed here soon; and the process will keep growing organically from there.

We’re learning so much through all the thinking-dreaming-researching-building; so we’ve created this online hub to gather, document, and share out the process. We hope it will be an interesting resource for those excited to create this space with us, for those who might want to build something kindred of their own, and for those who might be moving in a whole different direction but find some useful ideas or inspiration here.

We’ll aim to post at least once monthly moving forward, plus share guest posts when possible; stay with us. You can also click here to sign up for very periodic email updates.

All photos by Theo* 

*(except the snapshot of Theo & Rachel, which was taken by a small machine in Dresden). 

Next Post: How to Get Involved

[andrewdburton]

How I’m fighting chronic depression and anxiety

Hello, friends! I have four money articles in progress, plus I'm editing several guest posts for future publication. But today I want to give a brief update on my mental health. My depression and anxiety have been tough this year but it feels like I've turned a corner, and I want to share what's helped.

Each week when I go to therapy, I complete a survey regarding my recent mood and attitude. It's about what you'd expect. There's a list of maybe a dozen statements, and for each I fill in a bubble indicating how strongly I agree (or disagree) based on my experience during the previous seven days.

From memory, sample statements include:

I feel nervous and/or my heart races.

I feel anxious in social situations.

I have friends and family I can ask for support.

I have trouble finding motivation to get things done.

I'm able to complete everything I want to do.

And so on.

At my first therapy session in April, my score on this assessment was awful. I felt anxious all of the time. I was having trouble with increased heart rates. (Thanks, Apple Watch, for constantly flagging that.) And by far my biggest problem was getting done everything I wanted to get done. I wasn't doing anything. I was too deep in my anxiety and depression.

Last week, I visited my therapist for the first time in a month. As always, I completed the mental health inventory before our appointment started.

“Whoa!” my counselor said when she saw the results. She pulled up my past scores on her computer. “This is the best you've been since we started working together. You marked that everything's fine except for your ability to get work done. That's great. What happened?”

“What happened is that I got out of my routine,” I said. “I've been on vacation. Plus, I've been doing a lot of the things you and I have talked about. They've helped. Right now, the reason I can't get done everything I want to do has nothing to do with depression and anxiety. It's just that I have so much on my plate that I can't figure out how to prioritize it!”

During our time together, my therapist and I have explored a variety of steps I can take to improve my mental health. When I actually implement these things, life is great. (I have a tendency to talk about making changes without actually doing so. This was especially true early on.)

Here are three changes that have helped me cope with my depression and anxiety.

Spending More Time with People

When Kim and I lived in a condo in the city, I got plenty of social interaction on a daily basis. Now we live in a house in the country. Unless I make an effort to reach out, I can go a week without having a meaningful conversation with anyone but Kim.

Plus, I lost touch with many of my old friends when Kim and I embarked on our fifteen-month RV trip around the U.S. When I returned home, I didn't resume the relationships (and my friends didn't either).

Some people have social interaction built into their lives. They're surrounded by co-workers on weekdays. They attend church on Sunday. They take their kids to school events and/or participate in community organizations. I don't do any of this.

For many years, I had a built-in social group because I took Crossfit classes. I got to interact with my fitness friends several days each week. But I haven't attended classes in a long, long time, so that network has vanished too.

This summer, I've deliberately taken steps to reconnect with old friends. I invite them to join me at Portland Timbers games. I have lunch or dinner with them. We walk dogs together. Although I haven't joined any community groups, Kim and I are both looking to do so.

There's still more work to be done here, but I feel as if I'm moving in the right direction. It feels good to reconnect with people.

Exercising and Eating Right

Speaking of exercise, this is another area where I've let things slide.

I used to be fat. I ate poorly and I didn't exercise, so naturally I gained weight and then maintained it. My poor choices were reflected in my (lack of) physical fitness.

In 2010, I resolved to change. I reduced my calorie intake and made better food choices. More importantly, I started cycling and discovered Crossfit. Within two years, I was the fittest I'd ever been in my life. I was lean. I was strong. It felt amazing.

No joke: Being fit and knowing that you're fit is one of the best things you can do to boost your confidence and to fight depression. I'd always heard that. For a few years, I lived it.

