#veranda neighbour price

[lethargicluv]

Veranda neighbour Price who smokes his cigars on the veranda of his apartment with a neighbour that shares his veranda behind a partition who is a college student with a plant growing hobby. You always grow too much and when you catch the handsome veteran out for a smoke and a glass of whiskey you offer him some aubergines and heirloom tomatoes. You both make dinner with your vegetables and eat them out on the veranda together. It'll be a veranda neighbour meet-cute.

[studioet]

Sounds of The Studio

Music is an integral part of my life (I spent 7 1/2 years working at Spotify after all) so my sound setup was always going to be one of my top priorities.

When I started planning my setup(s) in the studio, I first dug out my old Arcam amp and Mission 700 speakers. This was the first "proper" hifi system I owned and I remember spending many hours in Sevenoaks HiFi in Kingston swithing Amps, Speakers and CD player until I had the sound I wanted.

The CD's are now all archived in the roof and my music is provided by Spotify (obviously), but for the HiFi I could replace the CD player with a wifi streaming device that was compatible with Spotify Connect.

I actually had a few to choose from that I had bought and backed on Kickstarter a long time ago. I opted to connect my Gramofon device, because it was quick and easy to setup, and is very onobtrusive.

Once set up it just shows up as a device in the Spotify app within the Spotify Connect Devices list. Simply tap on the device and music starts to play out through the amp and speakers. (It's Arcam Studio in this case).

This device isn't available to purchase any more but there are plenty of wifi streamers on the market that will do the same job, and come in various prices and packages.

This unit on Amazon is very similar in terms of features and capability but supports Airplay and even Tidal connect is that's your preferred streaming service, and can connect to your network physically or wirelessly.

In my case, the Gramofon is hidden from view (because it needs no physicaly interaction once set up) and is nicely encased in my Ikea Kallax unit.

However, that's not my only setup. The setup above is great for when I'm sitting on the sofa, but I wanted music while I'm sitting at my desk and for me there was only 1 solution that I felt would delivery the sound experience in a compact speaker unit and that's the Sonos range.

I have 2 Sonos One's (the basic versions) that again allow me to connect to them through Spotify Connect and sit each side of my desk offering me a warm, lively and engaging sound while I type away. I've connected them via Wifi, although they can be hard wired into a multi-port router should you desire.

The Sonos One range come in and basic SL Black or White, or the fully integrated Alexa voice version which also comes in Black or White. The premium for the voice enabled version is about £20-£30 which seems reasonable given the cost of a basic Alexa device.

The Sonos devices can also be grouped together so if you want to control multiple devices at once then you can no problem. Sonos also has a neat feature to optimise the acoustics based on the position of the speakers in the room.

In addition to the 2 One units, I also have a Sonos Roam SL. This is a small portable, battery powered Sonos speaker which really packs a punch. It behaves exactly the same as the One's in terms of connectivity etc, but the beauty of this unit is that I can take it outside onto the veranda on those lovely balmy days when I want to sit outside. It connects via wifi, and again can be connected through Spotify Connect. It does also behave like a Bluetooth speaker as well.

The basic Sonos Roam SL comes without voice support, while the bigger sibling Sonos Roam comes with Alexa built in. There are white and black verisons, just like the rest of the Sonos range.

There are 2 other models to the range. The Sonos Move, which is a larger portable speaker which is fully weatherproof and has Alexa built in also, and the Sonos Arc which is their premium smart soundbar. It sounds absolutely amazing, but it does come at a fairly heft price tag. However, if you've got the space and you're after a premium solution for you music and TV, then you should check it out. It's stunning.

As an end note, when I was spec'ing the studio I did opt for additional sound-proofing so while all these solutions will pack a punch when it comes to blasting out music, I'm sure my neighbours will be none the wiser.

[adelitaflores]

Flores Family garden party

Closed starter @goldenchildminmin 

Where: Flores Estate, Ashmore

When: Mid-Afternoon

About a month prior, the Flores family invite cards had been sent out to all residents in Ashmore, and various select families and individuals from other neighbourhoods in Opulence.  The garden parties held on the Flores estate had been an annual event for the last several centuries, enjoyed during the warmer weather and was an event most individuals were clamouring to receive invites to. Ashmore residents, however, were guaranteed an invite - kind of like a neighbourhood barbeque except instead of a bunch of sandals wearing, suburban males looming over grills with a beer in hand, and housewives milling about gossiping and hushing squealing children, the Flores Garden parties were catered for by local vendors and people wore their finery.

In place of a potluck type situation, various foods were provided on the huge veranda that looked onto the vast garden estate. The pool, lined with plush patio furniture, glistened in the bright sunlight, children and a few party goers making the most of the refreshing water. Musicians played light summery music off to the side, while waiting staff threaded through milling guests offering beverages, appetisers, and the like.

Alongside neighbours were town leaders, local businesses owners, creatives, and even some gangsters and criminals supposedly making a go of a crime free life. Truly, there was a diverse mix in company, but there were never any issues at these events. Though security were stationed in every room, some disguised as service staff, some disguised as guests, very few were fool enough to cause trouble at a High Priestess’s home. Though the witch had rarely had to use her magical gifts to maintain order, her ability to channel the power from each of the members of her coven served as warning enough. Adelita’s events were often the safest place to be – the recent kidnapping and subsequent murders excluded.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself” Adelita was saying to a guest who was coming in from the veranda to greet and thank the witch. The Priestess stood, tall and willowy in quilted napa heals, her hands outstretched to greet her guest. For her outfit that day, she had selected a halter neck, poplin fit-and-flare dress with a full skirt to her ankles, embellished with embroidered roses - an elaborate detail that might call vintage floral decorations. The bare back revealed a slender, somewhat muscular back, half disguised by the low pony she wore her thick dark, silvering curls in.

To her side, stood her second; Matias, as always, but for once the male witch looked almost approachable in that he was not scowling. Overall, the atmosphere was pleasant and inviting, with the sun beaming, and the scent of crushed honeysuckle and cooked delicacies permeating each breath of wind.

Adelita, followed closely by her second, walked into the main room of her home where only a few individuals were seated, no doubt taking shelter from the beaming sun, and she made a beeline for a server pouring tequila. Unlike the somewhat reasonably priced bottles of tequila Sabor De Flores served in town, for her home and house guests the Flores family offered a far wider range of spirits. Adelita had a keen taste for the more expensive bottles in truth, and her guests were not spared the delicacies. At over $2000 a bottle, Barrique de Ponciano Porfidio did not disappoint. The dark amber liquid bore a flavour palette so unique that even those without a taste for the fruits of the “pina” could not deny that it was a treat.

The witch was in good humour and smiling as she accepted the copita glass of tequila and turned towards the entrance to the main room, as a familiar fae made their appearance.

[ddagent]

FAKE DATING ROOMMATES YES I WANT THAT PLEASE

THE MASHUP WEEKEND CONTINUES! Hope you enjoy.

(Also available to read at AO3)

Brienne Tarth was standing on the veranda of their penthouse apartment, sifting through yesterday’s post, when she came across a letter from their landlord. She glanced at the contents, eyes widening. “JAIME!”

