A school playing field in England over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Dotted around its perimeter are stalls and marquees, burger stands and ice cream vans, gazebos and camping chairs. Saturdays torrential downpour is a distant memory and the sun occasionally pokes through the clouds to make the underfoot dry and keep Sundays crowd warm enough.

A true English eccentric mans a stall of obsolete bicycle related junk (or collectors items, depending on your viewpoint.) Plastic cratefuls of decades old components including some rare as hens teeth Zeus bits and pieces nestle against row upon row of assorted nuts, bolts, brackets and clip on cable guides; an oxidising Aladdins cave of every item you never knew you needed, and most likely dont. Yet our bearded proprietor is doing a steady trade among those who like a good rummage.

In the main marquee is an entrancing photographic display by the Tricycle Association, a sub-genre of cycling eccentricity out on its own.

Imagery from, at a guess, the Isle of Man week in the 70s, depicts a snaking line of trikes weaving through narrow streets between rows of whitewashed terraces. And, to dispel the notion that this peculiar and crowd pleasing branch of cycle sport is consigned to the history books, shots of this years World Championships in Belgium adorn the display boards; the trikes pilots leaning at alarming angles to keep all three wheels grounded on a tight left hander. It is bike handling or trike handling, to be precise of the highest order.

Back out in the open air, Islabikes is doing brisk trade all weekend long Ms Rowntrees range of wonderful miniature racing bikes and tiny pushalongs attracting a throng of kids and parents. The Islabike is the mount of choice for discerning toddlers and teenagers alike.

Woe betide any unsuspecting newcomer who sets up where a bunch of Essex boys and girls have been pitching the last 20 odd years

Gazebos dotted round the perimeter protect rollers from the elements, their owners spinning away in preparation for upcoming racing. There is a proprietorial air about the encampments. Clubs stake out their turf on Friday evening. Woe betide any unsuspecting newcomer who sets up where a bunch of Essex boys and girls have been pitching the last 20 odd years

And the centrepiece of this scene? A 400 metre oval, staked out with tiny wooden pegs around its perimeter, that will see three days of action over this extended holiday weekend. This is grass track racing.

Before the explosion of track racing as a paying spectacle in the late 19th century, grass ovals were the order of the day. It requires a flat field (the challenging but beautifully scenic Ambleside in the Lake District seemingly the exception to the rule), wooden pegs, and a bunch of willing riders on fixed wheel machines. Grass track is perfectly simple and a joy to watch. It is also peculiarly British with the exception of the Caribbean islands, where the sport still holds its own.

The eastern swathe of Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk hosts many grass meets throughout the summer

It is decidedly working class, practised by long established clubs from all over the country but with certain strongholds: former mining towns have a long association with this type of racing.

The eastern swathe of Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk hosts many grass meets throughout the summer; the clubs of Maldon, Chelmer, Ipswich and Spalding swelling the ranks of the hosts in Mildenhall, with nearby Hertfordshire sending racers from Welwyn and Ashwell. From further afield, East Bradford, Chesterfield and Beacon Wheelers (from the far flung Penrith) field sizable contingents.

There is a pleasing lack of expensive kit: club colours are de rigueur. Bikes are predominantly ageing track irons shod with file tread cyclo-cross tubs to bite into the grass on the 33 metre radius bends. The utilitarian and purely practical aspect of the machinery is in stark contrast to modern track bikes, with their astronomically expensive carbon frames and disc wheels. Grass track is truly a sport of the people.

And a sport of families. To see three generations of one cycling clan at Mildenhall is far from unusual parents and children racing, grandparents cheering from the sidelines. Dean Downing, longstanding domestic professional for Rapha Condor Sharp, mans a stall alongside his father, Ken, while his daughter Lily scampers around with her freshly painted pirates face.

Downing Senior and brother Johnny were both grass track riders of note, so unsurprisingly, both Dean and his younger brother Russell started in the same discipline. Dean still holds the record as the youngest winner of the national 8km title he was 17 and very proud of it he is too. Should Lily decide to follow in her fathers footsteps, it will undoubtedly be a grass track meeting where she takes those first pedal strokes.

There is, and this was a pleasant surprise to me, a few quid to be made at grass track racing, especially on the Highland Games circuit. I spent a couple of weeks in Scotland a few years back, did seven meetings and came away with 1,500 in my pocket, says Dean. First prize for an 8km is 200, so if youre in good form, the money is pretty decent.

The family connections are widespread in this world. Commentator Dave Kennedy keeps the crowd entertained with three days of flawless talking at Mildenhall, dry wit interspersed with useful information, but with amusing one liners to the fore. He is father to three grass track racing brothers, including multiple champion Richard, and organises grass track at the Heckington Show, where cycling competes competes with livestock and tug of war for the crowds attention.

More siblings, in the shape of brothers Ben and Rowan Elliott, regularly carve up National Championship titles between them. This time it is younger brother Rowan who leaves Mildenhall with the 800m crown. Wives and children are in attendance, the toddlers blasting around the field on their tiny Islabikes whenever the chance arises. It is a special atmosphere.

As I settle down to talk to organiser Max Pendleton at the end of a days racing in which he has acted as human pacer for ten keirin events, following a mere 16 the previous day it feels like I have witnessed the perfect cycling event. It has not been the parochial anachronism that I feared might have been wilting away in deepest Suffolk for the last two and a half decades. It is old school. It is peculiar. But it is also thriving and encompasses all that it good about the British club scene. There is a true sense of community that is clear in everyone I have talked to over the weekend.

