2024 Homestead Magazine

FREE

Homestead Magazine

ORDER NOW

Modern Living the Dynia Way

A Canvas for LivingDuring Homestead Magazine’s Showcase of Homes, many patrons had the same response to one of the residences—a modernist masterwork located on Gros Ventre Butte. As they sauntered through the wide, airy rooms with chestnut-hued cement floors and black steel accents, they blurted out, “I could live in this house!”

But why had the sentiment taken them by surprise?

We sat down for a chat with Stephen Dynia of Stephen Dynia Architects to discuss his history of pushing the design envelope in Jackson Hole, and how the “surprise” of modern architecture may actually exist in its perfect harmony with our landscape.

Stephen Dynia’s work is well-known throughout Jackson Hole. Chances are, if you’ve encountered a spare, clean construction with light truss work and sparkling glass, you’ve come across a home or commercial space with the Dynia stamp. Notably, the firm designed the local Center for the Arts building, which opened in 2004, as well as multiple other buildings in the valley. Dynia himself surveys the town from what he affectionately dubs his “plateau”: an unexpected mixed-use development reached by veering up the bluff right after the 89/22 Junction. There, Stephen Dynia Architects works from an open, multi-level structure, and a series of metal-sided work/live spaces next door beckon with glass entries and bright doors.

Innovative AnglesIt’s true that modern architectural work such as this plateau and the showcased Gros Ventre residence often stand out in a sea of traditionally “western” homes, including the nouveau lodge aesthetic favored by homeowners who build to impress. However, Dynia’s take is that much of this architecture is “based on a romance with something that doesn’t quite exist in this time.” He points out that the original log buildings of this valley were built within the constraints of the materials available, and were intended to keep the environment out, rather than let it in. If current Jackson Hole home ownership is all about views, then homesteader values were about warmth, protection, and barricades from snowdrifts and curious wildlife.

Dynia considers newer homes built in the log tradition to be theatrical—theirs is a style that swerves away from the path of history and the actual materials of modern building. In his own design work, he “tries to transcend something that is merely stylistic” to find a more contemporaneous mode of expression.

“My mission is that architecture should be relevant to the era that it’s built in.”

A Site to BeholdDynia strives to make history with his designs, rather than invoke nostalgia for a vanished place and time. To this end, his firm is rigorous about relating every structure to its place, and thereby interpreting the place via architectural elements.

Dynia’s is a design philosophy hewn among the soaring glass and steel structures of New York City, where he got his start at a large firm that specialized in a corporate Modernist aesthetic. These are buildings that, in the truest interpretation of Modernism, are “consistent with [their] method of construction.” Once transplanted to Jackson Hole, Dynia sought out the trace of a Mies van der Rohe-designed home at the Snake River Ranch, a mostly-scrapped project that nevertheless represented the first U.S. design by the modern architecture giant during the 1930’s. In this Dynia saw encouragement–Jackson Hole had already begun incubating the cosmopolitan leanings that could lead to an embrace of modern style.Detail

In conversation, Dynia references other notable architects who have added immeasurably to the recognizable architecture of the valley. Mentioning the Teton County Library and Mad River’s flagship headquarters south of Jackson, he is the first to acknowledge that the wave of modern building is multifarious. Rather than limit building concepts to “abide by look rather than experience,” the unique qualities of our valley require “the freedom of a more expressive building form.”

For Dynia’s firm–particularly in regards to local residences–this experience begins in the sequence of how one enters a home. He likes adding drama to this approach by at first denying expansive views, only to re-introduce them. This sudden reveal draws a gasp and a significant pause. In moments like these, we are truly inside a space—participating in its interaction with a setting. Hallways and stairwells opening to glimpses of sweeping Gros Ventre views surely contributed to the same alchemy during Homestead’s Showcase.

In these award-winning 28x28x28 cubes in downtown Jackson, three levels of living culminate in 360 degree views from the uppermost roof deck. Eschewing the urge to build outwards, these cubes interpret “ how you can live in a place differently” and “literally heighten the experience of landscape” as you climb up to see the whole valley laid below you.

In these award-winning 28x28x28 cubes in downtown Jackson, three levels of living culminate in 360 degree views from the uppermost roof deck. Eschewing the urge to build outwards, these cubes interpret“ how you can live in a place differently” and “literally heighten the experience of landscape” as you climb up to see the whole valley laid below you.