“WHAT?”

She strode back inside to what they’d affectionally labelled the tourney ground: a second-floor space that led onto the veranda, with enough room for a couple of bookshelves, a well-used pool table, and two antique broadswords that hung upon the wall. Her flatmate, Jaime Lannister, was stretched out across the table; leaning over to sink a crimson ball in the far pocket. Brienne kept her gaze fixed upon the far wall rather than stare at her best friend’s toned arse. 

“Jaime, did you open this letter?” 

He sunk the ball. “If it’s open and you didn’t, then probably.” 

Brienne swatted him with the envelope. “It’s from the landlord, Jaime. They’re giving us notice for an inspection. For this morning.” Brienne checked her watch. “In half an hour, actually. And if you don’t want to go back to living in Flea Bottom, you’ll help me get this place ready.”

Jaime immediately dropped the pool cue. “I’ll get the wedding rings; you get the pictures.”

Leaving their pleasant morning quickly behind, Jaime and Brienne jumped into action. Their penthouse in the Quiet Isle apartment complex was beautiful: two spacious bedrooms, two bathrooms (each with a shower and tub), a well-lit kitchen and a living area overlooking King’s Landing. To say nothing of the second-floor veranda and the on-site gym and pool. After a string of miserable and often disgusting viewings, this had finally felt like home. And the price was well within a secondary school teacher and an assistant curator’s budget. 

The catch? They had to be married to rent the apartment. 

So, Jaime and Brienne had pretended to be married. They’d got Jaime’s brother to dummy up a marriage certificate, bought a set of rings at a local pawn shop, and paid Brienne’s friend Margaery to take some photographs of them as a couple. It was, perhaps, a little overboard, but you either won the property game, or you were left in a one-bedroom with a black mould and loud neighbours. 

“Got the rings!” Jaime called out from the kitchen. He shoved the golden band onto his finger before producing a matching one and an engagement ring inset with a small sapphire. “Brienne, will you—”

“—we don’t have time,” she huffed, taking the rings from Jaime’s outstretched hand and slipping them on. “We wouldn’t have been rushing had you actually told me about this.”

“It slipped my mind, alright? I was busy marking all last week, and every essay just kept making me angry.” He tucked the boxes back inside a kitchen drawer. “I mean, what fifteen-year-old doesn’t know why Goldenhand killed the Mad King?” 

Brienne sighed. “I can’t have this conversation again.”

“You never listen to me, Brienne. I don’t know why I married you!”

Jaime was grinning when she threw a cushion at his head, and she squealed when his hands tried to grab at her waist. But, sadly, there would be no pillow sparring today; time was running out, and there was still so much to do. Brienne subsequently brought out all their fake photographs: a wedding photograph of her and Jaime; a string of casual pictures on the university campus and the museum; one even of Jaime proposing. Although they’d been friends for five years, and had a multitude of polaroids and discarded lock screens between them, they had needed something that said couple. 

On the other side of the flat, Jaime was clearing out all relevant personal items from his – officially the spare – room. A few clothes; the two photographs Jaime kept by his bed. The stuffed lion his nephew Tommen had given Jaime to keep him safe when his twin’s family moved back to the Westerlands. “I think that’s everything.”

Brienne scrambled over and poked her head into Jaime’s room. “What if she asks why your clothes are in here?”

“I need a lot of cupboard space,” he fired back, carrying his things into Brienne’s bedroom. “She won’t ask, Brienne. I doubt she’ll even notice.” 

Brienne frowned, wishing she shared Jaime’s optimism. But she remembered Mrs Roelle from when they’d signed the lease; the looks she had given the pair of them, and the litany of questions as if they were on trial for murder rather than renting an apartment. “Flea Bottom, Jaime. Better to be safe than sorry.” 

“Fine.” He waved around the boxers he slept in. “Which side does your husband sleep on, Mrs Lannister?”

Brienne faltered; cheeks flushing. “Mrs Lannister sleeps on the–um–the left. So Mr Tarth should sleep on the right.” 

“Good to know.” Jaime shoved his crimson boxers underneath the pillow. Ser Pounce, Tommen’s stuffed lion, sat on top. “I’ll need books for my side. Some marking as well.”

She nodded. “I’ll put an extra towel out in the bathroom. Or would his–and–her bathrooms be better?” Brienne wrung her hands. “Definitely his–and–hers. You have so many products it’d take us twenty minutes just to move them.”

“Hey!” Jaime then huffed, inclining his head. “Alright. I’ll give you that.”

They made the last few alterations to Brienne’s – to their – bedroom until it actually looked like Jaime slept beside her. As the dreaded hour arrived, Brienne moved to wait by the front door. But then she caught Jaime digging through her bedside cabinet and the box that had remained unopened since they’d moved into their first flat together. 

“Aha!” Jaime brandished a condom as he would a sword. “Perfect.”

“What are you—”

“—just toss that there,” he said to himself, throwing the torn wrapper into the bin and stuffing the unused condom in his jeans pocket. Jaime then turned to her, grinning, before closing the distance between them. He placed his hands on her hips and drew her close. “I’m just playing the part. We’re a young, married couple, Brienne Lannister. We have loud, enthusiastic sex regularly.” 

Her eyes briefly glanced towards the bed with Jaime’s sleepwear stuffed underneath one pillow, his scent lingering in the air, and was accosted by images of her best friend atop her; fingers buried between her open thighs and his mouth on her breast. The warmth of Jaime’s hands on her skin did little to help the jump in her pulse, and the reemerging of thoughts she had long thought gone since the early days of their deception. 

Just then, there were two curt raps upon the door. “I should get that.”

“We should get that,” Jaime said, his hand sliding into the back pocket of her jeans. “Now, remember, you’re madly in love with me.” 

If only she could forget. 

[wyatthood]

8 Advantages Of Purchasing A Resort Style Vacation Residence

Vacation homes near disney appear in all size and shapes, from modest sun-filled apartments to bigger life luxury mansions. But arguably, the most effective vacation homes near disney are those in a resorts.

Although they’re usually spacious with the abundance of out of doors living opportunities, they're less about square footage. This sort of vacation home offers all of it from five-star amenities, interior appeal and superior security. Above all, resort style vacation homes boast the most effective locations being minutes from world-renowned landmarks and attractions.

On-Site Amenities Superior Security Surrounding Community Outdoor area Nearby Attractions Simple to Go to Interior Appeal Location, Location, Location

1. On-Site Amenities Resort style vacation homes near disney will almost certainly boast amazing amenities from well maintained pools with lifeguards to restaurants and in many cases on-site spas. Effortlessly these on your own doorstep, you receive a lot more for the cost of a resort style vacation home when compared with those involved with more isolated environments.

2. Superior Security Most resort style vacation homes near disney are housed inside a managed complex. With your, site security and surveillance come as standard. When you’re away or when you’re away, you could be safe knowing your trip home causing all of its assets are thoroughly protected. Some resort style vacation homes will also be run by prestigious hospitality companies, that literally brings a unique pair of benefits.

