Tag: backyard

Retired, they moved from 6 bedrooms to a tiny L.A. ADU built in 3.5 months

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Ever wondered how long it would take to build an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, in your backyard?

In the case of Alvaro “Al” and Nenette Alcazar, a retired couple, who downsized from a six-bedroom home in New Orleans to a one-bedroom ADU in Los Angeles, it took just 3½ months.

“We went on vacation to the Philippines in November, right as they were getting started on construction,” Al says of the ADU his son Jay Alcaraz and his partner Andy Campbell added behind their home in Harbor Gateway. “When we returned in March of this year, the house was ready for us.”

The Alcazars were surprised by the rapid completion of their new 570-square-foot modular home by Gardena-based Cover. By the time construction was finished, they hadn’t yet listed their New Orleans home, where they lived for 54 years while raising their two sons.

Andy Campbell, seated left, and his partner Jay Alcazar’s home is reflected in the windows of the ADU where Alcazar’s parents Al and Nenette Alcazar, standing, now reside.

Jay Alcazar and Andy Campbell’s backyard in Harbor Gateway before they added an ADU.

(Jay Alcazar)

Alexis Rivas, co-founder and CEO of Cover, was also surprised by how quickly the ADU was permitted, taking just 45 days. “The total time from permit submittal to certificate of occupancy was 104 days,” he says, crediting the city’s Standard Plan and the ADU’s integrated panelized system for making it the fastest Clover has ever permitted.

For Al, a longtime religious studies professor at Loyola University New Orleans and community organizer, the construction process was more than just demolition and site prep. Seeing the Cover workers collaborate on their home reminded him of “bayanihan,” a Filipino core value emphasizing community unity and collective action.

“Both of my parents were public school teachers,” says Al, who was exiled from the Philippines in 1972. “When they moved to a village where there were no schools, the parents were so happy their children wouldn’t have to walk to another village to go to school that they built them a home.”

“It’s only one bedroom but we love it,” says Nenette Alcazar. “It’s the right size for two people.”

Like his childhood home in the village of Cag-abaca, Al says his and Nenette’s ADU “felt like a community built it somewhere and carried it into the garden for us to live in.” Only in this instance, the home was not a Nipa hut made of bamboo but a home made of steel panels manufactured in a factory in Gardena and installed on-site.

Jay Alcaraz, 40, and Campbell, 43, had been renting a house in Long Beach for three years when they started looking for a home to buy in 2022. Initially, they had hoped to stay in Long Beach, but when they realized they couldn’t afford it, they broadened their search to include Harbor Gateway. “It was equidistant to my job as a professor of critical studies at USC, and Jay’s job as a senior product manager at Stamps.com near LAX,” Campbell says.

When they eventually purchased a three-bedroom Midcentury home that needed some work, they were delighted to find themselves in a neighborhood filled with multigenerational households within walking distance of Asian supermarkets and restaurants.

The ADU does not overwhelm the backyard. “It looks like a house in a garden,” says Al Alcazar.

“We can walk to everything,” says Jay. “The post office. The deli. The grocery store. We love Asian food, and can eat at a different Asian restaurant every day.”

Adds Campbell: “We got the same thing we had in Long Beach here, plus space for an ADU.”

At a time when multigenerational living is growing among older men and women in the United States, according to the Pew Research Center, it’s not surprising that the couple began considering an ADU for Jay’s parents soon after purchasing their home, knowing that Al and Nenette, who no longer drives, would feel comfortable in the neighborhood.

They started by reviewing ADUs that the city has pre-approved for construction as part of the ADU Standard Plan Program on the city’s Building and Safety Department website. The initiative, organized by former L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office in collaboration with Building and Safety in 2021, was designed to simplify the lengthy permitting process and help create more housing.

The 570-square-foot house has a single bedroom and bathroom.

Jay and Al Alcazar have coffee in the kitchen of the ADU.

They reached out to several potential architects and secured a line of credit for $300,000. They decided to go with Cover after touring its facility and one of its completed ADUs. “We liked that they were local and their facility was five minutes away from us,” Campbell says.

The couple originally envisioned removing their backyard pergola and lawn and adding an L-shaped ADU. But after consulting with Rivas, they decided on a rectangular unit with large-format glass sliders and warm wood cladding to preserve the yard.

The configuration was the right choice, as the green space between the two homes, which includes a deck and drought-tolerant landscaping, serves as a social hub for both couples, who enjoy grilling, sharing meals at the outdoor dining table and gardening. Just a few weeks ago, the family celebrated Al’s 77th birthday in the garden along with their extended family.

Nenette, a self-described “green thumb,” is delighted by the California garden’s bounty, including oranges, lemons, guava trees and camellias. “I can see the palm trees moving back and forth and the hummingbirds in the morning,” she says.

“They’re a lot of fun,” Jay Alcazar says of his parents. “They are great dinner companions.”