Dynia speculates that our occasional resistance to the stripped down and simplified lines of modern building wells from discomfort. “Psychologically, people are afraid of simplicity.” At the same time, the more restrained the space in its embellishments, the more soothing and reflective it becomes. The clean, uncluttered architectural canvas asks to be completed by the personality of its residents, while more “fluid and sculptural” lines imbue the home with a sense of serenity.

“My work always incorporates somes kind of innovation and inspiration from nature,” Dynia says. He plays with elements like light to mimic the act of walking in the woods, and is always seeking new ways to pay homage to the texture of a landscape.

Dynia Architects currently splits its efforts between Jackson Hole and a number of exciting projects in Denver. Recently, a former truck terminal-turned-urban-office-hotspot known as Drive earned the firm a prestigious AIA Award. These new projects indulge Dynia’s long-held passion for contributing to the culture of community, just as in his home designs, he favors open, centralized spaces that corral loved ones together to bolster the attendant “culture of a family.” In the firm’s sustainable new projects, the existing infrastructure (truck terminals and iron foundries) are recycled into energetic community spaces that are meant to bridge our contemporary mode of detachment living—i.e. live in one zone, work and play in another. To this end, Drive, and the under-construction Drive 2 all contain a shared conference room or lounge, with garage-style doors on every floor that dispel separation from the outdoors with a simple lift upwards.Roof Garden 022

This vision is the same one Dynia has for Jackson, which has been his design laboratory for decades. “Do you want a town that simply preserves itself?” Dynia asks. Of course, his answer is a resounding “No.” Rather, he is encouraged by the current balance being struck in downtown Jackson between conservation and human habitation. In his opinion, the “town is getting healthier” as it continues to embrace mixed use zoning and greater urban-style density. This is the modus operandi behind his own work-live zone on the “plateau.”

So, back to the reactions of those Showcase attendees. Surprise, Dynia thinks, is a hallmark of what his firm is doing here. Viewers will always react to light and the experience of a space, and Dynia’s architecture is intended to capitalize on just that. The austere lines of a modern home may intimidate from the curb, but once inside, an unexpected warmth and peace take hold. In sum, “leadership in design is about leading.” It is about creating bold, benchmark projects and presenting new modes of lived experience, whether in the great room of a home or in the lobby of the Center for the Arts, a glass-framed Snow King beyond.

That surprise is, in fact, “the story of my time here. That’s the payoff.”

Tips for Building Green in Jackson Hole

Local contractors B&B Builders give Homestead some input.

Founded by brothers Ben and Brent Johnson in 1999, B&B Builders has had its hands (or tools) in many local projects over the intervening 15 years. Involved in building custom homes for the luxury and vacation markets in Jackson Hole and other areas of the Intermountain West, years of experience have honed the partners’ knowledge of local homeowner concerns and desires.Cowboy 2 05

Among these is a concern for green homebuilding. Always an eco-conscious pocket of the West, many Jackson Hole homeowners bring the same conscientiousness to their building plans when approaching a home or remodeling project. However, green building in Jackson Hole is not without its challenges. How to adequately heat a home in our harsh winters? What about the preference for facing buildings away from the sun and towards the Tetons? The views are, quite rightfully, the building focus of many local residences.

Ben Johnson of B&B Builders

Ben Johnson of B&B Builders

Ben Johnson, the Vice President of B&B Builders, agrees that “extreme winter conditions can be a challenge” for homeowners hoping to go green, although the trifecta of a good “architect, builder, and subcontractors” can go a long way in ameliorating these challenges. Energy efficient buildings are cited as money-savers, but Johnson cautions that prospective homeowners should educate themselves as to the cost upfront. An informative sit-down with your architect and builder beforehand may help mitigate any possible cases of sticker shock.

“Some ‘green’ building practices can also be cost efficient,” he says “however, many can result in much higher expenses, which should be considered. We often have clients interested in going “green” who are extremely disappointed when they see the cost difference.”

Striking the correct balance between desired sustainability and efficiency with building costs and homeowner needs can indeed be tricky. What else should homeowners consider when dreaming up the ideal green home or remodel?

