Memorial Day weekend always has been the official kickoff to patio season. But this year, that rule has been broken. With record-breaking temperatures in the 70s, Twin Cities area restaurateurs scrambled this week to hose off the patio furniture so sun-starved customers could take advantage of the nice weather.

"We're ready to rock," says Jenna Churchill, a manager at Pier 500 in Hudson, Wis. "Because of our location overlooking the water, (owner) Andy Kron takes pride in always being the first to open for the season and the last to close. Since Saturday we have had a steady flow of people on the patio through the dinner hour. Everyone is getting the itch to eat out."

Pier 500 is far from the only restaurant where customers are dining al fresco this week. Most of the popular rooftop patios were open for business, including Brit's Pub, Sea Change, Moto-I, Seven Skybar and Stella's Fish Cafe, all in the Minneapolis. Cafeteria in Minneapolis plans to open Friday. In St. Paul, W.A. Frost always has been the No. 1 spot customers flock to for their patio fix, and the Cathedral Hill restaurant didn't let them down by already opening. The popular Salut Bar Americain opened the patio for lunch Wednesday, and everyone wanted to eat outside. Burger Moe's patio was completely packed Tuesday night with Wild fans downing beers

But some restaurateurs aren't ready to take any chances. The Liffey in St. Paul with its large, second-story deck with wrap-around bar is still closed and doesn't have any immediate plans to open. Joe's Garage in Minneapolis plans to wait until April just to make sure the cold weather is over for the season.

That will never again be a problem at Patrick McGovern's in St. Paul. Owner Pat Boehmer just enclosed his popular patio with retractable glass walls and ceiling so even if the weather becomes a bit chilly, all he has to do is push a button. "It's a one-of-a-kind," he said. "It's way cool."

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Sure sign of Spring? Area patios are open

Dreams Style Construction, Specializing in Pools, Patios, Decorative Concrete and more, Shares the Hottest Ways to Jazz up a Backyard.

Northern Jersey, NJ (PRWEB) March 13, 2012

Were seeing a continued interest in creating great outdoor living spaces, says Luis Espejo, spokesman for Dreams Style Construction, LLC with 16 years experience in pool and patio design and installation. This trend is quickly becoming a staple of the American home. A backyard oasis is becoming as important to homeowners as a beautiful kitchen or spa-like bathroom.

Sprawling gray concrete around a pool no longer defines the traditional backyard oasis. There are a number of ways homeowners can create a patio and pool area for the perfect spot to entertain and relax this summer. Here are a few trends homeowners may want to try:

One of the hottest trends today is updating the old swimming hole by incorporating natural stone work, boulders, and cascading waterfalls. Keep in mind, concrete can now mimic the look of natural stone for considerably less money and is an environmentally-friendly, sustainable material.

Dreams Style Constructions mission is to turn the backyard dream of their clients into a reality. This family owned and operated business has quickly become well-known for their legendary craftsmanship, innovations, and commitment to customers. They have created some of the most stunning pools and patios in New Jersey and continue to set the industry standard for excellence using the latest equipment and materials available.

To learn more about this company that homeowners can trust with reasonable pricing, please visit their website at http://www.dreamstyleconstruction.com.

About Dreams Style Construction, LLC

Construction has quickly become an industry leader well-known for quality craftsmanship, technical innovation, and unparalleled customer service. They provide in-ground pools, patios, color and stamped concrete, cool decks, pool repairs, pavers, walkways, driveways, retaining walls, and much more. Dreams Style Construction proudly serves New Jersey and the Tri-State Area.

Luis Espejo Dreams Style Construction LLC (908) 477-0539 Email Information

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Elizabeth, NJ Pool Contractor, Dreams Style Construction, Announces New Trends in Pool and Patio Construction

March 09, 2012 08:57:15 PM

PANAMA CITY After he sank a boat and had been pulled to shore, the crowds that watched from the patios of two restaurants cheered, and Jonathan Byers took a bow.

