Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

As temperatures drop, things can get dangerous.

It's important to be prepared, take precautions and know your resources.

Here's a look at some things you should know as brutal cold descends on the Chicago area.

How Do I Know If I Have Hypothermia?

Hypothermia is caused by a drop in body temperature to 95 degrees or less, which can become deadly, officials said.

Signs of hypothermia include:

According to a release, infants and the elderly are more at risk of hypothermia, which should not be treated at home. Individuals suspected to have the condition should be treated at a hospital.

How Should I Avoid Frostbite?

Frostbite could set in on exposed skin in as little as 15 minutes, officials said. The face, ears, hands and feet tend to be the most commonly impacted.

According to a release, frostbite skin is whitish and stiff, and tends to feel numb rather than painful.

In order to treat frostbite, officials advised to warm the affected part of the body gradually before seeking medical attention.

"Wrap the frostbitten area in blankets, sweaters, coats, etc. and seek medical attention immediately," a release said.

Officials warned to not rub frostbitten areas of the skin because the friction can damage the tissue.

Though officials advised people in the Chicago area stay indoors during the cold, these are some ways to keep warm should residents need to go outside, according to a release:

Driving Tips

If travel is necessary in subzero temperatures, officials urge commuters to watch for scattered slick spots likely forming on ramps, overpasses, bridges and shaded areas overnight.

The team at IDOT will be monitoring the roads, treating them as necessary, and assisting motorists as needed, Acting Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Omer Osman said. Please make sure to have the necessary supplies and equipment in your vehicle should you encounter problems, and do not leave your vehicle in the event of a breakdown. Call for help and wait for assistance to arrive.

Drivers should share the roadways, officials advised, as Illinois law requires drivers to change lanes when approaching police, first responders and broken-down vehicles.

In addition, a release said drivers should slow down when approaching snow plows and maintenance vehicles, giving workers more room to operate.

Things to Keep in Your Car

All vehicles should have an emergency kit equipped with the following items in case an individual becomes stranded, according to Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau:

The Illinois Tollway also recommends keeping gloves, boots, blankets, road flares, water and aflashlight with fresh batteries in your car.

Other travel advice from the Illinois Tollway includes:

For up to date road conditions, clickhere.

Ways to Save Money During the Colder Months

Little changes can add up to big savings with these weatherization tips, Nicor Gas recommends:

How Can I Avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning When Heating My Home?

Properly heating the home during excessively cold temperatures is necessary during winter months, officials warned.

According to a release, more than 400 people die every year in the U.S. from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, which is found in fuels from cars, small engines, stoves, lanterns, grills, fireplaces, gas ranges or furnaces.

Here are some tips to avoid CO buildup:

According to Nicor Gas, checking that outdoor vent openings and air intakes are not obstructed by snow and ice can help "ensure the safe, proper operation of natural gas appliances, such as a furnace or water heater," which can prevent the potentially hazardous buildup of carbon monoxide within a home or business.

Signs of CO poisoning include: headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion, a release said.

Things to Remember When Removing Snow or Ice

Nicor Gas urged customers to "exercise caution removing snow or ice from your natural gas meter assembly."

Tips include:

Space Heater Safety

Peoples Gas recommends those who must use a space heed the following advice:

Preparing Your Home in Case of a Power Outage

The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes recommends taking the following steps to prepare for a power outage during cold weather:

What Should I Do If the Power Goes Out?

The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes also recommends:

Things to Know About Generators

The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes says:

What to Do After a Power Outage

According to the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, you should follow the below tips once your power is restored:

Cook County Animal and Rabies Control offered the following tips for pet owners:

What about feral or wild animals?

What if you see mistreatment?

While laws in some municipalities may require only that pet owners provide food, water and a shelter, an outside dog house may not be suitable during severe cold weather. All residents are urged to be alert to pets being left outside for extended periods and to call authorities if they see an animal that could be in danger.

According to data from the state, 46% of individuals rely on people in their neighborhood for assistance within the first 72 hours of an emergency.

State officials advised people to check in with neighbors over the weekend either asking for or offering help.

There are dangerous health conditions that can occur specifically in severe winter weather, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said. Its important to watch for signs of extreme cold. Knowing the warning signs of dangerously cold weather and the health conditions they can cause can help you stay safe and healthy.

Here's a list of warming centers across Chicago.

To find a warming center near you in Illinois, click here.

