Latest news with #Euro-style
Winnipeg Free Press
15 hours ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Behold the backyard
When a creative couple bought a 30-year-old split-level home in Transcona's Lakeside Meadows 10 years ago, they knew they had taken on a project. To put it mildly, the home was in dire need of updating. Undeterred, they set about bringing the 1,776 sq. ft. residence up to contemporary standards. The 1,776 sq. ft. split level has been tastefully remodelled and comes with an added bonus: an amazing backyard. The decade-long reno journey was a labour of love, says Shona Scappaticci of Vivico Real Estate. 'They knew the home had a good design and layout, it just needed to be taken from the '80s and brought up to modern standards,' she says. 'It wasn't just a partial renovation — they had to redo the home from top to bottom.' She notes that their first product was the ceiling in the main living area. 'The whole area — kitchen, dining room and family room — sits under a gorgeous, vaulted ceiling. However, when they bought the home, it was finished with stucco, which didn't look good, and dated the home. So, they took everything out, putting in a new ceiling. It's now a contemporary painted ceiling and looks amazing.' That was only the start of the renos in the main living area. 'When I say it and the rest of the home was totally redone, that's what literally happened, especially in the main living area.' Photos by Todd Lewys / Free Press A gorgeous in-ground pool is the centrepiece of the resort-like backyard at 214 Lynn Lake Dr., Lakeside Meadows in Transcona. As might be expected, the first project was the kitchen. 'It was totally redone with a quartz waterfall island that seats three, quartz countertops, espresso maple and Euro-style cabinets, a lovely tile backsplash and stainless vent over the range that matches the appliances,' Scappaticci says. 'Gorgeous laminate flooring was installed, and there's a pantry with tons of pull-outs and even a hidden spice rack and hidden dishwasher.' Once the kitchen makeover was complete, the next project was the dining area. 'What can you say — it was totally transformed. A cultured stone feature wall was placed on the rear wall along with an electric fireplace — I love the light fixture they chose — and a sliding patio door was installed on the side wall to make way for a barbecuing deck in the lovely, fenced side yard.' That left the family room to take care of, and take care of it they did. The dining area, which is next to a sliding patio door that leads out to an elevated barbecuing deck in the side yard, is framed perfectly by an elegant cultured stone feature wall. 'So much thought went into the redesign of the home, and the family room speaks to that. It's a very simple space with a newer bay window that lets in lots of natural light, and a simple area to hang a huge TV on the wall over an entertainment unit. There's plenty of room for a sectional.' The rest of the like-new home unfolds in logical, family-friendly fashion. Ascend a brief set of stairs to the home's upper level and you find two spaces: a masterfully remodelled main bath that offers a tile floor, tub with matching tile surround, contemporary grey vanity and a newer low-flush toilet. That gives way to the primary bedroom. 'Parents will love that it's in its own private area away from the other bedrooms,' says Scappaticci, noting that the home has five bedrooms in total. 'It's a very peaceful, private space that comes with an updated two-piece ensuite, large bay window and a double closet with mod sliding doors and loads of built-in storage.' Meanwhile, the first of the home's two lower levels offers all kinds of function. Modern and functional, the island kitchen offers quartz countertops, espresso maple and stainless Euro cabinets, a tile backsplash, newer flooring and a pantry with pullouts. Its centre portion houses an office area with a garden door to the resort-like backyard — more on that shortly — while a hallway to the right leads to two large bedrooms. A three-piece bath and hidden laundry area complete the transformation, making for a fabulously functional, kid-friendly refuge. Finally, there's the home's final (and lowest) level, which is dedicated to one thing: entertainment. 'It's a media room that would probably be claimed by the kids,' she says. 'It has a laminate plank floor with a dry core sub-floor underneath, a niche for your TV between two closets, and pot lights above. It's just a wonderful space.' Scappaticci adds that the home's backyard is its ace-in-the-hole. The remodelled main bath is as contemporary as they come. 'The only word to describe it is spectacular. It's a private oasis with an in-ground pool, gazebo area, lounging areas and gorgeous landscaping. It's great for family fun or for kids to have friends over for a swim,' she says. 'It puts the finishing touch on an amazing home that lives like a new home. With all the updates inside and out, all you need to do is move in and enjoy.' lewys@
Daily Mail
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Bridget looked likely to smash a pint glass in the nearest Hooray Henry's face
Here on the far side of the moon, where different obsessions grip, MPs gathered late in the day to discuss the Supreme Court 's revolutionary decision: that a woman is a woman. There was shock. Anger. There were v. nearly tears. Sarah Owen (Lab, Luton N) complained that the court's ruling 'was made without a single contribution from trans people'. Ms Owen seemed to be implying that no member of the Supreme Court had swapped genders. Given those unisex Euro-style robes they wear, can she be sure? What a palaver ensued. Where were trans people going to go to the loo? Or serve prison sentences? How were sporting bodies going to react? In vain did the House turn to Bridget Phillipson for answers. Ms Phillipson, minister for equalities, ground her jaw and spoke darkly about 'toilet facilities'. Lacking much else to say, she blamed the Tories for 'playing politics'. Scary Bridget was smouldering. Almost levitating with crossness. This jagged class-warrior, for whom all Righties (and, it sometimes seems, plenty of men) are curs, spat out her insistence that everyone deserved to be treated with 'dignity and respect'. She