3. Surrounding Community Another worthwhile benefit for a resort location is its surrounding community, packed with thriving locals, expats, remote workers and holidayers alike. With resort vacation homes, you'll be able to indulge in shared experiences with new friends and neighbours or sit back to relish some peaceful time for it to yourself. An enviable and easygoing lifestyle.

4. Outdoor area Resort style vacation homes near disney are usually located with stunning views and superior microclimates. Outdoor verandas, regularly, terraces and firepits are common common, letting you immerse yourself in indoor-outdoor living. Therefore, resort style vacation homes permit you to take full advantage of your entire property - not merely its interiors.

5. Nearby Attractions Resorts sit in prime positions near to shops, restaurants and attractions. For couples and families spending some time in their own personal getaway, this can be sure to make trips more memorable. For all those renting the holiday home out, proximity to nearby attractions allows you to raise your rental price as well as achieve better occupancy.

6. Easy to Go to This can prime position, resort style vacation homes are really easy to go to and so are often located near major airports, bus routes or train stations. This benefits anyone with all the home, be it yourself, family members or perhaps a paying guest, instantly which makes it more accessible for everybody, no matter where they’re travelling from.

7. Interior Appeal Resort style vacation homes near disney are perhaps most common for their relaxed decor. Think rattan furniture, light linens with an abundance of plants and outdoor elements, all topped served by a nautical colour pallette that brings the coast to your private cove. In the event the beach doesn’t appeal, there are additional possibilities for relaxation in mountain and golf resorts, serving the more adventurous amongst us. Here, interiors are classic and pristine, offering a considered, yet laidback landscape for guests to relax.

8. Location, Location, Location The fact resorts are extremely well located is a large benefit. Resorts are often easy to access and still have amenities close by-something you can’t guarantee with vacation homes near disney outside of resort areas. Resort style vacation homes are designed at the best beaches, natural wonders and conservation areas. Perform properly getaway investment, you'll be able to wake up to some wonderland and instantly benefit from a getaway's best asset: escapism. For additional information about Novaland Mui Ne see this popular internet page.

[lethargicluv]

Masterlist

Simon "Ghost" Riley

Firefighter AU Blurbs 1 2

John "Soap" MacTavish

Farmer's Market AU

John Price

Veranda Neighbours AU

Astarion Ancunin

Lace and Embroidery

[crazyflyingspip]

It's back on! Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt's former home is back on the market for $44.5 million

Back when the A-list couple were happily married, they lived in a stunning Beverly Hills mansion. That very house is back on the market. Giving us a chance once again to see where Jen & Brad lived as husband and wife.

According to TopTenRealEstatesDeals.com ‘the A-list couple owned the home from 2001 to 2006’.

The incredible Southern Californian home features five bedrooms and thirteen bathrooms, spread between the main house and a one-bed guest house.

More famous houses: See inside Oprah Winfrey’s house, bought from her neighbour Jeff Bridges for $6.85 million

The stunning Beverly Hills home is currently on the market, with a celebrity price tag of $44.5 million!

Image credit: Tyler Hogan

The property was presumably bought as the couple’s ‘forever home’ soon after their Malibu wedding in 2000, and the couple are said to have carried out extensive home improvements.

A source at TopTenRealEstateDeals.com claims this included a ‘three-year renovation replacing the kitchen floor with heated marble, designing and installing a pub with floors sourced from a 200-year-old French château and adding a private screening room.’

‘They also added a tennis court and pavilion with guest house on the upper level.

Following their 2005 separation, the house was sold in 2006 to a’ hedge fund executive who completed the renovation and added some features of his own.’ says the source.

Kitchen

Image credit: Tyler Hogan

The kitchen with the rumoured heated marble is a monochrome marvel. The black and white scheme is enhanced by a chequered board-style flooring.

Living room

Image credit: Tyler Hogan

The marble aesthetic continues into the more formal of the living room spaces. Grid-style Crittall windows unite this space with the veranda beyond.

Image credit: Tyler Hogan

This lower-level sitting room is more relaxed in style, with stone-clad walls and natural textures. Full-width doors open out to the swimming pool terrace beyond.

Dining room

Image credit: Tyler Hogan

If these walls could talk. We wouldn’t mind better there are plenty of Hollywood stories to be told in this very room.

The pub

Image credit: Tyler Hogan

Here’s the bar with the rumoured 200-year-old French château wood flooring.

Bedroom

Image credit: Tyler Hogan

The bedroom features interesting vaulted, double height ceilings. A mix of colourful furniture and patterned flooring coverings helps to inject a touch of personality to an otherwise all-white scheme.

Cinema room

Image credit: Tyler Hogan

As a former home to two of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars it’s only right there should be a cinema room. The couple are said to have installed a projector into this colonial-style room.

Outdoors

Image credit: Tyler Hogan

This house is not short of entertaining spots, as this dining terrace proves.

Image credit: Tyler Hogan

Related: Celebrity couple Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen’s house is on the market for $33.9 million

If money was no object would you move into this movie star home?

The post It's back on! Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt's former home is back on the market for $44.5 million appeared first on Ideal Home.

from Ideal Home https://ift.tt/2PVeGAk

[anneedmonsonus]

A Timeless Federation Bungalow in Coolbinia

This beautiful home has just gone on the market with Nadija Begovich and Dan Broad of The Perth Property Co.

Buying a house in beautiful Coolbinia was a dream come true for then newly-engaged couple Ash and Lisa Mitchell.

Both Ash and Lisa had always loved character homes and when the chance came to buy this 1947 Federation Bungalow 14 years ago, they jumped on it.

Since then, the house has been a wonderful home for the Mitchells, their daughter Charlotte, 11, dog Rusty, a Lagotto Romagnolo (I thought I was pretty good at my exotic dog breeds, but I had to look that one up!) budgies Daisy and Petal, various fish and cute backyard frog Freddo.

The tuckpointed double brick house was the first built on Mardella Street, Mount Lawley before the suburb was split in 1953. In 1995 the house was renovated and extended with a beautiful sympathetic extension larger than the size of the original home.

A week after they were engaged, Ash and Lisa went to see the house and ‘fell in love immediately’, according to Lisa. “It was a bit beyond our price range, but as the agent said just three days later, ‘It’s only money!’ ” she laughed.

Both fans of older styles – Federation, Art Deco and MCM – Ash and Lisa wanted something that they could put their own stamp on, but with busy careers and a business, knew they didn’t have the time or tolerance to oversee an extension or major renovation. But this house, with its beautiful bones, sympathetic extension and traditional features (think soaring ceilings, sash windows, 20cm skirting boards and Metters stove) fit the bill. “It was also large, with four bedrooms and a study and two very separate living areas – one where Charlotte and I could read, play piano and relax and another where Ash could watch TV,” said Lisa.

THE MUSIC ROOM: The music room at the front of the home is Lisa’s favourite room. “It just has this timeless, classic, elegant yet cosy feel – I can lie on the couch staring at the three metre ceiling rose we installed for hours – I especially love this room bathed in the afternoon light in winter,” she said. “Although when we had the old Vulcan heater removed a few years ago, the technician said, “No wonder you felt so calm and relaxed in here– I think you’ve been gassing yourself!” Luckily the room is large and airy and the central heating now does the trick.