Get Familiar with LEED
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. This rigorous certification system was put in place by the U.S. Green Building Council, and surveys homes on 8 different factors before granting a rating. Browsing the USGBC rating system can be an effective way to discover green building avenues, even without the need to attain accreditation.

Cowboy 2 6

As a proud member of the U.S. Green Building Council themselves, B&B Builders is quite informed on the topic of constructing with energy efficiency.

Arranging a Site
Situational concerns are especially significant in Jackson Hole, where homes are often constructed on bluffs or in areas that also constitute wildlife migration corridors. Considering these factors when choosing how to situate a home is key, as is taking into account the possible impacts of erosion. One way to combat this problem is to landscape with native plants that don’t require extensive watering. As forest fire danger is also a perennial concern for local homeowners, fire-safe landscaping presents a proactive approach to safeguarding home and hearth.

Exterior of a home constructed by B&B Builders.

Exterior of a home constructed by B&B Builders.

Check the Source
The Forest Stewardship Council is a non-profit that oversees the sustainability of the wood that is used in building projects. As wood construction is a foundation of local construction, paying attention to where timber is sourced can certainly mean a greener home. Reclaimed, local, or certified woods all meet the LEED standards. Many local builders and sub-contractors use Douglas Fir, as well as reclaimed hardwoods to construct everything from floors to window frames. Sealed concrete and even bamboo can also meet the criteria for greenness.

Lowering Consumption
Homes constructed to utilize energy-saving lightbulbs in kitchens, or outfitted with low-flow showerheads and toilets in bathrooms are less wasteful of energy and water—this is also one of the simplest, most cost-effective ways to go green. Remodeling a kitchen or bathroom can include these greener substitutions. In the case of an extensive renovation, however, Johnson urges “if possible” to “arrange to live somewhere else during the remodel.”

Hansen 16The Jackson Hole Energy Sustainability Project has some tips of its own for local residents and prospective residents.

Clean Air
Living in a green home isn’t simply about how your builders build or how you and your household creatively think through ways to cut down on usage. It’s also about the air you breathe. LEED certified buildings must meet certain standards of non-toxicity, which comes down to painting and finishing with water-based stains, paints, and sealers. Natural vs. synthetic carpets also contribute to low toxicity around the home, as do proper ventilation and the usage of air filters. As Jackson Hole’s climate is already so dry, mold and the moisture levels of indoor areas are of lesser concern than they are in other regions of the United States.

Cowboy 2 04Ben Johnson affirms that while classic “rustic mountain” styles remain a mainstay of local home projects, “rustic contemporary” is gaining a foothold. As local homeowners hope to embrace green building practices and modern modes of construction, a team of expert builders, architects, and designers is key to outline the project, address the scope of the home, and highlight the newest innovations of the practice.

More than a temporary trend, green building is here to stay in the valley.

(all images provided by B&B Builders)

2013 Jackson Hole Showcase of Homes: Recap

This year as part of the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival, Homestead Magazine’s Jackson Hole Showcase of Homes presented something unique: the chance for patrons to leave the gallery space for the home interior space. In recognition of the vibrant architectural, design, and building community of the valley, the Showcase offered ticket holders an intimate glimpse into every aspect of three magnificent local homes, and the opportunity to interface directly with the design professionals who made it so.

From airy modern to warmly-textured western to updated lodge luxury, the three featured properties—Gros Ventre Overlook, Owl Creek Elk Refuge, and Tucker Ranch Retreat—meant a full sampling of the latest in architectural and design innovation. “We loved the fact that all three houses were very different and all three spectacular!” noted one guest. Spaced over two glorious fall days in Jackson Hole, 200 guests experienced a treasure hunt of a day with rambles through “dream homes” that are usually sealed to the public, hors d’oeuvres, and most importantly, the chance to enjoy face-to-face conversations with premier valley artisans in the fields of architecture, building, and interior and exterior design.

The Showcase of Homes was successful in raising $9000 for local charities selected by the generous homeowners that opened up their doors, including The Grand Teton National Park Foundation, Center for the Arts, and JH Land Trust. Each organization will also receive a matching grant through the Old Bill’s Fun Run for Charities. Event organizer Megan Jenkins counted the event a resounding success based on “the enthusiasm showed for each project by all of the attendees” and the “opportunity for people to have one-on-one conversations with the design professionals.  You could really appreciate the work and craftsmanship of each home.  People really had a great time and were extremely complimentary. ”  She hopes that the attendees were inspired and motivated to try “innovative things with their own spaces.”