Calling 311:

Read the original here:
Dangerous Cold in the Chicago Area: The Advice and Tips You Should Know About - NBC Chicago

Published 02-08-21

Submitted by Tetra Tech

High Performance Buildings

Brian Goldcrump has more than 10 years of experience in building design and energy modeling and leads the Tetra Tech High Performance Building Groups building energy modeling teams in Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington. Brian works with clients in the early design phases to understand and advise on energy system options and the best paths for each project. He is particularly interested in post-occupancy building performance, helping owners understand that performance, and ensuring the building is performing as expected. He has helped the Tetra Tech building energy group evolve over time to support Tetra Tech as a leader in the industry.

Brian holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from California Polytechnic State University,San Luis Obispo. He is a certified LEED Accredited Professional, a member of the International Living Future Institute, and is a sustainability mentor at Portland State University in Oregon.

What is the impact of electrification on decarbonizing a building?

Building electrification is removing natural gas from our building designs, which contributes to decarbonizing a building. In a typical building, we have gas as the heating source, so either a gas boiler, a gas-powered HVAC unit with a furnace in it, or we have gas as the domestic water heater. Electrification is switching those gas heating sources to electric sources. We can make this change because the electrical grid that is powering our buildings is becoming cleaner. Many statesincluding all three states on the U.S. West Coastnow require utilities to improve their renewable portfolio of sources that produce their power. Washington and California are requiring utilities to use 100 percent renewable power by 2045. Since the power grid is decarbonizing by removing our natural gas emissions, our buildings will eventually be zero emission buildings once they are electrified.

Does decarbonizing buildings depend on state regulations, or is it feasible in other jurisdictions or states?

The key driver behind this movement is the decarbonization of the electric power grid at the state policy level. There are 31 U.S. states that have similar requirementssimilar policy shifts are happening globally, such as the recentchanges of approachin the Australian provinces of New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. At the same time, renewables are becoming cheaper. For example, the last remaining coal power plant in Oregon was recently shut down, 20 years ahead of schedule. Thats because it's currently cheaper to install renewable plants than to run an old coal plant.

There was an inflection point in 2019 in which wind power was cheaper than natural gas in California. So, the economics in the policy are playing off each other in a very symbiotic way, creating a market where renewables are becoming cheaper on the utility scale. So, to answer the question, a whole host of factors contribute to it in addition to state policy, including governments significant financial contribution to research in this area.

Is decarbonization a process that's only limited to new buildings, or is it something that we can use to lower operational carbon in existing buildings?

It is not limited to new builds. There is a ton of discussion, particularly at the university level, about decarbonizing campuses by changing the central plant. Most universities have centralized steam systems that run on natural gas that distribute steam throughout the campus. Manycampuses, including almost all the major ones on the West Coast, are looking at what they can do about their existing steam systems or their existing natural gas systems. We just did a study with the California State University system to provide a roadmap for decarbonizing all their existing buildings.

It is possible for existing buildings as well. It requires a thorough feasibility study upfront, however, to determine the best way towards electrification.

Why is there so much interest at the university level?

Many universities have some form of climate action plan. Most of those climate action plans have a carbon neutrality pledge, such as being carbon neutral by 2030. When they look at where most of their emissions come from as a campus, they find that a lot comes from gas burning on-site.

They're also looking at lower lifecycle costs for these systemsparticularly with steam. A lot of the steam systems are old and have a lot of maintenance issues. Switching to an electrified hot water system makes more sense in the long term from a lifecycle perspective.

We are seeing it discussed more at the primary and secondary education level as well. Beyond the education market, many private commercial companies, including all the large tech companies, have a similar carbon neutrality pledge. Most of them are looking at electrification to reduce or eliminate their carbon emissions.

Does this represent a paradigm shift in how the building industry defines sustainability?

I think that's right. The design industry has been thinking about it from a more holistic emission standpoint for a long time, but these state laws and utility changes are driving broader action.

For example, in Portland, Oregon, the power source is relatively dirty and has a lot of coal. Until recently, from an emission standpoint, natural gas heating made more sense. With Portland General Electric closing their last coal plant, and Pacific Power in Oregon getting a lot more renewables installed, it's now starting to make more sense to remove gas and just look at electric as these grids evolve.

Seattle, on the other hand, is almost entirely driven by hydroelectric power, which has zero emissions. Seattle has electrification in its city code, and they provide a slight incentive for electrified systems. Electrification makes sense for our clients thereand as other grids evolve, it will start spreading to other cities as well.

What is the impact of electrification on decarbonization?