Close to the CBD and the arts and entertainment precinct, the location was another drawcard. Lisa, who is a Senior Statewide Consultant for the Department of Education, was at the time completing post-grad study at ECU Mt Lawley down the road and preferred attending classes to online tutorials. (Ash was in politics and is now a landscape designer). They both liked that the house was a family home, and knew the local public primary school just 500m away had a reputation for academic excellence.

“Having rented in Coolbinia during my student years, I had dreamed of returning here on a more permanent basis one day,” said Lisa. “I loved the peace and tranquility and always felt so safe – even though security on my soon-to-be-demolished rental was non-existent!

“Wandering the suburb back then I took note of Mardella Street in particular, with its imposing Art Deco mansion in beautiful grounds on the corner and a total of just 12 houses. As we are the quietest street in the suburb, many a tennis game has been played on the road out front!”

Like the rest of Coolbinia, the little street is full of trees and people take pride in their gardens. Four km from the city, Coolbinia was designed to garden suburb principles first devised by Ebenezer Howard, the English founder of the garden city movement. Howard had a vision for leafy green streets, parkland within walking distance of everyone and low-density dwellings with gardens.

I think he would have approved of what Lisa and Ashley did to their new place – they completely reworked the gardens on the 728sqm block, making them gorgeous and green with a large lawn for Charlotte and her friends to play.

BACKYARD LOVE: Ash and Lisa had a lawn put in the backyard for Charlotte and her friends. “Many a cricket match has been played on the back lawn,” said Lisa.

Lisa and daughter Charlotte on the front veranda, a favourite spot.

“When Ash made the tree change from politics to his new business, our garden became the guinea pig,” said Lisa.

“The garden was sparse and definitely low to nil maintenance. The flax grass bushes were gratefully accepted by a local primary school to form their water-wise garden!

“We had one tree in a very sloping backyard – the liquid amber was maybe four feet high. We have landscaped the area with abundant trees and hedges, limestone retaining walls, paving and new grass, and installed an outdoor bar area. The front yard needed to complement our home’s heritage – so roses, lavender, agapanthus and more trees were included to replace the native look.”

What I love about this house is that the traditional extension has been carried out with the same attention to detail as the original 1940s cottage.

Everywhere you look there is a special feature; something pretty or quaint. The original Metters stove is a feature of the dining. The ceilings have pretty details in every room; the windows are all timber-framed.

Opening onto the back garden from the cosy sitting room (part of the rear extension) is a reclaimed antique front door, with a brass slot for letters. Not a corner of this property has been overlooked – but that doesn’t mean Lisa and Ashley didn’t add their own style when they moved here.

“The house was light-filled and airy and had been much-loved – there was clear evidence of little kids 4WDing their toy cars across the walls and there was gold stenciling everywhere, even the floor!” said Lisa. “There were window treatments on just the front two windows and the kitchen walls had undergone one of the latest trends – marbling – in what I could only call ‘Tobacco Stain.’”

They repainted every room in the house (so long marbling!) sanded and varnished the beautiful timber floors throughout and replaced and added window treatments, decorative light fittings and ceiling fans throughout. “The kitchen layout was perfect – the house was very thoughtfully renovated and extended and it was so functional,” said Lisa. “So instead of reinventing the wheel we resurfaced the Oregon pine cupboards and painted the interior cupboards a pale pistachio.”

New stone benchtops were added, a new sink and an ASKO dishwasher. I really like it when people do this – look at the potential in an existing kitchen rather than gutting and redoing the whole thing from scratch – and the result is a classic painted kitchen that is custom, beautiful and perfectly suited to its character home.

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

  AFTER

After deciding to put the home on the market to move closer to Charlotte’s future high school, Lisa and Ashley asked The Perth Property Co. Nadija Begovich and Dan Broad to sell it. (You can see the listing here).

One of the things Lisa and Ashley liked about Nadija and Dan’s approach is that they offer an all-inclusive styling and staging service for their clients, with the goal of presenting each house in the best way possible to show it off to its best and get a great result. (You might remember this story I wrote on them a couple of years ago). “A friend of mine in Mount Lawley used Nadija as her agent and I was so impressed to see how she styled, presented and quickly sold the home,” said Lisa. “Nadija can really see the beauty in a home and emphasises its best features so well.”

I love what Nadija and Dan do because they’re examples of real estate agents who go above and beyond – they work ridiculously hard and they do it all with a smile. While Lisa and Ash already had a lot of classic and antique pieces; it was just a case of adding in complementary elements like cushions, linens and plants. “When we style and stage, we ensure the rooms look spacious and functional and that the property has a balanced flow and is presented at ‘display home’ standard,” said Nadija.

For house-proud Lisa (who jokes that she has a touch of OCD!) that approach was appreciated. “Nadija is warm and down-to-earth, what you see is what you get,” she said. “She is knowledgeable, a great communicator and the consummate professional. We are genuine sellers, so we wanted a genuine real estate agent to represent the sale of our beloved home of 14 years. The experience so far has been exciting yet surprisingly smooth!”

Now set to make the next big change in their lives, Ash and Lisa feel lucky to have had the great memories and good neighbours they have had at Mardella Street. “Although nobody moves from here very often, at a ‘Welcome to the Street’ party last year, our newest neighbours likened Coolbinia to ‘a village’,” she said. “It really is the place where you walk across the street for a cup of sugar or some basil or next door for a much-needed wine while the kids play – and you always have a last-minute babysitter nearby!” Maya x

Thank you to Lisa, Ashley and Charlotte for having me through your beautiful home and to Perth Property Co – you can see the listing with Perth Property Co for this home online here.

HOME LOWDOWN

THE CURRENT OWNERS

Ashley and Lisa Mitchell, who live with their daughter Charlotte, 11

THEIR HOME

A classic 1947 Federation Bungalow, extended in a sympathetic style

LOCATION

Coolbinia, Western Australia

THE SELLING AGENT

The home is currently on the market with Nadija Begovich and Dan Broad of The Perth Property Co

FEATURES

Five bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living rooms, classic kitchen, timber floorboards, 10ft ceilings, heritage features, double carport, alfresco entertaining areas, veranda, professionally landscaped gardens

INTERIOR DESIGN

Lisa designed the interiors herself

STYLING AND STAGING

Nadija styled the interiors to sell (home styling and staging is part of her real estate service)

  The post A Timeless Federation Bungalow in Coolbinia appeared first on House Nerd.

from Home Improvement https://house-nerd.com/2019/03/22/coolbinia-federation-bungalow/

[mikemortgage]

Atlanta Hawks, State Farm reach agreement to rename arena

ATLANTA — Philips Arena in Atlanta is being renamed for State Farm after a $192.5 million renovation.

The Atlanta Hawks and the insurance company announced Wednesday they have reached a 20-year deal on the naming rights for the arena, which is currently in the final phase of its renovation. The arena is expected to reopen in October as the Hawks celebrate their 50th year in Atlanta. Officials wouldn’t say how much State Farm paid.

The Hawks had played in Philips Arena since its opening in 1999.