I maintained my fitness until 2015. When Kim and I left for our RV trip, however, my health began to erode. At first, she and I made time to exercise but gradually our motivation vanished. At the same time, we were eating more unhealthy food (we wanted to try the regional cuisine!) and drinking more alcohol (we wanted to try the regional wine and beer!). We packed on the pounds.

Since returning to Portland in 2016, I've made intermittent attempts to exercise and eat right but nothing has stuck. “I had to buy fat clothes for our trip,” I told my therapist before we left for Italy in August. You can bet she had a chat with me about (a) my word choice and (b) my inability to follow through with fitness.

Now, I have a plan. My crazy summer schedule becomes less crazy on October 15th. After that, I have no travel planned. I will sign up for Orange Theory classes and attend them early every morning. (I have to exercise first thing or it won't get done.)

In the meantime, I've already begun reducing my calorie intake and making healthier choices. My goal is to lose weight this winter instead of gain it.

Lowering My Expectations

Perhaps the biggest change I can make to improve my mental health is this: lowering my expectations for myself. I am a perfectionist. But perfectionism leads to both procrastination and disappointment.

“J.D., why are you forcing yourself to publish so much when you know that doing so is stressful?” my therapist asked in June. “This is an expectation you've placed on yourself. Nobody else has done this to you. You are making yourself unhappy.”

Good point. And, you know what? This was one of the primary reasons I sold Get Rich Slowly back in 2009. Ten years ago, I was deeply unhappy because of the publication schedule I had imposed upon myself.

So, Tom and I have been s-l-o-w-l-y transitioning to a different model here at the website.

I will write when I want to write (about what I want to write).

He and I are working together to revise and expand older articles. We'll publish new and improved versions from time to time.

We've been publishing articles from guest authors and from places like NerdWallet.

We're in the process of hiring a staff writer. (Maybe more than one?) If you're interested, you should apply for the position.

But it's not just here at the blog that I have to fight my high expectations. It's everywhere in my life: my relationships, my health, my home — even my expectations of what I do in my spare time.

Yesterday, I was talking with my former Crossfit coach about returning to the gym. “J.D.,” he said, “I know you. And if I could offer one piece of advice, it'd be this: Set your bar for success very low. If you go in and expect to be where you were six years ago, you're going to give up. For now, you should count it a success if you simply show up.”

“Showing up” seems like a low bar indeed, but my coach is right. If my expectations are too high, there's no doubt that I'll fall short. And when I do, I'll be discouraged. It'll stop me from starting! So, my first fitness goal will simply be: get to the gym each day.

It's going to take some time for me to shed all of my expectations. (And, truthfully, I'm not sure discarding all expectations is even desirable.) But that's why I'm working with a therapist.

Here's an example of my expectations in action. Although I've agreed with my counselor that I should not adhere to a publication schedule at GRS, I begin to get antsy as days pass and I don't have something new ready for readers.

In fact, this very article is a result of that. For the past seven days, I've been working almost non-stop even though there's nothing new to show for it. It's been a week since I published my last piece and it's stressing me out.

When I sat down with my coffee this morning, I started writing a journal entry about how this expectation was making me unhappy. That journal entry turned into this article. I still have work to do on this haha!

Everything I Already Know

The funny thing about therapy (to me) is that my counselor's advice is stuff I already know. I have a psychology degree, after all, and at one time I intended to become a therapist myself. The things she says and does are all very familiar to me. (She's always telling me not to worry about things I cannot control, which is hilarious because that's what I'm always telling you folks.)

But there's a difference between knowing and doing. You can have all of the book knowledge in the world, but if you don't put that knowledge into practice, what's the point? My counselor's job is to move me from words to action.

Honestly, I feel great right now. This is how I used to feel most of the time — and how I want to feel in the future. I'm enjoying life and getting shit done. The darkness is currently at bay. All I see is light.

Yes, I feel overwhelmed by how much work I have to get done — next Thursday, I leave for another 20 days on the road! — but instead of shirking the work, I'm doing it. And the workload isn't due to negligence on my part. It's just a perfect storm of deadlines and travel.

But in the back of my mind, I'm worried about what might happen this coming spring. The past few springs have been miserable for me. I'm dreading a return to the days of lying in bed, the lack of desire to talk to anyone about anything. I don't like myself when I spend all day in my underwear playing videogames. Yuck.

I'm making the right moves now, though. I'm being proactive. I'm being a grasshopper, not an ant. While everything seems rosy and bright, I'm working to lay a foundation for future success, working to create systems that will help me maintain a positive direction even when the depression and anxiety come creeping back next year.

