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The most delicious vegetables are the ones you grow yourself, as many have come to realize during the pandemic. But some cities and counties have restrictions that prevent people from gardening at home. In one Midwestern town, a temporary greenhouse has ended up on the wrong side of the law, revealing a value system that is distinctly regressive.

Nicole and Dan Virgil, who live in Elmhurst, a suburb of Chicago, are dedicated vegetable gardeners. By the summer of 2015, they had maxed out their 2,000-square-foot backyard with raised beds and were relying on them for much of their familys produce. They had branched out from simply growing the typical salad ingredients to cultivating potatoes, fennel, leeks, and tomatillos. In late August, the plants were still going full-bore, and the Virgils wondered how they could extend the Midwestern growing season. (In this climate zone, seedlings go into the ground on Mothers Day and peter out in October.)

It seemed like such a shame that everything would come to a dead stop once the temperature dropped, says Nicole, who is among an estimated one-third of all Americans who have grown food at home. We really wanted to make a dent in our grocery bill and in our carbon footprintwe didnt turn our whole backyard into a garden just to have a few token vegetables.

After doing some online research, Dan built a high-tunnel hoop house to protect two of the larger garden beds. The temporary greenhouse, made of plastic sheeting over a frame of PVC pipe and plywood, was nine feet tall at its apex. It was big enough to produce sufficient heat to warm the soil and allow the Virgils to stand inside while gardening in frigid conditions. In more temperate climates like Californias, farmers use hoop houses to protect delicate blackberries and raspberries from dew and fog.

A few weeks after their hoop house went up, Nicole found a violation notice from the city taped to it. I thought it had to be some kind of misunderstanding, that it couldnt possibly be serious, recalls Nicole. She had assumed that the hoop house, a lightweight temporary structure akin to a tent, wouldnt be subject to city regulations.

After several discussions with city officials, 16 public meetings over two years, a lawsuit filed by the Virgils, and a subsequent appeal, the city remained unmoved, siding with the neighbor who had filed the original complaint. The Virgils found themselves stuck in a catch-22 of having an unpermitted temporary structure while having no way to get a permit for a temporary structure. Facing a daily fine, they took down their hoop house.

Why would a backyard hoop house be so contentious? The Virgils are among many home gardeners around the country who have triggered a city or county ordinance that restricts edible gardening. Its fairly common for local governments to have a broadly written landscape ordinance, which may not explicitly prohibit vegetable gardening but requires grass or similar vegetation and calls for plants within a certain height.

The neatly manicured yard has long been a status symbol; lawns first appeared in the 1700s on European estates, whose owners could afford to have high-maintenance living carpets. And the suburbs have historically differentiated themselves from ag land. A lot of rural land was developed into suburban municipalities, and the zoning code was changed to prohibit agricultural usespeople didnt want a pig farm to move in, says Laura Calvert, the former executive director of Chicago-based nonprofit Advocates for Urban Agriculture.

Given the context, its easy to see how the neighbors might look down on home gardening as a form of subsistence farming. People think that its beneath them, says Nicole, who documented her struggle in a recent op-ed for the Chicago Tribune.

The goal of these ordinances, whether theyre about landscaping or temporary structures, is to maintain property values. (The racist practice of redlining, which kept African Americans out of the suburbs, was rationalized in the same way.) However, the perception that growing vegetables will drive down home values is not rooted in any evidence, as Calvert points out.

Now the pandemic shutdown is shifting these cultural attitudes. For the first time in a long while, people have seen empty shelves in grocery stores and witnessed hoarding. The past months have been a visceral reminder of how important it is to have access to healthy food, which no doubt prompted many to start planting. Elmhursts neighbor, Chicago, is ahead of the curve; it embraced hoop houses in its 2011 ordinance promoting urban farming while still regulating them with restrictions on their size and height. We have broad mayoral support for urban agriculture, says Calvert. It provides all these benefits, including food access, public health, and public education.

In addition to these imperatives, there are also philosophical and legal principles to defend. On a basic level, the right to garden year-round can be encapsulated as the right to do what you want in your own yard. The Virgils are advocating for a state Right to Garden bill, which would override local ordinances. Theyve joined forces with attorney Ari Bargil at the nonprofit Institute for Justice, which works on constitutional law cases and helped pass the first such gardening bill in Florida.

Bargil sees restrictions on home gardening as a violation of a fundamental right: We have the right to use our own properties to grow our own food, as long as that use doesnt impinge on someone elses freedom to enjoy their property. And he feels that landscape ordinances smack of authoritarianism. If a vegetable garden is attracting pests, it has a bearing on the health and safety of a community, and that should be regulated, he says. But if the government is acting like Disney World and specifying what your front yard should look like, thats not a vision of a free society.

The Right to Garden bill in Illinois has been through three rounds of revisions and should go before the state legislature in its next session, which begins in early 2021. The Virgils are cautiously optimistic that their cause will prevail. Im just trying to do something good, Nicole says. I want to help people live well and help each other and have food in abundance.