The State Farm red logo will be displayed at the top of the arena, which might be one of the smallest-capacity NBA venues with 17,600 seats. Its amenities will include a new state-of-the-art video board system, three times larger than the current one, along rapper Killer Mike’s barbershop, Zack Brown’s BBQ restaurant, a fantasy golf area, club lounge and premium seating areas with couches and cabanas.

“It’s going to be a social place unlike anywhere else in the NBA,” Hawks CEO Steve Koonin told The Associated Press in a recent interview. “All of our research told us that people don’t want to sit down in a chair eating a hot dog out of aluminum foil and watch a game. They want a great night out. … Think Vegas pool meets sporting event.”

Tickets to the suites, cabanas or verandas are available for all events at Philips Arena — with food and beverages included.

State Farm has one of its three regional hubs based in Dunwoody.

“This decision symbolizes our pledge to making a difference in communities, building our brand locally and nationally, and ultimately growing State Farm,” said State Farm Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael Tipsord. “The Atlanta Hawks Basketball Club is well known for giving back in this community. Along with our Neighborhood of Good initiative, we’ll have new opportunities to invest in the local community.”

State Farm Arena will offer new fan-friendly concessions pricing plan the Hawks say is the first of its kind in the NBA. The team says the new menu features price cuts of up to 50 per cent, including $5 beer. The announcement also said 12 popular food and beverage items will be priced at $5 or less.

The Hawks said their motivation came from the Atlanta Falcons’ success with similarly affordable pricing at the neighbouring Mercedes-Benz Stadium, adjacent to arena in downtown Atlanta. The Hawks also were inspired by affordable concessions prices at the Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Georgia.

from Financial Post https://ift.tt/2wxnfaP via IFTTT Blogger Mortgage Tumblr Mortgage Evernote Mortgage Wordpress Mortgage href="https://www.diigo.com/user/gelsi11">Diigo Mortgage

[illuminating-dragons]

Dreams and Visions (13/51): Hands at Rest

Time Period: Victorian

Chapter Summary:  Holmes and Watson have never had much room for peace and quiet. Retirement changes that.

Read it on AO3

Watson knew it was over when the other doctor gave his professional opinion.

It coincided with his own, of course, and came to no surprise. He was far past his prime, no matter what Holmes said, and his leg could no longer take the strain of dashing through London. His vision was going, his hand trembled more frequently, and there were occasional, frightening moments when he couldn’t catch his breath.

It still felt awful.

Holmes stood near him the whole time, saying nothing to defend him. In a way that felt worse—his husband no doubt knew of his injuries no matter what he did to conceal them, but his lack of rebuttal was shaming. Watson didn’t speak to him as they got into a cab and returned to Baker Street.

It wasn’t until they were in their rooms that Holmes spoke up. “John—”

“Oh, you can speak!” Watson stalked across the room to the bookshelf, trying to ignore him.

“What could I say, John? He was right. You knew as much.”

“Could you have perhaps offered some form of support?”

Holmes’ eyes were soft. “You know very well that I agree with him. You’re pushing yourself too hard, John. You’re nearly sixty—that’s not young.”

“And once again, I am no longer useful.”

Holmes slammed his hand on the table, eyes turning fierce. “Don’t you ever say that again!”

Startled by the outburst, Watson turned.

“Do not doubt your worth,” Holmes said firmly. “Ever. I know you. You will never stop trying to be useful, and you will never fail…until your very bones give out.”

Watson approached him, not quite knowing what to say.

“Do you know how many nights I’ve lain awake thinking about losing you?” Holmes managed, voice dropping a whisper. “How many times I’ve watched you beside me on a stakeout, thinking it might be the last time? At least when we were younger the odds were in our favour, but now…I can’t lose you John. Not to something I can prevent. Please don’t ask me to do that, even though I once asked that of you.”

Watson stepped forward and gripped Holmes’ shoulders. “I’m sorry,” he replied. “I didn’t think of that.” He paused. “I can’t let you keep going out alone, though. Will you at least take one of the erstwhile Irregulars with you—Wiggins, perhaps?” Bill Wiggins was now a constable who’d been taken under Hopkins’ wing—surely he could protect Holmes.

Holmes smiled. “My dear Watson, I will take no replacement. Nor will I go out alone.”

Watson raised his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

“You are not the only one aging, John. I am not a young man, and the world has changed. There is still room for my method, but others will supplement it, ones that I do not fully comprehend. The old guard is moving on, Watson—time to pass the torch.”

Watson couldn’t believe his ears. “You would retire?”

“Scotland Yard has done some very competent work lately, and there are some, such as Wiggins, who will continue to raise the level of skill in that outfit. Hopkins is well placed as Deputy Commissioner, and with Mrs. Hopkins and Billy to consult when they are out of their depth, it is an ideal time for us to bow out.”

“And what will you do?”

Holmes tilted his head. “What do you think about bees?” He laughed at Watson’s befuddled expression. “You may have your garden, of course. I was thinking of a cottage I saw a few months back during that case in Sussex.”

Watson rolled his eyes. “How long have you been planning this, Sherlock?”

Holmes fidgeted under his hands. “Not planning, perhaps—merely preparing for eventualities.” He looked directly into Watson’s eyes, gaze serious. “John, I want to spend time with you while we are both still healthy. You will regain your strength, we can dabble in hobbies and consult from afar should things become exceedingly dire.”

“Don’t you still need work?” Watson asked.

Holmes stepped closer and wrapped wiry arms around him. “I need you, John. The work has been secondary for years. You know that.”

He did. Watson could feel his wedding ring pressing against his heart under his shirt as he held Holmes.

Finally he said, “so Sussex, then?”

It took a little over two months to get everything sorted. Mrs. Hudson was terribly sad to see them go, but it did allow her to move nearer to her sister’s home in Bath. She hugged them both goodbye, and Watson felt no shame in his tears as he bid her farewell. He couldn’t quite see whether Holmes was doing the same, but he had his suspicions.

The Yard at large was gobsmacked at the very idea of them retiring, but none protested after Holmes shouted at a few of the louder nasty whisperers about ‘wanting to spare the poor old doctor’. Hopkins thanked them both profusely and accepted, with a certain amount of relief, the offer to own 221 Baker St. outright. He and Kitty would live downstairs and the sets of rooms above, including their own, would be devoted to the care and keeping of the Irregular force, past and present.

Mycroft didn’t say much, but when Watson went to his practice and found that all of his patients, including those he did not charge, would be taken care of by any available expert at the usual price, he knew what his brother-in-law had done.

The train to Sussex took an interminable amount of time. Watson tried to sleep, but he was too excited, as was Holmes, who kept glaring at the telegraph lines as though they were responsible for their speed.  

Finally they arrived. It was just before sunset, and the lad who met them at the station with a carriage told them that a cold supper was laid for them at their table. Watson couldn’t help but smile. Their table. Their house. They’d finally done it.

They finally drew up to a small brick cottage, perched about one hundred yards from a cliff. The door was a soft gray, and the curtains in the open windows were a muted yellow. A stone path led to the front door. Holmes helped Watson out of the carriage and threw the boy a pound coin. As he drove off they stood together, looking at their new home.

Holmes stepped forward first, Watson only a step behind. The door was unlocked, the key shining in the handle. Holmes put it carefully into his pocket and opened the door.