Pendleton is a fit, lean, tanned 67-year-old who could easily pass for a decade younger, on the bike or off. Yes, he is related to Victoria: hes her dad. Shes a former Mildenhall CC member and source of great pride to all at the club, and you can imagine where the double Olympic champion started racing. It teaches you such skills, says Max. Vickys bike handling is second to none and she learnt it on grass.

Mildenhall is very much a cycling event, aimed at the cycling fraternity. Its predecessor, the Dairytime Gala, was pitched more at the local community, with mixed results. We decided to go looking for cyclists, rather than looking for Joe Public, explains Pendleton. We switched it to this and it just grew from there. It had a rough period five or six years ago, but it seems to be picking up now. We had 80 kids yesterday, 75 today. And there are four big kids leagues in this area, so it is building nicely.

Grass track is very much the focus of the weekend but the programme of Audax rides, childrens duathlon, cyclo-cross and roller racing, plus the usual face painting and bouncy castle attractions for youngsters, provides something for everyone. There is plenty of serious action spread over the weekend including a National Championship but its interspersed with a healthy dose of fun and games. Pendleton and his team have nailed it.

Grass track was very big in the 1920s to 50s, he says, especially at miners welfare meetings and company sports days: Electrolux, STC, Vauxhall, all the big companies round here used to have a sports meeting with mostly athletics, but interspersed with grass track.

Three of us went to Ambleside and Heckington back in the 70s and came away with 500 between us

Travel to the Lake District for the Ambleside Show and wrestlers clad in white long sleeve vests and matching long johns, covered by spectacular embroidered velvet knickers, grapple away in the centre of the track while the racing goes on around them a surreal scene. Pendleton confirms Dean Downings assertion that if you are handy on grass, the prize money is and was worth travelling for.

Three of us went to Ambleside and Heckington back in the 70s and came away with 500 between us. That was decent money, considering I was probably earning about 2,000 a year then. Mind you, we did win two thirds of the events between us When it comes to winning its been like father, like daughter, although you get the impression Max has eased back somewhat from the days when he was coaxing the best out of the young Victoria.

Standing on the final bend for the heats of the handicap sprint, I fully appreciate the skill involved in staying upright while hammering at full tilt on moist grass; the scratch rider having the unenviable task of passing all and sundry on the unworn outfield, both wheels bucking and skipping on every bump in the surface. The only way to get round in one piece, Ben Elliott assures me, is to keep the pressure on those pedals at all times. Ease off the gas for a split second and you are down

If handicap sprinting sounds too demanding there is always the hoop race. In this variant of musical chairs, Pendleton mischievously roams the track scattering plastic rings, riders stalling and lurking until the blow of a whistle signals a mad scramble to position a back wheel inside the nearest circle. Cheating, if not actively encouraged, is certainly not frowned on. Pendleton is called upon to deliberate on disputes and promptly turns to the assembled throng to holler his decision in best pantomime tradition. The loser skulks away with a sheepish grin. The winner gets to sing a song over the PA system, whether they want to or not.

The Bristow Devil, named after and sponsored by former Paralympian Mark Bristow, is an elimination race with a difference. The next to last rider over the line scores a point, to negate the (according to the inventor) unfair tactic of blasting away off the front for the duration of the race. Those bike handling skills Pendleton emphasises are tested to the limit under Bristows devilish rules, so ten riders cross the line in very close order travelling at a snails pace and treading the fine line between point scoring and being pulled out by MC Dave Kennedy. The dreaded call from the judges is delivered on first name terms and received with good grace by the riders.

This mix of the serious and the decidedly not-so is a winning combination that deserves to succeed, and which seemingly is doing so. In the age of corporate sponsorship and ever increasing budgets for cycling events, there is still room for the club organised, grassroots event of which Mildenhall is a shining example.

The following has gone down since its heyday, Pendleton concludes, but it has got a lot more relaxed: involve the crowd in the judging and it gets them warmed up and becomes the fun thing you have got here, which as far as I am concerned is beautiful. I love this.

From the Rouleur annual, 2012

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Grass Track: Victoria Pendleton's racing roots - Rouleur (registration)

Rights of Way and Easements: You Can't Do Much about Them Up & Coming Weekly No permanent structures like sheds, swimming pools, decks, gazebos or sometimes trees or fences. If you do, and the utility needs access to the ground underneath, they'll move it at your expense. Easements and rights of way come in different sizes.

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Rights of Way and Easements: You Can't Do Much about Them - Up & Coming Weekly

Photo Courtesy of Atlanta Lyric Theatre

In June, the New York Post reported that Colin Firth, who is rumored to have turned down the role of Henry Higgins in the upcoming, highly-anticipated 2018 Lincoln Center revival of My Fair Lady, might still be considering the role. Just a few days ago, they claimed that Lauren Ambrose could be our next Eliza Doolittle. These recent tidbits come on the heels of at least a dozen other Post articles over the last several years speculating on casting and direction for the slow-starting revival. And why does New York's love-to-hate chatterbox keep landing on My Fair Lady gossip? For the same reason we want to read it. It's a story that we can't get enough of. And why can't we get enough of it? Easy. We are obsessed with the familiar Pygmalion story: boy meets plain old girl, boy molds plain old girl into new-and-improved perfect girl, boy is fabulously happy. The thing that makes My Fair Lady a Pygmalion story that rises above its mythological predecessor, as well as many other pop culture retellings, is that the plain old girl in this one, once she is transformed into new-and-improved perfect girl, recognizes what she has lost in the bargain and actually holds the boy accountable for it. That's a good story. A relevant story. An important story. And Atlanta Lyric Theatre, in their current production under the direction of Scott Seidl, tells the story quite well. With an excellent cast, led by popular Atlanta actor Galen Crawley in her gorgeous turn as Eliza Doolittle, and some of the best music to hit the Atlanta stages this summer, the production is definitely one to celebrate.