It depends, but its generally a very positive impact. We create interactive dashboards using energy modeling and predictive analytics to look at how different building systems function within different power grids and show emissions impacts under various conditions. This helps inform our clients decision-making, guiding them towards more sustainable and cost-effective options.

Looking at this tool, you can see if you are on Oregons Pacific Power, which is 63 percent coal, your emissions are lower for an electrified four-pipe system than a variable air volume system, which would use gas.

But if you're on Seattle City Light, your emissions are already almost zero, because of their reliance on hydroelectric power.

So, for this example building on Pacific Power, electrification is a massive, immediate impact because the power grid is so dirty right now, especially when compared to Seattle. But over the long term, you're saving 2,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year. It is a big impact.

Does electrification make sense for private owners, such as those looking to build a mixed-use development or a stadium?

None of this is newits just a different way of thinking about the building. Heat pump technology has been around forever. We've been using it in our homes for a long time. And as grids become cleaner and there's a larger push towards electrification, the prices are coming down and the technology is improving.

So, it's similar to when variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems were introduced to the country more than 20 years ago: It was expensive and was not understood very well. But 10 years later, we essentially consider VRF to be our entry level into electrification. It's a simple and cost-effective method, and our primary task is communicating to building owners about what it means.

Building owners are becoming more aware of the risks inherent in having gas on-site. Combustion on-site damages your air quality. In the wake of a global pandemic that has major impacts on our lungs, having better air quality on-site is a huge deal. I think owners are becoming much more aware of those issues, and it's becoming more of a selling point for electrification.

What international developments can we expect to see having impacts in the United States in the next 5 to 15 years?

I think the big one is heat pump and heat pump chiller and heat recovery chiller technology, which are already here and just starting off slowly. It's our preferred system for electrification and is starting to see some deeper penetration into the market as the technology improves and prices come down. It's the next wave of systems that we think will be a big driver towards electrification for the right application. It's really on us as engineers to educate owners, clients, facilities, and partners.

The other one that we would love to see more of is ground source technology. That's also not new, but it's currently expensive to drill. We've been working on ground source projects for years, most recently at theBroadway Office Development in San Antonio, and they have a ton of benefits besides just emissions. Building owners love ground source systemsbecause they're very low maintenance, super durable, and very resilient. It's the drilling cost that really killed a lot of those projects upfront. As demand grows, cost should come down as well.

See the article here:
Tetra Tech's Brian Goldcrump Discusses the Impact of Building System Electrification on Lowering the Carbon Footprint of New and Existing Buildings -...

Rooftop or on-site solar can often generate enough power for homes, businesses, and industry, helping customers become resilient and self-sufficient, and giving them a stable price for clean electricity for decades to come. If youre in the market for solar, though, one thing needs to be top of mind: the price you pay for your solar is based on your consumption, so if you can reduce your consumption first, you can get an even better financial investment out of your solar.

There are a ton of variables, of course, but suffice it to say, the savings are real. Ill use my house as a case study. I set the baseline for energy consumption for several months before doing an energy efficiency retrofit. Turns out our home was using 1600 kWh per month. I called a local solar company and got a bid:

The solar company matched our existing bill to what would be needed to zero out said bill. This price is the out the door price, and the sticker shock usually cripples people, so solar companies usually offer $0 down financing, and just do a monthly payment slightly less than the original electric bill, to make it easy for customers.

I started with the easy stuff switching to LEDs, high efficiency faucets and showers, and a couple of advanced power strips and timers. I hung a couple of clotheslines and showed my housemates how to use them. This cost approximately $600.

Then I looked at two of the three refrigerators we had (its a triplex), and determined that they could be serious energy hogs, so I found one Energy Star fridge at a secondhand store and one from Lowes, with rebates from our local utility, and this came out to a grand total of a $700 investment to upgrade two fridges.

We then watched what happened to our bill, and the results were immediate, dropping down to 1000 kWh per month for a couple of months, a 35% reduction. This is not what I would expect to be normal. First, our house really committed to the clotheslines, and we eventually got rid of our dryer to make space in our cramped, shared laundry room. Next, we do not have central AC or heat, so the efficiency work described above made a larger percentage improvement than it would in many homes with central HVAC. HVAC, dryer, and refrigerators tend to be some of the biggest energy users in the house. Regardless, a drop of 15-20% for the above improvements would be pretty typical, I would imagine.

Now I went back and got a bid based on the new usage. The hardware dramatically changed, reducing the need for panels and batteries in order to get me to a zeroed out electric bill. From 35 panels to 23, and from 3 Tesla Powerwalls to 1.

