County Living Magazine 2016 Fall

COUNTYLIVING FALL 2016

TM

FOR HOME AND HEALTH

New Treatment Center Improves Bone Health

Expert Medical Help for Headaches

When Hearing Aids Are Not Enough Home Security for the Modern World

CountyLivingMag.com CountyLivingMag @CountyLivingMag

Closet and Home Office Solutions

Senior Oasis in St. Louis County

Your wardrobe fits.

Shouldn’t your closet?

Closets | Garages | Home Offices | Entertainment Centers| Pantries Wall Beds | Wall Units | Craft Rooms | Laundry Rooms | Mud Rooms | Wine Rooms

$250 Off

plus Free Installation Minimum purchase of $1500. Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts.

314.227.1936

Call for free design consultation or visit us online at closetfactory.com

the art of organization

2 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

©2015 Closet Factory. All rights reserved.

CL#1

FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 3

what’sinside FALL 2016

10

12

16

8 RANDOM MUSINGS from Gerry Mandel

HEALTH & FITNESS

10 New Treatment Center Helps Improve Bone Health 12 Not All Headaches Are Migraines 13 An Effective Solution for an Uncomfortable Problem 14 When Hearing Aids Are Not Enough 15 A Senior Oasis in St. Louis County 16 Open Upright MRI: A Rare Experience in Missouri 17 Hypnosis Can Be Your Key to Change 18 A Personal Trainer Is the Key to Achieving Your Goals

24

HOME REMODELING

20 Shower Yourself with Remodeling Savings this Fall 22 How is Your Home Performing?

23 Custom Closet and Home Office Solutions 24 Custom Bathroom Remodeling Doesn’t Have to be a Mess or Cost a Fortune 25 Stone and Tile Floors Looking Dull? Ugly Grout?

26 The Basement Egress Window 28 Home Security for the Modern World

32

LANDSCAPES & EXTERIORS

30 The Pleasure and Beauty of Professional Landscape Lighting 32 Achieving Their Dream in Outdoor Living Spaces 34 The Distinctive New Classic in Residential Roofing 35 Do You Have Uneven Concrete Surfaces?

36 Great Room Glory: Protecting Your Home from the Sun 38 Enjoy a Natural Water Feature in Your Own Yard 40 Fall is a Great Time to Plant Trees and Shrubs 41 Keeping Wooden Roofs Beautiful 42 Save Money by Renewing Your Outdoor Furniture

40

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

44 Fall Activities & Events Calendar 46 This Diamond is a Gold Mine by John Robinson

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

48 If Your Business Accepts Credit Cards, A Broker Can Save You A Lot of Money 50 A Book that Should Be in Every Home in St. Louis

44

Publisher’s Message

Trains – and an Era - Passing For more than 100 years, a familiar sight in St. Louis County has been the long, long freight trains with their cars loaded with coal, passing along the Union Pacific tracks.

An especially familiar site to those held up at crossings on north-south roads in Kirkwood and Webster Groves.

U.S. electric power generators consumed 740 million tons of coal in 2015, fueling about one-third of total electric power generation and accounting for 92% of all coal consumed in the United States. Nearly 70% of all coal used by power plants to generate electricity was shipped either completely or in part by rail.

Imagine my surprise one afternoon recently when I was stopped on Geyer Road by a passing train, carrying not coal but blades for electricgenerating wind turbines.

What struck me about this was the realization that unlike all that coal moving in all those rail cars and stopping all that traffic on a continual basis to fuel our power plants, these turbine blades make just one trip. And that is significant, considering that 39% of the total delivered cost of coal in 2014 was accounted for by transportation.

Hopefully, we are entering a new phase of cleaner, less expensive power – and fewer traffic stops.

Todd Abrams

on the cover

This full masonry home in Town & Country was constructed for a young professional couple to raise their family. The design, found on the East Coast, transitions beautifully to the Midwest.

The homeowner could rival any professional designer for creating both a home for their children and a stunning space to host any occasion. With the elusive combination of distinctive looks, function and quality, the custom home enhances the lives of this happy family.

The home was built by Red Bird Contracting, which specializes in a truly custom building experience to realize their clients’ dreams. To discuss your own dream home, whether new construction or remodeling, you can call owner Eric Pearson to set up a consultation at 314-315-5813, or by email eric@redbirdcontracting.com. To see more of their quality work, you can visit www.redbirdcontracting.com.

6 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

COUNTYLIVING

TM

VOLUME 16 | FALL 2016

staff PUBLISHER/EDITOR Todd Abrams CREATIVE DIRECTOR Fran Sherman GRAPHIC DESIGN Eric Null PRINTING ADVISOR Creative Printing Services DISTRIBUTION DATABASE Target Marketing Technologies FOR INFORMATION REGARDING ADVERTISING CALL County Living Publications 314-432-1171 phone 314-569-3380 fax P.O. Box 411036 St. Louis, MO 63141 www.CountyLivingMag.com County Living Magazine is published quarterly

by County Living Publications and distributed to select homeowners in the St. Louis area. Articles are selected to provide useful information about home, lifestyle, health, travel and recreation.

Opinions expressed in articles and editorials are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of County Living Publications. While every effort is made to assure accuracy, we are not responsible for how information found in County Living Magazine is used.

We are very interested in reader comments or suggestions. Correspondence should be sent to the address above or to editor@CountyLivingMag.com.

Reproduction of content of this magazine without permission is prohibited. All submitted materials, including images, logos and text for advertising, articles and editorials are assumed to be the property of the contributor, and County Living Publications does not take responsibility for unintentional copyright infringement.

County Living Publications has the right to refuse advertising and content not deemed appropriate for this publication.

Circulation is verified by U.S. Postal receipts.

Arts & Thoughts

random

musings FROM GERRY MANDEL

Out of Sight, Out of Pocket The Folly of Frank Lloyd Wright

hen you spend a pile of money on something like a beautiful deck, a dazzling piece of custom jewelry or a sleek, new Mercedes, you feel good about it. Sure, it sets you back a little, maybe a lot. But you can take great pleasure and pride in it, a sense of satisfaction. An added bonus might be when neighbors or friends say, “Looks great,” or “Way to go.” It’s always gratifying to be admired for your good taste. Bottom line, though, is how good that purchase makes you feel..

W

We had our driveway sealed last year. No big deal, just a lot of thick, black stuff spread around. But every morning for a couple of weeks I’d look out from our kitchen window and think, “Wow, my driveway really looks great.” Then tire tracks, dead leaves, and bird droppings took their toll and I stopped looking.

Not all major expenses, however, bring a similar sense of satisfaction. Not even close.

The best they seem to offer is to lower your stress level. I’m talking about a furnace and a roof. These are both rather large expenses. “Investments” they’re called, partially to make you feel wise. We had a new furnace installed about four years ago.

The original furnace was almost 25 years old. It rattled, strained, made strange noises in the dead of winter. As January temperatures dropped below 30 degrees, my fear factor would rise. “Maybe it’ll quit working in the middle of the night and I’ll freeze to death.” Not a comforting thought as you try to fall asleep.

Our new furnace is quietly efficient. I don’t know how that translates into B.T.U.’s, but I no longer worry about dire forecasts of “morning lows near zero.” We even bought a new thermostat to assure that efficiency. At least that’s what the furnace guy told me. However, when I have friends over, I don’t feel the need to take them down to the basement to see my new Trane. After all, you can expect only so much enthusiasm from friends.

My new roof is a more recent “investment.” Our house is a one-story, mid-century contemporary home with a flat roof. It was designed by an architect who studied at Frank Lloyd Wright’s institute in Scottsdale.

Unfortunately he incorporated one of Wright’s trademarks: the flat roof. Not a great concept for the thunderstorm belt. (A word to the wise: Don’t buy a flat-roof house unless it’s in Death Valley.) I had reached the point where I dreaded a forecast of heavy rain. When I was a kid, I’d like to sit by the window in my room and read Batman and Captain Marvel comics while listening to the rain. That was then. Now I looked at dark clouds in the west with foreboding. During a storm, I’d walk around the house, stare at the ceiling for damp spots, drips and stains. I’d listen to the rain pound the skylights and wonder where the water was going. With all the storms we had in August, I lived in a constant state of anxiety.

The fear was well founded. Two years ago we developed a leak in our bathroom ceiling.

Sometimes the dripping wouldn’t show up until two days after the rain. We had roofers put on a patch, seal the skylights, clean the drains. Nothing worked. I began to think the house was cursed. Our roof looked like a crazy quilt.

Now we have a new roof. But I can’t see it. Unless I climb a ladder or fly over in a helicopter. It is, for most purposes, invisible. And expensive. I’m convinced Wright had a sweetheart deal with roofing contractors. At least now I can relax when the forecast calls for thunderstorms. But I may never break the habit of looking at the ceiling.

Gerry Mandel is a free-lance writer and video/ biography producer. He also writes two blogs, which he invites you to enjoy. HeyYouHoser.blogspot.com, and TimeWithCharlieChaplin.blogspot.com. Your comments are welcome. clm

8 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

Add Add

TO SEE MORE EXAMPLES OF OUR LANDSCAPE AND HOLIDAY LIGHTING, VISIT OUR PHOTO GALLERY AT AT JEFF-MITCHELL-LIGHTING.COM

to Your Home with

Landscape and Holiday Lighting Dramatic MAKE BOLD, DISTINCTIVE LIGHTING PART OF YOUR HOLIDAY TRADITION

We are the boutique outdoor lighting specialists who make your home distinctively festive for the Holidays.

For your custom lighting, call us to provide reliable turn-key service - designing, installing, removing and storing your custom Christmas lighting.

Call NOW for a Free Estimate!

TF6

www.jeff-mitchell-lighting.com SAVE $400 ON A LIGHTING SYSTEM . . . OR 20% ON HOLIDAY AND LANDSCAPE LIGHTING BUNDLE 2016 of | COUNTY magazine 9 offer.

Applies to FALL installation $2,000 or LIVING more. Not valid with any| other

Health & Fitness

New Treatment Center Helps Improve Bone Health

A ten minute session, once a week, can increase bone density.

T

o achieve improved health, it is helpful to understand something fundamental about our bodies. They are not fixed objects, but made up of muscle, fat, blood, bones and other parts that all are constantly renewing themselves.

Just like they say you never visit the same river twice because it is constantly changing with new water streaming by, the same phenomenon happens with our bodies: Cells decay over time and are constantly being replaced with new ones.