The Lerner and Loewe tuner tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl, who seeks out speech lessons from Henry Higgins, a bachelor and notable phoneticist, in hopes of improving her social station by securing a position as a lady in a flower shop. Higgins, eager to showcase his speech training skills to his friend, Colonel Pickering, takes on the new pupil, but he doesn't bargain on Eliza teaching him as much as he teaches her.

The biggest boasting right for this production belongs to the music under the direction of Paul Tate. There is no weak link among the players in this area. Every note is a sheer delight, and the choice to flank the stage with two pianos that provide the entirety of the show's accompaniment is an inspired one. The big voices, relieved of the challenges that a full orchestra presents, are shown to their best advantages.

The production also boasts some great acting. Galen Crawley is the jewel in the production's crown. She plays a Cockney flower girl exactly as convincingly as she does a refined lady of high society. And that doesn't happen very often. In addition, she brings an infectious energy and spunk to her role that stabilizes the performances around her. George Deavours as Alfred Doolittle, Karen Howell as Mrs. Higgins, and Chris Saltalamacchio in the role of Freddy Eynsford-Hill also deliver Great Performances. Rob Roper, returning to the stage after a 30-year hiatus, is excellent in the role of Colonel Pickering, so excellent, in fact, that Mark Bradley Miller in the role of Henry Higgins often finds himself dangerously close to being upstaged. Miller plays a very mild Higgins here, and that's a little problematic, both because it causes him to throw away a lot of jokes and because a number of his epiphanic moments never realize their full potential.

Any good discussion of the talent of this cast must include a mention of the ensemble work. This ensemble, most notably in the street scenes and the Ascot opening day scene, beautifully executes Ashley Chasteen's delightfully fresh choreography. In addition, they provide such gorgeous mise en scne that just their presence could have solved this production's biggest problem.

That biggest problem - and it is so often a problem for productions of My Fair Lady - is the set design. Lee Shiver-Cerone starts with a wonderful idea, those two aforementioned pianos flanking the stage. The pianos are housed inside large gazebos. Also wonderful. But those pianos in gazebos beg for attention, and because Shiver-Cerone never divorces himself fully from old, tired My Fair Lady scenic ideas that involve heavy backdrops and big wooden staircases, he gets into a jam. Nearly every stage picture that doesn't allow the pianos to be in their rightful place as focal points is blemished by the unwanted intrusion of...well... two pianos in gazebos.

On the whole, the Atlanta Lyric Theatre has put on a decidedly loverly production of My Fair Lady. If you want to hear those old familiar songs sung about as well as they can be sung, the Atlanta Lyric Theatre is the place to be this month.

My Fair Lady plays through September 3. For tickets and information, visit http://www.atlantalyrictheatre.com

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BWW Review: MY FAIR LADY at Atlanta Lyric Theatre - Broadway World

Residents deal with costly expenses after Baltimore steam pipe explosion in June

BALTIMORE, Md. (WBFF) -- There are some frustrated car owners, after that steam pipe explosion in downtown Baltimore.

The blast damaged more than 30 vehicles two months ago and a Baltimore County couple is still worried about who will pay for their repairs.

In Perry Hall, Michelle Muir and her husband are dealing with an explosion expense.

"Everything that has to be done to this car, we have to pay for," said Muir.

Muir said the cost to repair the damage to her 2002 Honda Accord is estimated to be close to more than a thousand dollars.

A blown out back window has been replaced, so the car is drivable. Still, theres so much more to do.

"The sunroof, they said, was over $400. So, it's a total of close to $2,000 for window replacement," said Muir.

Muir said the damage was caused by the pipe explosion that happened in downtown Baltimore in June.

But now, two months later, the Muirs say theyre still waiting for Veolia, the company that owns the steam line, to pay for the damage done to the car.

She says the damage is caused by the pipe explosion in downtown Baltimore in June.

But now, two months later, the Muirs ares still waiting for Veolia, the company that owns the steamline, to pay for the damage done to the car.

"They say until, again, until they are found at fault, they are not going to pay for anything. And that's frustrating because we weren't at fault," said Muir.

The couple had gone downtown for a baseball game. They showed us pictures of their car covered in dirt and debris, with a dented hood, shattered back window and other broken windows. Its a car casualty situation for the couple when patience is running so low.

"Patience is ok, if we had full coverage on the car, we don't. So, basically, we're paying out of pocket," said Muir.

We reached out to a Veolia spokesperson who tells us, if its determined that Veolia is responsible for the cause of the steam pipe explosion, the company will pay for damages to cars.