It opened onto a small sitting room with two armchairs close to the fire. A bookcase stood next to the wall, all of their books neatly organized. The kitchen was just through the next door, a bright, airy space with two large windows overlooking the sea.

To the immediate left was another door. Watson opened it curiously and found a study with a large writing-desk on one end and a table of chemical instruments at the other. Watson was pleased and touched to see there was already writing materials set up on the desk, complete with both his and Holmes’ collections of commonplace books. The chemical table had all of Holmes’ notes and a violin case and music stand next to it.

“Who did all of this?” Watson asked.

“I believe Mrs. Hopkins directed the majority of the operations,” Holmes replied. “She’s got quite an eye.”

“How hard was it to say that?”

“I’ve been practicing.”

Watson shook his head and chuckled.

The final room was just off the kitchen—a bedroom with a large clothes cabinet and a door leading out to the veranda. The walls had a print of delicate bursts of colour against a gray background.

There were two double beds.

Watson turned to Holmes with a smile. This had been his idea, and Kitty Hopkins hadn’t batted an eye. Holmes looked shocked, but there was a gentle light in his eyes as he realized what was going on.

“We don’t have to use both of them, you know,” Watson said quietly, startled by a sudden lump in his throat.

Holmes blinked rapidly and wrapped his arms around Watson. There was no one to see them now—their nearest neighbour was almost two miles off. No one to barge in, no one to judge, no one to report them. They could share a room now without consequence, without fear of discovery as they had the few times they’d thrown caution to the winds.

Watson held his husband tightly, stroking his thinning hair as they stood in their room.

Soon—all too soon, but there was time for that later—Holmes pulled away, swiping at his eyes. “Would you like to see the garden? And the bees?”

Watson laughed. “You and your bees,” he said fondly. “Of course.”

Then he thought of something—something he’d longed to do for years, but never quite dared, no matter what else they’d done.

Watson reached under his shirt and pulled out the ring Holmes had given him nearly twenty years before. He put it on, sliding it perfectly into place. He reached out and took Holmes’ hand.

“Come on, love, let’s go look.”

Holmes smiled at him with a tenderness he usually had to hide and squeezed his hand. He took his own ring out of his ‘pocket-watch’ and put it on his free hand. “Lead on, my dear John.”

And hand in hand they walked together through the door towards the bees, the garden, and their new and honest life.

[parrottsosa6-blog]

Petrol Station, OBSERVED IN 1927.

If you appreciate good brands, or heck if you appreciate nostalgic brands, these gas station and oil company tin signals and clocks are for you. Hang up them in any room of your house or even in your storage to show your passion for vehicles and vehicle maintenance as well as to remember brands of their glory days. Brand image acquired so much more charm 40 and 50 years back, and what better way to remember the past than by decorating your walls in vintage tin signs or symptoms from a well-remembered age. But the restrooms are Porta-Potties and it attracts a lot of bikers, Ernie's is not actually a biker bar. (If you want that, go to Spancky's in nearby Cotati.) Neither is it some de facto dudes-only athletics bar; there have been a number of ladies, some of them even free from visible tattoos, and at least one Yelper called the place adorable.” I wouldn't go that far, but the big tin washtubs buzzing the outside veranda are packed with fruiting figs and wisteria, and the ale list is a trim above: Drake's Nitro Stout, Reissdorf Kolsch, 21st Amendment Right down to Earth, North Coast Puck Saison, and 16 more. There are a ton of mounted mind, the antlered kind, so it's nearly hipster revival. We offer over 800 collectible old-fashioned signs which can be a super way to decorate your club, restaurant, business, home, office, dorm room, car port etc. These masterpiece retro indication reproductions will add that nostalgic indicators look and will be a great discussion piece. We are pleased to offer you these quality low cost tin signs at this amazing low price today.

Travelling down Lakeville Highway heading to Petaluma for the weekend? Then you have to avoid by Ernie's Tin Club! Don't blink or you may miss it at the interchange. This quaint vehicle stop bar in the middle of Lakeville Highway is seemly a opening in the wall membrane dump, however once you take a closer look is actually a hidden jewel. They may have twenty beers on touch, some bottles, and soda. You can purchase a bag of chips or trim jims from them as well if you want some snacking. You can find seats right up at the pub, a stove water heater in the place and fun designs all around the surfaces. They have a no cell phone policy so be sure to talk up your neighbours and bartender to meet new people touring through. There is also outside seating, which on a nice day is heavenly. From small garages through to 130 foot wide industrial warehouses, hangars and commercial structures, Future Building's engineers have assisted a huge selection of consumers in expanding and enhancing their businesses. Our experience is being able to work quickly, successfully and also to deliver custom metallic building projects on-time and on-budget. Our customers utilize our enclosed material garages to provide shelter or storage area for cars, vehicles, recreational vehicles, RVs, electric motor coaches, motor unit homes, plus more. A lot of the material garages sold by Carport1 are used for residential purposes but we do have metallic garages for commercial use. We have single-wide metallic garages, double-wide garages, triple-wide garages, and even clear-span enclosed metal garages up to 40' extensive. Like our metal carports, our single-wide or solo garages are usually used to pay an individual car, boat, or RV. Double-wide garages or two times garages that are may be used for two cars and trucks are 18' to 24' large. Triple-wide garages or triple metallic garages are from 26' to 30' huge and have a bulkier truss due to the period of the width of the building.

[factpatrol-blog]

Top 10 budget beach hotels, villas and bungalows in Bali and Lombok | Travel

BALI

Good Karma Bungalows

A long standing local legend on Bali’s north-east coast, Good Karma sits at the foot of the sacred volcano Gunung Agung, the island’s highest peak at 3,031 metres. The sand here is volcanic – in fact the beach in front of Good Karma is of smooth black pebble. The draw is the snorkelling and despite being one of the lowest priced places to stay in Amed, Good Karma boasts its own private little cove, with a nice reef right off the beach – big schools of bumphead parrotfish often feed here. If you’re lucky, Balinese owner Baba will be around – he’s an ultra Zen character who likes to work out in the homemade gym he’s built in a cave just behind the resort. The airy beach huts are surprisingly cool once the fans are whirring, and hammocks invite reading marathons. Baba’s Japanese wife takes care of the day-to-day running of the place as well as serving up a killer katsudon alongside Balinese fare. Drive half an hour up the coast to Tulamben and you can scuba – or skin-dive the famous Liberty shipwreck. Selang Amed Bunutan Karangasem, Amed. • +62 877-6275-6444 (not always switched on), no website. Standard bungalow from £27

Mu Bali

Not strictly on the beach but 60 metres above it on a limestone clifftop, Mu Bali harks back to Bali’s bohemian roots, with thatched roundhouses, airy pavilions and a penchant for activities like yoga, surfing and petanque (the owners are French). It’s laid back to the point of nonchalance, considering the jaw dropping Indian Ocean panorama, with some of the best surf breaks in the world. Bingin beach, with its famous barrelling right-hander, is a 10-minute walk away, while legendary waves Uluwatu and Impossibles, which rival Hawaii, are both within walking distance. Couples should grab the secluded bungalow built into the cliff face – not least for the magnificent loo, which is strategically positioned to take full advantage of the view. Book way ahead. • +62 361 895 7442, mu-bali.com, bungalows from $90 (around £55)