Blood cells are completely replaced every three months, taste buds are replaced every day. Surface skin is renewed every two to four weeks. The heart is renewed three to four times in a lifetime. This is not passive – active, everyday living eliminates old cells to make room for new growth.

For muscle, the desire is to grow more than is destroyed, and this is why exercise is important. The nerve impulse that contracts a muscle also sends a signal to build it up, changing the balance to favor growth over decay. As the growth signals overwhelm the decay signals, your body builds muscle.

WHAT ABOUT BONES? We tend to think of adult bones as especially fixed, rigid structures that don’t change much before they begin to deteriorate as we get older. But the truth is that like the rest of our bodies, the skeleton is constantly replacing itself. It takes several years to do this completely.

Old bone is broken down by cells called osteoclasts and replaced by bone-building cells known as osteoblasts. Osteoclasts dissolve bone so that osteoblasts can build it back up again. But when we hit middle age this renewal process slows down, so our bones get thinner, which is how osteoporosis sets in.

For years, doctors have told patients that exercise such as walking, climbing stairs and lifting weights can help build bone density. However, recent research shows that exercise doesn’t build bone density nearly as much as was once thought. While it is good for overall health, exercise alone does very little to

reverse the effects of osteoporosis. A peer-reviewed study in 1999 found that for a person to increase bone density faster than they are losing it requires resistance of at least 4.2 times their body weight. This was confirmed by a 2004 report by the U.S. Surgeon General.

Based on this research, Dr. John Jaquish in 2011 designed devices that could create the ideal set of triggers, slight bone flexing that safely builds new bone. His patented machines provide these brief osteogenic events that take less than 10 minutes a week, yet are powerful enough to prevent osteoporosis—and even reverse it. Osteogenic loading, when done properly, can improve bone density, strength and balance. The respected journal Osteoporosis International published Jaquish’s 2013 study showing that bone density improved 7.34 percent between the spine and hip over one year of treatment.

In 2012, wellness company OsteoStrong began offering Dr. Jaquish’s patented osteogenic loading system in centers across the United States. To date thousands of people have experienced the benefits. A ten-minute sweat-free session in four different positions — loading the chest, leg/hips, core and spine - triggers an adaptive flexing response in bones and also muscles. This is done in safe positions self-imposed for maximum impact. OsteoStrong also uses a vibrating plate before and after for stimulation, muscle memory and stretching.

The first OsteoStrong center in the St. Louis area is now open in Creve Coeur at 12333 Olive Blvd, just west of Highway 270. You can call them at 314-300-6902 to schedule your first free session, which includes a complimentary HydroMassage. For those looking to prevent fractures and increase bone density, OsteoStrong may be the answer. You can learn more about OsteoStrong, view members’ testimonials and schedule your complimentary session at http:// www.osteostrongstlouis.com. clm

“The principal science behind OsteoStrong is solid. Bones will remodel, and strengthen, when exposed to heavy loading. Due to a multitude of factors, ie. lack of exercise, hormonal effects, poor diet, problems with Vitamin D metabolism, to name a few, we are seeing a lot of patients with osteoporosis, also known as brittle bone disease.

Osteostrong heavy joint loading, when used in conjunction with other current treatments that may be recommended by your physician, appears to be a good adjunct in the fight against osteoporosis.”

– Dr. Robert Bell, Orthopedic Associates, St. Louis 10 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

With honesty and integrity our goal is to provide you with the very highest quality and longest lasting copper work possible. We believe it truly matters, so all of our work is done by our own team.

FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 11

Health & Fitness

Not All Headaches are Migraines

BY MAX BENZAQUEN, M.D.

MAX BENZAQUEN

(PHOTO STRAUSS PEYTON)

T

Effective Treatment Begins with a Correct Medical Diagnosis.

here are 36 million Americans suffering from headaches, but only 5 million are actually diagnosed and treated. Migraines are the most frequent headache, occurring in 12% of women and 6% of men. Primary headaches include migraines and tension headaches, and secondary headaches are due to serious intracranial disease. Other types of headaches are face pain and cranial Neuralgias, primary or secondary.

Because there are more than 50 types of headaches, successful treatment must start with a correct diagnosis, most effectively by an experienced Headache Medicine Specialist. A detailed history and complete neurological exam are important in the comprehensive care of headaches.

The reason for this is that migraine misdiagnosis, or abuse of certain over-the-counter and/or prescribed medicines - painkillers and acute treatment medicines like Triptans, Ergotamines and Butalbital compounds - can change a migraine from episodic to chronic, which is a headache occurring more than 15 days per month. This makes treatment more difficult and increases patient discomfort and disability.

Consider an

OPEN UPRIGHT MRI if you are:

If you are experiencing debilitating or frequent headaches, you should be encouraged to seek expert help. For years the treatment of headaches was quite limited, but remarkable progress has been made in recent years. We have more effective medicines to treat acute attacks, as well as better preventives. Intense research, basic and clinical, is ongoing, and new methods of treatment are becoming available each year.

Max P. Benzaquen, M.D. is a Neurologist with board certifications in Neurology, Psychiatry, Headache Medicine and Vascular Neurology. He has been trained at Washington University in St. Louis, Columbia University in New York, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, as well as the Universities of Berlin, Germany and Geneva, Switzerland.

Dr. Benzaquen’s practice, The Headache Center, offers comprehensive diagnosis and treatment in the management of headaches. If you are experiencing frequent or debilitating headaches, you can contact Dr. Benzaquen at The Headache Center, located in Chesterfield, for personalized care in the management of your headaches at (314) 628-1026. clm

NEED HELP WITH

YOUR PRINTING? For over 30 years we have helped clients eliminate the headaches, wasted time and expense of sourcing and managing their printing.

• Claustrophobic • Unable to lie down due to pain or body type • In need of Positional Scanning 11741 Olive Blvd.

Creve Coeur, MO 63141 314.291.6736 (OPEN) OpenUprightMRIofMissouri.com

Contact Steve Turner o: 314.863.4550 c: 314.378.6323 e: steve@cpsstl.com www.cpsstl.com

12 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

An Effective Solution for an Uncomfortable Problem

BY BETSY CLEMENS, M.D.

A

Infrared coagulation is a painless, lasting treatment for hemorrhoids.

lmost everyone suffers from hemorrhoids at some time in their lives. Hemorrhoids are normal “cushions” of tissue filled with blood vessels at the end of the rectum. If enlarged, they can cause unpleasant symptoms. If left untreated, surgery may be required, which can be painful and require days in hospital and at home.

Treatment options depend on the size of the hemorrhoids and severity of symptoms. Topical medications can relieve itching and shrink mild hemorrhoids. But for enlarged or bleeding hemorrhoids, options for longer-term relief have been limited to sclerotherapy, involving injections similar to those for varicose veins, rubber band ligation, stapling and surgery. Each of these can have varying results, cause days of discomfort and additional bleeding.

But another option is available, an outpatient procedure called infrared coagulation (IRC). It provides long-term relief and is a minimally invasive, non-surgical procedure that many studies have shown to be the optimal non-operative treatment of choice. It is fast, effective, well tolerated by patients and has fewer complications than other options.

The IRC treatment focuses infrared light on hemorrhoidal tissues. This coagulates blood vessels, causing the hemorrhoid to shrink and retract. Scar tissue formed holds nearby veins in place so they don’t become enlarged. The IRC procedure does not require anesthesia or special preparation, and is covered by most insurance plans. Patients may feel a slight warm sensation but it usually is painless, and most patients return to work the same day.

Betsy Clemens MD is owner and medical principal at Midwest Hemorrhoid Treatment Center, located at 450 North New Ballas Road in Creve Coeur. They are the St. Louis area leaders in infrared coagulation treatment, which received FDA clearance in 1984. Dr. Clemens is a board-certified physician licensed to practice medicine in Missouri. She received her medical degree from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and completed her residency at St. Johns Mercy Medical Center. For an appointment at the Midwest Hemorrhoid Treatment Center, you can call 314-991-9888. To learn more about them and about IRC, you can visit MWHTCmissouri.com. clm

SET IT IN STONE. NO TEAR OUT REQUIRED! THE EPOXY/PEBBLESTONE RESURFACING SYSTEM IS • An Affordable Solution to repair or improve old concrete • Requires no tear-out • Provides dramatic improvement without yard damage • Natural river rock in multiple color options • Ideal for Residential & Commercial

GARAGE FLOORS

Established in 1990 - Our Experience is Set in Stone

STEPS/WALKWAYS/ PORCHES

DRIVEWAYS

FREE ESTIMATES - Call: 314-426-2311

SALE Receive $350 to $1,500 OFF Savings relative to size of the project

BASEMENT FLOORS

POOL DECKS

PATIOS

Minimums apply. Excludes jobs in progress.

Not valid with any other offer. Expires 11/30/16.

Office and Showroom 9475 Dielman Rock Island Drive Olivette, MO www.epoxystoneinc.com FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 13

Health & Fitness

When Hearing Aids Are Not Enough

BY JACQUES HERZOG, M.D.

There are alternatives that can make a real difference.

D

on’t give up. You are very likely to benefit from other options to help with hearing loss.

Recent research with adult hearing aid users shows that about one in six never use them. If you or a loved one has a hearing loss and owns hearing aids but is not satisfied, there are some alternatives that should be considered.

NEWER TECHNOLOGIES The most important reason cited by hearing aid owners for not using them is that they feel that the benefit from wearing them is not worth the trouble. It tends to be those with the oldest hearing aids that are least likely to use them, suggesting that they have not experienced newer hearing aid technologies. A great many of these owners would benefit from newer instruments with advanced programmable or dual-microphone technology that enable them to adjust their hearing aids to hear more clearly in challenging sound environments.

Many dissatisfied hearing aid owners reported that their hearing aids amplified sound, but did not help them understand conversation, which was their primary motivation for getting them in the first place. When word understanding begins to decrease, creating difficulty with competing sounds, other alternatives can help. While some of these alternatives are surgical, the results may be life changing.

SURGICAL OPTIONS There are a number of surgical options that address specific conditions that compromise hearing. Corrective surgery of the middle ear can restore the normal sound-conducting mechanism. These procedures include repairing perforations of the tympanic membrane or replacing the small sound-conducting middle ear bones with prosthetic materials. Chronic infection or congenital abnormalities can result in absence of the middle ear bones, which can be replaced to restore normal hearing.

Stapes surgery treats hearing loss caused by a problem called otosclerosis, which causes a buildup of bone around the stapes, or stirrup bone, the smallest bone in the body.