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Residents deal with costly expenses after Baltimore steam pipe explosion in June - Fox Baltimore

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The summer transfer window closed on Thursday for Premier League sides, and we can all breathe a sigh of relief that it's over, including the Chelsea powerbrokers.

The Blues ran the gauntlet this summer, waiting until deadline day to make some key signings. And even as the clock ticked down, we weren't sure they would get some deals over the line.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte may not have signed all of his targets, but Chelsea have emerged with a squad that looks fresher than it did this time last season. Regardless of whether it's only marginally, the Premier League champions have been able to regenerate a dressing room that's needed change for some time.

But how well have Chelsea performed in the transfer market? Did they do a good enough job with the players they bought and sold? Join us as we grade the Blues' transfer window activity.

Grading Chelsea's most significant signings

Chelsea signed six players this summer, with two coming on deadline day. We've graded them below based on squad requirements and the overall business decision.

Willy Caballero

Fee: Free

Grade: A+

To grade Caballero so highly will undoubtedly raise eyebrows. He arguably has the lowest profile of all Chelsea's summer signings, andBlues fans aren't expecting to see much from him in the club's colours as the back-up toThibautCourtois.

Here's the thing, though: Caballero was brought in as the replacement for Asmir Begovic, who was sold to Bournemouth for 10 million. In so doing, Chelsea got a like-for-like replacement and made a significant profit.

It wasn't a move to get overly excited about, but in terms of the whole package, it was excellent business. Uncharacteristically for the Blues, the deal for Caballero was announced in early July, too.

Tiemoue Bakayoko

Fee: 40 million

Grade: B

Chelsea have signed potential with Bakayoko. His exploits in a Monaco shirt last season suggested he has a fine career ahead of him, but it was just one standout season from the 22-year-old. He still has a lot to achieve if his transfer is to be regarded as shrewd business.

Still, 40 million in this summer's market for a player we're expecting to be a regular does outline some transfer acumen from the Chelsea board. At a time when fees are escalating beyond all sense of logic, Chelsea signing an up-and-coming talent gives them a strong possibility to make a dividend on their investment either in future transfer windows or on the pitch, where it's hoped Bakayoko will excel.

The early signs are promising after his debut against Tottenham Hotspur.

Alvaro Morata

Fee: 58 million

Grade: A

Two games at Stamford Bridge have brought two goals and two assists for Morata. From a personal perspective, it's been a great start for the Spaniard.

Morata has done exactly what all strikers must when they arrive at a new clubhe's made a big impact, and with that, he already has the momentum to suggest he can replace Diego Costa's goal threat.

The 24-year-old is now Chelsea's record signing, with the 58 million paid to Real Madrid surpassing the 50 million Liverpool raked in on the sale of Fernando Torres to the Blues in 2011.

It took Torres 14 games to open his Chelsea account and a full 19 for him to tally the two goals Morata already has to his name. Those early days came to define Torres' Chelsea career, andMorata seems to have overcome any hoodoo immediately.

Antonio Rudiger

Fee: 29 million

Grade: B

By the same token that we've applauded Chelsea for the fee paid to Monaco for Bakayoko, the 29 million invested in Rudiger represents good business in this transfer window.

Transfer fees have spiralled out of control, with the huge figures we're seeing for the most talented players hiking up prices for those below them. Rudiger may not arrive with the same hype as a Virgil van Dijk, for instance, but he cost Chelsea a fraction of the price they would've been expected to pay for the Dutchman.

Rudiger is already showing himself to be a good squad player, and over the course of the season, his attributes will benefit the Blues. He fits into the system Conte likes to play, meaning that, regardless of names and profile, he's an ideal signing.

Danny Drinkwater

Fee: 35 million

Grade: B

Talk about leaving things lateChelsea had to wait until a couple of hours after the transfer window had closed before they announced the capture of Drinkwater. They left fans waiting until the early hours to confirm a deal that had been rolling on for weeks.

It all seemed to be about the price, with the Blues hierarchy haggling with Leicester City, as reported by theTelegraph'sJohn Percy in the days leading up to deadline day. By hook or by crook, they got their man, though, and Conte's midfield looks stronger for it.

Drinkwater adds Premier League and Champions League experience and bolsters the homegrown quota in the Stamford Bridge dressing room. He's not a marquee signing, but he's certainly one of substance.

The only negative here is the fee, with the Blues paying much more than their initial valuation of the former Manchester United man.

Davide Zappacosta

Fee: 23 million

Grade: C

There will be a Costa in the Chelsea squad this season after all. Well, sort of, with Italian Zappacosta's surname giving us a hint of rock'n'roll royalty blended with Chelsea's bad boy frontman who remains in exile.

Zappacosta's signing was a big surprise, with his name only being linked with the Blues on transfer deadline day following their failure to land Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who signed for Liverpool. Chelsea fans won't be feeling too confident with his signing as he plans to compete at wing-back, but remember last season's deadline-day business?

Marcos Alonso came in under the radar, seemingly a move from left field that stunned many. And now look at him; the Spaniard has become an essential part of Conte's side, adding something to defence and attack.

Zappacosta has a reputation for being strong in attack and is a fine crosser of the ball. With Morata getting on the end of his crosses, he may well prove a fine asset himself.

We've given Zappacosta's signing a C grade, as it comes with a sense of the unknown and being knee-jerk. With nothing linking him to Chelsea until all else failed, he smacks of being a last resort.