This article was originally published by Sierra, and is reprinted with the permission of the author. Photos courtesy of Nicole Virgil.

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Without a Right to Garden Law, It May Be Illegal to Grow Your Own Food - Civil Eats

For now, wildlife, plants and Andrew Padula exist in harmony on Plantation Road, north of Greer.

But nearbyalong NorthState 101 are signs ofa boom in development that could threaten thepeace that Padula and nature now share as part of his nursery and landscaping business.

Padulas nearly two-acre nursery relies on the animals around it to make sure the plants he grows are healthy. They also add to the natural feeling, the rural setting that he enjoys.

A little bit of that goes away when things are cut down on a very large scale, like acres and acres at a time, he said.

Contrast that to the fact that if they were to build homes with nature and land in mind, much of the wildlife and plant life would remain becausethere would be only one house every two acres or one house every 10 acres, Padula said.

Andrew Padula, owner of Padula's Plants and Garden Design in Greer, waters his potted plants, Wednesday, October 7, 2020.(Photo: MATT BURKHARTT/Staff)

Many people in rural parts of the county and beyond share Padulas sentiment.

The divide is Article 22 the proposed amendment to the county's Land Development Regulations. It's been called "back door zoning" by some who oppose it. Some who favor it consider it a way of sustaining rural communities in the midst of growth.

This amendment sets a minimum lot size of two acres for new residential developments in rural areas.

It pulls the minimum lot sizes directly from the countys comprehensive plan, which was approved with input from a variety of stakeholders,said Michael Corley, Upstate director of the South Carolina Environmental Law Project and a supporter of the amendment.

"Itseems to me very logical and very sensical that the minimum lot sizes in the Land Development Regulations would be the same as whats in the comprehensive plan," he said.

More: How Greenville County is striving to balance growth, quality of life, budget issues

Greenville County Council chair Butch Kirven also supports the amendment, saying in an Op-Ed in The Greenville News that it is a natural next step in accomplishing what the Comprehensive Plan calls for in the unzoned areas and will bring clarity for citizens and developers on the minimum sizes of new residential developments.

"Many studies have shown, and our citizens can see for themselves, that sprawling developments reaching farther and farther into rural areas create an incredibly inefficient way to grow," he wrote.

Greer Mayor Rick Danner is opposed to the amendment, stating in a written reply about the issue to The Greenville News that hebelieves it would effectively end development in the county,with the exception of property/land that is contiguous [or could be] to a municipality that could / would annex it."

"While the goal of the restrictions ostensibly appears to be to limit sprawl and control growth which are valuable Smart Growth tools, there is an economic advantage for the county to push growth into the municipalities," he said.

Concerns about the amendment by the Homebuilders Association of Greenville includefear that there won't be enough land to build homes for future anticipated growth.

Nearly 900 of people have signed a petition urging Greenville County Council to act now to control sprawl in rural areas from new suburban-style residential subdivisions.

Article 22 is a move favored by a group of landowners in northern Greenville County, who are seeing a mounting number of dense subdivisions proposed or constructed in that area of the county.

Corley is representing a group oflandowners in their appeal of a subdivisiondeemed incompatible to their rural community. Many of them are hoping the county will approve Article 22.

A reason for that is, Corleysaid, the proposed amendment addresses Article 3.1 of the Land Development Regulations.

Andrew Padula, owner of Padula's Plants and Garden Design in Greer, waters his potted plants, Wednesday, October 7, 2020.(Photo: MATT BURKHARTT/Staff)

Article 3.1 is arule intended to allow planners to reject subdivisions that are not "compatible with the surrounding land use density" or the site's "environmental conditions. Instead, it has been a source of legal challenges.

The Greenville County Planning staff has said, as it relates to density, the county comprehensive plan and Article 3.1 do not apply to unzoned areas.

Opinion: Why county should help municipalities more in bearing costs of growth

"What weve been pushing for and the reason weve been filing appeals is to say you dont think you can apply (Article 3.1), but its still on the books. Its still the only regulation we have to control these rural subdivisions,'" he said. "'You've either got to apply the law thats on the books or youve got to pass a new law.

Some supporters of Article 22 cite "misinformation" as one of its challenges.A pamphlet explaining the petition counters that"misinformation," saying the amendment will not prevent divisions of property among family members, it is extremely unlikely to devalue rural property, and it is not zoning.

The latter is one of the concerns the Greenville HBAhas with the proposed amendment.

Michael Dey, HBA spokesman,said the way the ordinance is structured, theyre essentially trying to zone unzoned areas without zoning it.

Padula's Plants and Garden Design in Greer Wednesday, October 7, 2020.(Photo: MATT BURKHARTT/Staff)

We get the political problem with that, but our issue with it is with zoning there is a means of appeal if you dont agree with the zoning on your property, he said.