This was echoed by multiple guests, who indicated that they attended precisely to network with design professionals and were looking forward to following up with the artisans who designed, built, or furnished the homes they visited during the tour. One noted the “informative,” “friendly,” and “welcoming” aspect of the Showcase, while another enthused, “I loved seeing the exquisite houses and having all of the builders, designers and others present to answer questions.”

Participating design professionals were able to connect with patrons in the context of their own design schemes and craftsmanship, illuminating their work in new ways. “It really is rewarding to have great clients who let you show off their home and attendees who comment on what a great job we all did,” noted Sharon Nunn, Vice-President of Ellis Nunn & Associates, Inc., whose firm designed the Owl Creek Refuge. “I look forward to doing it again next year.”

Bradley Suske of The Bradley Company—landscaping firm for the Tucker Rancher Retreat—felt similarly. “I thought it was an amazing experience for me,” he said. “I really felt like I was in my element.”

Megan Jenkins was pleasantly surprised at “how excited people were to be able to tour some of the masterpieces that are in this valley.” The three homes on the self-guided Jackson Hole Showcase of Homes tour allowed a multi-layered peek into all the creativity afoot in the Intermountain West, and the Renaissance in western style being forged by our singular community of creators, drafters, and craftspeople. With the canvas of the Tetons as its backdrop, Jackson Hole’s creative identity continues to evolve, and these exciting new properties are on the vanguard of it all.

Our mission at Homestead Magazine is to highlight Jackson Hole’s top-notch residential architecture and design community for local homeowners and visitors. Next year, we hope you’ll join us to tour one-of-a-kind homes, learn the ins and outs of the design process, and be inspired by the myriad possibilities of your own spaces.

Modern Shape, Western Substance at WRJ Design Associates

WRJ Design - Ashley Tutor

WRJ Design Principal Rush Jenkins and artist Ashley Tudor

What sets the aesthetic of the Jackson Hole homeowner apart? It wells from the setting: a love of rustic Western textures melded with the contemporary. Sleek, sharp lines that simultaneously pay tribute to the legacy of place and the outside world.

This blend of collectors with a discerning eye for the au courant alongside a reverence for the wilderness led San Francisco based artist and author Ashley Tudor to mark a mental bull’s eye over the town of Jackson as she considered where next to place her work. A contact connected her to WRJ Design Associates and its dynamic collecting and design team of Rush Jenkins and Klaus Baer – turns out, the admiration was mutual. Both parties knew her work would be a perfect fit for, in Tudor’s words, WRJ’s “modern rustic chic aesthetic.”

Tudor specializes in bronze European game mounts that fuse stylized contours and a high gloss finish with the time-honored tradition of interior display. At home in a show room that also features trophy antlers from the collection of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Tudor’s mounts provide a new twist on a classic collector’s object. More importantly, she hopes her work adds to an ongoing conversation between man and nature, and provokes examination of our participation in a food chain that has become increasingly mechanized.

Ashley Tudor poses with an attendee of the WRJ Design Associates opening

Ashley Tudor poses with an attendee of the opening and one of her pieces — a bronze impala.

During the Wednesday night reception hosted by WRJ, Tudor described her own evolution from consumer to active participant in the system of supply and demand. Galvanized by her first elk hunt in Idaho’s Frank Church Wilderness, Tudor says she “became connected to [her] food in a new way.” A field-to-table chef as well as the author of two books on the benefits of a paleo diet, Tudor views her art as a means to honor the creatures that quite literally add to our lives. “More than pretty pieces that hang on the wall,” the elk, deer, and even African impala that she memorializes in bronze casts are intended to impart just a little of the “soul of pieces and where they came from,” even as they reflect the viewer, caught in the lustrous glow of a high art skull.