But let's hope he can have an impact in the same way Alonso did.

Grading Chelsea's most significant departures

More players left Chelsea than came in this summer, but that isn't necessarily a negative thing. The Blues were able to offload some ageing stars and made good money from them in the process. We're only grading the most significant permanent transfers here, so this does not include the ever-growing loan army.

John Terry

Fee: Free

Grade: A+

All good things come to an end, and this summer Chelsea fans discovered that when Terry departed for Aston Villa on a free transfer. It's a sad moment when legends eventually have to leave, but Terry's departure should've come much earlier than it did.

There isn't a bigger hero in west London than the former Blues captain, yet his presence at Stamford Bridge held Chelsea back at times in recent seasons. It meant managers could only play one way with him at the back, so when he was injured in the early part of 2016/17, it was the ideal time for Conte to change things around.

The manager did, and it revolutionised the way his team performed. It made Chelsea Premier League champions and ended Terry's Blues career in the process.

Nemanja Matic

Fee: 40 million

Grade: A

Forget that Matic has joined Manchester United, a direct rival of Chelsea. The point with this transfer and why we've given it an A grade is simple economics. Chelsea sold a 29-year-old for 40 million; they made a 19 million profit on a player in decline.

Matic moving to United is a short-term answer to the club's midfield problems. But with the overall fee Chelsea were paid for him effectively bringing in Bakayoko from Monaco, it has provided a long-term solution to theirs.

We don't buy the notion that Matic will win United the title this season, either. Before he was sold, Matic was among the most criticised players at Chelsea for good reason; the Serb was seen as a weak link, with his presence in midfield overshadowed by team-mate N'Golo Kante in a defensive sense, while he failed to matchCesc Fabregas' effectiveness going forward.

The Matic Chelsea signed in January 2014 was a different player to the one United paid 40 million for. In the long term, Chelsea will be happy with the business they did here.

Nathan Ake

Fee: 20 million

Grade: B

It's a shame Ake has been sold, as he has more than hinted at having a bright future in the Premier League. But like an old gun-slinging western town from a Sergio Leone movie, Stamford Bridge isn't big enough for two outlaws or, in this case, a pair of up-and-coming defenders.

Ake's sale to Bournemouth for a healthy 20 million has meant Andreas Christensen has taken his spot in the Chelsea squad after returning from loan. So, with the addition of Rudiger, the Blues now have a solid-looking setup at the back that also includes David Luiz, Cesar Azpilicueta and Gary Cahill.

Without Christensen, it would have been disappointing for Ake to have been sold. But Chelsea seem to be putting their faith in the Dane, and that meant Ake was pushed out. And that's footballChelsea can't hoard every talented young player.

Bertrand Traore

Fee: 8.8 million

Grade: D

With Diego Costa's problems this summer and Chelsea also needing reinforcements in their attacking-midfield options, losing Traore was a disappointment.

Is he talented enough to be starting every week at Stamford Bridge? No. But that's not the point with Traore. His season on loan with Ajax proved he could play a supporting role for the Blues, earning more experience with the view to eventually becoming a regular.

He is just 21, and his age alone tells us he has so much more time to develop his game. Allowing him to join Lyon for an initial 8.8 million, regardless of buy-back clauses, is short-sighted from Chelsea at a time when they don't boast hordes of attacking stars.

Nathaniel Chalobah

Fee: 5 million

Grade: D

While Traore still has some developing to do, Chalobah was arguably ready for first-team football at Chelsea. Clearly, the player himself believed that and forced through his move to Watford.

Had the Blues signed a world-class player to take his place in the squad, Chalobah's sale wouldn't grate so much. The fact is they haven'talthough Drinkwater's capture was astute enough to hint at the Blues being a strong midfield unit.

Chalobah left at the wrong timethe time when Chelsea needed him most, as they faced the beginning stages of 2017/18 with just three central midfielders, and one of them was Cesc Fabregas, who is far from adept when it comes to competing physically.

Chelsea should've done more to keep Chalobah, as he has everything that hints at him being a star of the future. He's still young and has his career ahead of him.

Dominic Solanke

Fee: TBC by tribunal

Grade: B

How do you grade Solanke's move to Liverpool this summer? Do we applaud Chelsea for making a stand in refusing to give a young player a bumper contract when he'd made just one senior appearance? Or do we side with Solanke and suggest the Blues should've shown more faith in one of England's best prospects?

Continue reading here:
Grading Chelsea's Transfer Window Activity - Bleacher Report

Wilmington, NC (WWAY) More eyes and ears will help keep an eye on downtown Wilmington.

After nearly two year of planning, and several months afterWilmington City Council approved a new downtown Municipal Service District, new programs were unveiled to help grow the downtown area.

The MSD programs are being directed by Wilmington Downtown Incorporated (WDI).

One new service is an Ambassador team, which consists of a group of seven people. You will see them wearing bright orange shirts around downtown. They will walk around to give directions and referrals, escort workers, visitors, or residents to specific destinations, identify street light outages, address graffiti. According to a news release, the will provide a safety and security presence, along with additional cleaning for the area.

WDI contracted with Allied Universal to hire and manage the new Ambassador team and all members are certified through the North Carolina Private Protection Service Board.

The Ambassadors work Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sundays 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The Ambassadors can be reached by phone or text during operating hours at (910) 524.3600. They can also be found on the web at http://www.downtownambassador.com.