With the ordinance they have proposed, the only means of appeal if you dont agree with the zoning of your property is to go to court, he said. Thats a very expensive process and its one that most property owners wont be able to pursue. They just cant afford it.

As for concern about land to accommodate homes for future growth, he said,When youre going to add 100,000 jobs and 200,000 new residents to the county in the next 20 years, our estimate was that were going to need close to 100,000 new houses.

Their (the county's) estimate was around 85,000," he said. "I think were all in the same ballpark.

Andrew Padula, owner of Padula's Plants and Garden Design in Greer, waters his potted plants, Wednesday, October 7, 2020.(Photo: MATT BURKHARTT/Staff)

But, he said weve got to have the land entitled so that those houses can be built.

Already, he said, theyre seeing rezonings being turned down that are consistent with the comprehensive plan as it was presented because they found it to be too dense. So were definitely not going to have enough places to build the houses to accommodate the growth that is coming," Dey said.

The market of homebuyers are, by and large, not looking for really low density development, Dey said. Theyre looking for medium to high density, and though they dont want to care for a lot of yard, they do want a larger house, he said.

An option that builders and developers would have to avoid the proposed ordinance is annexing into a municipality, Dey said, and that'salready happening in Mauldin, Greer, Simpsonville, and Travelers Rest.

Builders and developers and the property owners theyre buying land from are being annexed the cities because cities are, by their very nature, more dense anyway, Dey said. Theyre more aligned with where themarket is and what the market is demanding for housing .

Additionally, he said, Greer is attractive because ithas a complete sewer, gas, and water system. But to connect to it, you have to annex, he said.

Andrew Padula, owner of Padula's Plants and Garden Design in Greer Wednesday, October 7, 2020.(Photo: MATT BURKHARTT/Staff)

When growth occurs in the municipalities, the associated cost of the growth and its impact is assumed by the city, thus relieving the county of the burden of providing services, facilities, maintenance and other related cost while collecting their full share of taxes, Danner said. "This is a potential economic windfall for the county at the expense of the cities."

He thinks the ordinancewould open a Pandoras Box of legal issues "Would the new regulations constitute a taking if you were a large land owner in the county? What if you owned or had invested in a large tract of land in the county as an investment but were now unable to sell it for it highest and best use. Who would reimburse utility providers and other service providers that have invested in infrastructure and capacity for future growth in their assigned territory that will now be unused? Will utility and service providers be willing to provide services to single homes scattered in areas of the County that currently have no service. Would it even be practical?"

The Article 22 proposal is being held as planning and development members get answers to their questions and an in-person public hearing before the entire council can be held, said Councilman Joe Dill, chair of the committee. He said hes hoping the in-person meetings return next month.

Meanwhile, Dill, who represents District 17 ofnorthern Greenville County, said hes got people concerned about growth and wanting to know what the county is going to do about it.

Some are considering zoning their property, he said. Whatever people want, Im willing to help them accomplish.

Padula, who moved to northern Greer 10 years ago from Maine to openPadulas Plants and Garden Design, not only wants homes built on larger lots, he wants them built to control erosion. He also wants more roads built before houses are built.

If you have homes that have land to them and not try to cram 12 of them into two acres then thats going to be a nice mediumbetween allowing wildlife to still flourish here while keeping a nice rural setting, he said. Yet, everybodys got a nice home, they're happy and theyre not complaining about their neighbor as much.

Designing a neighborhood with more property would cause the homes to sell faster and just be more scenic.

This is a farming community, a rural community, he said.

Once you get five miles outside of ( U.S.) 25, it gets country pretty fast and that would only take that about three years to change, he said. Pretty soon, what was country five miles away will be a Walmart or a Dollar General, or something that is taking over a nice piece of land that had a function to it.

Kay Mott on her family's property in northern Greenville County(Photo: Submitted/Vintage Farms Photography)

What Kay Mott sees happening in the community is exactly what she and her family moved from Florida to Blue Ridge to escape: Clogged insufficient roads to handle the traffic, cookie-cutter developments that ruin the landscape, the impact to Lake Robinson which runs red likely from runoff due to land clearing when it rains, decimating the trees and stripping away all the natural beauty and along with that the disappearance of nature.

I am so saddened to the point we are already trying to discern where to go next, she said in an email to The Greenville News. Choosing to live in SCis a sacrifice in many ways compared to Florida. We bear the burden of a state income tax, including taxing the pension of a retired first responder.

Mott and her family had been searching for what they hoped would be their forever home when they vacationed in the Upstate in 2011.

They considered a number of states in their quest for a rural area withstrong school and hospital systems.

This area offered everything in terms of the lifestyle we were seeking, the mountains, hiking, biking, water access, the equestrian community, and we fell in love with downtown Greenville, she said.Greer is close to so many amenities, but was not clogged to the point of spending hours in traffic like South Florida where I had lived for over 50 years. We found the perfect home and moved here.