This keeps this bone from moving normally, resulting in

conductive hearing loss. Stapedotomy places a prosthetic bone so that sound can again be transmitted from the eardrum to the inner ear. This surgery provides a significant alternative to conventional amplification, and can restore normal hearing in more than 90% of patients who suffer from otosclerosis.

Patients with severe to profound hearing loss who are unable to hear with traditional amplification may also benefit from a cochlear implant, an electronic device that bypasses the damaged parts of the inner ear by stimulating auditory nerve fibers directly. It is surgically implanted in the inner ear and works in conjunction with an external device worn behind the ear.

Although cochlear implants do not restore natural hearing, most individuals with cochlear implants have achieved significant gains in sound awareness and speech understanding.

If you or someone you know has not benefited from conventional hearing aids, your next step should be consulting a health care specialist with experience in diagnosing and treating the full range of hearing disorders, and with a full range of options to address hearing loss.

Jacques Herzog, M.D. established the Center for Hearing and Balance Disorders at St. Luke’s hospital in 1993. He is certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology and is a Fellow of the American Neurotology Society and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Dr. Herzog is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology at Washington University School of Medicine. He has previously served on the Board of Managers at Central Institute for the Deaf. Currently, he is a member of the Editorial Board of Otology and Neurotology, the world’s leading scientific journal of the specialty. Dr. Herzog has lectured extensively both nationally and internationally on various disorders of the ear and related structures. You can learn more about Dr. Herzog’s practice at www.stlouisear.com, and to arrange for a consultation, you can contact the Center for Hearing and Balance Disorders at 314-453-0001. clm

14 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

A Senior Living Oasis in St. Louis County Lakeside living At Cape Albeon is like a quiet New England Village.

W

ho knew there could be such an enchanting option for independent and assisted living, just minutes away? Cape Albeon is a beautiful, caring community that offers lakeside cottage homes, retirement apartments, and full-service assisted living in a peaceful natural setting. Exceptional care is provided by professional and attentive nursing staff.

Cape Albeon is made up of three distinct neighborhoods: • The Cottages - retirement cottages with recreation, socialization, and services of a community • The Harbor - retirement apartments in a friendly community for socializing and recreation • The Village - assisted living apartments and memory services with dedicated personal care Cape Albeon is more than a senior community. It is an attitude, a feeling, an atmosphere of grace and style complemented by helpful services and enjoyable amenities. Opened in July of 2000 in a picturesque Cape Cod-like setting in southwest St. Louis County, Cape Albeon is a not-for-profit retirement community and a member of

the St. Andrew’s Resources for Seniors family, a highly-respected senior service provider founded in 1961.

Cape Albeon also offers top-quality Transitional Memory and Respite Care for loved ones, and their Medicare Rehabilitation facility is less than 15 minutes away at Brooking Park.

Cape Albeon is where the dream of lakeside retirement living becomes a reality. They are located just west of the intersection of Big Bend and Dougherty Ferry Roads. To learn more about Cape Albeon, you can call (636) 861-3200 to arrange a visit and tour, and you can visit their website at www.CapeAlbeon.com. clm Resident Angela Remes recently celebrated her 103rd birthday and 14 years of happy living at Cape Albeon. A native St. Louisan, Angela enjoyed her career as a teacher and school counselor, and her favorite pastime was watching the Cardinals at Sportsman’s Park. She and her husband moved to Cape Albeon Harbor Independent Living Community ANGELA REMES in 2002. Angela has gained a large array of great friends among the residents and staff, and her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren enjoy visiting her in the beautiful reception rooms and enjoying meals in the gracious dining rooms at Cape Albeon.

C

Your

edar siding, roofs and decks can lose virtually all of their natural preservatives and oils in as little as five years in the Midwest weather.

Oak and pine log homes and redwood decks can also show premature aging from the effects of the weather.

Restoration and Installation Specialists

But all these exterior wood surfaces can be restored and protected through proper care and treatment, often doubling or tripling the remaining life.

Before

Aspen Touch Cedar Restoration & Installation

After

Call for a FREE Estimate

(636) 458-8878

FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 15

Call the experts with more than 25 years of experience caring for, repairing and replacing cedar roofs, natural wood siding and decks. We are also experts in installing new cedar shake roofs, siding and decking.

Fully Insured • References Available On Request

www.aspentouch.com aspentouch.rick@gmail.com

Health & Fitness

Open Upright MRI: A Rare Experience

in Missouri

For some, the confined space inside the MRI “tube” can make a doctor-ordered procedure impossible to complete.

C

laustrophobia or even panic can bring a traditional MRI scan to a halt. But now there is an alternative. The Open Upright MRI is the only one of its kind in Missouri. Patients travel hundreds of miles to the heart of St. Louis to get their MRI at Open Upright MRI of Missouri.

This unique scanner is visibly different than a traditional MRI, with nothing in front of the patient’s face for most exams. Often patients can complete their MRI while watching TV. In addition to being open, the Open Upright MRI also offers positional imaging capabilities – patients can be scanned sitting, standing or in other positions in which they won’t feel pain. The scanner also accommodates patients who weigh up to 500 pounds.

“An MRI is a crucial step to providing doctors with all of the diagnostic information needed to deliver the best care possible to their patients,” said Kishan Yalavarthi, M.D., Open Upright MRI of Missouri medical director. “For patients who are claustrophobic or who otherwise would not fit in a traditional MRI, the ability to sit comfortably and relax by watching television makes all the difference in helping them get through their exam.”

Appointments at Open Upright MRI of Missouri are available Monday through Saturday at 11737 Olive Blvd., Creve Coeur, MO 63141. Patients with a doctor’s referral may schedule an appointment by calling 314.291.6736. You can visit Open Upright MRI of Missouri's website at OpenUprightMRIofMissouri.com for more information. clm

16 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

Hypnosis Can Be Your Key to Change would like to take the mystery out of hypnosis as an effective therapy for enabling behavior change, by explaining how it works.

Your conscious mind contains your active thoughts, and the subconscious mind contains information that you act on. The unconscious is like a big filing cabinet that holds a record of everything

BY JOAN KRUEGER, you’ve ever experienced.

CERTIFIED HYPNOTHERAPIST All your habits, behaviors, responses, reactions, memories and emotions are stored there, as though there is a file for each.

Hypnosis is the process of communicating with the subconscious mind. Before a hypnosis session, your therapist should ask specifically what behavior you would like to change. This identifies the file that you are currently working from. Hypnosis gets the subconscious part of your mind to open up so that a new file can be added about how you want to function. For instance, if you want to be a non-smoker, change your eating habits, or be more confident. After the session, your mind has new information to begin to work from instead of working from the old information.

With hypnosis you can’t make someone do something they don’t want to do. For hypnosis to work, the subject must willingly accept the change, because the conscious mind is still very aware of what is going on.

At all times, the subject has complete power of selectivity, reacting only to suggestions that are reasonable and pleasing to them.

I

Joan Krueger has a private practice with an office in Kirkwood. Many individuals have achieved their goals, both personally and professionally, through guidance they have received in her hypnosis sessions. About 80% of people who Joan hypnotizes to stop smoking will quit after just one session. You can contact Joan to discuss how hypnosis could help you achieve positive change in your own life by calling her at (314) 962-7558, or visiting her Web site at www.jfkhypnosis.com. clm

CELEBRATING LIVES WELL LIVED,

TODAY & TOMORROW. Introducing Wildwood Valley Gardens at Bellefontaine.

Wildwood Valley Gardens is an inviting garden and memorial space offering traditional ground burial and cremation options. With intertwining paths, streams and terraces, the gardens provide a beautiful setting where you and your family can celebrate the memories of loved ones for years to come. Make Bellefontaine yours.

Visit us online for more information.

BellefontaineCemetery.org/County

FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 17

©2016 Bellefontaine Cemetery

Health & Fitness

BY BRET KLIETHERMES

A Personal Trainer is the Key to Achieving Your Goals

Solving the Three Problems Keeping You From Reaching Your Fitness Goals

T

here are be extremely important challenging. reasons It’s inevitable why that you will people want to come up against start an exerfrustrations, cise and nutriuncertainties and tion program. questions along To lose weight, the way. Having get strong and someone there to healthy, look guide, motivate, and be their best educate, support for an upcomand hold you ing event, or to accountable to simply be a posiwhat you have tive role model committed to do Leslie Johns lost 25 pounds, dropped body fat by 4%, lowered her cholesterol 80 points . . . all in 12 weeks! for their family. for yourself will These reasons take on personal importance that is prove to be one of the best ways to reach your goals. unique to each individual.

What is not unique, however, are the three major If you are struggling with one or all of these problems on barriers to success that my clients faced when they your path to improved health and fitness, then I would rectried to reach these goals on their own. These issues are ommend not to waste another single day. I have helped dozexactly why they turned to me to achieve the success ens of clients achieve their goals and I can help you as well! you see in the example on this page, and why you may consider doing the same if you are having a hard time Bret Kliethermes is a Certified Personal Trainer with a reaching your health and fitness goals: Bachelors of Science in Health & Wellness Promotion from Missouri State University who provides complete fitness 1. Not knowing how to put a complete program together. programs to help his clients reach their personal health and A comprehensive health and fitness program should fitness goals. consist of all the following with the proper amounts/ Bret offers both private and semi private training to fit ratios related to your specific goals: Nutrition, Suppleall budgets and schedules. For a no obligation, no pressure mentation, Resistance Training, Cardiovascular Exerconsultation to discuss your goals and a program designed for cise, Flexibility or Mobility Work, and Proper Rest. If you, you can call Bret at 314-691-9040, email bret@strongthis seems a little overwhelming, you’re not alone. humanfitness.com, or visit www.stronghumanfitness.com.

Bret works with his clients at The Fitness Partner Inc., a 2. Not having a workable plan of action. You can boutique gym located in the Corporate Plaza Building at try the latest and greatest diet and exercise program 14528 South Outer 40 Road, Chesterfield 63017. For 22 known to man, but if it doesn’t fit into your schedule years the Fitness Partner has offered its members a more or physical capabilities, as well as integrate all the private alternative to the large box gyms that are often noisy components listed above, then you’re simply wasting and overcrowded. Owner/operator Randy Stone has more your time. A health and fitness plan must be “doable” than 25 years of personal training experience, knows all for the individual - otherwise it is useless. members by name, and can be found in the gym 6 days a week. The Fitness Partner is also a proud supporter of the 3. Not having a proper support system in place.