In addition to the Ambassador program, WDI also announced two new matching grant programs to help spur investment.

The Faade Improvement Grant program is designed to help renovate buildings and storefronts. Funds can be used for a range of improvements such as window repair or replacement, exterior painting, awnings, signs, lights and other similar work to the front of a building. The grant will award up to $2,500 of the total cost of the project on a matching basis. Funds will be awarded on a first come-first served basis and money is available for up to six projects.

The Landscaping Grant program is designed to encourage new planting areas to buffer or improve parking lots or vacant properties. This grant will provide up to $1,500 on a matching basis for irrigation, plants, fencing or other similar upgrades. Funds will also be awarded on a first come-first served basis and money is available to two projects.

Complete information and an application form for both the Faade Improvement Grant and the Landscaping Grant programs are available. Call the WDI office at (910) 763.7349 or visit http://www.wilmingtondowntown.com/msd.

The MSD has additional programs in the planning phase.

One project is examining physical enhancements with an emphasis on improving pedestrian safety and protecting the urban tree canopy. Another effort is underway to bolster marketing to better connect with area residents, workers, customers and visitors. WDI expects to announce additional MSD services in the coming months.

The programs announced today reflect the priorities of Downtown property owners, businesses and residents, said WDI Chair Tom Davis. The Ambassadors will be a resource and a re-assuring presence for people throughout the central business district and the new matching grant programs are designed to spur additional investment that can help property owners and small businesses within the MSD area, he said.

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New programs, including Ambassador team, launched in downtown Wilmington - WWAY NewsChannel 3

The Alexis Sanchez saga twisted and turned until it ultimately lost itself in the mess that is Arsenal Football Club in the transfer market.

The Chilean was on the brink of making the switch to Manchester City, where he would reunite with Pep Guardiola, play wonderful football and compete for major honours. All that needed to happen was Arsenal signing a replacement and thered be nothing in his way.

Whether it was a token effort or a genuine one, Arsenal tried to sign Monacos Thomas Lemar. A 92m offer was made. The bid was accepted. Then, when things seemed to be going along nicely, the deal came to an abrupt end. Arsenal didnt have enough time to complete the deal. Other reports suggested Lemar didnt want to join Arsenal. With just a couple of hours left in the window, Lemar wasnt joining Arsenal and, as a result, Alexis wasnt joining City.

The player will have been left understandably furious by the developments. Likewise, the fans of both clubs would be bemused and would like to know just who was responsible for the whole mess.

Its tempting to say this is entirely down to Arsenals own incompetence. Arsenal made the late decision to sell Alexis and gave themselves little time to find a replacement. With such limited time, it ended up being a case of Lemar or nothing. This was made all the more risky by Arsenal not even knowing if Lemar wanted to join them or not.

Arsenal may have wanted Alexis to stay but they absolutely must have been aware of the players desire to leave. A sensible club would scout out possibly replacements just in case, and ensure some groundwork was laid to make a quick signing. Arsenal didnt have to wait until the last minute to make that Lemar bid. Nor did they have to ignore the likes of Riyad Mahrez or Julian Draxler the whole time. Had the Lemar bid failed, say, three weeks ago, Arsenal would have had enough time to pursue other options.

On the other hand, Arsenal will rightfully point out that Citys plot to leave a bid right until the end of the window did them no favours. City would have known that Arsenal would want to sign a replacement its a fairly common practice in the transfer window yet gave Arsenal little time in which to do it. Had they made a serious offer last month, they would have gotten their man.

Theres another layer to all this: the year remaining on Alexis contract.

Alexis isnt a priority signing for City, which might explain why they left it so late. They knew full well that if they couldnt sign Alexis this summer, they could sign him for free next year. For them, this could have been a case of putting Arsenal in the most difficult position possible. Either they signed the player this window, leaving Arsenal little time to find a replacement, or they sign him for free next summer without giving Arsenal any money to buy a replacement with.

Its all conjecture, of course, but Arsenal are undoubtedly in a more awkward place than City are. Arsenal cannot complain if Alexis turns out to be disruptive, because it was their reluctance to sell that dragged the saga out for so long. We had our chance to get rid of the guy and didnt take it.

Ultimately, it may all work out for the best. Still, theres no denying that this whole could have been resolved much sooner and much more efficiently than it has been.

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Arsenal or Manchester City: Who is to blame over the Alexis debacle? - Daily Cannon (satire) (blog)

If you are considering pursuing a career in interior design, one of the first decisions you will make will be in reference to your education. Education lays the foundation for developing the skills and knowledge to not only practice a profession, but also to protect the publics health, safety, and welfare.

The current educational requirements for interior design registration in the State of Tennessee are: 1) a two-year, three-year, four-year, or five-year interior design degree that has been accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA, formerly FIDER), or 2) an interior design degree determined to be substantially equivalent to a CIDA-accredited degree.

Accreditation is a voluntary, non-governmental process of peer review. It requires an educational institution or program to meet certain defined standards or criteria and serves to notify parents and prospective students that a particular interior design program has met minimum educational standards for its graduates to enter professional practice.

For a list of Tennessee higher education institutions with CIDA-accredited interior design programs, see the Resources and Links page.

Note: Other institutions in Tennessee offering acceptable interior design programs include those located in Tennessee on April 16, 1991 that were either accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) or licensed by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC).