Padula's Plants and Garden Design in Greer Wednesday, October 7, 2020.(Photo: MATT BURKHARTT/Staff)

Now, fast forward to my perception of what I see unfolding as though I am back in SFL all over again.

What Florida did so well that this area seems to grossly ignore entirely is the infrastructure to manage the increased population, Mott said.

Roads are horrible and have not kept up with the rapid development, she said. There are no new schools to handle the influx. I understand the desire to increase the tax basis, and building more homes certainly serves that purpose, and with Covid-19 my presumption is more and more people will seek to escape crowded cities and move to this area.

Read or Share this story: https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/2020/10/20/rural-greenville-county-residents-petition-action-against-sprawl-sc/3565448001/

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Petitioners urge Greenville County to act against sprawl in rural northern areas - Greenville News

Torontos restaurants and bars are scrambling to extend patio season for as long as possible following the 28-day ban imposed October 10 on indoor dining but many are finding that winterizing is more difficult than they thought, and some are closing down altogether for the time being.

Theres no confidence, really, that people will flock to outdoor patios in the winter, said James Rilett, Restaurants Canadas vice-president for central Canada. This uncertainty has left restaurant owners wondering if theyll be worth the investment, he said.

And while some restaurants are charging ahead with winterizing their patios for the long haul, its a select few and its a challenge, given the current shortage of space heaters caused by increased demand, said Ryan Mallough, director of provincial affairs for Ontario for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).

There are also lots of rules to follow, Mallough said. For example, business owners looking to put up tents around their patios need to make sure theyre following city directives.

According to Torontos guidelines for restaurants and bars, if a business is covering its patio, at least two walls of the structure must be open to the outdoors. If the roof of the patio is open, at least one wall must be open to the outdoors.

On Monday, Toronto Mayor John Tory said hes hoping to have more advice for businesses in the next couple of days on how to create safe outdoor patios.

The challenge is you cant just create another indoor space out of canvas, he said.

Most businesses would prefer to just go back to indoor dining, Mallough said, but if the ban on that continues, the ones who stay open will likely revert to takeout only, as they did in the pandemics early days.

Thats really the only option, he said.

Some may shut down temporarily, Mallough added a reality some are already facing.

Devon Salomone, co-owner of East Thirty-Six, said in an email that construction on Wellington St. prevented the restaurant from extending its patio season, making it impossible to stay open.

We are 100 per cent concerned about being able to survive a continued ban on indoor dining, Salomone said.

Salomone and other Toronto restaurateurs said the short notice of indoor closures just 24 hours made things even harder, from trying to sell off inventory to having to lay off staff.

The new rent relief program may help temporarily closed businesses like East Thirty-Six, as it theoretically gives extra aid to businesses that have been forced to close. But Mallough wants to know whether that will include restaurants that are only offering takeout.

Its hard to put any type of investment (into a winter patio) when you dont know if the business is even there, Salomone said. Do people even want to eat outside when it will be cold and damp?

Rilett expects many restaurants will shut down permanently, especially if the indoor dining ban is extended. Others will pivot to takeout or meal kits, he said.

But pivoting to takeout isnt a fix-all. Many restaurants, like The Pint Public House on Front St., just arent the kinds of restaurants people got to for takeout, explained owner Cesar Mesen. So while offering takeout has helped, if the indoor dining ban continues into the winter, it wont be enough to sustain the business, he said.

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Mesen said the business has had no choice but to extend its patio season for as long as possible but not forever.

It comes at a great expense, he said, explaining that between propane, the rental of an awning and other expenses, hes looking at $1,000 a week.

Are we afraid? Absolutely, he said, stressing how difficult it is to plan for the unknown.

Sean Bayley, president and owner of FAB Restaurant Concepts Inc., said some of the nine restaurants the company owns already had heaters or fire pits, which have helped extend patio season. One location, Against the Grain, recently debuted several transparent outdoor domes that can fit up to six people.

But Bayley isnt planning on fully winterizing those patios: it costs a lot of money, he said.

Its hard to make a decision with the mixed messaging coming from officials at different levels, he added, referring to the back and forth that preceded the ban on indoor dining.

Mesen and Bayley are both concerned the indoor dining ban will be extended, or that the winter will see restaurants repeatedly forced to close, reopen, and close again.

That would be very bad, Bayley said.

Both are also waiting for details about the governments new rent relief program.

We still dont have an answer, and rent is due in two weeks, Bayley said.

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Toronto's bars and restaurants are scrambling to winterize their patios but new rules and high costs are making it tough - Toronto Star

WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI Warmer weather has accommodated outdoor dining thats helped Ann Arbor-area restaurants stay busy this summer and meet safety guidelines amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

That wont be the case over the next few months, though, as Michigans weather turns from sun to snow.

