A Made To Measure Georgian Heritage Home

A newly built Georgian-style house with four bedrooms and seven bathrooms in Toronto’s Rosedale neighbourhood.

Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Johnson and Daniel Division (James Strathy Warren)

With 11-foot ceilings, the main floor features large principal rooms with dark-stained floors of quarter-sawn white oak. A library is panelled in mahogany, and has a coffered ceiling. A dramatic reverse staircase ascends from a centre hall.

At the rear is an open-concept space comprising the kitchen, family room and eating area, with doors opening to the garden. The countertops in the kitchen, wet bar and pantry are fashioned from Calacutta honed marble.

Some areas of the house feature heated stone floors.

A state-of-the-art system controls temperature, security and lighting. The house also contains Category 5 wiring and structured cable for high-speed internet, television and communication services.

Upstairs, mahogany doors lead into the master suite, where French doors open to a Juliet balcony overlooking the garden. A dressing room is lined with hand-crafted closets and includes a flat-screen TV. The ensuite bathroom has a separate water closet, cast-iron tub and honed marble flooring with in-floor radiant heating.

The two other bedrooms on the second floor have ensuite bathrooms. Located on the third floor are a bedroom and bathroom as well as a games room.

On the lower level, an “infinity” swimming pool is surrounded by limestone and enclosed in glass. A media room has built-in surround sound and a gas fireplace. Adjoining an exercise area is a bathroom with limestone floors and walls, as well as a steam shower.

A climate-controlled wine cellar is constructed of reclaimed brick and lined with Douglas fir wine caskets that accommodate 500 bottles.

Outside, the landscaped property includes a very private stone terrace in the rear garden. A more functional element is an in-ground irrigation system. The exterior features copper trim and a cedar roof.

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Monday, June 16th, 2008

Landscaping Rock No Comments

Home Of The Week Old English Meets New Construction

The stone and stucco front of Joyce and Bill Cordell’s beautiful Old English-style house commands attention in The Ramble. But Joyce, an interior designer, gravitates toward the light-filled back of the house, where sunshine falls gently into the dining room and warms the spacious great room, the central setting of many family gatherings.

THE HOME: A 4,400-square-foot four-bedroom, five-bathroom Old English with an 800-square-foot guest quarters above a three-car garage, built in 2007.

Joyce and Bill Cordell. She is an interior designer. He owned a communications business before retiring.

A wall of windows allows the southern sun to stream into the great room, set off by its solid wood hand-built timber trusses. The colors of the Biltmore Estate collection distressed built-in cabinetry are picked up by the rich white oak hardwood floors. Two red wing chairs by Rowe Furniture and the brushed gold, chenille-covered sofa from Hickory Chair reflect the warmth of the 48-inch, gas-fired masonry fireplace with cast stone mantle. “The open floor plan and the light on the backside of the house is what I like about the house. I like a light and airy house,” Joyce said.

Joyce’s gourmet kitchen features hammered copper sinks, granite countertops by Renaissance Stone in Mills River and a Biltmore Estate collection distressed kitchen island with prep sink and wine cooler. The marble floor runs through the kitchen and on to the laundry room, powder room and home office. A copper faucet over the KitchenAid stainless steel stove (double ovens, eight burners) allows Joyce to fill pasta pots without heavy lifting.

The sitting room is Joyce’s favorite. “My son-in-law calls it ‘the closet,’” she said. It’s a cozy room, about 10 by 10 feet, with a love seat from Tyson Furniture and a vacation photo of the family over the mantle. “I like being in a small closed-in room at night when I watch TV,” she said. “This little fireplace will run you out of here. My husband will come in and say it feels like a sauna in here.”

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Monday, June 16th, 2008

Hillside Landscaping No Comments

At Fashion Week look of a down economy

NEW YORK –New York Fashion Week, that biannual ritual of luxury and excess, came this week at an odd time.

Day after day, dour predictions about the economy have prompted warnings that consumers will be tightening their metaphorical belts. That makes it hard to put a fur coat on the runway and try to convince retailers, editors and stylists that the look will be all the rage next season.

Fashion insiders, though, are mixed on how to handle the grim financial news. While some have focused on go-anywhere basics and investment-worthy outerwear, others are working extra hard to find look-at-me trends or small bits of understated luxury that women might find worthy of their limited pocket money.

Michael Fink, fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue, said he was focused on finding clothes women don’t already have in their closets.

“No basics - that’s my mantra. No basics,” Fink said. “The whole industry is looking at things with a fine eye at price points, but, as a luxury-brand store, we’re still interested in luxury products.”

On the runway so far this week, luxury has had a subdued presence in feather adornments, a little bit of fur, and beading or metallics added to knits and tweeds. There seems to be a concentrated effort to present more daywear instead of evening gowns, and the colors are fairly subdued, with a palette rooted largely in black, purple, dark blue, mustard yellow and green.