Gaia Oasis Retreat Resort

It’s worth heading to the little known village of Tejakula on Bali’s north coast for the drive alone, which takes you through the heart of Bali’s breathtaking highlands – past iridescent rice terraces, mossy stone temples and almost certainly a traditional ceremony of some description. Gaia Oasis itself has beachfront and mountain properties, a 15-minute free shuttle ride apart. Visiting teachers lead retreats in everything from yoga to biodynamic breath work to raw foodism. The beach is vast – more than a hectare of black volcanic sand and igneous rock that gives way to cool tropical gardens sheltered by tall coconut palms. The little cottages are built from coconut wood, native stone and thatch and feature comfy four posters and open-air bathrooms. The emphasis is on wellness, healing and community – you’ll be likely to happen across a retreat taking place that you can drop in on. • +62 8289 7030065, gaia-oasis.com, Pantai beach bungalows from £37.50 including five free yoga classes a week

Pondok Pitaya

Pitched squarely at surfers, Pondok Pitaya occupies a prime stretch of beach in the quiet village of Balian on Bali’s west coast, with one of the island’s best breaks right on its doorstep. Balian has long been a favourite bolthole for expats and board riders looking to escape the crowded south of the island and it’s still satisfyingly somnolent despite a spate of new developments. Pondok Pitaya houses its guests in traditional wooden joglo houses imported from Java. They’re perfect for groups, each joglo catering for up to five people with a choice of twin or king-size beds. The pool area is a bit of a sunset-gathering ground and the restaurant is probably the buzziest spot in town – though Deky’s Warung up the hill is the place for good local fare. It’s not all about surf either – there are two resident yoga teachers and a spa to boot. And don’t miss the famous buffalo races in the nearby town of Negara, which happen every second and fourth Sunday of the month from July to November. • +62 819 99849054, pondokpitaya.com, special surfer rate from £15pp, bungalows from £35

LOMBOK

Alam Gili Bungalows

Gili Trawangan is one of three tiny atolls just off Lombok, Bali’s easterly neighbour. Swish villa resorts now jostle with the budget beach cabanas that were once the norm here. But Gili T retains a castaway vibe, thanks as much to an embargo on motor vehicles and dogs as to its coconut palms and white sand beaches. Those in the know head away from the bustle of the main drag, opting instead for the quiet north coast and Alam Gili, a serene little oasis with six bungalows and a deluxe suite for families. Vernacular Balinese architecture – volcanic stone cladding, intricately carved teak doorways and artful decor – give the place an opulent feel. And the Balinese food is excellent – if you need a change from the incredible pizzas served just down the beach at Coral Beach II. Rent bikes for around £3 per day, or take a traditional cidomo horse and cart for a night on the town. There’s great snorkelling off the beach, with green turtles and occasionally white tip sharks cruising among the corals. • +62 361 9746, alamindahbali.com/alam_gili.htm, doubles from £40, Fish Suite £78 (sleeps four)

Manta Dive Gili Air

If you want to really kick back, take an outrigger across to tiny Gili Air. Without the attendant party vibe of Trawangan, Air is the perfect place to sink into a tropical torpor, sustained by the holy trinity of cold beer, wood-fired pizza and snorkelling. Manta Dive lets you do this in relative luxury, with its coconut wood cabanas, fashioned after traditional lumbung rice barns and set behind the resort’s restaurant. The deluxe cottage even comes with (hopefully redundant) satellite TV. Manta’s Anglo-Indian owners set up in Trawangan in 2000 and helped establish the Gili Eco Trust, which runs environmental projects – from waste management to one of the world’s biggest coral reef regeneration programmes. Diving’s obviously the draw – everything from mantas to morays can be found nearby, plus a rich mix of hard and soft corals. But Manta Dive works just as well for doing not very much at all. • +62 370 629366, manta-dive-giliair.com, doubles from £30, deluxe with fresh water/satellite TV £46

Amber House Gili Meno

Meno is the smallest of the three Gilis and is overlooked by most visitors – but if time slows down on the other islets, here it flows like treacle. Go off-season and you might find the island largely deserted, save for a few fishermen and the odd couple looking as happily fuddled as you’ll feel – a state derived from snorkelling with turtles (Meno has them in spades), morning yoga and lounging for hours in bamboo pavilions. Though perhaps not partaking of the notoriously strong (and weirdly legal) magic mushrooms. Amber House is on one of the island’s prettiest beaches and there’s a coral garden teeming with fish right out front. The five beach huts are about as pared down as you can get and as with most budget places in the Gilis, the showers are saltwater (you can pay extra for fresh). Owners Aki and Li are both as laid back as they come and the whole place has that worn, loved, DIY island vibe that halcyon days are made of. • +62 8133 7569728 (not always switched on), no website, cottages from £13

Sempiak Villas

Kuta Lombok couldn’t be more different from its Bali namesake, which increasingly resembles an Antipodean Ayia Napa. By contrast, Lombok’s southernmost province still has a frontier feel, its powdery white beaches largely deserted save for fishermen and the odd crew of intrepid surfers. Things are starting to change – there’s little real estate left for sale down here and a new international airport nearby is spurring development. Sempiak Villas sits above Selong Belanak bay, a magical stretch of sand giving way to limpid indigo waters. The four villas have a five-star feel that belies the price tag, with big comfy beds, air-con, fully equipped kitchens and iPod docks. There’s a pool veranda high on the hillside with a magical view along the coast and the beachside Laut Biru Café serves excellent local specialties. • +62 821 4430 3337, sempiakvillas.com, one bedroom villa with breakfast from £60

Madak Belo Guesthouse

If Kuta’s a frontier, then Sekotong is full on hinterland – a wildly beautiful peninsula of dry savannah dropping steeply to mostly deserted white beaches and electric blue ocean. The waters here are steadily grabbing the attention of hardcore dive enthusiasts – conditions can be challenging, but at the right time of year, big pelagic species, manta rays and even elusive hammerheads can be spotted in August-September. Sekotong has its own gilis – far less visited, they nevertheless rival their famous namesakes for beauty. Take an outrigger from Sekotong harbour to the largest island, Gili Gede and Madak Belo, a collection of bamboo and rattan beach huts on the edge of a fringing reef. Tropical languor will quickly set in – sunset walks, snorkelling nearby coral gardens (an island hopping boat trip costs around a tenner) and finally getting round to reading Shantaram should be the extent of your ambitions here. If you do want some evening excitement, Owner Henri is a DJ and throws the occasional Balearic style shindig. • +62 818 0554 9637, madak-belo.com, beach rooms from £10, beach bungalows, £20