So, restaurants are entertaining all sorts of possibilities about how to best serve their customers this winter. And while some will offer heated seating outside, most will promote carryout.

Even during this summertime period, patio sales accounted for less than 20% of our overall sales, said Ali Ramlawi, Ann Arbor City Council member and owner of Jerusalem Garden, 314 E. Liberty St. in Ann Arbor. So, over 80% of our sales have been takeout orders. Based on what weve experienced, I think were going to remain a takeout, to-go business, unless it becomes so dire that we need to open up the inside.

It was about four months ago that the Ann Arbor City Council approved a plan for restaurants to expand their patio seating areas into the street.

People have been waiting for outdoor tables at Jerusalem Garden even as temperatures have dipped this fall, Ramlawi said. As long as the weather stays nice, Ramlawi said he wont open the inside and will continue to offer patio seating.

But, it would be hard to invest in expensive infrastructure to heat the patio, Ramlawi said. University of Michigan students account for a big percentage of business and, since students will be gone for most of December and January, investing in outdoor seating for the winter just doesnt seem advantageous, he said.

Heating the outdoors with the propane or whatever youre using, if youre going to be buying the igloos or infrastructure for enclosures, I mean these are substantial added costs of doing business when youre already losing money, Ramlawi said.

Mani Osteria, 341 E. Liberty St. in Ann Arbor, will close its patio in the coming weeks and continue to offer curbside pickup, which it has been doing since March, owner Adam Baru said. Offering outdoor seating this winter is a wait-and-see situation, he said.

We dont mind spending the money in order to get ourselves to a high-functioning place if it makes sense," Baru said. "Right now, were still just sort of saying lets just ride this for what it is and see what happens over the next month or two. Its going to be a turbulent few months.

Local Eats: Have a taste of Italy in Ann Arbor at Mani Osteria & Bar

Indoor seating at Mani Osteria is not open, Baru said, adding he doesnt plan on opening the dining room unless its absolutely necessary. Instead, the restaurant will continue to do curbside pickup and potentially add delivery to reach more people.

Baru has looked at tenting off part of the patio and adding heaters, he said, but the patio and curbside pickup areas share a mutual space. Tenting off the area would cause more problems for getting curbside orders to cars, Baru said.

If we had to pick one or the other, we would pick the curbside," he said. "Its really a far better model for us and what we do.

Some restaurants, however, are choosing to heat their patio spaces.

Bellflower, 209 Pearl St. in Ypsilanti, has five of its 10 outdoor tables under an awning, said Mark Maynard, one of three partners in the restaurant. Those tables have heaters next to them, which should get them through the next month, he said. Bellflower also has installed a new gas line and two gas heaters for the outdoor area.

We already had the awning installed before COVID hit, so we were fortunate, Maynard said. I know others werent as fortunate, but we were super lucky in that we had already planned on having an outdoor seating environment for people.

Bellflowers indoor dining room and bar are open with limited capacity for social distancing, Maynard said. And while theyre still figuring out how to do carryout for dinner, the lunch menu which features more sandwiches is all carryout, he said. Bellflower is also planning on doing more retail sales and plans to open a wine shop soon, Maynard said.

Frita Batidos, 117 W. Washington St. in Ann Arbor, is upgrading the restaurants heaters for their patio, owner Eve Aronoff said. Aronoff originally wasnt going to invest in the heaters, but wants people to be comfortable, she said.

Its always a work in progress these days, and so we just reversed course on that because we felt like it would balance out because people have commented that on those unseasonably cold days, theyre not comfortable, Aronoff said.

Local eats: Frita Batidos serves Cuban-inspired street food in Ann Arbor

Like other restaurants, Aronoff said Frita Batidos is fine-tuning its delivery and online ordering systems, and will have more space and be more efficient after moving into the old Logan restaurant site.

Sidetrack Bar and Grill, 56 E. Cross St. in Ypsilantis Depot Town, is also considering a heated patio, owner Linda French said. The restaurant turned its back parking lot into a patio, and French said that could become permanent as it will have removable sides with heaters, as well as being open air.

This winter, however, its possible Sidetrack could move to carryout-only meals.

Were just going to play it out," French said. "This will be the first week that we will probably be inside, so we will see if it even warrants even staying open for that, or do we just do carryout. Were just trying to figure out what to do to stay open. And if we cant stay open, then we will do carryout.

The restaurant is currently at 50% capacity, and French said she just wants to make sure everyone at the restaurant is safe.

Savas, 216 S. State St. in Ann Arbor, intends to have a heated tent open through the beginning of next year, owner Sava Farah said. However, she knows many people wont want to sit outside on 20-degree days, so she will push carryout, family dinners and find alternate ways to generate revenue.

One of those ways is through a large-format catering option, where people can order trays of their favorite foods to serve up to six people, Farah said. The restaurant is also considering adding a delivery system in anticipation of a rough beginning next year.