Joshua Chamberlain Society, a grassroots 501c3 that proMaking changes in your routine necessary for vides long term support to severely wounded veterans and achieving specific health and fitness goals can their families from the greater Saint Louis area. clm 18 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

Restore the original beauty of your

FLOORS, COUNTERS AND SHOWERS GRANITE • LIMESTONE • MARBLE • TERRAZZO • TRAVERTINE • SLATE Restoration, polishing, cleaning, scratch removal, chip & crack repair

BEFORE

conglomerate marble

AFTER

BEFORE

travertine marble and granite

AFTER

CERAMIC • PORCELAIN • QUARRY TILE • BRICK PAVERS • CONCRETE TIle and grout restoration, cleaning and sealing

BEFORE

ceramic

AFTER

BEFORE

ceramic

AFTER

636-290-5080 WWW.MARBLELIFE.COM

CALL CALL OR EMAIL TO SCHEDULE YOURON-SITE FREE ON-SITE ESTIMATE 636-639-1304 TO SCHEDULE YOUR FREE ESTIMATE

www.marblelife-stlouis.com 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 19 email: FALL stlouis-office@marblelife.com

Home Remodeling

Shower Yourself with Remodeling Savings this Fall

Now is a great time to tackle those needed home improvement projects

I

f your tile shower “Our customers AFTER BEFORE is dated, some love the look and they of the grout is love the money they missing, the pan save over replacement is leaking, or your even more.” fiberglass unit is Most customers are faded or cracked, opting for the Natuyou don’t necesral Accents™ stone sarily have to tear finishes for their tile it out and replace and fiberglass shower the entire shower. walls. This designer There are proprietary look creates the upprocesses to repair a dated impact homeleaking shower pan owners are looking for without removing in a makeover. and replacing the As the nation’s largtile. This will save est surface refinishyou time and money ing network, Miracle and the end result Method has been will be both beautiful helping St. Louis and durable. area homeowners Loose tile grout save on remodeling can be repaired costs for over twelve BEFORE AFTER and you can also years. Whether it is a replace dated colors porcelain, fiberglass, with high-tech cultured marble, surface refinishing acrylic, Formica or instead of expensive even Corian® surface, replacement Miracle Method can or re-grouting. fix it, update it, and “Having your have it looking like tile re-grouted is a new. “It takes just a temporary soluday or two and our NATURAL ACCENTS COLOR CHOICES CAN BE SEEN AT tion,” says Terry work is guaranteed.”

WWW.MIRACLEMETHOD.COM/NATURAL-ACCENTS-SAMPLES.HTM Kavanaugh, owner says Kavanaugh. of Miracle Method of St. Louis. “If grout is not To see just how good refinishing can be, you can read routinely sealed, it can deteriorate and absorb water, reviews from satisfied customers by logging on which can cause leaks and possibly black grout and www.miraclemethod.com/stlouis. mold.” The process Kavanaugh recommends permaThe Natural Accents™ stone finish color choices can be seen nently seals grout, eliminating potential leaks, and it at www.miraclemethod.com/natural-accents-samples.htm. is also easy to maintain.

Miracle Method of St. Louis is a member of the Do you have problems with a fiberglass bath or local Chamber of Commerce, the Better Business shower unit? Miracle Method has an answer for faded Bureau (BBB) and the national Kitchen and Bath Asand cracked showers and pans. “Cracked fiberglass sociation (NKBA). does not need to be replaced. We can fix the cracks and You can call 888-819-4399 for a free estimate, or refinish the dull surface, and it will be stronger than schedule an appointment to visit their new showroom at new,” adds Kavanaugh.

414 Gravois Rd in Fenton 63026. clm 20 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 21

Home Remodeling

How is Your Home Performing?

Solutions for Increasing Comfort and Reducing Energy Bills

A

chieving these improvements starts with proper evaluation and testing. A Home Energy Evaluation identifies causes of comfort problems and high energy consumption, and suggests cost-effective remedies. A Blower Door Fan draws outside air into the house to detect and diagnose air leaks.

Thermal Scanning with an infrared camera that “sees through walls” can measure how effectively your insulation is working.

Solving the Problems Based on the findings, a proposal is developed that identifies steps to reduce energy use and increase comfort.

22 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

Recommendations are provided that can have the biggest impact on energy use, comfort and savings. Common recommended improvements often include: Air Sealing - Your home may be leaking air, resulting in drafts and rooms that don’t heat or cool effectively. Air sealing is the first step to a more comfortable and energy-efficient home.

Insulation is also important to an energy-efficient home. Find out how much insulation you have, how it’s performing and whether you need more.

Crawlspace Sealing - Cold floors, poor air quality and energy inefficiency can be caused by unsealed crawlspaces below. Sealing prevents moisture and air infiltration.

In the St. Louis area, one long-established company is helping solve home performance problems. Dr. Energy Saver STL, part of the Woods Basement Systems organization, performs the Home Energy Evaluation at no charge – totally free - to help you discover where your home is using, losing, and wasting energy.

Dr. Energy Saver also can perform the critical home energy-saving services needed to address the specific problems identified, such as adding insulation, sealing air leaks in your home, crawl space encapsulation and more. The results will show up in lower energy bills. To schedule a no-obligation Home Energy Evaluation in your home, you can call Dr. Energy Saver at 866-735-1890, or you can learn more about them at www.betterbasementvalue.com. clm

Custom CLOSET AND HOME OFFICE SOLUTIONS For better-organized storage and work spaces

I

t seems that when most homes were built, little thought was given to wardrobe, storage or at-home work needs of families who were going to live there.

Maybe that’s why most of us have closets where there never seems to be room to put everything or ways to find anything.

And according to the National Association of Home Builders, a walk-in closet rated number one in the amenities builders planned to include in homes they were building in 2015.

Fortunately for homes built before 2015, today there is the opportunity for closet systems and other space solutions that are custom-designed to meet specific and changing needs of each member of the family. For closets and workspaces that are more functional and enjoyable to use, it pays to consider a custom system. A professional designer can provide a solution that will work best for your specific needs, and flexibility to adapt as needs change over time.

The process starts from scratch with the designer creating an organizational portrait of family members who will use the space, asking about their needs, accurately measuring and inventorying items that need to go in it. And to make it your own, offering choices of hardware, materials, specialized accessories and finishes.

The leader in custom-designed storage and workspaces for the home is Closet Factory. They emphasize customization in every step of their process, which begins with a free in-home consultation by an experienced designer. You’ll be presented with a selection of drawers, shelving, handles and knobs in an extensive array of the finest materials and finishes, from basic laminates to dramatic solid woods. Once you’ve approved every feature and finishing touch, each piece is manufactured to specification in their own factory. For your own custom consultation, you may call Closet Factory at (314) 227-1936. clm

FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 23

Home Remodeling

Custom

BATHROOM REMODELING A Whole New Look Doesn’t Have to be a Big Mess or Cost a Fortune

L

ike many homeowners, you may have a bathroom that looks worn and outdated, or doesn’t really meet your needs or desires. For instance, if you rarely take baths, you might much prefer a walk-in shower instead of that tub with a shower curtain.

Converting an old tub or shower to an attractive, safe, convenient new shower can add enjoyment and utility for years. With a built-in seat, well placed grab bars and easy to clean, grout-free walls, you can have the safest and most convenient bath environment possible.

If you still prefer a bathtub, you can upgrade to a beautiful, durable tub that is attractive and warm to the touch. Or, there is the option of a walk-in bathtub, offering easy entry, comfortable seating and easy-to-reach faucets. To complement your new shower or tub, you can outfit your bathroom

with attractive shower and wall surfaces and select from many varieties of flooring, as well as upgraded vanity or pedestal sink and toilet.

One company that can cost-effectively complete your new bathroom with minimal interruption is ReBath of St. Louis.

A custom ReBath conversion transforms your bathroom from dull to dramatic, adding value to your home. And they offer the best warranty in the business.

ReBath of St. Louis will help design your bath to be a statement of your own personal style and taste, and their own installation crews complete the conversion. Their designers bring everything to your home for the selection process - no wasted time or extra trips to find all of what you want. For a free in-home consultation you can call Mid-America Re-Bath and Remodeling at 314-272-4688, or visit www.rebathstl.com. clm

Who Knew that Concrete Could be

Beautiful?

ACID STAINED BASEMENT FLOOR

POLISHED, DYED & SEALED RETAIL FLOOR

MARBLELIFE’s EnduraCrete craftsmen can transform your dull and dusty concrete into an attractive, functional floor that adds beauty and value to your home or business.

REFLECTOR, QUARTZ & FLAKE EPOXY COATINGS

EnduraCrete concrete services include honing, polishing, staining and sealing, to deliver a customized floor designed to meet your desired look and feel.

GARAGES • PORCHES • BASEMENTS • SUNROOMS • DRIVEWAYS • POOL DECKS Call today for a free in-home estimate

636-639-1304 www.enduracrete-stlouis.com

24 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

Stone and Tile Floors Looking Dull? Ugly Grout?

M

ost stone or tile damage can be corrected. Whether it’s dull, stained, suffering water spots, cracks or chips, the problem can be addressed. A true stone professional will work with you to assess the root cause and to formulate a strategy to avoid a recurrence.

For the stone or tile surfaces in your home, it makes sense to contact a local specialist to discuss what can be done to restore them, and how to maintain them day-to-day. A brief dialog can extend the life of your stone and tile and save you from costly errors. The good news is that most problems are repairable and cost substantially less than replacement.

Proper selection and application of a sealer can reduce or prevent damage from stains and water.

A ColorSeal treatment of your sanded grout can not only restore your original grout color but also topically seal it to better resist future stains. Many glass and tile cleaners will actually dissolve grout, leaving a rough spot. Fortunately, even this can be repaired. Grout repair and sealing are part of the repair and restoration process.

Experienced stone and tile craftsmen can provide pointers on how to maintain your stone and tile surfaces to keep them looking like the day they were installed. Your ceramic, porcelain, marble, granite, terrazzo, limestone or travertine will look new when your great-grandchildren come to visit generations from now.

Don’t give up on your stone, tile or grout. For expert advice and restoration, you can call the professionals at MARBLELIFE-Groutmasters at 636-639-1304 or visit their website at www.marblelife-stlouis.com. clm FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 25

Home Remodeling

The Basement Egress Window Adds safety, appeal and value to your home

inishing your basement is the most efficient way to add useable space to your home. If you have or are planning sleeping rooms downstairs, you need to make sure that there are two exits for emergencies. If your home does not have a walk-out basement, this usually requires an escape, or egress window.