Fingers crossed that all of the preparation pays off!

The post How I’m fighting chronic depression and anxiety appeared first on Get Rich Slowly.

from Finance https://www.getrichslowly.org/how-to-fight-depression/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[addictionrecoveryassistance]

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[themoneybuff-blog]

Choosing Between a Fireplace, Wood Stove, and Pellet Stove

I grew up with both fireplaces and wood stoves, but neither experience really prepared me for tending to my own fireplace or buying a wood or pellet stove of my own. Each year when the temperatures drop, the sky grays, and the heating bill starts to inch upward, I am reminded of my familys first fireplace. In 1984, we moved into a home in Belleville, N.J., that could best be described as a Craftsman Colonial complete with a covered porch, dark woodwork along the stairs, windows, and trim, and a prominent fireplace in the front living room flanked by two small windows. My mother had never lived in a home with a fireplace, so she left the fire-tending duties to my stepfather. Hed keep an eye on the newspapers classified section for people offering free firewood, tow it home in a utility trailer, and spend hours splitting and stacking it into a lean-to beside our garage. The fires themselves were basically trials by fire: We learned whether the damper was open only after smoke blew back into the living room. We discovered there was an ash chute to the basement (and what is now the furnace room) only after the hatch in the fireplace floor fell open and burning coals began falling through. We learned about temperature inversions only after the neighbors called the police or fire department because the neighborhood was cloaked in low-lying smoke. Eventually, however, my parents upgraded the open-air fireplace with a wood-stove insert and a chimney liner. With its fan on, the powered wood stove could heat the entire first floor of the house even if it made sitting in the living room unbearably hot. My stepfather still claims it heats all 1,400 square feet, but myriad multi-blanket nights in the bedroom directly above it say otherwise. More importantly, it led to more efficient burns and an overall more useful (and less dangerous) heat source. Nearly 30 years later, I found myself in a home of my own with not one, but three chimneys. One was attached to a shallow Rumford fireplace, another was simply an ornamental remnant of the homes former 19th-century stove heating system, and the last was a tall chrome chimney built for a guest-quarters wood stove that was never installed. The house came with high-efficiency gas furnaces on each floor, but my wife and I liked the idea of using fireplaces and stoves during the shoulder seasons to cut down on fuel costs. As we weighed our options, we called in a chimney sweep to clean up the last owners mess and get us started. After taking one look up our fireplace chimney, he refused to go any further and said that cleaning the chimney could be taken as an endorsement of its use, which it certainly wasnt. Thats how we learned the first question of fireplaces and wood stoves: What kind of infrastructure are you working with? In the case of our fireplace, we were dealing with a chimney that had little to no mortar left between its bricks sitting atop a firebox that had a wad of insulation shoved into it as a damper. To rebuild much of the chimney, install a damper, and install a bird screen chimney cap, we ended up paying roughly $5,000. However, we got a fireplace with an easy-opening damper, tremendous draw up the chimney, and enough reflected heat to adequately warm its room and the room above with minimal wood. For our only other functional fireplace, we strongly considered both a wood stove and a pellet stove. The guest quarters have heating ducts, but theyre far enough from the furnace to make the heat output minimal. We gave pellet stoves a good look and liked what we saw: They burn at 70 to 83 percent efficiency, are relatively simple to install, and certain models can even burn nut shells and wood chips. However, they also require bags of pellets (typically 40-pound bags that can add up to a ton or more by the end of a season) to operate as well as a place to store them. Also, in our case, we already had chimney pipe sticking through the roof, and the cost of removing it and fixing the roof was only going to add to the total cost of a pellet stove some of which dont even require a chimney. We discovered, however, that newer catalytic wood-burning stoves could also operate at up to 83 percent efficiency, cut down on emissions, and make the best use of our existing chimney. With the help of the folks at Gordon Fireplace in Portland, Ore., (which has since closed) we were able to get a Vermont Castings Intrepid for less than $2,000. That was roughly the same cost as the small pellet stoves that could heat our roughly 700 square feet of lofted space, and it could burn wood that wed stored outside. When a 150-year-old Pignut Hickory tree fell on our property about a year later, we suddenly found ourselves with roughly four pallets worth of firewood stacked five-feet high. Even better, however, was the cheap or free cord wood in our neighborhood that we still regularly find on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and elsewhere when we dont feel like dipping into high-BTU knots of old hickory. Weve had the wood stove for nearly three years now, and have since closed the heat vent to the guest quarters. If anything, we advise guests to keep the stove set to a low burn just so they dont end up feeling overheated in the middle of the night. Every so often, we still consider putting an insert into the fireplace to get more out of it. A fireplace insert can increase efficiency and cut heating costs, but our fireplace faces away from the large majority of the house, making it an effective heat source for only one to two rooms at most. However, we remain pleased with the decision to use the wood stove in the guest quarters. If we were starting from scratch, the simplicity of the pellet stove and its comparable cost may have won us over. Maybe we couldve invested in a shed for the pellets or found some storage nooks we werent using. But pellet stoves also require electricity to run their fans, pellet feeders, and controls, where the wood stove doesnt add to energy costs and still works at 100 percent if and when the lights go out during a storm. Also, while pellet fuel can cost $3 to $4 a bag (with each bag lasting roughly a full day), free firewood tends to show up everywhere in our area. Granted, youll likely have to pick it up and/or split it yourself, but you now have options to burn that wood efficiently and get the most heat for minimal investment. This doesnt make every wood stove a winner. Our surrounding county has an ongoing wood stove exchange program that offers homeowners $1,500 to $3,500 in rebates just to get rid of older, less efficient wood stoves (even replacing stoves for free in certain households). Even then, theyre reluctant to buy new, more-efficient wood stoves or inserts if a pellet stove or a gas stove is available. In the end, the costs associated with inserts, pellet stoves, and wood stoves are similar enough that it really comes down to circumstance. If you live in an area like mine where wood is abundant and lots of people are looking to get rid of some, a wood stove can be an inexpensive way to heat your home. However, if youre starting from scratch and just need a simple secondary heat source to get you through a few tough months, theres a lot to be said for a pellet stove. However, if you have a fireplace and chimney that actually face into the rest of your home and are just sucking most of your homes heat up the chimney otherwise an insert is likely the least expensive, simplest option. My parents have used one for 30 years, and they can help turn one of your homes aesthetic quirks into a functional, reliable, multigenerational heat source. Related Articles: https://www.thesimpledollar.com/choosing-between-a-fireplace-wood-stove-and-pellet-stove/