Pearl Beach Resort

On Gili Asahan, you’ll find just one accommodation option – the aptly named Pearl Beach Resort (there are at least 10 pearl farms scattered off Sekotong). The resort has a mix of simple bamboo huts and plusher ocean facing villas; neither has air-con but they’re both airy and the fans are sufficient except on the occasional day during the monsoon swelter from November to February. The relative remoteness means the resort relies on a generator, which runs until 4am every night. The owners have pulled out all the stops to encourage lounging, and there are beanbags, pavilions and hammocks all over the place, not least on your balcony. There’s a dive shop right next door though there’s lots to be seen snorkelling off the beach – just don’t get too close to the lionfish. Ask Peter, the effusive English manager, about a kayaking trip among the surrounding atolls and the promontory that juts from the mainland. Food-wise you’re confined to the resort and while there’s ample choice for every meal, it’s worth bringing some favourite goodies along. • +62 81 907 247696, pearlbeach-resort.de, bamboo cottage £24, beach bungalows £47 including breakfast and transfers Source link Click to Post

[factpatrol-blog]

Top 10 budget beach hotels, guesthouses and hostels on the Yucatán peninsula, Mexico | Travel

Beachscape Kin Ha Villas & Suites, Cancún

On the surface, this mid-size hotel in Cancún’s hotel zone is pretty unremarkable. The tile-floored rooms are big and clean, with terraces or balconies – though they’re not notably stylish. The restaurant is good, not gourmet. The pool is a sensible size. But set this against its glitzy, high-rise neighbours and check the rates, which are often lower than similarly appointed hotels on the mainland, 30 minutes from the water – and Beachscape starts looking pretty good. Then walk out on to the palm-shaded beach, one of the prettiest stretches in the hotel zone, and the place becomes a minor miracle. • Doubles from $109, +52 998 891 5427, beachscape.com.mx

Travel In’, Mahahual

Usually, a full beach-bum escape means limiting your diet to coconut drinks and fish dinners. But at this Dutch-run restaurant and guesthouse, four miles down the coast from Mahahual town, you can also enjoy an ever-changing menu that ranges from curry to baked aubergine. There are only two rooms. The big suite has a well-stocked library and large French doors through which you can see the water (the beach here is shaded by both palms and pines). A smaller, rustic cabin has screens on all four sides and a separate cold-water shower nearby. • Doubles from $43, +52 983 110 9496, travel-in.com.mx

Vistalmar, Isla Mujeres

The beach at Isla de Mujeres. Photograph: Alamy At this blocky old hotel in Isla’s main town, a few blocks from the Cancún ferry terminal, the rooms are standard Mexican budget-style: scuffed but clean tiled floors, lemon-yellow walls and bathrooms done in delectable mint-green tiles – floor, walls and all. There are screens on the windows, the ceiling fans work and the price hasn’t changed in almost a decade. What more could a budget traveller ask for? Oh, yes, the name lives up to its promise: from the wide front veranda, there is indeed a view of the pale-blue sea, glinting through palm trees. You need only cross the road to get to the white-sand beach and wade right into the water. • Doubles from $20 (aircon about $2.50 extra), +52 998 877 0209, no website

Nueva Vida de Ramiro, Tulum

The few remaining bare-bones cabañas that made Tulum famous on the backpacker trail are now unreasonably expensive – for sand floors and shared showers. Better to pay a bit more and get some comfort for your money. Nueva Vida de Ramiro, near the southern end of Tulum’s long, flawless, white-sand beach, is notable for its lush, forest-like setting. Its 32 rooms – some sturdy cement-walled buildings and some wooden cabins – are tucked into dense greenery, for privacy. You get a ceiling fan, a proper tiled floor and even a private bathroom – with an outdoor shower, to conjure the wild-beach days past. • Doubles from $100 B&B, +52 984 877 8512, tulumnv.com

Posada el Moro, Puerto Morelos

Probably the most overlooked town on the Riviera Maya, Puerto Morelos lives in the shadow of Cancún, 20 minutes north. PoMo, as repeat visitors call the town, has low buildings, a wide, quiet beach lined with fishing boats and a handful of hotels, all inexpensive. Though it’s a few minutes’ walk from the water, Posada el Moro is the best option, with shady, well cared-for rooms with ceiling fans and optional aircon, plus a small pool in the garden. The continental breakfast isn’t much better than a hostel’s, but no matter – another feature of PoMo is its excellent budget restaurants. • Doubles from $57 B&B, +52 998 871 0159, posadaelmoro.com

Ventanas al Mar, Cozumel

While the rest of the island of Cozumel is cushy all-inclusive resorts, Ventanas al Mar stands alone on the east side of the island, facing the open Caribbean – an ideal perch for anyone in search of solitude. This is the windward coast, so the water is seldom calm enough for swimming, but just north of the hotel lies a small, empty beach dotted with shells. Plus, that wind comes in handy – it provides all the power for the hotel. At night, the skies are utterly dark, and you’ll be lulled to sleep by the waves crashing against the rocks below. • Doubles from $113 B&B, no phone, ventanasalmarcozumel.com

Fusion, Playa del Carmen

Years ago, most of Playa’s hippie beach bars and hostels converted to slicker, louder operations. But for both sleeping and nightlife, Fusion conjures the feel of Playa the way old-timers remember it – with just a bit more polish. The bar has low tables and chairs in the sand, lit by hurricane lamps, and mellow live music and fire-spinning most nights. The rooms are simple, with stone floors, heavy local wood furniture and colourful bedspreads, but they do have aircon and TV. Forgo the pricey sea views – you’ll be glad of the quieter, cheaper rooms in the back when you turn in from the beach party. • Doubles from $75 B&B, +52 984 873 0374, fusionhotelmexico.com

Paamul, Playa del Carmen

Don’t write this place off when you hear it’s a trailer park – the people who live on this small, private bay, in crafty homes built around their camper vans, keep the area tidy. Short-term guests have the choice of rooms in a small hotel block or (cheaper) wood cabañas with palm-thatch roofs (screened in, so the bits don’t fall on you). All have private facilities and are steps from the beach. Past the rocky point at the bay’s south side, the empty beach stretches for more than a mile, the longest stretch of undeveloped land in the Riviera Maya. • Doubles from $80 B&B, +52 984 875 1053, paamul.com

Tribu, Isla Holbox

On a lightly developed island in the Gulf of Mexico, this is the kind of place that restores faith in hostels. Almost entirely hand-built, it looks quirky but is smartly designed for good ventilation in all the cheerfully painted dorms and private rooms. Guests can cook in the huge communal kitchen, kick back in the groovy bar tucked up in the trees and, on rainy days, chill out in the movie room. The beach is half a block a way, and you even get a cute, hand-drawn map to guide you around the sand-street town. • Dorm beds from $10, private doubles from $32, +52 984 875 2507, tribuhostel.com

Hotel María del Carmen, Celestún

To get to this classic old Mexican beach hotel, you basically go straight: straight west on the highway from Mérida, then straight through town. Check in to your tiled room with its hard-working ceiling fan (aircon is optional), then walk straight again, into the milky-green water of the Gulf of Mexico. The place is busy during Mexican holidays (July and August, Easter week, Christmas), but at other times, you’ll only share the place with the handful of tourists who come to see the flamingoes in the nearby lagoon. Put up a hammock on your tree-shaded balcony and enjoy the solitude. • Doubles from $27, +52 988 916 2170, Facebook page Source link Click to Post