For further information:Regarding accreditation of interior design programs, how to select a program, and a complete listing of accredited programs in the United StatesClick Here.Regarding interior design registrationClick Here.Regarding a career in interior designClick Here.

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Interior Designers - TN.Gov

It's no easy feat to find an affordable apartment in many cities. Renters will scour the city streets for a decent deal, searching uptown, downtown and increasingly, underground.

But basement dwellings often have low ceilings, cramped rooms and little natural light, making them challenging to decorate.

We asked designers how renters can optimize these tricky spaces and make basement dwellings feel like homes. Here are their tips:

Keep it cool:

"Lighter, brighter, cooler colors help the walls recede," said Jaye Langmaid, owner of Hudson & Crane, an urban design studio in Washington, D.C. Light blues and grays can make a small room feel larger and enhance limited natural light. But don't be afraid to accent a wall in a darker color, which can lengthen an oblong room or hall. Stay away from warm colors, which may make a small space feel crowded.

Raise the roof:

Shannon Claire Smith, a D.C.-based interior decorator and design blogger, said that renters have a number of ways to make low ceilings appear higher. "I always have clients try to stretch the walls as high as they can," Smith said. "A darker color on the ceiling makes it look like the night sky -- you don't know where it ends." Hang floor-length drapery panels, or arrange artwork gallery-style so that it fills walls from floor to ceiling. If you don't have enough artwork to do that, a few large pieces can have the same effect.

Add mirrors:

Decorative mirrors create an illusion of space and light. "Mirrors can help reflect what little natural light comes into a basement apartment," said Sarah Roussos-Karakaian, who co-founded the artisan contracting and design team Nestrs with her husband, Nick Karakaian. "The light bounces around your space." Floor-length mirrors, too, can make a low ceiling look higher.

Look to the past:

There's nothing new about trying to make the best of a small, oddly shaped space. To find furniture that will fit down narrow stairwells and into cramped rooms, check out French, English and Japanese antiques, said Rachel Dougan, founder and principal designer of ViVi Interiors. "In Paris, you had really tiny alleyways and stairwells," Dougan said. "These vintage pieces were made for smaller spaces to begin with . . . and they're made to be disassembled and put together again." Dougan especially recommends "campaign furniture," originally made for soldiers on the move. If you don't like the old-timey aesthetic, she said, you can always add a fresh coat of paint to an antique piece.

Lighten up:

Overhead lighting in rented apartments tends to be less than flattering, said designer Anna Matthews, who suggests buying lamps that will warm up the space. For an affordable option, try Robert Abbey; if you're willing to invest, Matthews recommends Bunny Williams. "I love to put good table lamps on either side of the sofa because it makes it feel more like a home," she said. "It personalizes the space, which is so important."

Multitask:

Get the most out of a small space by purchasing furniture with more than one function. "Have all your furniture be multipurpose," Roussos-Karakaian said. Couches can pull out to double as beds for overnight guests, and coffee tables with built-in shelves can serve as storage space. Roussos-Karakaian also recommends wall-mounted shelves: Use them as bookcases or fill them with decorative storage baskets.

Privatize:

English basements often have ground-level windows that may allow passers-by to see inside. Solar shades or privacy blinds allow light to come in while preventing pedestrians from peeping into your bedroom. Jo Kerrigan, district manager for Next Day Blinds, recommends the brand's Honeycomb Shades, which have a soft, delicate look and offer total privacy. The shades, made out of a polyester fabric, also absorb sound, making them ideal for a basement on a busy street.

Go green:

English basements are often accessed through narrow alleyway entrances, and plants placed by your front door can help welcome guests into your home. They can also improve air quality in basement apartments, which may get hot during the day. Smith recommends the snake plant, also known as mother-in-law's tongue, a leafy indoor plant that helps purify air. She also suggests that basement renters invest in air conditioners and humidifiers.

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Underground and overwhelmed? Brighten up your basement digs - SCNow

In 1959, the design world became briefly obsessed with a living room in a tiny town in Columbus, Indiana. A lavish 20-page feature in the February issue of House & Garden magazine showcased the impeccable home of Xenia and J. Irwin Miller, designed by the great architects Eero Saarinen and Alexander Girard.

At the heart of their modern home was a 2.5-ft-deep conversation pita sunken 15-foot-square section of their living room, lined on all sides with couches.

Saarinen had began experimenting with pits in the 1940s as a way to create divisions in open-space floor plans. He later used a version of the conversation pit in the iconic TWA terminal at New Yorks Laguardia airport. The polymathic Girard, who had ground-level built-in banquette pits in his own home, worked on the houses interiors.

For the Millers, he chose colored textiles for the throw pillows as a counterpoint to the houses stark white-on-white modernism. House & Garden described the pit as a brilliantly cushioned well that hid the unsightly tangles of chair and sofa legs, the ubiquitous end tables.

The Millers were great patrons of modern design, so they were game for the unusual architectural feature. But not everyone was sold on the idea. Building in a conversation pit is no easy feat: More than a sunken living room, it involves excavating a hole deep enough to submerge furnitureakin to digging out a shallow indoor pool.