The process of turning harvested game into the mounts pictured here is an arduous one to say the least. Beginning with a stripped skull, Tudor adds braces for the original horns before creating a lost-cast wax mold, adding several layers of plaster, and finally dipping the skull in molten bronze. At this point, the individual bronze pieces are painstakingly welded back together before Tudor polishes them manually with pass after pass of a polishing wheel. Then, the animal’s natural horns are re-attached, and Viola! A mount is born.
Elk_Ashley_Tudor

The materials of each mount are an appropriate metaphor for this “collaboration between man and nature.” Bronze and modern metallurgy sinuously curve over nature’s silhouette – rather than overpower nature with ornate decoration, the spare, radiant pieces exhibit “a beauty that magnifies both.” Jackson Hole’s own focus on sharing space with wildlife and gamesmanship means that many a local collector’s interest is likely to be piqued by the thought of introducing a Tudor piece into the intimate exhibition space of the home.

How best to feature a work of art such as Tudor’s? Blair Friedeman of WRJ Design Associates sees the mounts as “very impacting” on their own, and a fantastic focal point for a wall or table space. Tudor also suggests them as accent pieces above the fireplace—a nod to the custom of European mount display—and has even seen homeowners get creative and feature her smaller works as bookends.

A Tudor elk mount affixed over a fireplace at WRJ Design Associates Showroom in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

A Tudor elk mount affixed over a fireplace.

She takes commissions from avid hunters hoping to venerate their trophies in more unique ways, and is scheming to create new whitetail deer and ram’s head pieces for exhibition at WRJ. As has become customary for Tudor, the new works would be a nod to the rootedness of place, an inescapable aspect of owning property in a valley as breathtaking as our own.

Whatever their placement within an interior space, Ashley’s work stands out as an arbiter of the interior style favored by WRJ Design Associates and the Jackson homeowner at large. The mounts’ blend of sophisticated styling within a tradition that honors the great outdoors means objects that are, indeed, much more than a pretty face.

For inquiries on Ashley’s pieces, please contact WRJ Design Associates at 307.200.4881 or http://www.wrjassociates.com.

Inside Views – The Jackson Hole Showcase of Homes

As published in the Jackson Hole News & Guide, Wednesday, September 04, 2013.  Written by Richard Anderson.

Contrasting Materials
This Owl Creek Refuge was designed by Ellis Nunn & Associates, built by Two Ocean Builders and landscaped by MountainScapes, Inc.

Some of the best art in Jackson Hole doesn’t hang on the wall of museums, galleries or even homes. Some of the best art in Jackson Hole is the walls themselves.

This year’s Fall Arts Festival shines a light on the architecture and interior design of a handful of private residences with a “Showcase of Homes.” Hosted by Homestead Magazine, the showcase will spotlight several custom made homes in the valley and the architects, interior designers and landscapers who helped turn each one into something spectacular.

Some of us have been lucky enough to be in some of these homes. A few of us may even be lucky enough to live in such digs. But most of us, and certainly most visitors during Fall Arts Festival, have never before had the chance to step through the doorway of these prime properties. “It’s a shame nobody ever gets to see it,” said Latham Jenkins, president of Circ, which publishes Homestead, an annual magazine in which several of the homes have been featured. “These are beautiful pieces of art, and very few people get to experience them. The showcase is a platform to go and appreciate these works …and enable you to speak to the artist that created them.”

“There couldn’t be a better fit in time than the Fall Arts Festival,” he said. I view the design and craftsmanship that goes into these homes as its own art form, like what hangs on the walls. How great would it be if we could open up some of these homes for people to view?”

The tour will be self-guided. Visitors go to JacksonHoleShowcase.com to purchase tickets – limited to just 250, with sales benefiting charities of the homeowners’ choices – then can pick up the program guides at Circ Inc. 215 West Gill Ave.; Altamira Fine Art, 172 Center Street St.; Willow Creek Design, 115 E. Broadway; or the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, 112 Center St.

At each home principal designers will be present to greet visitors, show off highlights, and answer questions. At most sites, light refreshments will be offered.

“We’ve got a great base of committed people with homes,” Jenkins said, “and longtime valley professionals – architects, interior designers, contractors and landscapers. …We approached the design community at large to include all those groups to see who had projects they could showcase.”

So not only will a selection of fantastic Teton homes be on display but the talent that created them will be, too – firms such as Jacque Jenkins-Stireman Design, Berlin Architects and Stephen Dynia Architects, MountainScapes Inc., and Bontecou Construction, Two Oceans Builders and Mill Iron Timberworks.