Although some young couples might hesitate to live close to their parents and in-laws, Jay and Campbell see their ADU as a convenient way to stay close and support Jay’s parents as they age in place.

Besides, Jay says, they’re a lot of fun. “They are great dinner companions,” he says.

Campbell, who enjoys having coffee on the outdoor patio with Al, agrees. “When I met them for the first time 12 years ago, they had a group over for dinner and hosted a karaoke party until 3 a.m.,” he said. “I was like, ‘Is this a regular thing?’”

A teak bed from the Philippines and family mementos help to make the new ADU feel like home.

Unlike the Alcazars’ spacious 1966 home in New Orleans, their new ADU’s interiors are modern and simple, with white oak floors and cabinets and Bosch appliances, including a stackable washer and dryer. Despite downsizing a lifetime of belongings, Al and Nenette were able to keep a few things that help make the ADU feel like home. In the living room, mother of pearl lamps and wood-carved side tables serve as a reminder of their old house. In their bedroom, a hand-carved teak bed from the Philippines, still showing signs of water damage from Hurricane Katrina, was built by artisans in Nenette’s family.

“Madonna and Jack Nicholson both ordered this bed,” Nenette says proudly.

The couple chose a thermally processed wood cladding for its warmth. “It will develop a silver hue over time,” says Alexis Rivas of Cover. “It’s zero maintenance.”

But one thing didn’t work out in their move West. When they realized their sofa would take up too much room in the 8-foot portable storage pod they rented in New Orleans, they decided to purchase an IKEA sleeper sofa in L.A. It’s now in the mix along with their personal artifacts and family photos that further add memories to the interiors, including a reproduction of the Last Supper, a common tradition in many Filipino homes symbolizing the importance of coming together to share meals. With limited storage, the families share the two-car garage, where Al stores his tools.

“It’s only one bedroom, but we love it,” says Nenette, 79, of the ADU, which cost $380,000. “It’s just the right size for two people.”

The ADU feels private, both couples say, thanks to the 9-foot-long custom curtains they ordered online from Two Pages Curtains. “When the curtains are open, we know they are awake, and when their curtains are down, we know to leave them alone,” Jay says, laughing at their ritual.

In terms of aging in place, the ADU can accommodate a wheelchair or walker if necessary, and Rivas says a custom wheelchair ramp can be added later if necessary.

Now, if only Jay could mount the flat-screen television on the wall, Al says, teasing his son. It’s hard to escape dad jokes when he’s living in your backyard — and that’s the point.

“It’s really nice having them here,” Andy says.

Jay Alcazar and Andy Campbell enjoy having Al and Nenette Alcazar close. “They feel like neighbors,” Jay says.

After losing his family and home in the Philippines when Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in the country, Al, who once studied to be a priest, says he’s deeply moved to be the recipient of the bayanihan spirit once again.

“I was tortured in the Philippines, and it didn’t break me,” he says. “So having a home built by a friendly community really points to a shorter but more spiritual meaning of bayanihan, which is, ‘when a group of friends,’ as my grandma Marta used to say, ‘turns your station of the cross into a garden with a rose.’ Now, we have Eden here in my son’s backyard.”

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Lisa Boone

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December 17, 2025
This Gas Pizza Oven Was My Favorite of the Summer. It’s Half Off Today
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Cookware brand All-Clad surprised me this year. This summer, it breezed into the backyard pizza world with a debut pizza oven that I like as well as any oven I’ve tested this year. Right now, that excellent All-Clad gas-powered pizza oven is a whopping $800 off the suggested retail price, only at the All-Clad site.

What’s so good about the oven? The All-Clad gas-powered pizza oven heats up fast and crests 900 degrees Fahrenheit after 20 minutes. It’s insulated well, comes with a built-in thermometer that’s pretty accurate, and is made with the sturdy stainless steel All-Clad is known for.
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage

Photograph: Matthew Korfhage

Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
But especially, All-Clad’s pizza oven comes with a rotating pizza stone that removes a lot of the fuss and bother of cooking pizza evenly. Instead of having to hover nervously nearby with a pizza peel, turning each pizza before the backside burns, all I have to do is launch the pizza in the middle of the pizza stone.

The oven does the rest, spinning the pizza at a rate of one revolution every 40 seconds or so. It’s not foolproof—you have to set the pizza in the center of the pizza stone to get an even cook—but it is a game-changer. This is true especially if I’m making multiple pizzas in a go-round. It means I’m able to prep another pie while one is still spinning and baking.

Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
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Matthew Korfhage

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October 27, 2025
Thanks to a tiny ADU, an L.A. home transforms into a stunning art gallery and studio

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Antonio Adriano Puleo didn’t intend to renovate his traditional 1946 bungalow in the Glassell Park neighborhood just north of Mt. Washington, but after consulting with architectural designer Ben Warwas, who told him he could transform the house into a “forever home,” the artist changed his plans.