Men’s clothes, meanwhile, were built around the suit, albeit a slim, narrow one.

“I think when there’s sort of an economic downturn looming, at least men tend to be a bit more conservative and they want to return to tradition,” said Perry Ellis creative director John Crocco.

Off the runway, there were few signs that times are tough.

Gucci footed the bill for a celebrity-studded gala at the United Nations Wednesday night and opened up its biggest store in the world on Fifth Avenue. The store covers 46,000 square feet, with marble floors, walls covered in bronze glass and mirror, and a free-floating staircase. It includes a special VIP shopping area.

Max Azria, founder of the Max Azria BCBG Group, had shown two collection on the runway at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in recent seasons but this time added a third: the Herve Leger label that he’s trying to resurrect. Runway shows at Bryant Park cost tens of thousands of dollars each.

“We believe the downward economic change will affect the already weak businesses but improve the strong ones. We are the latter,” Azria said.

Derek Lam was also unconcerned about any downturn: “Beauty, I think, is recession-proof.”

Still, it’s hard not to think of the economy when looking at all these expensive clothes, said Linda Wells, Allure magazine’s editor in chief. It’s part of her job to find balance in the pages of her magazine between items readers aspire to have and those they can actually afford.

Even wealthy people whose discretionary spending isn’t affected by a dip in the economy are unlikely to be as showy about their wealth in bad times, Wells predicted.

That might be why feathers stole a lot of fur’s thunder, she added - they’re simply not as flashy, if not cheaper. (Feathers are notoriously labor intensive.)

“It doesn’t look ostentatious. All that ridiculous bling and ‘it’ bags - there will be a shift away from that,” she said.

Of course, women will shop for clothes even in hard times, but they might choose one or two new-but-classic dresses instead of a closet full of trendier items, said Suze Yalof Schwartz, Glamour’s fashion editor at large. They want clothes that look expensive but not over the top.

That may be why many designers are focusing on chic outerwear: A coat will get more wear than any other piece of clothing. Yalof Schwartz also suggests buying a well-made belt to cinch the waist of an old coat.

“The ‘it’ bag has been replaced by the ‘it’ belt,” she said.

Saks’ Fink praised the continuation of the layered look, which works for all climates - an important factor since half of Saks’ stores are in the South. Plus, he noted, people feel good about “seasonless” clothes. They can wear them year-round so they seem a wiser, practical purchase.

But if fashion is any indication, concern about the economy hasn’t reached a boiling point.

“When the economy is good, hem lines go up. When the economy is bad hemlines go down,” said Cynthia Rowley.

Her hemlines are longer in the fall collection - but that parted ways with most designers at Fashion Week, who seized on miniskirts.

“I think we’ll - not to use a bad fashion term - but we’ll probably skirt a real recession,” she said. “I have been following all the political coverage really carefully and closely. … I think people are cautiously optimistic, but I still think a little bit nervous.”

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Friday, February 8th, 2008

Landscaping Stone No Comments

Disney Worlds Contemporary Resort lives up to its name

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Here’s good news for all of us who are still collecting birthdays.

You can be 36 years old and as cool as you were at 18 or 20.

Walt Disney World’s Contemporary Resort proves it.

One of the two Disney hotels that opened with the park in 1971 (the Polynesian Resort was the other), the A-frame Contemporary is aiming to be fabulous at 40 and further. An ongoing facelift has erased its garish ’60s room decor and is adding 21st-century atmosphere and attractions.

“Every space will be touched,” Kevin Myers, vice president of resort operations for Disney World, says of the work expected to continue into 2009. (Room updates are complete.)

Two drawing cards from the beginning — the monorail trains that hiss through the hotel’s soaring atrium and the Contemporary’s primo location just two minutes by train or five minutes by footpath from the Magic Kingdom — will be unchanged. Also ticketed to infinity and beyond is the Mary Blair ceramic mural of pueblo children that leaps 90 feet from the Concourse floor to the atrium ceiling.

A mastermind was at work here.

“Walt had his hands on the design for the property,” Myers says. Although Disney died in 1966 before construction began, “He would have known where things were to be placed.”

Considered the least-themed of the Disney World resorts, the Contemporary would feel like the convention hotel it can be (90,000 square feet of exhibit and meeting space) were it not for its kind staff and the Mouse spirit that spills from Chef Mickey’s, a prime venue for character meals. Before the breakfasts and dinners at which the cartoon stars in costume mingle with children and their families, stroller gridlock and happy excitement are added proof that all is not business at the Contemporary.

What’s amazing is that even with the cavernous atrium, the hubbub of diners and the swooshing trains are all but inaudible in the 385 generously sized guest rooms in the 15-story tower.