It is important to know your local residential building codes for egress. St. Louis County building permit requirements state that all basement bedrooms must have one window for emergency escape with a sill no more than 44 inches above the floor and a minimum clear opening area of 5.0 square feet. The emergency escape window must be operable from the

F

inside without need for special knowledge, tools, or extra force beyond that required for a normal window.

But don’t just think of the basement egress window as a requirement. It can also add natural light and ventilation and with an expanded window well it can be an attractive feature, with flowers and plants on the terraced steps. The overall enhancements of safety, light, ventilation and more attractive appearance add to the value of your home.

One company that is expert in structural basement improvements is Woods Basement Systems. They will be happy to give you a free estimate to install a basement egress window in your home. You can call them at 866-735-1890 or learn more at betterbasementvalue.com. clm

26 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

Finest Custom Table Pads at Factory-Direct Prices The way to assure perfect fit for table pads is for the provider to visit your home to accurately measure and show you sample colors and textures to match your table and dĂŠcor.

Custom Table Pads & Linens, an independent St. Louis dealer, provides the finest custom Americanmade table pads at factory-direct prices. They measure at your home or business, and show you a choice of 23 vinyl tops and 5 velvet bottoms. Perfect fit is guaranteed. Pads are heat resistant to 550o, moisture and warp resistant. Patented hidden magnets minimize separation and slippage on your table.

Custom Table Pads & Linens also sells country club quality table linens and accessories in hundreds of colors and textures, with the look and feel of cotton linen at a fraction of the cost.

Custom Table Pads & Linens 314-752-5577 | thetablepadman@gmail.com

FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 27

Home Remodeling

Home Security for the Modern World Wherever you are. All from your smartphone.

THE FUTURE IS HERE Welcome to the future’s smart home, today. Advance Security & Technologies utilizes the Alarm.com platform, the leader in Smart Home Security, giving you solutions to monitor, protect and automate your home. More than a smart app or a cool thermostat, it seamlessly connects the key devices in your home on one platform – so they work together, and work smarter. Every solution can be easily customized to your home’s unique configuration and your needs.

Upgrade your smart home with simple control and intelligent automation across all of your connected devices, all in one totally integrated system. With Advance Security & Technologies, you don’t have to worry about how to install a new device, or how to get your security system and lights to work together. Their professionally installed systems are configured to your home and controlled in one app. This platform also integrates with Lutron, Apple TV and Amazon Echo, making the possibilities seem endless.

FINDING THE RIGHT SECURITY PROVIDER As one of the most experienced security companies in the St. Louis area, Advance Security & Technologies brings twenty years of experience to homeowners, applying the dedication and expertise that they also apply to the school districts and retailers throughout the St. Louis area.

Unlike national alarm companies with out-of-town monitoring, all Advance Security & Technologies security monitoring is performed right here in St. Louis County by a Five Diamond Certified monitoring center, providing quicker and more knowledgeable response. They also offer the most competitive pricing for technology features, and an all-inclusive monitoring fee, without adding costs for add-on features, such as thermostat control or garage door automation.

For a free estimate of a custom-designed security and control system for your home or business, you can call Advance Security & Technologies at 314-287-6330 or by email at info@aststl.com.

They are proud members of the Kirkwood/Des Peres Chamber and BNI Mid America, as well as MBE Certified, and they are happy to provide excellent references. You can learn more about them at www.ASTSTL.com. clm

Ann Adler

Classic Oil & Pastel Portrait Artist “Portraits that become family heirlooms” Nationally Recognized Award Winning Fine Portrait Artist in Classic Oils and Pastels Member of American Society of Portrait Artists

Pastel on Pastel Canvas 22” X 30”

636-227-3826 Pastel on Pastel Canvas 22” X 30”

28 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

Thinking granite? We’d love to show you why wood really rocks.

To design and price your own custom wood countertop, visit our website and try out our new Wood Countertop Estimator.

FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 29

636-271-4002 www. kstair.com

Landscapes & Exteriors

Discovering the Pleasure and Beauty of Professional Landscape Lighting

R

alph Damiano Properly placed lights showcase the distinctive home, and how up-lighting and his up-lighting trees creates a beautifully shimmering effect. them instead would family have create a beautifully lived for diffused shimmerfifteen years in their ing effect. Ralph is home in Ladue that still amazed by the is over 100 years results, which he old. They have done feels adds real beauextensive remodeling ty to their home. and renovation over Jeff showed the the years to create possibilities in the home of their increments, and the dreams, and they plan final installation to be there forever. achieved was very Shortly after they different from what moved in, they used they had planned. an irrigation company They are delighted recommended by with the results, and the previous owner as time goes by they to provide some enjoy it even more. outdoor lighting, a few They have received lampposts in the large many compliments circular driveway, and from guests on some pathway lights. the beauty of their Last year Ralph home and grounds was too busy to put at night. The new up his own Christcontrols that were mas lights, and so installed are actihe decided to have vated by light, and them installed proare much easier to fessionally. A friend use than what they had recommended had before. Next Jeff Mitchell Lightthey plan to have ing for that work. Ralph was impressed by the job Jeff Jeff convert the landscape lighting in their back yard to did on the Christmas lighting, his approach to the work, achieve the same up-lighting effect in the trees. passion for lighting and the professionalism of his crew.

So Ralph then asked Jeff to take a look at his landscape Jeff Mitchell Lighting is the St. Louis area’s most expelighting. The Damianos like to entertain at their home, rienced professional outdoor lighting provider. Since 1997 and with the minimal lighting on their driveway it was they have installed and maintained lighting systems at difficult for their guests to navigate their way. many of the finest homes and most visible public attracRalph considered other providers of landscape lighttions in the St. Louis area. They also provide turn-key ing, but says that Jeff listened to what the Damianos service installing, removing and storing custom Christmas wanted, and gave them different options to achieve lighting. They have excellent references from their enthutheir goals. He was also impressed by Jeff ’s passion for siastic customers, and their passion for providing quality lighting, and his knowledge of the business. Jeff pointed products, creative designs, professional installation and out that from the street the lighting of their home was customer service continues to show year after year. You spotty, and he showed how properly placed lights could can learn more about them at www.jeff-mitchell-lighting.com. showcase the distinctive architecture of the house and If you would like to schedule a design consultation or simfully light the driveway. Ralph was thinking of adding ply need information, you may call Jeff Mitchell Lighting down lighting from the tall trees, but Jeff showed him any time at 314-665-2500. TF6 clm 30 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 31

Landscapes & Exteriors

Achieving Their Dream in Outdoor Living Spaces It is important to plan for enjoyment in the heat of the summer sun.

W

hen they were searching for a new home, the Chesterfield couple wanted what any homeowner wants: a comfortable, appealing home that meets their needs and style.

It was important to create a flow between their indoor and outdoor spaces, which they wanted to share with extended family.

Working with a prominent St. Louis builder, they designed and built a beautiful custom home in Chesterfield which included an outdoor living area designed by a local pool and landscape company featuring a pool, spa and pergola, as well as areas for an outdoor grill and beverage center.

Unfortunately, soon after moving in, they realized their dream backyard was not functioning as they had hoped due to the extreme westerly sun exposure. Additionally, the grilling and beverage center, although attractive, fell short of their functional expectations.

To address these issues, the homeowners sought out Heartlands Building Company. Heartlands's expertise is in the design and building of home additions, including outdoor living rooms, decks and grilling areas. Matt and Rhonda commented, “We visited the Heartlands website and showroom, where we met with owner Larry Brost and his team. We were immediately impressed and felt confident that Larry could help us achieve our backyard dreams.�

During the design process, Larry and the Heartlands design team visited their home several times to brainstorm and develop options to address the sun exposure. They all agreed that it was important to accomplish these changes without disturbing the improvements already in place. It was also critical that any additions completely blend with the existing house as if it was part of the original home plans. Their final design included construction of an extended roofline over the two existing patios, creating a fully covered grilling center, plus areas for an expanded dining space. continued on next page

32 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

The new structures and the existing screen room were designed for retractable solar screen walls. These provide sun control and enjoyment in the covered areas. After the upgrade, Rhonda commented, “The electronic retractable solar screen walls are simply amazing. They add protection from the wind and sun, blend perfectly with the house, and when lowered, create a private room for us. It’s at least 10-15 degrees cooler in the heat of the day and creates a very warm, inviting space.

The screens were worth every penny.”

As the project developed, Matt and Rhonda were extremely pleased with the finish quality of their new space and wanted their original screen room to blend with the new Heartlands addition. They decided to refinish their screen room ceiling to add that final decorative touch. The most painful decision for them was to repurpose the less than year-old grilling and beverage center. They commented, “It was very important for us to have a backyard we can fully enjoy, and we needed to accept that the smaller grilling area would not meet our long-term entertaining needs. The process of designing and building a new home can be a bit overwhelming. In hindsight, we did not give the outdoor grilling area sufficient attention, and the original

contractor was unable to fully address our goals as it was simply not their expertise.”

Larry Brost commented, “during the design process it is very important to listen to the goals of our customer and design from there. They can’t always visualize the final product, but they can describe how they plan to enjoy their outdoor areas, ranging from quiet nights to entertaining family and friends. As is the case with these homeowners and others, if exposure to sun and weather are not evaluated in the design, the result can be an outdoor area that is not fully functional and may need to be prematurely replaced.”

Rhonda concluded, “We truly enjoy time in our backyard now. It’s very relaxing and meeting all our needs! Our neighbors, family members and even our original home builder have complimented us on how well the space flows and blends with the overall house. We never imagined how dramatic the difference would be. We highly recommend Heartlands to anyone considering a new space or remodeling project".

To contact Heartlands Building Company, you can visit their showroom at 680 Crown Industrial Ct. in Chesterfield or call 636-728-0003. A photo gallery of their work can be found at heartlandshome.com. clm

FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 33

Landscapes & Exteriors

The Distinctive New Classic in Residential Roofing

Inspire ® Classic Slate Is As Durable As It Is Beautiful

T

wo years ago a powerful storm system swept St. Albans and the surrounding St. Louis area.

Tornados, torrential rain, high winds, and golf ball-sized hail pummeled the region, cutting a swath of costly damage. In St. Albans, home roofing was ravaged by the storms.