[davidoespailla]

To Discover an Up-and-Coming Neighborhood, Look for the Museum

Beth Hall for The Wall Street Journal

The biggest thing at the museum these days isn’t the latest impressionism exhibit or photography talk. It’s the real estate surrounding the museum building that’s generating buzz.

A number of cities around the globe have discovered that a new museum or arts district not only revitalizes downtowns, they improve real-estate values as well. Home buyers are drawn to the buildings’ bold architecture, as well as the rotating exhibits, guest lectures and attractive indoor and outdoor common areas.

What’s more, the museums attract corporate employers and tourists, bolstering the neighborhood’s restaurant and entertainment scene. The phenomenon is what’s now called the Bilbao effect—named after Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Spain, which opened in 1997 and was a catalyst for the revitalization of the Basque town.

“Museum developments enhance neighborhoods and boost the value of real estate nearby,” says Stephen Sheppard, an economics professor at Williams College in Massachusetts who studies the impact of new museums on nearby real estate. According to his research, property values of homes near museums rise between 20% and 50% over the course of five years to create “vibrant communities.”

In 2015, Steve Freeman purchased a 1954 Midcentury Modern home in downtown Bentonville, Ark., for $850,000. He chose it, in part, for its location on a nature path between downtown and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, which opened in 2011.

The main living area of the Freeman home. The couple renovated the 1950s Midcentury Modern home to create a comfortable downtown retreat.

Beth Hall for The Wall Street Journal

Mr. Freeman, who is 55, completed a 2½-year renovation last year that cost about $2.5 million and moved in with his wife, Julie, and three school-age children. To build a 2,000-square-foot addition, they used stone from the same Arkansas quarry that was used in the home’s original construction. The couple added custom outdoor fireplaces, mahogany wood siding, new windows and gutted the kitchen and a bathroom. The location makes the investment worth it, says Mr. Freeman, the owner of a retail-services company. “It’s a good feeling to have a nice safe environment with so many amenities,” he says.