Weve got a two-fold issue that were trying to solve, which is to pay our bills and stay in business, but we also dont want to have to lay off staff, Farah said. Were just thinking if it slows down in the restaurant, perhaps some of that staff that was delivering food to the tables could be delivering food to peoples homes or offices.

Local Eats: Savas restaurant offers upscale diner cuisine in Ann Arbor

Theres a lot of uncertainty ahead for the restaurant industry, just as there was during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, Farah said.

But she and other restaurant owners hope the winter will be mild. And with a little bit of faith and good luck, things will turn around, Farah said.

Were optimistic," Farah said. This is only temporary. We have a few more massive waves here and hope come spring or summer 2021, were putting this thing behind us.

READ MORE:

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Read the original:
Heated patios & carryout: What Ann Arbor-area restaurants will do to keep people coming this winter - MLive.com

BabyJake just dropped a fire remix of his breakout hit Cigarettes On Patios with help from 24kGoldn.

The track, originally released in 2019, has over 42 million Spotify streams to date. It quickly became a fan favorite and spun out as a viral hit. Cigarettes On Patios gains traction on TikTok daily while it is continuously added to Spotify playlists such as Pop Rising, Beast Mode, and Anti Pop.

Cigs has always been a great record and done amazing, but I never expected it to take off an entire year after release, BabyJake admitted. When it started to grow (again) over the summer, my team and I began brainstorming who could be the perfect fit for a remix. Me and my manager are fans of 24kGoldn, so we reached out, and he killed it. Im excited to have him on, and more excited for the world to hear it.

The rapper, singer, and songwriter known as 24kGoldn is currently rising up the charts with his own hit, Mood, which is the first song to ever top the Hot 100, Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, Hot Alternative Songs, and Hot Rap Songs charts in the same week.

We were sipping forties in the park, getting litty after dark / Wish the neighbors looked the other way, 24kGoldn quips on his verse.

Listen to the new, remixed track below:

View post:
BabyJake And 24kGoldn Remix Viral Track Cigarettes On Patios" - PopCrush

Editors note:Houstons restaurant scene moves pretty fast. In order to prevent CultureMap readers from missing anything, lets stop to look around at all the latest news to know.

Openings, closings, and coming attractions

Popular Montrose gay bar Guava Lamp closed earlier this month, Eater Houston reports. The bar had been a nightlife staple for 22 years, including 17 years at its location on Waugh Drive. However, the space wont stay empty for long.

Papis, which describes itself Montroses only Latin gay club, will make its debut on Wednesday, October 21 in the former Guava Lamp space. Look for theme nights, drag shows, dancing, and more.

Bellaire Food Street has added a Korean corn dog concept to its roster. Two Hands Seoul Fresh Corn Dogs serves the rice flour-battered dogs (available as cheese or meat) with toppings such as crispy rice, Nashville hot seasoning, and fried potato cubes. The restaurants first Houston location joins outposts in California and Hawaii as part of its expansion into America.

Yakitori Gunso is now Gunso Japanese Kitchen. The restaurant closed its brick and mortar location and relocated to Third Wards Blodgett Food Hall, where it is operating as a cloud kitchen that serves dishes such as ramen, takoyaki, karaage, and Japanese curry over rice. Find it on all major third party delivery apps Wednesday to Monday.

Shake Shack has reopened its downtown location at 702 Main St. The restaurant, which opened in June 2019, will operate Monday to Friday from 11 am-3:30 pm.

Breakfast concept The Toasted Yolk continues to expand its presence in Houston. The restaurant announced it has signed leases for two new locations: a League City outpost (2535 Gulf Freeway South) thats scheduled to open in December and a Bellaire restaurant (5103 Bellaire Blvd.) that will open in March 2021. They will be the company's 16th and 17th Houston-area locations.

People on the moveGoodnight Hospitality announced two new hires at Rosie Cannonball, its Mediterranean-inspired Montrose restaurant. Bar manager Sarah Crowl, a 2020 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Bartender of the Year nominee, comes to Rosie after well-regarded stints at Coltivare and Penny Quarter. General manager Francis Hawley brings experience from Michelin-starred spots such as LAtelier de Jol Robuchon and Jean-Georges Restaurant.

Other news and notes

Shaquille O'Neal dined at The Union Kitchens Memorial location on Monday, October 19. The NBA hall of famer enjoyed chicken fried chicken in the company of Houston police officer Kenneth Miles and a friend only identified as Scoop, according to a press release. Owner Paul Miller spent about an hour talking to Shaq.

We spoke a little about business, but he lit up like a Christmas tree when we were talking about kids, Miller said in a statement. His kids, my kids, and all the work he does with kids.

Pondicheri has opened its expanded patio. Working with the management of the Arrive mixed-use complex, the Upper Kirby restaurant has claimed parking spaces for a wooden deck thats adorned with guard rails, umbrellas, and plants. All told, the new patio expanded the restaurants outdoor seating capacity by approximately 40 seats.