Fortunately, the previous year locally owned and operated roofing and exterior restoration experts Aspen Touch, LLC introduced St. Albans homeowners to Inspire® Classic Slate Roofing. Brian Teipel, seasoned contractor and co-owner of Aspen Touch LLC, installed Inspire Classic Slate on two St. Albans homes.

Amazingly, the Inspire Classic Slate roofs were the only two in the subdivision left unscathed. Despite being hit just as hard as neighboring homes by what Brian described as “racquetball-sized hail,” Inspire Classic weathered the storms with grace. Brian soon received calls from other St. Albans residents requesting Inspire Classic Slate to protect and enhance their homes.

“Inspire Classic Slate is awesome. It stands up to anything, and stands apart from other roofing,” said Brian. “The real slate, wood shake, and asphalt roofs were damaged by hail, but our Inspire Classic roofs weren’t even nicked. Classic is a harder, thicker material that also holds the weight of ice better than other roofing, a big benefit.

“Inspire Classic Slate protects houses better than any other roofing product I’ve worked with. Its Class A fire rating, 110-mph wind uplift rating, plus Class 4 hail protection are unsurpassed. And the 50 year warranty provides homeowners true peace of mind.”

Brian added, “When St. Albans bylaws changed to allow composite slate roofing, it gave homeowners greater choices to increase their homes' value. With Inspire Classic Slate,

you get top-tier roofing plus the backing of an innovative manufacturer that will be here for the long haul.”

Brian’s first Inspire Classic Slate job for a St. Albans home had majestic results, despite its challenging turret, which required tapered tiling. Over the last two years working with Inspire Classic Slate, Brian has discovered the value of its design and installation versatility, which allow it to work seamlessly with any style home.

Inspire also offers broad, distinctive color palettes and the textural aesthetics of real slate at a fraction of the cost. The Inspire product provides a truly unique and distinctive look that can be tailored to perfectly fit any roof contour or style.

If you believe your roof may have storm damage, Aspen Touch LLC can help streamline the insurance process, assuring that you get the maximum benefit your policy allows.

Many homeowners have found that damage to their roofing, siding and gutters have met their insurance company’s criteria to authorize full replacement. Before speaking with your insurance company, you should contact Aspen Touch, LLC for your FREE evaluation and consultation on your home’s exterior for any storm damage. They are fully insured, and have helped thousands of homeowners acquire new roofs, siding, gutters and repairs to their property affected by storms. *** Based on their experience with the product, Inspire Roofing Products has chosen Aspen Touch, LLC to be their premier installer and certified authority in the St. Louis area! *** You can reach the professional roofing experts at Aspen Touch, LLC for your FREE consultation and inspection at 636-458-8878 or by email at aspentouch.rick@gmail.com. clm

34 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

Does Your Home Have Uneven Concrete SurfacesWalks, Steps, Patio, Pool Deck or Driveway?

These are unsightly and also tripping hazards that could cause injuries.

Y

ou may have tilting concrete steps or sidewalks, driveways or patios where a seam has turned into a step, or repeated cracking in sections of concrete slabs. These problems are often the result of a shifting or a weak soil base or erosion.

In the past, contractors relied upon mud jacking or slab jacking to level concrete that had settled over time.

This involves pumping concrete slurry under the settled slab to raise it, hoping that the settlement won’t continue. But that requires large holes in the concrete - about the diameter of a soda can. It can take an entire day to cure and the mixture itself is heavy – about 100 pounds per cubic foot, which can lead to further sinking.

There is now a great alternative called PolyLEVEL™, which uses a lightweight polyurethane mix that expands to fill the void beneath sunken concrete. This not only results in a solution that lasts longer, but also it looks better because it is less destructive to the applied surface. PolyLEVEL requires a much smaller hole – about the diameter of a penny, cures in 15 minutes and weighs much less – about two pounds per cubic foot. It lifts concrete slabs to a level position with less weight and disruption than the legacy mud jacking or slab jacking process. The result is a safe, secure and level concrete slab.

In the St. Louis area, Woods Basement Systems is the authorized contractor for PolyLEVEL concrete lifting. They will inspect your concrete walk, steps, pool deck, patio or driveway and provide an estimate to have your sunken concrete slab lifted with PolyLEVEL. To meet with one of their concrete repair experts, you can call them at 866-735-1890 or learn more at www.betterbasementvalue.com. clm

fontanapaving@sbcglobal.net

FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 35

Landscapes & Exteriors

Great Room Glory Protect Your Home from Heat, Glare and Damage from the Sun

G

reat rooms, discreet, overhead cassette. with their large The smaller screens are windows and fully wind resistant and the beautiful views, larger ones are rated for provide a wonderful open winds of 40 miles per hour feeling and their large (and winds seldom exceed windows provide great 40 mph on sunny days). views of the outdoors. For Adding to the convenience many homeowners the is the option of having SEE-THROUGH great room was the feature a sun sensor that autothat convinced them to matically extends the solar purchase their home, and screen during times of MAX. 25’ is the room they enjoy intense sunlight and then the most. However, many retracts the solar screen homeowners with great during dim lighting or rooms complain about cloudy conditions. excessive heat from the sun You can reduce air and glare they experience conditioning and fading of during hours of direct furnishings and woodwork sunlight. And the problem by blocking undesirable is not only during warm heat and ultra-violet light. weather months. During During cooler weather you winter the sun is actually can retract them to allow lower in the sky, meaning the warmth of the sun to that it shines more directly enter your home, keeping into the great room. your heating costs down.

Now there is a new genSunroom Covers protect eration of exterior shading interiors and also add shade products that dramatifor sunrooms and greenSUNROOM COVER cally reduce heat and glare, houses. They are easy to use especially in great rooms, and can be opened or closed without requiring a change as needed, allowing you to to the beauty of the interior control temperature and craftsmanship. These solar light in these glass rooms. screens shade from the For more information outside. If you can stop the on this new generation of harmful rays from passing Great Room Glory, you through your window with can contact Shade Your an outdoor solar screen, World. Entering their 24th you will eliminate the summer of business, this inside greenhouse effect company has provided which captures and retains more retractable awnings the excessive indoor heat. Outdoor Shade is so much more than any other company in this area, as well as a full range effective that the best windows, tinting, or blinds. You will of outdoor shading products. Their mission is to Shade stop the heat, stop the glare and stop the fading.

Your World and Brighten Your Day. Each product is cusGreat Room Solar Screens cover windows from the out- tom designed to your individual specifications and will be side, while still permitting light to come through, maintain- built and installed within three weeks. Now you can shade ing outdoor views. They are motorized and easy to operate your windows like never before. with either a hand-held remote control or a wall-mounted To learn more about shading products from Shade Your remote control. When the sun is not blazing through the World, or for a free in-home estimate, you can call them at window, you can simply retract the solar screen into its 314.740.5100 or visit their website at ShadeStL.com. clm

SOLAR SCREEN

36 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

Roosevelt

Dewitt Aluminum

Dynasty

Family Owned & Operated Our Own Installers!

(800) 355-4060 www.trostplastics.com 25+ Years Experience in the Vinyl Fence Industry

Columbia IL Now Selling Aluminum Fence & Rail 0% Financing Aluminum Aluminum Rail

Stanton Rail FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 37

American Made

Landscapes & Exteriors

Enjoy A Natural Water Feature In Your Own Yard

I

f you are thinking about having a water feature installed on your property, this provides some considerations that should be helpful in your planning. First, you need to realize that a water feature isn’t just landscaping, it is a way of life, a lifestyle.

It is, after all, a living thing.

It changes with the seasons, it matures, and it becomes a retreat when life becomes stressful. A water feature becomes the centerpiece of a backyard paradise that can breed biodiversity, attracting wildlife including birds, frogs, butterflies and hummingbirds. LINER POND WITH FALLS Your budget will directly affect the type and size of your water feature. Spending a little more at the beginning will save you much more in the long run. Not just money, but time. Think it through and plan well. In the end, it will save you time and frustration. By designing it well, you will also reduce your need LINER POND WITH FALLS AND KOI for maintenance.

For the purposes of this discussion, we are focusing on water gardens, those features that have a natural look and feel – where you can have plants and rock that look like the outcropping of a natural spring. While pre-formed ponds and container water gardens are inexpensive and fairly easy to set up, they are very limited in what you can do to dress them up to look natural with fish and plants, and they are not easily upgraded. Similarly, a formal water feature like a fountain is usually stand-alone and not part PONDLESS FALLS of a natural setting.

Water Garden Options to Consider A “liner” pond uses a fish-safe rubber liner, giving you the most versatility of any of the features. Because of its flexible membrane, the design possibilities are endless. They are easy to customize and if constructed correctly, require significantly less maintenance than a pre-formed pond. This is the most commonly chosen style of water feature.

A Pondless® Waterfall is the way to achieve a natural-looking feature without having a body of water. It provides the sparkling visuals and sounds of a natural fall, and allows for many varieties of plants at the margins. This is one of the fastest growing segments in waterscaping today. It is especially appropriate where children are present or liability is an issue.

The one thing to keep in mind during the design phase is that you want to create something that appears to have been placed there

by Mother Nature herself. The most common complaint that pond owners have is that their feature is too small. You want to design a pond that allows for growth and expansion. Remember that fish grow and plants will mature and spread – give them the room they need!

38 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

Chris Siewing is owner and president of Nature’s Re-Creations, nationally recognized as Master Certified Aquascape Contractors, first place winner of the North American Pond/Waterfall Competition, and named by Aquascape as Artist of the Year in 2012. Nature’s Re-Creations stays on the cutting edge of technology and installation techniques to continually improve their projects and the environment.

To discuss a water feature project, you can contact Chris Siewing at 314-220-3841 or check out their portfolio at Facebook.com/ NaturesReCreations. clm

Your Team for All Seasons

SPRING, SUMMER

FALL

Grass cutting, fertilizing, weed and grub control

Complete leaf removal and lawn renovation

Marvin Dillon Turf Care can handle your landscape needs and also tree service, gutter cleaning and power washing year round.

Package pricing, automatic service.

WINTER

Snow plowing, ice melt on driveways, walks Call or email today to discuss your needs

314-517-4370

mdturfcare@hotmail.com

FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 39

Excellent references available on request.

Landscapes & Exteriors

Fall is a Great Time to Plant Trees and Shrubs

W

hen planted in the fall, trees and shrubs push their energy into their root systems, which will continBLACK GUM

BY STEVE CALLOWAY ue to grow over the winter.