(The detached South Garden Rooms offer another 270 units in low-slung wings. The North Garden Rooms were demolished in early 2007. Although Disney hasn’t announced plans publicly, reports in the Orlando Sentinel and documents on file with local government indicate that a 15-story tower is being built on the site, possibly with suites to be available through the Disney Vacation Club, a buy-points-to-lodge plan.)

Thick carpet, drapes with liners, pillowed suede headboards and rich bedding in standard rooms seem to soak up noise that might seep into each soothing cocoon. Gone are the primary colors in modernistic designs that Imagineers of 40 years ago deemed contemporary. The busy patterns and self-conscious chic have been replaced by restful creams, beiges and taupes set off by moss tones, dark wood and subtle stripes in fabrics.

Most rooms have two queen beds and a day bed and can sleep five. In a show of mercy to families and budget-minded travelers, a refrigerator and coffee maker are provided, and cereal and milk are available in the sundries store on the Concourse.

Business travelers or laptop junkies aren’t forgotten. A roomy work area provides good lighting, a pullout table for added space, a comfortable desk chair, two data ports and free Internet access.

Above a faux fireplace emitting a soft glow is a flat-screen television. On a higher shelf (perhaps beyond little hands) are decorative ceramic vases.

Sliding doors to the bathroom and a separate toilet nook save space but don’t lock. The bathroom’s beige marble floor and brown-and-white marble tub and shower are handsome. But the new twin sinks are large, shallow squares that leave little vanity space, don’t drain as readily as bowl styles (aim carefully when you gargle) and are barely deep enough for rinsing small items.

Towels hang on a brushed metal rack across the room from the tub. Forget your towel, and you skate on wet feet to get it.

Tower rooms on the Seven Seas Lagoon side of the resort overlook a parking lot, but also the nearby Magic Kingdom. Their balconies offer wonderful views of nightly fireworks. On the tower’s other side, rooms have a view of Bay Lake, the marina and the large swimming pool.

The glorious vistas are reserved for the award-winning California Grill atop the hotel. The market-minded American dishes from the open kitchen are creative and full of flavor, the setting sunny and sophisticated. Diners can go onto the roof’s walkway after dark to watch fireworks at the Magic Kingdom or rocket launches from Cape Canaveral, east across the central Florida flatland.

Although the California Grill is expensive, it is the park’s most popular place to dine, according to the 2007 Zagat Walt Disney World Insider’s Guide.

“It’s our flagship restaurant,” says Rick Sylvain, Disney World media director.

The Concourse Steakhouse often is busy but, nonetheless, is expected to go away during renovations. A new restaurant, The Wave, is expected to open on the first floor this summer.

The Grab and Go fast-food eatery has moved to the fourth floor. Such quick-bite spots can be a money-saver for families. At the recently closed first-floor site, a generous serving of tuna salad was enough for sandwiches to satisfy two small appetites, and the tab (lettuce and tomato included) was about $5.

Club and concierge rooms on the 12th and 14th levels offer personal service, serene lounge areas open to guests on those floors only, continental breakfast and snacks, Mickey Mouse cupcakes among them. Some guests never spot the health club and beauty salon on the tower’s third floor or laundry facilities in the garden complex.

With four theme parks a monorail ride away and the Downtown Disney entertainment area on the bus route, it’s not surprising that attractions at the hotel are limited.

Young people have the new Game Station arcade. A freshened kids’ play area across from the registration desk offers Disney films on a big screen. People taking a cooling break from the parks have that rambling swimming pool studded with slides, spouts and plenty of lounge area. Fishing or other water sports excursions depart from the marina. And there’s always the lure of Concourse lounges-with-a-view, or the calm of your tower balcony.

The BVG shop (Bay View Gifts) is a glass cube stocked with Disney-logo apparel, character toys and collectibles. They’re a far cry from the “Saturday Night Fever”-style polyester clothes, enamel wear and pottery sold in 1971.

From the beginning, the Contemporary Resort has been novel.

It was assembled like a dresser with drawers. Rooms, constructed offsite, were brought to a prepared steel framework and slipped one by one into place.

It was thought that when the time came to refurbish a room, the module could be pulled out, redecorated then pushed back into place. But settling ground scuttled that plan — the “drawers” essentially are stuck.

Current renovations are being done gradually to minimize disruption for guests, and changes won’t be allowed to go too far.

“Guests came here as a child with parents and grandparents,” says Thea Sargent, general manager. “They have traditions here. We have to be careful to preserve traditions.”

But, she adds, “The generations of the future will have different desires and needs. 1/2ellipsis3/4 We’ll always evolve.”

(Contact: 407-824-1000 or (reservations) 407-939-6244; http://disneyworld.disney.go.com. Dining reservations are a must.)