In 1963, TIME published a strongly-worded call to arms against conversation pits, imagining all the dangers lurking in the craters that had begun appearing in a growing number of bourgeois living rooms:

At cocktail parties, late-staying guests tended to fall in. Those in the pit found themselves bombarded with bits of hors doeuvrcs from up above, looked out on a field of trouser cuffs, ankles and shoes. Ladies shied away from the edges, fearing up-skirt exposure. Bars or fencing of sorts had to be constructed to keep dogs and children from daily concussions.

The only solution, TIME suggested, was to remove all trace of these regrettable architectural features. A few cubic-yards of concrete and a couple of floor boards will do the trick. No one will ever know what once lay beneath.

A 1962 book called Design for Modern Living, had chapter on the conversation pit, as designer Timothy deFiebre recalls. Predicting its wide appeal, German authors Gerd and Ursula Hatje wrote:

An idea for a new shape in sitting areas originated in the United States and will certainly be copied abroad for its mixture of romanticism and practicalityThe conversation pit is a solution that combines an intimate and impromptu atmosphere with the possibility of seating a lot of people without much furniture in a relatively small area.

True enough, conversation pits popped up in modern homes around the world.

My grandparents house in Manila had one. My aunt and uncles remember how the indoor pits use evolved through their childhood. My aunt Dreena that my grandmother, who we called Lola Aning, called the pit the inside garden.

She planted different indoor plants to make it look like a Japanese garden, Dreena recalls. Mom hired a flamboyant decorator named Manny, adds Francis, the youngest in the family. They put large white stones and plants in there.

Over time, my grandmother decided that maintaining an indoor garden was too much of hassle. She had granolithic flooring poured in to level the ground and transformed the pit into a music nook for guests and a hangout for her seven children.

Designed by the Filipino architect Marcos de Guzman in 1956, the six-bedroom houses main flaw was the see-through roof above the conversation pit. No match for the regular onslaught of tropical typhoons in the Philippines, water constantly dripped from the ceiling.

The conversation pit saved the house from being completely flooded, functioning as a reservoir until someone could fetch a pail to catch the dripping or get a repairman to patch the roof.

Since the Miller House was opened to the public in 2011, its meticulously preserved conversation pit has become a pilgrimage site for fans of mid-century modern architecture. Never mind the incredible gardens and landscape design by Dan Kiley. Everyone wants to see the living room.

On a day trip to Columbus, Indiana last month, I joined a tour of the Miller House led by the site manager, Ben Wever, who pointed out some fascinating details: The angle of the steps down to the pit was calibrated so sitters couldnt see up ladies skirts. The back cushions were thicker than usual to help sitters get in and out of the couch easier. The underside of the piano nearby was painted a bright reda la Louboutin heels todayso sitters could have a nice field of vision when they looked up.

In the Millers senior years, a brass handrail was added to the floating steps.

Wevers stories about the lengths Xenia Miller went through for the pits upkeep reminded me of my grandmothers travails with maintaining her modest indoor pit.

By the late 1960s, conversation pits had become ubiquitous to the point where they lost their glamour. Saarinen himself called them more or less a clich in a speech as early as 1960, according to architecture critic Alexandra Lange. In the decades since, they have generally been regarded as curiosities or nostalgic throwbacks.

But the feature is making a comeback, argues Kyle Chayka on Curbed, and with good reason:

Rather than sitting and watching Netflix, the enclosed pit meant that visitors watched each other. The people near and across from you were the entertainment, ringed around the fireplace or capacious table that often provided the pits center. Some of the more wholesome images, drawn from ads or interior decorating books, depict entire families lounging around a sunken couch, playing board games and strumming guitars.

Still, Maureen Dietze, a realtor with Alton & Westall Real Estate Agency, tells Quartz that selling a house with a conversation pit today would probably be a challenge.

I think people would find it odd, she says. I think most would find it possibly a tripping hazard. A house shes trying to sell in Hancock, Massachusetts has a conversation pit with a safety wall and a hidden entertainment center. She has tweaked the pitch, calling it a conversation-slash-media pit.

Of course for lovers of mid-century design, a conversation pit is a selling point. Perhaps it has to do with the obsession with Mad Men-era style. Don Draper had one in his swanky Manhattan pad, which his ex-wife Betty examines with awe in this scene from the show:

Millennials, in particular, are avid about mid-century design, says the design historian Alessandra Wood, director of style at the interior design start-up Modsy. (The sites online style quiz indicated the same.)

Millennials love experiences, and the conversation pit is the ultimate mid-century modern experience, explains Wood.

Or perhaps its has to do with that deeper yearning to be in a circle with other humans, instead of burying ourselves in the feeds from our devices.

Historically, the conversation pit was about connecting with people, having personal conversations, and creating a more intimate environment to get to know someone or spend time together, says Wood. While older generations might see the pit as a marker of dated design, younger generations are likely drawn to its novelty and ability to create a safe and intimate space in a world thats increasingly full of impersonal experiences,

The cover of the latest issue of Dwell magazine features a conversation pit in a glass-enclosed room in the heart of Silicon Valley, complete with a grape-colored Tufty-Too sectional. Captioned with the words Design the Future: Enhance the World, the cover might be read as a call for balance amid our overly-wired tech environments.

When so many of us are addicted to our mobile devices and subsist on virtual messaging, perhaps it isnt so ridiculous to dig a crater in the middle of the living roomif thats what it takes to remind us to sit down with one another and to converse.

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In praise of the conversation pit - Quartz