This produces brighter, healthier growth above ground in the spring. Here are some ways to add to the health and appearance of your yard.

PAW PAW

FLOWERING AND BERRY-BEARING SHRUBS Shrubs provide nice color for your yard.

The pinky winky hydrangea gets 4-5 feet tall and makes a nice border for a patio. They sport pink clusters in mid-summer, and their dried flowers can be used in floral arrangements for the Holidays.

Bayberry is an evergreen that bears white berries in the fall. Winterberry holly is a deciduous shrub that loses its leaves in the fall, then produces bright red berries retained until Christmas. The leaves on autumn brilliance serviceberry turn a bright sunset orange in the fall.

TREES When planning where to put trees, consider PINKY-WINKY HYDRANGEA available moisture in the soil, as well as sun and Steve Calloway is owner of Garden Green Horticulture Service. They shade. Evergreens and conifers like dry conditions, while river help homeowners select the plants, trees and shrubs that best meet their birch, black gum and paw paw trees need more moisture. Everaesthetic desires and will thrive in their sunlight, soil and moisture greens, including pines and blue spruces, and also cherry trees, conditions. They also revitalize and restore gardens, to help homeownlike full sun. Paw paw, a native tree species, prefers shade. The ers with changes that will make their yards better year after year. arbor vitae can take some shade, and hemlocks like even more.

You can call or email Steve for a complimentary consultation in If you want to attract butterflies, certain trees are a big your yard, to identify your plants and advise on how to keep them draw. The paw paw is the host plant for the zebra swallowhealthy and looking their best. You can reach him at 314-288-5036 or tail butterfly caterpillar. Tiger swallowtail butterfly hosts garden_green@live.com. clm are cherry trees and wafer ash.

SUPPORT THE VITAL WORK of the

Carol House Quick Fix Pet Clinic Join us for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and an auction at one of the most distinctive homes in St. Louis, generously offered by the owners for this event.

FRIDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 11, 2016 6:30 to 9 PM

a UNIQUE EFFORT AIMED at PREVENTING PET OVERPOPULATION in our REGION CALL 314-569-0196 or EMAIL ABURGESS1721@GMAIL.COM for DETAILS

40 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

Keeping Wooden Roofs Periodic treatment preserves & protects

BEAUTIFUL

N

o other exterior building material compares with wood for its warm, natural look, resilience and versatility. Cedar shake roofs, oak or pine log or cedar walls, down to redwood decks, a wooden home has a distinctive look that improves with age. However, to keep wood exteriors looking their best and prevent deterioration that can lead to costly repairs, it's important to periodically treat wood surfaces that start to dull or darken with mold, show signs of mildew or have lost protection from the elements.

Wood surfaces that are unprotected degrade from exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun. These harmful rays turn bare wood dark, dull and uneven in color. Rain penetrates the wood, causing it to swell. Then blistering heat from the sun dries it. This cycle can cause wood to warp, splinter and crack. Moisture also can make cedar and other woods conducive to mold and mildew.

Unlike most other building materials, however, wood exteriors can be restored and maintained through proper care and treatment. Preserving wood protects it from moisture and sunlight, and helps it last twice, even three times as long.

This extended life makes cedar roofs, wood siding and decks

cost-effective building solutions.

The experts at Aspen Touch Cedar Restoration & Installation have more than 25 years of experience in preserving, repairing and replacing wood roofs, natural wood siding and decks on St. Louis’s finest homes. Their restoration process uses a high pressure wash to remove algae, moss and lichen, returning wood to its natural color. Shingles are repaired, replaced and nailed as needed. Finally, a quality sealer/stain is applied. This restoration is also effective for asphalt roofs.

Aspen Touch is also expert in installing new cedar shake roofs, siding and decking. They can help you make informed decisions about preserving the beauty and value of your wood exteriors. You can call them at 636-458-8878, email aspentouch.rick@gmail.com or visit their website www.aspentouch.com. clm

NOT ANYMORE...

We have been transforming plain and boring concrete to beautiful, durable surfaces for over 32 years. Let us design and install a masterpiece at your home.

Here’s what our customers say about working with Decorative Concrete Resurfacing: “Wow! We came back from vacation yesterday and were so pleased with the work you all did while we were gone. Makes us wish we had done it years ago!” – Cathy Milton

Garage Floors

Patios

Pool Decks

Interior Floors

See over 50 live video testimonials of our customers and their projects www.youtube.com/user/DecorConcreteStLouis

“Thanks for a job well done. We think it’s beautiful.” – Joe Stangl “Your company was easy to work with, did a great application and cleanup. Everything handled professionally, and the patio looks great!”

– Steve and Ann Proscino

Our 32nd Anniversary Special: Save up to $500 off your job.

Savings based on 10% off of DCR work. New clients only. One offer per customer. Must be presented at time of estimate. Offer expires 11/30/16.

Call for a FREE estimate: 314-558-6955 • www.PrettyConcreteSTL.com FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 41

Weekend Getaways

Save Money by Renewing Your Outdoor Furniture

I

f your outdoor or patio furniture has strapping, slings or cushions that are worn, stretched or faded, you don’t have to spend the money for new furniture. Instead you can select your own fabric or vinyl strapping for a new custom look that will give you many more years of use and save the cost of new.

Apple Tree Custom Sewing specializes in renewing fine outdoor furniture by custommaking new strapping, slings and upholstered cushions. They have hundreds of fabrics to choose from or you can bring in your own. They will pick up your furniture and bring it back ready for summer with a whole new look.

Many of the leading outdoor furniture stores in St. Louis rely on Apple Tree Custom Sewing for their repairs. With over 30 years experience, their expert sewing technicians can provide complete sewing repairs as well as custom designs made to your personal specifications.

Don’t wait until spring when you’ll want to use it – take advantage of their off-season special pricing now! clm

APPLE TREE CUSTOM SEWING • 5116 Hampton Avenue St. Louis, Missouri 63109 • 314-752-8733

Wildlife and Native Landscaping Bring the delight of perennial wildflowers and native grasses to your own yard.

Butterflies, hummingbirds and migratory birds will follow.

GARDEN GREEN provides landscape design and installation of annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, soil, stone and mulch.

Offers maintenance and renovation of residential and commercial properties; spectacular gardens, identification and removal of invasive plants, rainscaping, deerresistant gardens and more.

Fall is a great time to plant. Call or email today for a free consultation.

GARDEN GREEN

Horticulture Service

314-288-5036 garden_green@live.com

42 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

Give Your Home a Fresh New Look this Fall Kathy Arnold Painting & Remodeling is a professional full service painting company. We provide exceptional interior and exterior painting, kitchen cabinet refinishing and remodeling.

We have over 30 years experience and are considered one of the best residential painters in St. Louis.

Let us bid on your project to help give your home a new personality, charm and a truly distinctive appearance. We are happy to provide excellent references.

Call for a free estimate

314.324.6255 See more examples of our work at

GREAT ROOM, ENTRY AND ACCENT WALL

KATHY-ARNOLD.COM

KITCHEN CABINET REFINISHING

After!

«ÃÊEÊVÀ>V ÃÊÀi«> Ài`

ÀÊV > }i` À ÕÌÊÃi> i`

Don’t Replace, Refinish!

Ê7", Ê 1 , /

U -/]ÊÓ 9Ê*," --ÊÊUÊ/ "1- -Ê --Ê/ Ê, * /t

Ê ",Ê , Ê -/ / t

We Also Repair and Refinish: U Õ ÌiÀÌ «Ã U - ÃÊEÊ6> Ì ià U >Ì ÌÕLÃÊE U LiÀ} >ÃÃÊ/ÕLà / iÊ-ÕÀÀ Õ `à EÊ- ÜiÀÃ

“Yesterday, my shower was ugly.

Today, it’s beautiful!”

888-819-4399 Each Miracle Method franchise independently owned and operated.

See more photos at: www.miraclemethod.com/st-louis

FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 43

Weekend Getaways

County Living Magazine

Fall Activities & Events advantage of these wonderful annual events. Make this the year you get out beyond your own Take neighborhood and enjoy the special festivals and entertainment events across the St. Louis metro area.

Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival November 3-13 Plaza Frontenac, Tivoli, Washington U, Webster U cinemastlouis.org

Bellefontaine Cemetery Notable Burials Bus Tour

Native American Holiday Market

Daylight Savings Time Ends November 12 Bellefontaine Cemetery bellefontainecemetery.org

November 25-27 Collinsville cahokiamounds.org Christmas Traditions

Missouri Botanical Garden Garden Glow

November 6, 2am St. Louis Jewish Book Festival

November 19-December 22 Missouri Botanical Garden mobot.org November 6-20 Jewish Community Center stljewishbookfestival.org

Ameren Missouri Thanksgiving Day Parade November 24 Downtown St. Louis christmasinstlouis.org

Main Street St. Charles historicstcharles.com Santa at the Boat House December 4 boathouseforestpark.com First Day of Winter

Election Day Kirkwood-Webster Turkey Day Run

December 21 November 8 Veterans Day November 11

November 24 Kirkwood Farmers Market kirkwoodmo.org/turkeydayrun

Christmas Eve Hanukkah begins December 24

44 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

STORM DAMAGE F R E E ROOF INSPECTION FOR HAIL AND

If Your Roof Looks Like This... We Have The Solution!

Mold, mildew, fungi and algae not only make your roof look bad, but they cause premature deterioration.

We use low-pressure power wash with no chemicals to clean the roof, but leave embedded granules

Calloror email today Call email today for a for a no-obligation estimate. no-obligation estimate. aspentouch.rick@gmail.com aspentouch.rick@gmail.com

Mold and mildew inhibitor and sealer preserve your roof and keep it looking good for 3-5 years.

Aspen Touch LLC Midwest Restoration

FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 45

We answer 24 hours/day, 7 days/week Division of Aspen Touch

636-458-8878 636-458-8878

PHOTO BY BETH PIKE

Arts & Thoughts

BY JOHN DRAKE ROBINSON EMMY-WINNING TRAVEL WRITER

I

This Diamond Is a Gold Mine The Missouri birthplace of the grandfather of green

t’s a peaceful spot, tucked into the beauty of Missouri Botanical Gardens. George Washington Carver would approve of the Carver Garden, while gently reminding us of his simple prescription for healthy plants.

It's understandable that in America's fast-food appetite for history, we know little more than peanuts about George Washington Carver. In too many instances, America's collective knowledge about our icons gets boiled down to the substance of a slogan. Nuts to that.