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

A strictly personal list of what I like in Walt Disney World:

Being around happy people (weary at day’s end, but still having fun)

Laugh Floor Comedy Club (Magic Kingdom) and Turtle Talk With Crush (Epcot) — fun and amazing, real-time interaction between animated characters and audience

Soarin’ (Epcot) — a ride never long enough

Animal Kingdom — reality in a fantasy land

Kilimanjaro Safari — riding among live animals; as close to Africa as you can get without a long flight

Cast members’ kindness to guests

Transit system that works

Disney’s Magical Express free ride between airport and Disney resorts

Creativity everywhere

Educational value (U.S. presidents speak, international architecture in Epcot, animated Crush teaches about turtle life, etc.)

“La Nouba,” the astonishing Cirque du Soleil show (Downtown Disney)

Characters (Mickey, Goofy, etc.) — gentle spirits who are the mortar in the magic

THEN AND NOW

Here’s how Contemporary Resort has evolved.

Now: refrigerator

Then: ice bucket

Now: coffee maker in room

Then: room service

Now: 32-inch LCD flat screen TV

Then: analog TV

Now: laptop-size electronic safe

Then: lock the door

Now: clock radio with iPod adapter

Then: clock radio

Now: earth tones in soothing solids or stripes

Then: primary colors in eyeball-rattling geometric patterns

Now: array of Disney souvenirs and collectibles

Then: Mickey Mouse ears, one style

Now: The Concourse, evolving

Then: Grand Canyon Concourse

Now: Steakhouse Platter (breakfast) with two eggs, French toast, bacon, sausage, potatoes and biscuit, $11.99

Then: The Grand Canyon with juice, two eggs with bacon, ham or sausage, toast or croissant, jam, beverage, $1.95

Now: California Grill gourmet restaurant atop building

Then: Top of the World restaurant and dinner show

Now: Oak-fired filet of beef in California Grill, $35

Then: Midnight sirloin strip steak at Top of the World, $3.95

Now: rooms from $270 per night

Then: $30 per night

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Friday, February 1st, 2008

Backyard Landscaping No Comments

Landscape Patio Design: Giving Your Patio That Lovely Look

In the past, many of us often view our patios as simple slabs of stone and concrete that is attached to the back of the house. However, things have changed and patios are no longer boring places. With a good landscape patio design, you can actually make your patio into one of the most beautiful areas of your home. To get you started in the right directions, here are some points that you need to remember when doing your landscape patio design.

Decide On A Function First

When doing your landscape patio design, you need to think of what purpose your design shall serve. There are times when you can indulge your artistic side, but do not let your imagination run away with you when designing your patio. Remember that your patio should be both functional and beautiful. For instance, if you plan to serve tea for your afternoon visitors in the patio, design your patio according to this purpose.

Choose The Right Stones

You need to consider the types of stones to use when doing your landscape patio design. No, those old and colorless slabs of stones and concrete are no longer in fashion. Forget about using those hideous looking things. There are a number of colored stones that will suit your patio well so do some research in this area.

Find some nice patterns for your stones, too. Nice patterns will give your patio a more vibrant look. If you can afford it, you may also use those traditional marble floorings for your patio. Yes, marble flooring can be quite expensive but if you want something that looks really elegant and last for a long time, marble flooring is your best bet.

Consider The Lighting

You need to include good lighting as part of your landscape patio design. Lighting is not only essential to help you find your way around your patio at night; it can also give your patio a more beautiful look at night. There are many types of patio lightings that you can choose from.

To know more about patio lightings, read some landscaping books and magazines, which can give you a wealth of information. If you do not have time to go out and find some landscaping books and magazines, do your research online. There are a number of online resources that can help you choose the right types of lights for your patio, as well as show you other types of stones.

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Friday, January 25th, 2008

Landscaping Idea No Comments

Boutique luxury in Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. — Call it corny (it’s corn country, after all), but I love Omaha. There’s an amazing music scene, a number of surprisingly good restaurants, an impressive array of both luxury and vintage boutiques, pretty little neighborhoods, and everyone is just so nice. And I love it even more now that I know of a cool place to stay next time I’m in town: The Magnolia Hotel, which celebrated its grand opening last summer.

Located three blocks from Omaha’s restaurant- and shop-laden Old Market district, the Magnolia is nestled in the heart of downtown, just far enough from the action that it’s quiet at night. It’s a 5-mile ride from Eppley Airfield, a five-minute drive from the Qwest Convention Center, and just down the street from the Orpheum Theater.

Managed by the burgeoning, Denver-based Magnolia Hotels, the Omaha Magnolia building was bought from Sheraton in 2006, followed by an intense rehab job. When I visited in October, the hotel and its staff were still working out a few fledgling kinks: The sole computer in the business center seemed to be on the fritz, and Magnolia’s signature bedtime cookies and milk were a no-go.

But milk and cookies are beside the point here. The place is beautiful, comfortable and rich with history. Originally named the Aquila Court Building, the Magnolia was erected in the Roaring ’20s as a retail and office building, and was modeled after a Florentine palace, replete with a classical courtyard (many guest rooms overlook it).