This dramatically cut the proposed cost:

After installation, it became clear that I should have still opted for at least a second Powerwall, as my battery died most nights at about 4 AM, and then we paid full price per kWh from 4 til 9 AM, so we didnt zero out the bill entirely in the winter months. But for the year after solar install, we had zero bill for 8-9 months, and after upgrading to a solar water heater, the bill went to zero for the whole year on just the one battery.

A lot of caveats, a sample size of one, and variables galore I get it. But the results speak pretty loudly. With a thousand or so bucks worth of investment in home efficiency, it cut the net (after incentives) cost of my solar by more than $20,000, and more than 50%.

The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy posted an article about efficiency being the jelly to solars peanut butter. They both work on their own, but together theyre magic. ACEEEs analysis found that energy efficiency combined with solar changed the equation dramatically. Without doing the efficiency, solar was able to generate 50% of the residential energy load in only 9 of 24 states they analyzed. With efficiency, that number jumped to 23 of 24, and six of the states surpassed 75% with the combo.

The authors concluded,Energy efficiency will generally be less expensive per kWh than solar. And by lowering consumption, energy efficiency will stretch the available rooftop solar resource farther, allowing solar to serve a higher percent of residential consumption while also allowing a smaller and less expensive solar system.

That, and it will save the building owners some serious bank on their solar systems. The difference for me was roughly 2/3 the cost of a new Tesla Model 3.

More here:
Energy Efficiency Before Going Solar: How Much Difference In The Cost Does It Make? - CleanTechnica

Marion County Sheriff's Office. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)

A Salem father, his daughter and two pets were found dead at home on Feb. 1 from what Marion County Sheriffs Office detectives believe was monoxide poisoning.

A 911 caller reported finding Richard Yaple, 50, and Hannah Yaple, 17, of Keizer, not breathing inside the fifth wheel trailer in the 5700 block of State Street on Monday morning after not hearing from them since Saturday, the Marion County Sheriffs Office said in a news release.

Due to the suspicious nature of the deaths, detectives from the Marion County Sheriffs Office Criminal Investigations Unit were called to the scene.Detectives believe the two deaths were the result of carbon monoxide poisoning from a propane heater being used inside the trailer, the release said.

Sheriffs deputies and Marion County Fire District No. 1 firefighters pronounced them dead at the scene. A dog and cat were also found dead inside, according to the release.

The sheriffs office advises people to carefully read manufacturers instructions before using an indoor space heater and to install carbon monoxide detectors inside homes.

Each year about 430 people die accidentally from carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

-Saphara Harrell

Read more:
UPDATES: Extended unemployment benefits will be cut, but the state will extend another lifeline to those out of work - Salem Reporter

It was while freeze-framing an episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills to scrutinise the dressing room that interior designer Charu Gandhi took stock of just how much life has changed in lockdown.

Where usually her super-rich clients would be asking for expensive home renovations inspired by their worldwide travels to beautiful boutique hotels, art events or fashion shows, with all such sources of diversion off the agenda during the pandemic, they are doing the next best thing: turning to TV.

We are designing a large house in London with a spacious master suite, and when it came to designing the dressing room, the client referenced a specific episode of The Real Housewives as she loved the way in which the central island was organised, and the surrounding joinery, says Gandhi, founder of the design house Elicyon.

Gruesome plotlines are no deterrent to coveted design either. Gandhi has several clients asking for silk wallpaper to match the one in Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grants bedroom in the gripping but grisly drama, The Undoing. Its similar to a de Gournay design, and we wrapped one entire bedroom, including the wardrobes, in a textured silk wallcovering, adding a sense of narrative, depth and richness to the room as in the TV series, she says.

See more here:
The super-rich are designing homes inspired by Bridgerton, The Undoing and The Real Housewives - Telegraph.co.uk

Designer, podcaster and author Rebecca West will present How to Design a Happy Home, an hour-long webinar in the February 17 edition of International Market Centers Market Insights program. Wests session will address how designers help clients put together homes they crave, and how manufacturers and retailers can develop products that generate such satisfaction.

West will provide insights into design psychology fundamentals and alignment as well as product selections and marketing. She will present the eight categories of well-being that meet emotional and psychographic needs with related products and collection ideas. The session goal is to spark new design and marketing ideas for designers, retailers and manufacturers that will lead to consumers and clients feeling truly happy at home.