See more here:
9 things to know in Houston food right now: Openings, closings, and patio time - CultureMap Houston

With indoor dining out of the picture for a bit, Toronto restaurants are keeping their patios open with the help of heaters to keep everyone warm as the cold season approaches.

As the province re-enacted certain Stage 2 restrictions, such as the closure of indoor dining, a few restaurants have had to get creative in order to keep business booming.

Heres a list of heated patios that you can enjoy across the city:

With heaters out on the patio, Cest What is keeping guests warm and also offers space blankets if needed. You can also bring your own blanket if you need it. The restaurant is also installing wind barriers for that extra needed warmth. Reservations can be made on their websitefor up to six people every day between 2:00 pm and 9:00 pm. For same day reservations, the restaurant asks that you call ahead.

When:Open every day from 2 pm to 10 pmWhere:67 Front Street East

Their covered and heated patio is available for reservations and with their recent addition of more heaters, youll stay warm no matter how cold it is out there. Reservations for the Patio and Bodega space can be made online.

When: Open every day from11 am to 11 pmWhere:505 College Street

Enjoy a delicious pizza and a cocktail to go with it at Bar Poets heated patio. For a nice night out, make sure to book your table on their website.

When:Open Monday to Friday from 5 pm to 11 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 12 pm to 11 pmWhere:1090 Queen Street West

Bymarks tented and heated patio will definitely come in handy this season. Right in the Financial District, this restaurant has a full-fledged covered patio for customers to stay warm and cozy as they dine-out. Reservations can be made online.

When:66 Wellington Avenue WestWhere: Open Monday to Friday from 11:30 am to 9:30 pm and Saturday from 5 pm to 9:30 pm

Grab your blankets and sit fireside at El Catrin Distillery. Depending on good weather, youll be able to enjoy a socially distanced outdoor dining and staying warm. Make sure to book your spot online!

When:Sunday to Thursday from 12 pm to 10 pm and Saturday from 12 pm to 11 pmWhere:18 Tank House Lane

First come, first serve, this rooftop patios latin heat could be enough to keep you warm but if not, the space is heated for this cool fall season. Baro is not taking reservations for their patio, walk-ins only.

When:Monday to Thursday5 pm to Late, Friday 3 pm to Late and Saturday, Sunday from 1 pm to Late.Where:485 King Street West

This pop-up patio is covered AND heated, perfect for the fall season. You can hang out by the warm fire and treat yourself to countless different restaurants at Assembly Chefs Hall. Reservations can be made here.

When:Opens Tuesday to Thursday from 12 pm to 8 pm, Friday and Saturday from 12 pm to 8:30 pmWhere:11 Richmond Street West

Looking for a spot away from Downtown? Mantra by Host at Don Mills has a covered and heated patio for the extended season and its fully decorated like a traditional Indian wedding. The tent itself is fully decorated like a traditional Indian wedding. We offer classic and innovative Indian food, delicious cocktails , local wine + craft beer in the vibrant CF Shops at Don Mills Plaza, said the restaurant to Daily Hive. You can call in to reserve a spot or just walk in.

When:Monday from 5 pm to 10 pm, and Tuesday to Sunday 12 pm to 10 pmWhere: Shops at Don Mills 2 ONeill Road, North York

Although it may be cooler down by the lake, Amsterdam Brewhouse has you covered with their heated patio so you can enjoy lakeside views this fall season. Its the perfect spot to watch the sunset, especially on their second-floor patio where you can enjoy a socially distanced dinner with an amazing view.

When: On The Lake:Sunday to Saturday from 11 am to 11 pm and Barrelhouse: Sunday to Thursday 11:30 am to 10 pm, Friday and Saturday 11:30 am to 11 pmWhere:245 Queens Quay West and87 Laird Drive

A fire pit, warm blankets and a weather protected patio, GEORGE Restaurant is fully prepared for whatever this fall season brings.

When:Lunch hours on Thursday to Saturday from 12 pm to 1:30 pm andDinner on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pmSundays and Mondays are closedWhere:111C Queen St East

Another Toronto patio with ample warmth is Marben. With a recently added tent, their patio area is fully quipped to keep you warm this season. You can even bring your own blanket for that extra added comfort. Reservations can be made here.

When:Tuesday to Friday from 5 pm to 10 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 3 pm and then5 pm to 10 pmWhere:488 Wellington Street West

With a heated patio, Kst contniues to serve guests for outdoor dinners all while ensuring a distance of six metres is kept in place. Located on the 44th floor of Torontos Bisha Hotel, you are sure to get a beautiful view all while staying safe.