It was named to the National Register of Historic Places in the ’70s, run as a Westin in the ’90s, taken over by Sheraton in ‘99 and earned its place among the Historic Hotels of America along the way.

Like Omaha, the hotel is coming into its own thanks to the city’s fairly recent interest in preserving the old and embracing the new. Several blocks north of the Magnolia, for example, a new neighborhood known as “NoDo” (North Downtown) is emerging as a result of a development project spearheaded by the city and local music label Saddle Creek Records. Anchored on previously barren land near the Qwest Center, there now lies a new entertainment complex featuring an art-house theater, luxury condos, a top-notch live music venue and an Urban Outfitters — Nebraska’s first.

Another first? A boutique hotel in a city of Hiltons, Double Trees and the like. The Magnolia’s tasteful face-lift traded the drab decor of its common areas with refined aesthetics akin to the 1923 building’s heyday: The marble floor in the foyer shines regally, and simple historic details — the Art Deco gilded brass of the elevators, the original interoffice mail slots — were saved along the way. As for the rooms: They’re subtly modern, yet comfortable — just what you’d expect from an urban boutique hotel.

CHECKING IN: The hotel is set right up against the street, so checking in means surrendering your vehicle to the 24-hour valet service ($12/night). A polite bellhop helped my three traveling companions and me with our many bags, and we were ushered into the impressive lobby — an unlikely but interesting blend of Italianate and Art Deco architecture and ultra-mod fixtures. A young gentleman behind the desk introduced himself as Aaron, checked me in and asked the requisite question, “Business or pleasure?” A few minutes after we had gotten settled in our room, he called to make sure everything was satisfactory — a nice touch.

ATTITUDE: Both Aaron and the rest of the staff were incredibly friendly and went the extra mile for us — literally: After learning that my companions (nee bandmates) and I were in town to play a gig a mile uptown, Aaron promised to make it to our show. And he did. Equally friendly was the valet, who moved our van a half-dozen times without complaint, even in the wee hours of the night.

ROOMS: There are 145 rooms including 20 suites, a pair of which are bi-level loft-style suites, and one grand, 1,200-square-foot Presidential Suite with a Jacuzzi and a private entrance. Ours was far from presidential size, but the four of us survived.

Several of the rooms overlook the aforementioned Italian-style courtyard; ours was a view of an adjacent building. Original artwork (of magnolias, natch) hangs on the walls, and amenities — free high-speed Internet access, telephone and cable television — are fairly standard.

Our two queen beds were supported by chocolate leather headboards and tastefully stylish bedding. Storage was fairly limited, and a tiny coffee-making area was tucked in one corner.

BATHROOM: Basic, but pretty: The marble counter tops were covered in a chocolate swirl that nicely complemented the room; a simple, white, raised sink basin added to the modern feel. The large shower (no tub) was outfitted with standard fixtures and covered in taupe marble tiles. And there was a hair dryer.

KID FRIENDLY: Not so much. Not only did we not see any children during our entire stay, but the place seemed a bit too stylish to be amenable to them.

ROOM SERVICE: Available 6 a.m.-11 p.m., it shares the breakfast, lunch and dinner menu served in the Magnolia Club, an attractive bar/cafe/lounge adjacent to reception.

PERKS %26amp; PEEVES: The Magnolia chain of hotels prides itself on “Mag Time” — complimentary offerings for guests served at the Magnolia Club: cocktails at 5:30 p.m., aforementioned cookies and milk before bedtime (8-10 p.m.) and a light breakfast from 6-9 a.m. (7-10 a.m. weekends). As mentioned above, cookies were MIA on our visit, and the “breakfast” (assorted cereals and drip coffee) left us hungry. A modest 24-hour fitness room lives on the lower level; a library (business center) is on the first floor, and a gorgeous ballroom sits toward the back of the building on the main floor–perfect for a downtown wedding.

BOTTOM LINE: We paid $143 for our double queen-bed room, plus 16.48 per cent tax totaling $23.57. Rooms range from $99 to $299 (not including the Presidential Suite), and a handful of rooms are wheelchair accessible.

Omaha Magnolia Hotel,

1615 Howard St., Omaha, Neb.;

888-915-1110

www.magnoliahotelomaha.com

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Monday, January 21st, 2008

Backyard Landscaping No Comments

1925 elegance lives in Zagreb

ZAGREB, Croatia — The Regent Esplanade brought glamor and elegance to Zagreb in 1925 when it opened to cater to passengers of the famed Orient Express train route between Paris and Constantinople. Today the Esplanade offers a luxurious gateway to one of Central Europe’s hottest destinations — Croatia.

The gleaming black and white marble lobby and its glowing brass trim make it easy to envision Orson Welles, Maria Callas or Pablo Casals (all of whom were regular guests) striding through the doors while one of their entourage rushed to the mahogany reception desk. Vintage photos of the Orient Express and its passengers line the hallways on the upper floors.