It’s a great way to be able to interact with possible new clients, “ said John Walker, of Mill Iron Timberworks, the general contractor of the showcase residence on North Gros Ventre Butte. Walker said his company does just about every kind of work, though this house, designed by Dynia, is quite contemporary. It was built just a year and a half ago, he said, and it appeared on the cover of last year’s Homestead magazine. “We’ll be on hand, as will the interior designer” and architect Dynia, the builder said.

“The stories behind the homes are best told by the architects that worked on them,” Jenkins said. Attendees will have the opportunity to talk to the professionals behind the projects in a meaningful setting. They won’t have 1000 people coming through all trying to talk” to the designers. With just 250 tickets sold, buyers will have the luxury of spending time with the residences and professionals.

“A lot of these homeowners really value the design community that came together to create this work of art that they live in,” Jenkins said. “We felt this is where the pairing with the Fall Arts festival was really important.” The festival has over the past 28 years offered art patrons plenty of opportunities to come to galleries and meet the artists whose work hangs on the walls. The Showcase of Homes allows similar epicures the chance to see art on a different scale.

“That’s the alignment we were trying to take,” Jenkins said, “to come view art in a different form and talk to the artists.” The 2013 Fall Arts Festival is the first year for Homestead’s Showcase of Homes, but Jenkins hopes the event will grow. “Our goal this year is to put on a quality event and to set the stage for the future,” he said.

Homestead to host 2013 Showcase of Homes

showcase_brand_noicon

jacksonholeshowcase

The Jackson Hole Showcase of Homes is a two-day, self-guided fundraising tour to experience the craftsmanship and meet the artists behind some of Jackson’s most spectacular homes.

More than the ordinary walk-through, the Jackson Hole Showcase of Homes has a superb catch: face-to-face conversations with the finest professionals in architecture, construction, interior design, landscaping and electronic systems. They will reveal the art—and perhaps the magic—behind their achievements in some of the most exciting living spaces in the West.

All ticket proceeds will benefit local charities chosen by our generous homeowners.

Dates
Friday Sept 13, 10am – 4pm
Saturday Sept 14, 12pm – 6pm

Limited tickets available. For more information and to purchase tickets please go to: www.JacksonHoleShowcase.com.

 

 

Tayloe Piggott’s Canvas

While traditional artists might express themselves with paint on a canvas, Tayloe Piggott’s form of collaborative expression is her gallery. Piggott has a unique talent: she is able to bring her love and understanding of beautiful design to her client relationships, helping her clients discover their own personal aesthetic. At the Tayloe Piggott Gallery on South Glenwood, Piggott introduces her clients and the Jackson art community to beautifully curated contemporary art exhibitions and selection fine jewelry from around the world. Her adjoined Design Studio serves as a collaborative environment; it is here that Piggott works with her clients as an Art & Interiors Consultant to bring her discerning eye for interior design, art, and jewelry together in a fully rounded experience. [Read more…]

WRJ Home Opens Flagship Showroom in Jackson Hole

Located just off the town square, WRJ Home is the newest addition to Jackson’s growing interior design and lifestyle community. You may remember design duo Klaus Baer and Rush Jenkins from our post last fall featuring their Victor showroom. On May 17th the team opened their flagship showroom on King Street bringing their elegant western contemporary lifestyle brand to Jackson Hole. [Read more…]

Homestead Spring DIY Projects

At Homestead Mag, the arrival of spring means it’s time for household projects and deep cleaning after winter. At Homestead we are in support of any kind of sprucing up, whether you’re taking on a full renovation or simply getting your garden ready for summer.

This weekend we had some DIY fun of our own. This coffee table came from Home Again, a home furnishings store here in Jackson specializing in high end consignment, custom furniture, staging services and interior design. Purchased for $80, the table was a raw, blonde color when we got it, and showed potential.



[Read more…]

Outdoor Dining Season… It’s (Almost) Here!

This may be a little premature, but all this warm weather is putting us in the mood for some outdoor entertaining. But we’re not talking about just any old B-B-Q. We want to do it the Homestead way, which means we want to enjoy a tasty dinner served in an elegant outdoor setting while gazing at a view of the Tetons.

Cooking an entire meal in an outdoor kitchen in our backyard sounds pretty ideal. We’d enlist Bontecou Construction to help install a beautiful patio like this one so we could entertain all our friends outside, or simply relax solo and enjoy the upcoming summer evenings.     

[Read more…]