Its unlikely the crowd was cheering for Byers, who was near the end of an alleged crime spree that Panama City police believe included burning a trailer and resulted in an Amber Alert and the near drowning of his son. More likely is that the crowd cheered for Capt. Keith Butchikas and his buddy, who pulled Byers and his 3-year-old son, Austin Byers, from the water.

Butchikas, who runs Island Stylin Adventures, didnt know at the time about the Amber Alert, or that the helicopter hed been seeing that afternoon was looking for Byers, or that Byers was suspected of setting his girlfriends home on fire about two hours earlier. Still, Byers showmanship ticked him off.

I wanted to smack him, Butchikas said. I was like, Are you kidding me? Youre taking a bow? You just about drowned your kid.

Butchikas had been keeping an eye on the 7-foot dinghy ever since Byers drove it into a couple pylons trying to get out of St. Andrews Marina on Thursday. He asked Byers if he was all right as he passed by.

Ive never driven boats too much, Byers told him, so Butchikas warned him against getting out into open water in the tiny boat, which had about 6 inches of water in it by that point.

Butchikas actually took Austin for a ride on a Jet Ski at Jonathan Byers insistence just moments before the boat went down. He wouldnt have normally done that Jet Ski rentals, not giveaways, is how he makes his money after all but something about the sad-looking child tugged at his heart strings, so he took him for a quick ride and put him back in the boat with his father.

Thank you so much was all Austin said to him, Butchikas recounted.

Only minutes later, as he was putting his ski up, Butchikas heard a commotion from the patios at Uncle Ernies and Gracie Raes. People were screaming. He didnt have to turn around to know what happened.

See more here:
Man charged with arson, child abuse

David Rider Urban Affairs Bureau Chief

The City of Toronto has fallen behind other municipalities in banning smoking where people gather outdoors and will consider new options this year, says the chair of Torontos Board of Health.

Councillor John Filion was reacting to a Star story noting that the Lake Simcoe community of Georgina is poised to ban smoking on beaches, in parks and on trails.

The town is among more than 50 Ontario municipalities pushing the indoor-focused 2006 Smoke-Free Ontario law to the outdoors.

Come April, Ottawa will ban smoking at all outdoor restaurant and bar patios, city-owned parks, playgrounds, beaches, sports fields and fruit and vegetable markets. Hamilton will follow suit in May, with a smoking ban on all city-owned property used for recreational purposes.

Toronto led the charge to ban smoking in workplaces, restaurants and bars, and in 2009 expanded the prohibition to within nine metres of city playgrounds, splash pads and wading pools.

I think (expanding the outdoor ban) is certainly something we should seriously consider, Filion said in an interview Thursday.

We were leaders in banning smoking and it seems weve fallen behind a bit, and thats fine, but we need to keep moving in the right direction.

We would need public support and the support of the board of health and city council, but I think theres an appetite for a reasonable extension of the ban.

Filion wouldnt suggest possible places to outlaw smoking, saying he didnt want to prejudge a city staff report with options that he expects to see later this year.

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Toronto to look at expanding outdoor smoking ban now aimed at playgrounds

Anti-smoking laws and cultural changes have pushed tobacco use lower. (Denver Post file photo )

Citizens and public health advocates want to impose new, airtight smoking restrictions at doorways, restaurant patios and open park space, bolstered by studies showing remarkable heart attack reductions in cities with strict laws.

They face increasing resistance from businesses and smoking-rights supporters who say freedom has already eroded too far.

"The anti-smoking people will not be satisfied until no one smokes," said Pete Meersman of the Colorado Restaurant Association, who lobbies against more restrictions.

And their unapologetic response is: Get over it. The laws save more and more lives. Might as well quit now.

Other states and local communities, they add, are getting even tougher, including California laws that protect apartment dwellers from the smoker next door, and kids riding in their smoking parents' cars.

"We should be as aggressive as possible in reducing smoking, quite honestly in as many ways as we can," said John Hokanson, a public health researcher at the Colorado School of Public Health at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

"There is still more to be done because secondhand smoke is dangerous. There is so much data," said Jenny Merriman, a former public health nurse in Lakewood who is in a group advising the city to further shrink smoking areas. "All we can do is keep plugging away."