West is the founder of Seattle-based design firms Rebecca West Interiors and Seriously. Happy. Homes, as well as a podcaster for Creating Your Happy Place and author of Happy Starts at Home. The session, which is worth 1 CEU credit, is set for Wednesday, February 17 at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST. All pre-registered attendees can win a copy of Wests book, Happy Starts at Home when registered.

See original here:
West To Address 'Happy Home' Design In IMC Webinar - HomeWorld Business

Informed by her upbringing in New York Citys Chinatown neighborhood, the style of up-and-coming fashion designer Sandy Liangcan be described as playful, process-driven, and eclectic. Her bespoke garments reference a fusion of cultural signifiers and emulate this diverse locale. Its no wonder that Liangs first brick and mortar flagship should incorporate a broad material palette that reflects both its context and her approach. Brooklyn firmAlmost Studiodesigned this 1,500-square-foot Lower East Side boutique as a playground for a fashion designer.

Transforming a former laundromat into an expansive, multivalent retail space was a family affair. While Almost Studio coprincipal and Liangs life partner Dorian Booth was responsible for the complete retrofit, her fathers company Sun Sun Contracting Inc served as the builder. These deeply rooted connections ensure that the project is seamlessly embedded within the community and is as true to the fashion designers locally-inspired vision as possible. The new boutique is within walking distance of other family businesses and homes.

Booth and Almost Studio cofounder Anthony Gagliardi implemented a layered scheme that distinguishes different areas with layered materials and curvilineal partitions. These depth-defining mesh and semi-translucent curtain walls are broken up by half-archways, allowing for an easy flow between designated clothing display areas, points of sale, dressing rooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, and an office. Booth described this mise en scene as a stage set with overlapping backdrops.

Take a shopping trip downtown on our interiors and design website, aninteriormag.com.

See more here:
Sandy Liang's new Lower East Side flagship reflects eclectic and locally-inspired fashions - The Architect's Newspaper

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Business Outline of Gazebo Design Software Market 2020- 2025 To Surge in The Near Future with Rapid Revenue Growth Across Key Industries - AlgosOnline

Sometimes, what matters most for a project to succeed is simply the spark of an idea and many pairs of hands to bring the idea to fruition. Thats what happened for a group of people at Stang Precision in Paynesville, shortly before Thanksgiving.

A family friend with a relative in assisted living called my father to talk about it, said Chad Stang. Their conversation generated the idea and he talked to me. Its a great cause. We thought that was something we could do.

Precautions to protect the elderly and disabled from COVID-19 in 2020, came at a great price, with very limited contact from family and friends. Visiting outdoors was a seasonal option, but the colder fall weather ended that.

Because of a slowdown in business around the same time, employees of Stang Precision were able to help construct a place for relatives and friends to visit their loved ones at Stearns Place in Paynesville, one of the locations where visitation was restricted.

It was a win-win project, to do something for the community and use our folks to do it, said Stang. We had excellent support from the hospital staff.

An already-existing gazebo was in the right place to be used for a new Visitation Station. There is a hallway connecting the gazebo to Stearns Place assisted living facility.

The project included finishing the gazebo. The structure was in place, but to be used in winter it needed some work. The workers put in a dividing wall to separate visitors from residents. They insulated the gazebo and installed heat.

Using equipment from Safeguard Security in Cold Spring, a microphone and a speaker were installed on each side of the dividing wall. The top half of the wall is glass.

Stang Precision employee Ryan Symanietz is up on a ladder, working on the Visitation Station taking shape in a gazebo at Stearns Place in Paynesville. He was joined that day by Bruce Stang.

All of the labor was donated, as well as most of the supplies. Spray foam insulation was completed by McPherson Products, St. Cloud. Bork Lumber provided wood and expertise.

Everything had been set in motion very quickly so that the gazebo would be ready for Thanksgiving weekend.

It was really a community effort, said Stang. We knew we could help and didnt think twice. It was really humbling and heartwarming and exciting to be part of this.

It was just amazing, said Angie Gerhardson, housing manager. Once word got out about the project, the tenants were just buzzing. It brought a lot of hope and joy around here, just knowing someone cared that much.

The visitation station was used many hours each day throughout the holiday season. Residents sign up for one-hour slots. Up to eight people fit comfortably in the gazebo, a nice location to visit in any weather.

It was really a blessing a priceless gift to both the seniors and the family members, said DuDonne Andrie, community marketing for CentraCare Health in Paynesville. We saw quite a few social media posts about the Visitation Station. People were saying they wished they could have that at all of the senior sites.