must have said that phrase 20 times. Each time she looked more likely to smash a pint glass on the bar top and grind it in the nearest Hooray Henry's face. Labour MPs, normally so reverent towards the Supreme Court, boiled and stewed and simmered and steamed. It was like being in a chop suey kitchen. These Labour loyalists, who for years had played the identity-politics game with such grim determination, now sat with their arms crossed, cheeks pinkening. Conservatives, meanwhile, were cock-a-hoop, if one can use that expression. The Tories were so waggy-tailed that their leader, Kemi Badenoch, broke custom and led the Opposition's response to this non-prime ministerial statement. She had even put on some red shoes for the occasion. Mrs B was so excited that she thanked Ms Phillipson 'for advance sight of his statement'. Oops. The jargon – cis men, trans men, trans women – made your eyeballs throb. Your sketch writer tried to follow but did not always succeed. Clive Betts (Sheffield South East) mumbled to himself and I felt a sudden kinship with the old booby. Sarah Dyke (Lib Dem, Glastonbury & Somerton) said 'many people are feeling confused'. That was one way of putting it. Words tumbled out of Mrs Badenoch as she recalled the ordure that was long thrown at her for questioning trans orthodoxies. Labour MPs hated hearing this but for once – with the exception of a finger-jabbing Emma Foody (Cramlington & Killingworth) – they did not try to drown out her words with derisive bellowing. While Mrs B was speaking the right heel of Dame Emily Thornberry (Lab, Islington South) rotated at food-mixer speed. Blair McDougall (Lab, East Renfrewshire) gazed uneasily at the ceiling. Gareth Snell (Lab, Stoke Central) stretched his leg to show us three inches of ivory shin as he twiddled with his lanyard. And no, that isn't a euphemism. Nadia Whittome (Lab, Nottingham East) and Zarah Sultana (Ind, Coventry South), quavered with emotion as they deplored the damage to trans rights. Emily Darlington (Lab, Milton Keynes Central) was so indignant at Conservative merriment that she stalled mid-contribution, gasping. She was enraged that people were heckling her. It was a tiny fraction of what Mrs Badenoch has to endure most Wednesdays. Earlier that prize switcher Sir Keir Starmer said he no longer believed blokes with whatnots could be women. Make your mind up, sunshine. Sir Keir, a lawyer, perhaps only believes things when he hears them from Supreme Court beaks. Or had Morgan McSweeney, his chief of staff, given the PM a lecture on the facts of life? My late father, a schoolmaster, used to have to do that to 13-year-old boys who were about to leave his school. Sometimes they laughed. Sometimes they said, 'Oh come off it, sir, that's dis-GUSTING!' Which, basically, was the reaction of Labour to this judgment.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Beer gardens optional? New booze law sets stage for World Cup street sipping
This story was originally published on Raise your glasses, Washington: the beer garden isn't dead—it's just evolving. Temporarily. The Washington State Senate gave final approval to House Bill 1515 on Wednesday, voting 37–12 in favor of a 'modernization' of alcohol service in public spaces. It means your favorite street festivals, concerts, and civic events might start to feel a little more like New Orleans or a lively European plaza—fewer fenced-off beer pens, more stroll-friendly sips. No, it doesn't eliminate roped-off beer gardens entirely, but it does give local governments the power to allow broader outdoor drinking zones, shared service areas between businesses, and even campus-wide booze zones at public places like Seattle Center. The beer garden just got a glow-up. And the timing? Conveniently synced with Seattle's moment in the global spotlight: hosting games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Coincidence? Not a chance. The bill's expanded alcohol privileges are temporary, running only through December 31, 2027. That gives cities and event organizers a trial window to test looser, more flexible alcohol service setups—before the party officially ends. Cities, towns, counties, and even ports can now apply to the state's Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) to allow alcohol in outdoor public areas—places where drinking is usually off-limits unless you're fenced in like a zoo animal. Now, those fences could come down, or be swapped out for less rigid barriers or simple ground markings. Even bigger deal: the bill allows multiple bars, breweries, and restaurants to share a single alcohol service area, whether that's a street, park, or civic plaza. That means you could stroll through a designated festival zone, drink in hand, without being corralled into a tiny corner. Local governments are still on the hook for essentials like police patrols, litter control, and signage. And businesses must follow joint operating plans, including rules for security, service limits, and underage drinking prevention. So no — this isn't some Mad Max booze free-for-all. But it is a major shift. Beer gardens aren't going away. This bill just makes them optional instead of mandatory. Want to stick with the old fenced-in model? Go for it. Want to channel a Euro-style plaza vibe? Now you can—at least until the end of 2027. The bill specifically gives cities with populations over 220,000 the option to use public property like parks, fairgrounds, or Seattle Center, and their perimeters for a legal drinking zone. That includes Seattle, Spokane, and Tacoma. Sorry, Vancouver—with 196,000 residents, you're not on the VIP list. Seattle is set to host multiple World Cup matches in June and July of 2026. The legislation even carves out expanded alcohol rules for 'fan zones' and civic campuses, clearly with mega-sporting events in mind. Cities can apply for up to 25 special events a year under the new rules, with up to seven of them allowed to be multi-day events (hello, World Cup week!). And just to keep things fair, caterers and nonprofits can still serve alcohol at public events under special licenses, without those events counting against their existing 12-per-year limit. The bill is now on its way to the Governor's desk. He just has to decide if it's worthy of his signature—and maybe a toast.