The kitchen and dining area of Julie and Steve Freeman’s Bentonville home. During an extensive renovation, the couple wanted to keep the home’s original Midcentury feel.

Beth Hall for The Wall Street Journal

Set on 120 acres, the modern art museum is the brainchild of Walmart heiress Alice Walton. The Moshe Safdie-designed campus has revitalized the downtown Bentonville area, with more restaurants and entertainment venues settling in, says John Mayer, an agent with Coldwell Banker specializing in downtown Bentonville. In 2012, a year after Crystal Bridges opened, only two homes were sold downtown for $300,000 or more. So far this year, 56 homes have sold for over $300,000, including new construction, he says. “All of a sudden…people were concerned about walkability,” he says.

In the Berkshires, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams, Mass., now has one of the largest collections in the country. While high-end homes are still rare, many out-of-state buyers are starting to look in the area and revamp existing properties, says real-estate agent Kim Burnham. “Anything within walking distance to Mass MoCA is exploding,” says Ms. Burnham. Time on the market decreased to 98 days in 2018 from 256 days in 2016, according to Multiple Listing Service data. There are still plenty of bargains: The most expensive homes sell for $250,000, but they need a lot of work, she says.

Near the museum, homeowners are gut renovating a number of brick Tudors and Victorians while keeping the character of the façades. Also near the museum is Greylock Works, a former cotton-spinning mill that now has an events space, artisanal food offerings, a distillery and conference areas. Earlier this month, the planning board approved plans for 51 one- to three-bedroom condos in what was the Main Mill building. Pre-sales will start in spring 2019, but pricing hasn’t been disclosed.

Arthur DeBow moved from Portland, Ore., two years ago to a home that’s just two blocks from Mass MoCA. Now the curator of a local gallery, Mr. DeBow purchased a duplex for under $100,000.

“When we looked at it in the pictures, it almost looked like a haunted house,” says Mr. DeBow, who is 63. He and his partner, William Archer, gut-renovated the 4,500-square-foot 1880s home over three years and now rent out half of it. In making their cross-country move, the couple left much of their previous furniture behind. Their new home features bold wall colors and a more modern style. “We embraced starting over,” he adds.

Even before the year-old Remai Modern art museum in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, was completed last year, it had plenty of buzz among luxury buyers. Prices for luxury single-family listings in the River Landing area within walking distance of the museum can reach up to $2.28 million, with an average of $570 per square foot.

“It’s really put River Landing on the map,” says Dawn Foord, an agent with Remax in Saskatoon.

Local developer John Nasser is one of the partners completing No. 1 River Landing, a 20-floor high-rise next door to the Remai in the spring. A weekend sales event in 2016 pre-sold most of the units in the building, with the developers adding another four floors that also sold out. One-bedroom units start at $243,000, with two-bedrooms starting at $531,000.

The Remai Modern has “shifted the center of downtown toward the art gallery,” Mr. Nasser says. Buying the lot was a long bet on the building’s eventual proximity to the institution. “We knew the value of it,” he says.

The Edwin Hotel, a luxury boutique hote that, opened in downtown Chattanooga this fall. The hotel is near the Hunter Museum of American Art.

Andrea Fremiotti for The Wall Street Journal

In Chattanooga, Tenn., the Hunter Museum of American Art and growing arts district have reshaped the residential landscape downtown, says Geoff Ramsey, president of the Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtors.

In the past few years, developers have been buying teardowns to build new single-family homes and townhouses, he says. “Anything within a 15-minute walk of the Hunter has just blown up,” he says. The average sale price of homes with .75 miles of the museum was $573,000 in July 2018, compared with $271,100 in July 2016, according to MLS data.

This fall, hotelier Mitch Patel opened the Edwin, a 90-room boutique hotel next to the Hunter. With the location a draw, Mr. Patel has built a private residence for himself on the fourth floor. The three-bedroom, 2,800-square-foot condo will serve as a weekend home for his family, including three school-aged sons, says Mr. Patel, who owns a portfolio of 34 hotels and lives in the nearby suburb of East Brainerd.

Edwin Hotel owner Mitch Patel created a condo in the building for his family. The Patels’ second home in downtown Chattanooga allows them to be closer to cultural offerings, including the Hunter Museum.