A vote on tighter rules

The Lakewood City Council will vote in April on tighter rules that have split politicians, business owners and nonsmokers. The proposals under consideration include 25 feet of smoke-free clearance at doorways instead of 15 feet, and no-smoking protections in the "gathering places" of parks.

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Health researchers push for even tougher anti-smoking rules

CHARLIE'S getting a little old to plan a trip to Paris with.

Then there's the shots, the quarantine period, the learning to speak poodle.

Charlie's a dog, see, and we will not likely darken the doors of any French bistros together. Though as I recall you don't see a lot of border collies dining there, whether in bohemian Left Bank haunts or ritzy Right Bank Michelin-starred dining rooms.

Mostly, it's those little lap-sized things that the ladies who lunch bring with.

But we have often been glad to dine together in sidewalk situations in Pasadena. The city of course has its own Health Department and its own guidelines for dining, along with Long Beach and, uh, Vernon.

Imagine there are many outdoor dining areas in Vernon?

But now, thanks to a Los Angeles County Health Department decision last week, in cities that are not the above three, it's not only sidewalk dining avec chien that's allowed, but patio dining as well.

I've never understood why it wouldn't be. Or, for that matter, why you couldn't bring your well-behaved dog actually inside a restaurant, as the Frenchies do.

After all, you can take children into restaurants, and they're not well-behaved at all. What's a little giving the eye to the New York strip from a position on the floor compared with screaming and throwing of bowls filled with peas?

Sunday's random notes: Several years ago I went on my one and only adventure to Sushi Nozawa,

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Larry Wilson: In restaurant patios, the dogs have their day

Some couples planning to tie the knot at Hotel at the Lafayette made their decisions, in part, because of multilevel, outdoor patios that were to be built.

The patios are no longer possible, developer Rocco Termini said Thursday, because of objections by a nearby property owner.

Termini, who is renovating the once-rundown Lafayette at a price tag of $42 million, said he was unable to convince Jake Schneider, owner of the adjacent Warehouse Lofts at 210 Ellicott St., that noise from the patios would not disturb his tenants. He would have needed Schneiders approval to buy the alley space from the City of Buffalo.

The patios are not going to happen. The City Charter says adjoining property owners must agree to the sale of the property, and Jake Schneider doesnt think its in the best interest of his property to have noise outside his apartment [building], Termini said.

Im disappointed, but I know the law, and the law is the law.

That was a bitter pill to Kenneth Sciarrino and Tina Danner, who chose the site for their July 21 wedding because of its the turn-of-the-century appeal and patio atmosphere.

It is a huge disappointment, Sciarrino said. The only other option we would have is to change our location, but that would require us to change our wedding date, which cannot happen. Were too far in at this point.

Schneider was out of town and unavailable to comment.

Molly Orton was also disappointed by Schneiders decision. She and Jason Brocious relocated to Cleveland nine months ago and are returning to Buffalo this summer to get married.

I looked at [the Lafayette site] and fell in love with the whole aspect of it. We really love Buffalo, and hope to be back there some day, and wanted to center the wedding in a place that really says Buffalo, Orton said.

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Neighbor’s objections scuttle hotel patio plans

CALIMESA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Just in time for spring home renovations, http://www.ConcreteNetwork.com is offering a free concrete patio design catalog for consumers interested in making-over a backyard. Focusing on patio ideas and new trends, the catalog features options and tips for designing a backyard oasis with concrete.

Concrete patios are a great option for consumers who want a product that is durable, versatile and affordable. These must-have amenities are great for those who like to entertain outdoors. They can provide years of enjoyment, and come in all shapes and sizes perfect to meet every consumers need.

Covered specifically in this catalog, consumers will learn how to transform a drab backyard space into an outdoor oasis. The catalog covers todays popular design trends, along with the hottest innovations in decorative concrete.

Highlighting stamped concrete and concrete coloring options, consumers are guided through the decorative concrete process. They can view stamp pattern options, from popular slate patterns to those that mimic wood planks, and can browse through popular color options ranging from natural brown and tan hues to deep reds and oranges.