When:Weekday hours:Bunch 11 am -to 3 pm andDinner 4:30 pm to 10 pm.Weekend hours:Brunch 9 am to 3 pm andDinner 4:30pm to 11 pmWhere:Bisha Hotel 44th Floor 80 Blue Jays Way

The Paradise Theatre, located inBloordale Village, and has turned into a heated patio, and wine shop. The theatre boasts an Italian tavern, calledOsteria Rialto,which is now open for covered and heated patio dining Wednesday through Sunday, and serves classic Italian cuisine. They are also available fortakeout.

When:Wednesday to Sunday5:30 pm to9:30 pmWhere:1006 Bloor Street West

Enjoy a nice cold glass of beer while also staying warm at The Wrens outdoor patio. Whether its for drinks or something to munch on, you can be sure that youll stay warm no matter how cold it is outside especially now with the extra added warmth.

When: Monday to Thursday 4:30 pm to 11 pm and Friday to Sunday 12 pm to 11 pmWhere:1382 Danforth Avenue

Read more here:
14 outdoor heated patios to snuggle into this fall in Toronto | Dished - Daily Hive

10644 Cedar Grove RoadSmyrna(615) 220-7573thidathaismyrna.net/Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.Friday and Saturday, 11:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.

Owner Alex Udomdale has created an extensive menu full of multiple options, including sushi, sashimi, poke bowls, curry, noodles, fried rice, and stir fry. Each of these items is offered with a choice of meat, vegetables, or tofu with assorted blends of sauces and toppings. Their most popular meal is Pan Thai. Curry is another very popular item. They offer a number of different curry varieties including red, green, yellow, and Panang.

Most of their customers begin dinner with the Appetizer Sampler Number Two. It offers a large assortment of tasty morsels, including Chicken Satay, Fried and Steamed Dumplings, Gyoza, and something called Shrimp Blanket. Shrimp Blanket is deep fried marinated shrimp wrapped in rice paper and stuffed with chicken, celery, onion, cilantro, then served with a sweet Thai chili sauce.

Salads and soups are also on the menu.

Excerpt from:
10 Outdoor Dining Patios to Enjoy This Fall - rutherfordsource.com

Many downtown Red Deer merchants are celebrating that Ross Street Patio will remain open throughout this pandemic winter.

This is a great opportunity, said Kyle Key of The Velvet Olive, one of the business owners who lobbied to keep the patio going.

We will now have to look at how to program it. But were a creative bunch, added Key, who wants to keep scheduling musicians to play under a tented stage.

Hes also considering various heating options to keep customers comfortable on the patio on colder days and evenings.

Restaurant owners still need to discuss with the city whether commercial heaters, small contained fires, or other propane devices can be used.

The city decided the Ross Street Patio should remain open through the cold months as a pilot project, after consulting with businesses along Ross and other streets.

The patio was popular over the summer, but was scheduled for seasonal removal earlier this month.

Many surveyed downtown businesses told the city they were interested in exploring a winter patio as a way of boosting downtown traffic and business during the pandemic.

I think bringing more people downtown is the goal of all of us, said Key.

Bobby-Jo Stannard, community development superintendent for the city, said she knows many downtown businesses are struggling, and we want to continue our support to help them mitigate the negative affects of COVID-19.

The extra outdoor patio space will allow food and beverage businesses to expand and increase their capacity, while adhering to safety guidelines and restrictions, Stannard added.

The patio pilot project follows decisions by Calgary and Edmonton to extend their seasonal patio programs amid COVID-19.

Red Deers pilot project will involve a partnership with businesses for maintenance, snow and ice control, litter collection and programming.

An evaluation will be completed in the spring to determine whether the patio should become a year-round amenity.

Meanwhile, other downtown businesses with seasonal summer patios will be contacted by city staff regarding their option to renew their permits for the winter.

red deer city

Read the rest here:
Ross Street Patio will keep running in downtown Red Deer this winter - Red Deer Advocate

As COVID-19 persists longer than anyone initially thought likely, some downtown eateries are preparing to keep their patios open even as snowflakes are starting to fly.

This past week, City Hall sentemails to all restaurants with patios, advising that an earlier planned closing date of Oct. 15 had been extended further to Oct. 31.

"From the city's point of view, it simply has to do with snow removal," says Don McConnell, the city's director of planning and enterprise services.

"We do understand some of the patio operators would like to stay open later," McConnell told a meeting of the Downtown Association's board of directors on Wednesday night.

"Public works is going to send one of their senior guys who's an engineer.... down to talk to Krista about what we can do to help in that situation," McConnell said.

"There may be one or two others who are interested in staying open for a longer period of time."

"It is a challenge. We need to make sure that those are well away from where we're piling snow as part of our operations. But that's something we're willing to work with the individual operators on to see if there's anything that can be done to help."

McConnell said four or five patio operators have already folded up their outdoor operations for the year.

"We have several that are still open. If people want to try and stay on beyond the end of the month, we'd be happy to meet with them to see what could be done."

Read more from the original source:
Would you eat at a downtown patio when it's snowing? - SooToday