A two-year renovation project completed in 2004 successfully married the vintage opulence with the modern amenities required of a first-class hotel in the 21st century, such as Wi-Fi Internet access in every room and a fully equipped business center. There also is a compact, but very usable health club that offers massages, facial treatments, sauna and fitness equipment.

The Esplanade boasts two excellent dining rooms. Zinfandel’s is the gourmet, high-end restaurant, an homage to Mediterranean cuisine and local ingredients, all complemented by an outstanding wine list focused on Croatia’s best offerings. Le Bistro Esplanade offers more casual fare that clearly reflects its French name. On Friday evenings the hotel offers a special barbecue with live music outside on the Oleander Terrace.

The hotel’s lower level holds a small casino where guests and outsiders both can indulge. It has a poker table, two blackjack tables, three roulette tables and numerous slot machines. It was an extremely quiet night when I stopped by with only the blackjack table getting any play. The croupier told me that things heat up about midnight on Friday.

Most of Zagreb’s highlights are an easy walk from the hotel, but one of the main tram terminals is just steps away if you want to save your energy for exploring the charms of the Old Town. The Esplanade also sits at the tip of a series of parks known as Lenuci’s Horseshoe, blocks of green space filled with trees and flowers and a string of museums that encourage a leisurely stroll to Trg Jelacica, the city’s main square.

From the square, visitors can follow their whims. Head up Bakaceva Street to your right toward the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. “Foodies” and other shoppers can revel in vibrant colors and smells of Dolac market, and the cafes and restaurants of adjacent Tkalciceva Street. Art and history buffs can prowl the narrow streets of what is left of the walled city neighborhood of Gradec.

Chicago art lovers should not miss the Atelier-Ivan Mestrovic. Not only is the artist’s former home and studio filled with his works and sketches, there also is a display including old film footage documenting how the artist created the famous Indian statues for Grant Park.

CHECKING IN: Our rental car had barely stopped rolling when the bell staff were welcoming us and taking charge of our luggage and car. Rather than a single reception counter, guests are shown to one of three mahogany desks, where they are seated and offered glasses of Croatian sparkling wine as the paperwork is completed.

ROOMS: There are 145 superior rooms, 49 deluxe rooms, 12 suites plus the presidential suite. Both superior and deluxe rooms have satellite and pay TV, three telephones, in-room safe and a well-stocked mini-bar. The only difference between the two levels of rooms is size, with the deluxe having approximately 60 more square feet of floor space. The rooms are very quiet, with virtually no noise from the street or other rooms.

Our room (No. 222) was one of the deluxe category, thanks to a free upgrade because we booked using a certain credit card. A welcoming basket of fruit, nuts, bread sticks and red wine also came with the upgrade. The extra space of the deluxe room provides a separate sitting area, turning the room into a mini-suite.

BATHROOM: Heated marble floors, a six-foot-long soaking tub, double sink, mist-free mirrors, and separate areas for shower and toilet. The hair dryer was tucked away in its own special drawer, and abundant Arran lavender toiletries completed the amenity stash. The shower featured two heads: one a “rain” style, the other a hand-held version.

KID FRIENDLY: There are no special programs available for children staying at the hotel, but families predominate on the weekends, according to Sanda Sokol, the Esplanade’s guest relations manager. She said the hotel is looking into some kid-oriented programs, but has not found any that work so far.

The hotel is extremely pet friendly, though, catering to the European clientele who love to travel with their dogs. If your reservation includes your dog, the hotel provides a dog bed, dog treats, special dog shampoo and a canine toothbrush. There even is a special room service menu for your pet.

ROOM SERVICE: Breakfast is available from 6 to 11 a.m. Room service reopens from noon to 11 p.m. for lunch and dinner.

PERKS %26amp; PEEVES: All the services, amenities and attention to detail make the Esplanade an easy hotel to like. Its location close to the town center and close to Zagreb’s main train station gives it easy access to everything. The breakfast buffet is one of the best I have ever encountered. Along with the usual fruit, pastry, meats and cheeses, guests can order French toast, eggs or omelets. I especially liked the do-it-yourself mimosa station. The breakfast was, however, an extra $24. (Breakfast has now gone up to about $32.)

BOTTOM LINE: Rates are quoted in euros. At the current exchange rate — 1 euro equals $1.46 — rooms start at $225 (154 euros) for a superior, $261 (179 euros) for the deluxe room and $451 (309 euros) for a suite. Taxes are 22 percent.

Two rooms are handicap accessible.