That spurred more action and now there are three visitation stations in Paynesville: at Stearns Place, the hospital and the care center. The other two were funded through donations to the CentraCare Foundation and were finished right before Christmas.

Stang hopes that people reading about what was done in Paynesville will take the idea and run with it.

Good deeds lead to more good deeds, he said. Its a very do-able thing.

We hope this story will spur other people to do good, Andrie said.

For more information about the Visitation Stations, contact DuDonne Andrie at (320) 243-7903, ext. 42276.

An already-existing gazebo next to Stearns Place in Paynesville was finished and set up to be a place for visits with residents. The project was completed just in time for Thanksgiving and the holiday season. The labor was donated, as were much of the supplies, by area businesses. Ryan Symanietz is preparing lumber for the gazebo.

Original post:
Ingenuity and inventiveness provide a way to visit despite restrictions - ECM Publishers

Like a good mullet, the party of Bowlegged BBQ is in the back. The front is functional stucco with a barred screen door. Its either a shame the front doesnt speak to the sheer joy inside, or its a blessing because the people who know get to keep this secret for themselves.

One step inside and you get itthe pop, the visual confetti, the unrelenting stimuli. An oil painting of a man with a guitar abuts one of a man blowing a trumpet, photos upon photos of famed and lesser-known Black musicians. Two foot-tall figurines play brass instruments atop the cooler full of waters and Shastas and Gatorades. Gigantic basketball shoes hang near the back door. Not sure if theyre Shaquille ONeals or not, but anyone with feet that big definitely has a sports drink named after them. Every inch of this place is an homage to some great player or cultural force. Its hoarding as a joyful creative impulse.

Music thumps and screams out back on the patio. A single, muscular music machine, blinking various colored lights to the beat, absolutely blares Jackson 5, Heavy D, old soul and R&B and rap and hip-hop. Its 6 p.m. on a Wednesday, dark and a little cold outside. But crackling embers and woodsmoke from a few fire pits warms the whole place and backyard lights set the mood.

This is what the backyard of a barbecue joint should look likelong picnic tables made of whatever material school cafeteria tables are, two gazebos the sort you can buy at Home Depot and assemble if youve got cold beer to offer a few handy friends, art painted by locals (you can tell because some is half-finished on a table), a full camper trailer Id like to live in for a while.

I dont want elevated design with my barbecue; I sure dont want a plant wall. I prefer that lawn chairs and brisket aesthetic, like Im borrowing fresh air outside someones home. Bowlegged is nicer than that, like the yard of a friend who owns a hammer or two and tends to entertain everyone on the block. Seven or eight men sit at a table under a gazebo, holding court. No one else is here. Feels like we walked in on a family gathering. Turns out we have.

How you guys doing? says a man walking over, huge smile, arms out for the welcome, a little bowlegged. I note this only because Ive read about himKen Stance, proudly bowlegged (its listed as his middle name on the website), and the restaurants namesake.

Get you a drink? he asks. A minute later, he returns with two ice cold drinks. He explains his familys lived in this part of town, Oak Park, for generations. He owned this corner lot at Market and Toyne Streets and wasnt sure what to do with it. When his sister, Maria J Reese, retired from the educational system, she convinced him to turn it into a restaurant. Shed cook all the sides, hed just need to handle the meat.

I didnt know a thing about barbecue, but I said, Well, why not? Give me a couple months. I ruined so much good meat. He laughs.

That was 2017, and now hes figured it out. The pork ribs are especially tender and juicy, and the sauce on both that and the brisket is the sort of thing that would make computer paper taste good. We dig through the sidesdirty rice with what seems to have a great little whiff of oregano, cheesy mac n cheese, sweet greens, creamy black-eyed peas, savory cornbread. Business has been brisk, Stance says, even better during the shutdown (barbecue by the pound is a great model for takeout, since its always been the thing you bring to a picnic or outdoor get-together anyhow). Theyre looking at opening a second location.

I tell him how much I love this back patio and how I might just squat here for a while if thats okay. You should see it on weekends; its packed, he says, giving the obligatory clarification that its done safely spaced. People out here playing dominos and cards. Its a good time.

Halfway through our meal his brother, Carlos Stance, checks in on us, all smiles. We gather our leftover brisket and walk out that door. I look back at that unflashy front of Bowlegged and head home to spill its secret a little more.

4255 Market Street, Oak Park

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This Is How You BBQ | The Feed | sandiegomagazine.com - San Diego Magazine