Andrea Fremiotti for The Wall Street Journal

Understanding the Bilbao Effect

When the Guggenheim Foundation completed a museum in Bilbao in 1997, no one imagined it would come with a global moniker. Two decades later, the Bilbao effect is enticing cities to think big.

In Spain’s Basque country, the combination of a futuristic structure by Frank Gehry and a town shedding its industrial past turned Bilbao into a household name.

“There was an entire urban regeneration strategy,” says Adrian Ellis, a New York-based cultural planner who works with museums and other institutions around the world. “The museum was the jewel in the crown.” In 2016, the Guggenheim generated €485.3 million ($554.6 million) as a result of its activities and maintained 9,000 jobs, according to a study of the museum’s economic impact. In 2017—its 20th anniversary—the museum drew a record 1.3 million visitors.

The Guggenheim was the first project that was completed in a re-imagining of Abandoibarra, Bilbao’s former industrial area that separated the city from the riverfront, says Luis Miguel Lus Arana, professor at the University of Zaragoza who studied the Bilbao effect. In the early 1990s, Bilbao worked to reinvent the waterfront area of the city by adding a conference center, a concert hall, the museum and a light rail to create a new arts district, but the Guggenheim is what “placed Bilbao on the map,” Lus Arana says.

Hotels, airline routes, fine dining, luxury real estate and retail followed. “It was a provincial city…suddenly it became fashionable overseas,” he says. Last year, nearly 5 million passengers landed at the city’s airport, an increase of 8.4% over the previous year.

While others have tried to revitalize towns with splashy museums through their own Bilbao effect, it’s not easy to replicate. In this case, the continuing success is credited to the government’s thoughtful involvement, adds Mr. Ellis. “They have a long-term commitment to the operating budget,” he says.

The post To Discover an Up-and-Coming Neighborhood, Look for the Museum appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

To Discover an Up-and-Coming Neighborhood, Look for the Museum

[endlessarchite]

#107: Are We All Getting Sick Of Watching Big Renovations?

We can’t be the only ones noticing that all of the renovations on TV and online seem to be snowballing. Whatever happened to those budget decorating shows and use-what-you-have makeovers? And who remembers when a blog post might have just been “I ordered some new art” instead of “here’s the entire before & after of our kitchen gut job!” Our own projects certainly have ratcheted up over the years too, so this week we’re discussing how we all got here, if we might be approaching a tipping point, the understandable craving to scale back, and how bloggers & design TV are contributing to the escalation. We’re also breaking down some surprising features of something you’ve probably already got in your toolbox, and we reveal how we finally found some momentum in our beach house backyard projects. Hint: it rhymes with schmot mub.

You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify – or listen to it below! Then use this page to check out any links, notes, or photos we referenced. Note: If you’re reading in a feed reader, you may have to click through to the post to see the player.

WHAT’S NEW

Woo hoo! Our hot tub is in, despite the rest of the beach house’s backyard looking extremely unfinished. This is the Jacuzzi we got and you can hear more about why/where we got it in Episode #104.

Before it was delivered, we had to get some electrical installed, along with a 4″ concrete pad for it to sit on (which will eventually be surrounded by a paver patio). Below is the view from our back door. You can see the stack of pavers that our contractor Sean dropped off for us (we laid a temporary path to keep our feet from getting too muddy, but didn’t snap a photo of that yet).

For reference, this is the general layout we’re headed towards in the beach house backyard. It’s not totally to scale and we ended up putting the hot tub closer to the back corner so we’d have room between it and the shed for a seating area.

You can see our outdoor shower placement above. It’s right next to the back steps in the corner and this is what it looks like so far (we’re still on hold for a privacy surround to be built – but it’s coming eventually!). It’s just a simple outdoor shower kit that Sean put up for us.

You can see how the base turned out, which we described a bit more in the episode. They built a container with treated lumber, layered a base of bricks and sand for stability, poured pea gravel over the bricks for drainage, and topped it all with some Azek planks so it’s comfortable to stand on (Azek is a composite decking material that will never rot). We’ll stain the wood surround to match the back steps and we plan to use the same color Azek elsewhere in the backyard (like as steps to the hot tub and a few planter boxes) so everything should tie together.

I also mentioned getting bad poison ivy when demo-ing stuff in the backyard after we first bought it. If you want to hear that story, it’s in Episode #27.