THE REGENT ESPLANADE

Mihanoviceva 1

Zagreb, Croatia

888-201-1806; www.regenthotels.com

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Monday, January 21st, 2008

Backyard Landscaping No Comments

Italy Remains of ancient luxury villas open to visitors in Rome

ROME — The restored ruins of two opulent Roman villas and private thermal baths have opened to the public here, equipped with a 3-D reconstruction that offers a virtual tour of the luxurious residences found in downtown Rome.

A 2,000 square-yard complex, dating from the 2nd to 4th centuries, features well-preserved mosaic and marble floors, bathtubs and collapsed walls that archaeologists believe belong to a domus — the richly decorated residences of Rome’s wealthy and noble families.

“We found part of a residential high class neighborhood, where probably senators and knights used to live,” archaeologist Paola Valentini said. Visitors will be able to walk on glass catwalks above the villas’ underground remains, immersed in semidarkness just a few feet from the modern city.

Another historic site, Emperor Augustus’ frescoed palace atop Rome’s Palatine Hill, will partially reopen to the public March 2 after decades of restoration work, officials said.

Palatine is one of the city’s famous seven hills.

Since the palace was closed in the 1980s, experts have spent over $17 million to restore the porticoed garden of Rome’s first emperor and piece together precious frescoes that time had reduced to fragments. The palace was built in the 1st century B.C.

Groups of up to 10 people will be guided through the decorative marvels in Augustus’ studio and in the hall where the emperor received guests, as well as rooms in the nearby palace built for his wife Livia.

Augustus seized control in the power struggles following the assassination of his great-uncle, Julius Caesar, and ruled Rome from 29 B.C. until his death in 14 A.D. Revered by contemporaries as a wise and godlike leader, he ushered in a period of peace and prosperity for the empire.

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Monday, January 21st, 2008

Backyard Landscaping No Comments

New terminal unveiled at London’s Heathrow

LONDON British Airways showed off its new terminal at Heathrow Airport today, a light-flooded, gleaming white modern facility with some of the latest technology, a first-class lounge with a cinema and a five-story-high wall of windows offering a view of Windsor Castle.

Terminal 5 has 112 stores and restaurants and cost $8.4 billion. It took the British Airports Authority, the operator of Heathrow, seven years to build as part of an effort to improve the world’s busiest international airport. The terminal will only serve British Airways customers and will handle its first flight March 27.

Robert Boyle, British Airways’ commercial director, told reporters on a tour of the new terminal that the airline cannot afford to have its reputation compromised by inadequacies at Heathrow.

“We have to compete with business-class-only airlines, traditional ones and no-frill ones,” Boyle said. “Each year, surveys of frequent fliers around the world praise BA and criticize Heathrow for its delays, poor baggage handling and crowded terminals.”

Heathrow Airport, which now has four operating terminals and two main runways, handles more than 480,000 flights a year.

The new Terminal 5, designed to make travel easier and more comfortable, features state-of-the-art equipment such as X-ray machines that don’t require travelers to remove their shoes and belts. Unmanned check-in kiosks can also screen a passenger’s passport or scan a visa.

First-class and business lounges are unusually spacious, have a spa and are luxuriously furnished with chandeliers, wine racks and, in one, even a cinema. There are no fast food restaurants in the new terminal but it does offer a Tiffany’s jeweler and a Prada store.

The main terminal is 99 percent complete; workers in hard hats could still be seen putting on the finishing touches while stores were being stocked with goods.

Terminal 5’s completion shows how hard cities such as London are willing to work to maintain their status as world business and tourist hubs, commissioning showcase structures that act as shopping malls with art galleries, spas and Internet access.

Terminals can be profitable in an era of tightened security, as travelers show up hours before their flights and then shop or eat while waiting to take off.

Terminal 5 will include a quarter-mile-long main building at the west end of Heathrow for domestic and short-haul flights, and two nearby satellite buildings that will primarily handle long-haul services. The buildings will be connected by an underground shuttle.

The main building, which has a white steel roof 40 yards high, overlooks the green belt of the Colne Valley and the five-story-high wall of windows provides a view of Windsor Castle, a principal official residence of Queen Elizabeth II. The design is sleek and modern with gleaming gray marble floors and a flood of light from windows in the walls and ceiling.

The Guardian newspaper said the terminal is “an architectural and engineering tour de force that raises the standards of British airport design 100 percent.” The Daily Mirror called it “an awe-inspiring temple to the twin gods of air travel and shopping.”

The terminal will have access to subway lines and the Heathrow Express train service into central London.

Plans also are under way to replace Terminal 2, Heathrow’s oldest, with a new one called Heathrow East. Work is due to be completed before the 2012 Summer Olympics that will be held in London.

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Wednesday, January 16th, 2008

Landscaping Rock No Comments

The Parthenon reigns over a changing Athens

ATHENS In Athens, you can’t escape time’s arrow. Not even in a shiny new subway station in the heart of the city.

“Do you know how many Athens we are standing on right now?” asked Despina Savvidou as we walked down the stairs into the Syntagma Square subway station. “At least 6 cities. When they dug up the subway system, they brought into light every old Athens.”