Carver was a trailblazer in agriculture, education, ecology, and life. If you’re looking for a field trip weekend with the children, head west down Route 66. Southeast of Joplin, on a farm outside tiny Diamond, Missouri, a national monument celebrates the life of one of America's greatest thinkers, inventors and humanitarians. As far as national monuments, this pastoral site doesn't get the face time of Mt. Rushmore, or the traffic of the Grand Canyon. But this birthplace of the grandfather of green is a hands-on gold mine of pure genius.

He was born a slave, who grew to become America's preeminent recycler, its patron saint of sustainable agriculture, and along the way, its social conscience. His name is no less impactful than John Muir or Teddy Roosevelt or Rachel Carson.

School children have a wonderful opportunity to discover Carver's reach. On this peaceful farm, the George Washington Carver National Monument–the oldest of six national parks/sites in Missouri–has been dusted off, spiffed up and packed with enough common sense to save the world, compliments of Carver. In the middle of a restored prairie, the monument offers equal parts Carver science, Carver care and Carver lifestyle.

Sure, he developed 300 uses for the lowly regarded peanut, including paper and ink, gasoline and shampoo, insecticide and nitroglycerin. Perhaps more important, he showed that by planting peanuts in rotation with cotton, the peanut plant actually introduced nutrients back into the soil. Carver's

novel idea to rotate the peanut crop with cotton had a beneficial side effect: it dealt a blow to the boll weevil's devastating grip on the cotton field economy.

No, he didn't invent peanut butter. I think Elvis did that.

But Carver did develop 70 uses for pecans, and 300 colored paints from clay. He made synthetic marble from wood pulp, paint from used motor oil, athlete's foot medicine from persimmons, paving bricks from cotton, and stamp glue from sweet potato starch. He made clothing from sweet potatoes, medicine from pine needles and fuel from corn.

If you want to flip the switch on your young student's creativity—or your own—visit this monument to Carver, including a replica classroom based on young George's Neosho school experience, with McGuffey Readers and small slate blackboards at each seat.

Visitors get a handson experience in the Carver laboratory, an exact replica of Carver's classroom at Tuskegee Institute, complete with sinks and beakers and all the tools necessary to participate in science.

Throughout the exhibits, your kids have hands-on opportunities to look through microscopes and conduct experiments.

Carver made it a lifelong practice to demonstrate creative uses for things people normally throw in the garbage. As such, Carver became America's foremost recycler. He believed that nothing around the house should be discarded if it could be used. He warned that destroying usable items was a lack of vision. “And where there is no vision,” he said, “people perish.”

“Everything on Earth has a purpose,” he told students. At the center of his soul, this complex man has a very simple philosophy of life, best reflected in his twoword prescription for growing healthy plants.

"Love them."

More of John's travel stories are available at http://johndrakerobinson.com/ clm

46 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

Bring nature home with your own

water garden We provide expert custom design and installation of ponds, streams and waterfalls.

These Sustainable ecosystems can be used to harvest rainwater and control storm water runoff.

We are Master Certified Aquascape Contractors, 1st place winners of the North American Pond/Waterfall Competition and St. Louis’ first Certified RainXchange Professionals.

Named by Aquascape as the 2012 Artist of the Year, and ranked #4 among all Certified Aquascape Contractors Worldwide.

For an on-site consultation, please call

314-220-3841

Visit our portfolio at www.re-createnature.com Facebook.com/NaturesReCreations FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 47

For Your Information

If Your Business Accepts Credit Cards, And You Haven't Looked Closely At Your Fees Lately

BY LAURA & ED ABILEZ

I

. . . You Could Probably Save A Lot Of Money With A Broker

f you have a business that accepts credit cards, you are probably getting several calls daily from different card processors claiming they can save you money. How do you decide which processor is the best fit for your business? Doesn't each processor offer the same thing?

We are the owners of St. Louis Merchant Services, brokers with over 20 years’ experience in the card processing industry, and we work with all of the top credit card processors such as First Data, Chase Paymentech, Global, and TSYS, to name just a few.

As brokers, we remain unbiased, and therefore provide a huge advantage for business owners because our loyalty is to our clients, not to one particular processor. Every processor has their advantages, their quirks, and most important, their own incentives. Why do all of the research on your own? There is no fee for our research.

We will do an analysis for you and compare the rates across the top processors mentioned above and more. We can recommend the right processor that is the best fit for your needs. We can also recommend the best way to electronically capture a credit card transaction, such as a terminal, POS system, online Gateway, virtual terminal, mobile pay, pay at the pump, or “Pay at the Table” devices.

Over the years, we have discovered what merchants like and dislike about the big banks, as well as the processors. We have designed our business model the way we would want to be treated: “interchange plus” pricing, consistent pricing (month after month, year after year), no long-term contracts (we earn your business every month), no leases, no hidden fees, and most importantly, secure payment transactions.

If your merchant services agent is through your bank, or an affiliate of your bank, is very likely that you see significant additional fees on your credit card transactions every month. These institutions have considerable overhead, and they look to maximize charges and fees to generate more income. By contrast, an independent expert who is unbiased and more selective in choosing the processor and technology your business wants can serve your needs at a considerably lower cost.

Currently, one of the biggest problems in the credit card processing industry is surcharging. St. Louis Merchant Services

does not surcharge. If you think you may be paying surcharges, or just paying too much, we are here to help. We are committed to your company’s success.

We work for our merchants 24/7/365 for all customer service and technical support needs, whenever you need it. Let us help you grow your business by finding you the best processor for your company, while you focus on running your business. We are here for you. We have no exit fees, so we are earning your business every day. If you like your current processor or POS system but do not have a local representative and would like one, please call us and we will be happy to work with you!

You can call Ed or Laura Abilez to schedule a no-obligation, face-to-face meeting to go over your card processing statement in order to determine potential savings by having St. Louis Merchant Services represent your company for credit card processing. You can reach Ed or Laura at (636)591-5885 or (636)541-5455, and you can learn more about their services at: www.StLouisMerchantServices.com. clm St. Louis Merchant Services offers complete payments solutions: • Credit/Debit/EBT Card Terminals • Pay at the Table Terminals • POS Systems • Virtual Terminals • E-Commerce Gateway • MOTO Transactions • Mobile Payment Devices • Check Guarantee • Franchise Pricing • Charity Pricing • Gift/Loyalty Cards • Next Day Funding • Pay at the Pump • Contactless Payments: Apple Pay/Google Wallet • Merchant Cash Advance

48 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

Not Your Typical Road Trip County Living columnist

John Drake Robinson won an

EMMY

for his unique travelogs based on his books.

Coastal Missouri and A Road Trip Into America’s Hidden Heart

In this age of interstates and instant gratification, Robinson took the long way around the state, with his only constant companion: his car. “. . . we’ve dodged rabbits and turtles, texters and drunks. We’ve slid sideways in sleet, jumped curbs and low-water crossings. We’ve passed every pun on every roadside marquee, every time and temperature sign, every clip joint and carny barker and corn dog vendor, every barbeque shack and Tex-Mex taco stand.

And we’ve stopped at most of ‘em.”

NEED HELP WITH

YOUR PRINTING? For over 30 years we have helped clients eliminate the headaches, wasted time and expense of sourcing and managing their printing.

PHOTOS BY CHERYL ROBINSON

Available at: Left Bank Books and other fine bookstores. Or on Amazon.com

Read more stories at johndrakerobinson.com/blog

Contact Steve Turner o: 314.863.4550 c: 314.378.6323 e: steve@cpsstl.com www.cpsstl.com

FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 49

For Your Information

This Book Should Be in Every Home in St. Louis

M

any of us who have lived in the St. Louis area our whole lives don’t know much about our own history. We learn in school about world history, US history and facts about Missouri government, but very little is taught about the history of our own county. And newcomers to St. Louis generally know even less about the area.

To help all of us feel more connected to our own community, County Living Publications has re-published The History of St. Louis County, Missouri by William Lyman Thomas, a 100-year old book that documents our history from the earliest settlers through the Civil War and into the first decade of the 20th century. It documents what life was like 100 years ago here - the towns, neighborhoods, schools, churches, social

societies, government, businesses, transportation and amusements of the period, and thousands of the people who were active in these endeavors.

This is a quality softbound book of over 500 pages, with more than 100 historic photographs. Now available at: Amazon.com Barnes & Noble Stores Book House in Maplewood Campbell House in Downtown St. Louis Left Bank Books The Louisiana Purchase Gift Shop at Missouri History Museum Main Street Books in St. Charles Museum of Transportation Gift Shops in Kirkwood The Novel Neighbor in Webster Groves Rose’s Book House in O’Fallon St. Louis Genealogical Society in Maplewood Subterranean Books in University City World News in Clayton For more information, you can visit www.StLCountyHistory.com clm

give your home a facelift • Kitchens • Bathrooms • Basements • Fitness Rooms • Fireplaces • Game Rooms • Entertainment Centers • Bars • Offices

Other Services We Provide: Hourly Projects & Repairs Tile, Drywall, Plumbing, Electric, Carpentry, & Much More

Call for a Free Estimate

(314) 432-0814

www.hmaconstruction.com

50 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | WWW.COUNTYLIVINGMAG.COM

FALL 2016 | COUNTY LIVING magazine | 51

F R E E ROOF INSPECTION FOR HAIL AND STORM DAMAGE

Cedar Shake Inspire® Aledora

An Elegant Replacement Roof Adds Value to Your Home

Inspire® Classic Coachman

Davinci Composite Roofing

When you need a new or replacement roof - cedar shake, slate, composite, tile or asphalt shingle – call Aspen Touch LLC Restoration Consulting & Design, the third-generation St. Louis contractor and consumer advocate for homeowners.

Whether the need is from normal wear or wind or hail damage, we have the experience to determine whether your roof can be restored or needs replacing. Our company is the St. Louis expert in roof restoration, replacement, cleaning and sealing.

We are consumer advocates for homeowners, helping guide you through the insurance claim process and assisting you in getting the maximum benefit your policy allows. Before contacting your insurance company, contact us for a free evaluation and consultation on your home’s exterior and any storm damage.

We are fully licensed, bonded and insured. Call or email today for a free inspection and no-obligation estimate.

Cedar Shake

Roofing | Siding | Tuckpointing | Gutters & Downspouts

Financing Available

We answer 24 hours/day, 7 days/week

636-458-8878 aspentouch.rick@gmail.com

Aspen Touch LLC Restoration Consulting & Design

www.aspentouch.com