And I thought I’d end this section with a “hot tub after dark” photo, where you can see the garden string lights that we hung (it’s the spare set we didn’t end up using in our own backyard). They’re just kinda randomly strung in the trees at this point, but we’re planning to drape them off the shed once it’s built. Thankfully even this temporary hanging job ups the charm-factor back there.

Take Five: 5 Things You Might Not Know About Your Tape Measure

The tape measure pictured above is a Stanley FatMax 25′ Tape Measure, which has served us well.

I wasn’t able to find the exact “self-centering” tape measure we used to have, but this one seems to be the current version of it. It clearly lists the half measurement under each number on the tape (for example, under the 2″ mark it says 1″) so you can quickly calculate the middle of your measurement. It’s really helpful for weirder measurements when your brain is too tired to figure that stuff out yourself.

Big Renovation Fatigue

Here are the articles we referenced about “big renovation fatigue,” as we’re dubbing it:

Curbed’s “We Need A New Kind Of HGTV”

Apartment Therapy’s “America, You’ve Lost Your Freaking Mind Over Renovations“

And what do you guys think?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Here’s the link to that little guest bathroom makeover we mentioned from our last house: Our $51 Bathroom Makeover (it wasn’t $130 like Sherry guessed – it was actually just $51!)

Speaking of small renovations, here’s where you can read more about the “Phase 1” approach that Sherry mentioned us taking in a lot of our renovations.

We also shouted out some other bloggers who have taken on second properties as fixer uppers to renovate and use as vacation homes, rentals, and beyond:

Elsie’s Nashville Airbnb from A Beautiful Mess

Chris & Julia’s A-Frame Cabin

Emily Henderson’s Mountain House & Portland Fixer Upper

Katie Bower’s Monroe House

Forgot to mention Yellow Brick Home’s Tree House – but it’s a really cool project too!

We also mentioned designers on Instagram who are doing amazing whole house renovations and then decorating every inch of them like: Amber Interiors & Studio McGee

And, if you’re really interested in it, here’s the post about ordering a duvet cover and another post about it arriving. Oh 2010, you’re hilarious.

We’re Digging

First things first, here’s that link to our new Book Club page where we’ve rounded up all of the books we’ve recommended on the podcast over the last two years (not just creepy/murdery ones).

And this week, as you heard, I was digging Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson, the same guy behind another fave: The Kind Worth Killing. I was captivated by it, and it does weave in a little bit of real estate (there’s kind of a The Holiday situation that kicks off the mystery)

But if you need something lighter, check out Nailed It! on Netflix to crack up and feel better about your own baking shortcomings. Trailer below!

If you’re looking for something we’ve dug in a past episode but don’t remember which show notes to click into, here’s a master list of everything we’ve been digging from all of our past episodes.

And lastly, a big thank you to Agility Bed for sponsoring this episode. Remember to get $150 off your hybrid mattress order with the code YHL150 at AgilityBed.com. They’ll ship it to you for free and if you don’t like it, you can return it within the first 100 nights, no questions asked!

Thanks for listening, guys!

*This post contains affiliate links*

The post #107: Are We All Getting Sick Of Watching Big Renovations? appeared first on Young House Love.

#107: Are We All Getting Sick Of Watching Big Renovations? published first on https://bakerskitchenslimited.tumblr.com/

[statusreview]

#107: Are We All Getting Sick Of Watching Big Renovations?

We can’t be the only ones noticing that all of the renovations on TV and online seem to be snowballing. Whatever happened to those budget decorating shows and use-what-you-have makeovers? And who remembers when a blog post might have just been “I ordered some new art” instead of “here’s the entire before & after of our kitchen gut job!” Our own projects certainly have ratcheted up over the years too, so this week we’re discussing how we all got here, if we might be approaching a tipping point, the understandable craving to scale back, and how bloggers & design TV are contributing to the escalation. We’re also breaking down some surprising features of something you’ve probably already got in your toolbox, and we reveal how we finally found some momentum in our beach house backyard projects. Hint: it rhymes with schmot mub.

You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify – or listen to it below! Then use this page to check out any links, notes, or photos we referenced. Note: If you’re reading in a feed reader, you may have to click through to the post to see the player.

WHAT’S NEW

Woo hoo! Our hot tub is in, despite the rest of the beach house’s backyard looking extremely unfinished. This is the Jacuzzi we got and you can hear more about why/where we got it in Episode #104.