Savvidou is a native Athenian who proudly waves the banner for all things Greek. She was leading me and three others on a walking tour of the city. Our starting point was the subway station. The endpoint would be the Acropolis, which, to use the Greek alphabet, is the alpha and omega of Athens.

The new subway seemed an odd place to start an examination of one of the world’s oldest cities. The station’s sleek surfaces marble floors, metal railings, a giant metallic clock sculpture sparkle under large overhead lights. On one side of the station, however, a glass wall reveals layers of the past, directly where they lie. Signs point out a thousands-year-old road bed, a grave from 400 B.C., wine vessels and clay drain pipes for the city’s ancient sewage system, among other things. The layers speak of prehistory, the glorious Greece of Pericles, the days of Rome, the Christian empire and the 400 years of Turkish occupation.

The subway, completed in 2000, became Athens’ most ambitious archaeology project, Savvidou said. As crews built three major metro lines and dozens of stations, archaeologists excavated more than 2 million artifacts. Some of them are on display in Syntagma Station: olive-oil lamps, vases, combs and pieces of jewelry that once adorned the beautiful women of the Greek capital. The subway itself is an important artifact of modern Athens.

“All Athenians are very proud of this subway system,” Savvidou said. “It takes more than 800,000 people in and out of the city daily. You can’t compare the traffic today to what it was even five years ago. And that’s the least of it. Athens has undergone tremendous change in a very short time.”

That, I could see for myself. I have been to Athens twice. In 1988, Athens was a poor, European backwater. Few people spoke English. Traffic jammed the narrow streets. Yellow-gray haze obscured the city’s famous hills. Just the same, I fell in love with the city with its opinionated citizens, its smoky tavernas, and the way Athens’ herky-jerky present awkwardly flowed around the ruins of its illustrious history. Public buses belched diesel fumes not 100 feet from the teetering columns of the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

For a drachma-pinching backpacker, Athens was ideal. My hotel near the Acropolis was $17 a night. For a few dollars a day, I ate moussaka and stuffed grape leaves and sipped ouzo and murky Greek coffee. I had to learn some Greek to order food and get around.

It was my first trip to Europe as an adult, and it was an odyssey in the best sense of the word. In the span of a few days, I fell in love, I lost love, and I bemoaned cruel fate. In tears, I sat on the stone risers in the moonlight at the Theater of Dionysus, the open amphitheater on the southern flank of the Acropolis. The venue for Euripides’ greatest plays was the perfect place to rue my personal drama. Even small tragedies deserve a great stage.

This time around, Athens was an excellent reminder that when you travel, you travel in time as well as in space. In other words, the parochial Athens of 1988 was not the cosmopolitan Athens of today.

A bargain hotel near the Acropolis was more than $100 a night. The sit-down meals cost at least $20. The soot-stained shops on pedestrian-only Ermou Avenue had become posh fashion houses and trendy cafes. The smog hasn’t disappeared completely, but for a couple of days, the sky was crystalline blue. And the subway with signage in English and Greek made getting around simple.

Despina Savvidou and our group boarded the train for the Acropolis. Minutes later, we stood at the base of the vertiginous, rocky hill. We walked up Dionysus Avenue, past the ancient theater of my 24-year-old heartbreak.

We paused to admire the Acropolis, still looming above us. “This is a symbol of the Greek nation,” Savvidou said. “This is our holy rock.”

Talk of the past evaporated when we came around the corner and confronted the facade of the Parthenon, the temple to Athena that crowns the Acropolis. It may be 2,500 years old, and partly in ruins, but it retains the power to strike awe into its viewers.

It’s a very simple structure on first glance: eight white marble columns support a triangular pediment and 17 columns flank the sides. It’s the model for thousands of banks, museums and government buildings the world over. But it’s not simple at all.

“The architect took many steps to play with our attention,” Savvidou said. “The columns are not parallel. If you lengthen them long enough, they form a pyramid. The columns are also wider at the top and bottom, but you can’t see it. It’s an optical illusion that creates a fluidity of movement. You can’t take your eyes off it.”

Savvidou explained that the Parthenon is built on a foundation of gravel, sand and straw “the first anti-seismic building in the world.” The Parthenon survived many earthquakes as a result. It’s been man, not nature, who posed the biggest threats to the building.

“Until 1687, the Parthenon was intact, the whole structure. It was so beautiful that no one touched it,” she said. “Then, during a siege of Athens, a Venetian bomb destroyed the roof and knocked other parts of the temple down.” Leaving it much as it is today.

That was where Savvidou left us. Modern Athens spread in all directions beneath our feet, and rising above us, the Parthenon proudly stood vigil, a fragment of Athens’ past that regally presides over its present.

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Monday, January 14th, 2008

Landscaping Rock No Comments

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