Download the patio catalog in its entirety for free at ConcreteNetwork.com.

For more patio design ideas and an extensive patio photo gallery featuring custom concrete patios from around the country, visit http://www.ConcretePatio.org.

About ConcreteNetwork.com

Established in 1999, ConcreteNetwork.com educates consumers, builders, and contractors on popular decorative techniques and applications. These include stamped concrete, stained concrete, concrete countertops, polished concrete, and much more. Over 12 million people visited The Concrete Network website in 2010 to research, get ideas, find concrete products, and to find a contractor.

The site connects buyers with local concrete contractors through its Find a Contractor service throughout the U.S. and Canada, and is fully searchable by more than 20 types of decorative concrete work. Through its Find Concrete Products service, the site provides visitors with a list of decorative concretemanufacturers throughout the U.S. and Canada,as well aslocal decorative concrete supply stores.

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Free Catalog from ConcreteNetwork.com Features Popular Patio Ideas for Spring

A policy change affecting much of Los Angeles County is being implemented, which means restaurants are now able to decide if they want to allow patrons to bring their dogs into outdoor eating areas.

"This new policy has been a long time coming for the residents of Los Angeles County. Though it will be up to the restaurant's discretion whether to allow dogs in its outdoor eating area, this new policy is a benefit to both small businesses and the community," said Don Knabe, Supervisor, Fourth District. "This policy will give restaurant owners an opportunity to attract new business and to better serve their two-legged and four-legged patrons."

The change in policy was spearheaded by many dog owners and restaurateurs, and guidelines have been established by the county's office of Public Health that will "protect food safety and ensure safety for all patrons," says Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer.

Here are the guidelines for the allowance of pets in outdoor dining areas:

Pet dogs may be allowed to enter the exterior areas of a food facility's outdoor dinning area if the following requirements are met:

* A separate entrance is present where pets do not enter through the food establishment to reach the outdoor dining area.

* No food preparation shall be allowed at the outdoor dining area including the dispensing/mixing of drinks and ice.

* Customer multi-use or reusable utensils such as plates, silverware, glasses and bowls shall not be stored, displayed or pre-set at the outdoor dining area.

* Food and water served/provided to pets shall only be in single use disposable containers.

* Employee shall be prohibited from having direct contact with pets while on duty.

* Pets shall not be allowed on chairs, seats, benches, and tables.

* The outdoor dining area shall be maintained clean.

* In cases of excrement or other bodily fluids (urine, saliva, vomit), employee shall immediately clean and sanitize the affected areas.

* The outdoor dining area shall not be fully enclosed (a fully enclosed dining area shall be considered to be part of the interior area of the facility).

Business operators are obligated to follow local city ordinances related to sidewalk, public nuisance, and sanitation issues.

The new policy goes into effect immediately in Los Angeles County restaurants that are inspected by Public Health; areas not subject to this policy are Pasadena, Long Beach and Vernon.

More here:
Dining Goes to the Dogs: Policy Permits Pooches on Patios

Getty Images for American Kennel

Restaurants are now allowed to welcome dogs onto their enclosed patios, thanks to a change at the LA County Department of Health.

The Los Angeles County Health Department will now allow dogs to accompany diners into enclosed restaurant patios.

"This lifting of restriction provides a great opportunity to take a walk with your dog and also enjoy your pet's company while dining out," said Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, director of the County Department of Public Health.

Before the revision, dogs were only allowed in unofficial dining areas, such as tables placed along a sidewalk without barriers.

The change does not apply to Pasadena, Long Beach and Vernon, and restaurants still get the final say on whether or not allow pets.

"It simply gives restaurants' owners the authority and the opportunity to offer an extra amenity to both their two-legged and four-legged patrons," Fielding said.

Law enforcement dogs and service animals are not affected by the updated policy, Fielding said.

Question: Do you agree? Should owners be allowed to bring their dogs to restaurants? Post your answer on our Facebook page here.

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Posted Tuesday, Feb 28, 2012 - 9:24 AM PST

Continue reading here:
Restaurant Patios Going to the Dogs