Before it was delivered, we had to get some electrical installed, along with a 4″ concrete pad for it to sit on (which will eventually be surrounded by a paver patio). Below is the view from our back door. You can see the stack of pavers that our contractor Sean dropped off for us (we laid a temporary path to keep our feet from getting too muddy, but didn’t snap a photo of that yet).

For reference, this is the general layout we’re headed towards in the beach house backyard. It’s not totally to scale and we ended up putting the hot tub closer to the back corner so we’d have room between it and the shed for a seating area.

You can see our outdoor shower placement above. It’s right next to the back steps in the corner and this is what it looks like so far (we’re still on hold for a privacy surround to be built – but it’s coming eventually!). It’s just a simple outdoor shower kit that Sean put up for us.

You can see how the base turned out, which we described a bit more in the episode. They built a container with treated lumber, layered a base of bricks and sand for stability, poured pea gravel over the bricks for drainage, and topped it all with some Azek planks so it’s comfortable to stand on (Azek is a composite decking material that will never rot). We’ll stain the wood surround to match the back steps and we plan to use the same color Azek elsewhere in the backyard (like as steps to the hot tub and a few planter boxes) so everything should tie together.

I also mentioned getting bad poison ivy when demo-ing stuff in the backyard after we first bought it. If you want to hear that story, it’s in Episode #27.

And I thought I’d end this section with a “hot tub after dark” photo, where you can see the garden string lights that we hung (it’s the spare set we didn’t end up using in our own backyard). They’re just kinda randomly strung in the trees at this point, but we’re planning to drape them off the shed once it’s built. Thankfully even this temporary hanging job ups the charm-factor back there.

Take Five: 5 Things You Might Not Know About Your Tape Measure

The tape measure pictured above is a Stanley FatMax 25′ Tape Measure, which has served us well.

I wasn’t able to find the exact “self-centering” tape measure we used to have, but this one seems to be the current version of it. It clearly lists the half measurement under each number on the tape (for example, under the 2″ mark it says 1″) so you can quickly calculate the middle of your measurement. It’s really helpful for weirder measurements when your brain is too tired to figure that stuff out yourself.

Big Renovation Fatigue

Here are the articles we referenced about “big renovation fatigue,” as we’re dubbing it:

Curbed’s “We Need A New Kind Of HGTV”

Apartment Therapy’s “America, You’ve Lost Your Freaking Mind Over Renovations“

And what do you guys think?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Here’s the link to that little guest bathroom makeover we mentioned from our last house: Our $51 Bathroom Makeover (it wasn’t $130 like Sherry guessed – it was actually just $51!)

Speaking of small renovations, here’s where you can read more about the “Phase 1” approach that Sherry mentioned us taking in a lot of our renovations.

We also shouted out some other bloggers who have taken on second properties as fixer uppers to renovate and use as vacation homes, rentals, and beyond:

Elsie’s Nashville Airbnb from A Beautiful Mess

Chris & Julia’s A-Frame Cabin

Emily Henderson’s Mountain House & Portland Fixer Upper

Katie Bower’s Monroe House

Forgot to mention Yellow Brick Home’s Tree House – but it’s a really cool project too!

We also mentioned designers on Instagram who are doing amazing whole house renovations and then decorating every inch of them like: Amber Interiors & Studio McGee

And, if you’re really interested in it, here’s the post about ordering a duvet cover and another post about it arriving. Oh 2010, you’re hilarious.

We’re Digging

First things first, here’s that link to our new Book Club page where we’ve rounded up all of the books we’ve recommended on the podcast over the last two years (not just creepy/murdery ones).

And this week, as you heard, I was digging Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson, the same guy behind another fave: The Kind Worth Killing. I was captivated by it, and it does weave in a little bit of real estate (there’s kind of a The Holiday situation that kicks off the mystery)

But if you need something lighter, check out Nailed It! on Netflix to crack up and feel better about your own baking shortcomings. Trailer below!

If you’re looking for something we’ve dug in a past episode but don’t remember which show notes to click into, here’s a master list of everything we’ve been digging from all of our past episodes.

And lastly, a big thank you to Agility Bed for sponsoring this episode. Remember to get $150 off your hybrid mattress order with the code YHL150 at AgilityBed.com. They’ll ship it to you for free and if you don’t like it, you can return it within the first 100 nights, no questions asked!

Thanks for listening, guys!

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