“I originally wanted an ADU,” Puleo said of adding an accessory dwelling unit to expand the art studio in his garage. “For me, it was about having a bigger studio and being able to have collectors and curators come to the studio.”

However, as Warwas explored the two-bedroom home and corner property — the designer had previously designed and built a wood deck in Puleo’s backyard — he began to envision a new narrative for the spaces.

The Glassell Park home before the renovations.

(Ben Warwas)

The exterior of the house and ADU is now painted bright yellow. There’s also easy access to the outdoors.

“The living room wasn’t big enough, and it featured a huge red brick fireplace that had doors on either side of it, leading to the backyard,” said Warwas, who first met Puleo when they were undergraduate students at Massachusetts College of Art (now called Massachusetts College of Art and Design). “To access the outdoors, you had to walk down concrete steps to a covered patio.”

Paired with a third door off the kitchen, the home’s entrance to the backyard was awkward at best.

After touring the property, Warwas proposed some subtle changes: adding a 250-square-foot ADU to the garage, removing the fireplace and raising the ceiling height in the living room; adding a loft bedroom in the attic; and redesigning the exterior of the house.

The front of the 1946 house remains the same.

“It was a small project, but there were a lot of issues with the house,” Warwas said. “I thought, ‘Why don’t I propose four different things and he can choose two or three of them?’ He chose all four.”

Puleo, 49, purchased the bungalow in 2010 for $387,500 after seeing an ad for a two-bedroom home “priced well for a quick sale” in Glassell Park. Although only 1,000 square feet in size, the house offered a backyard for his dog and a detached garage.

“The garage was really the draw,” Puleo said. “The thing about the house that attracted me is that it had a space that could be a studio.”

The living room of Puleo’s Glassell Park home before it was redone.

(Ben Warwas)

Puleo, standing, and Warwas in the living room today. “We both have a love of design,” Puleo said of his longtime friend.

Shortly after purchasing the house, Puleo renovated the kitchen and bathroom, opened up the wall between the two spaces and widened the kitchen door. “There were so many doors,” he said of the compartmentalized floor plan. “Doors in the kitchen; doors in the dining room.”

Still, it wasn’t easy to reach the garage, which housed his art studio, and the adjacent laundry room. “I was always frustrated with the house because it was not maximizing space efficiently,” Puleo said. “The studio was detached, and we had to enter through a gate.”

And so the makeover began.

Warwas tore out the fireplace and extended the living room by six feet, adding a sleek Fleetwood sliding door that provided instant access to the backyard. Then, he raised the ceiling of the living room and added a sculptural curve that completely transformed the living space.

Because the home had a complex roof and an accessible attic, Warwas then transformed the attic into a loft that Puleo uses as his main bedroom. (The two bedrooms on the first floor are used as a den and a gallery space/guest room.) Thanks to the high ceilings and a new skylight, the attic now floods the center of the living room below with natural light.

Puleo’s patterned canvases hang in the ADU.

The ADU, which is attached to the garage, and just six inches from the main house, features a kitchen, bathroom and living area. Puleo is using it as part of his art studio.

“Little tweaks totally transformed the house,” Warwas said.

In the garage, Warwas designed an ADU that can function as an art studio or rental, featuring a small kitchen, bathroom and enough room for a bed. The design of the ADU was carefully considered to maximize space and light, with a skylight and high window flooding the space with light.

A level shift offers a dramatic experience when you step into the ADU, as the floor drops below to the art studio and the ceiling goes up, creating a sense of spaciousness.

Puleo chose bright blue tiles from Daltile for the shower of the ADU.

The living room of the main house is now open and airy, with custom cabinets and millwork by James Melinat that showcase the artwork Puleo made himself and the pieces he has collected for more than 30 years, including ceramic pendants by Torbjörn Vejvi and Courtney Duncan, vessels by Bari Ziperstein and Pilar Wiley, and paintings by Patricia Fernández and Steven Criqui.

The living room’s fireplace is gone, but the wooden mantle remains atop a console behind the sofa, graced with a series of colorful ceramic planters by Ashley Campbell and Brian Porray of Happy Hour Ceramics.

“Ben and I have known each other since we were in college,” Puleo said, emphasizing their long-standing relationship and the collaborative nature of their process. “The fun thing about the project is that we did a lot of back and forth in terms of communicating shapes and forms. We both have a love of design, and Ben does a great job of using traditional materials in a way that ignites them and increases the dynamics of a space.”

Puleo’s art studio, a former garage, rests a few steps below the new ADU.

On a recent visit, Warwas was still fine-tuning home improvement possibilities. “You could put a stackable washer and dryer here,” he suggested to Puleo as they stood in the hallway. (Puleo had moved the appliances from the laundry room in the garage to the basement of the main house.)

Similarly, Warwas appreciates Puelo’s curatorial skills. “He’s made his home so personal,” Warwas said of his friend, who, for the last year, has featured the works of local artists in one of the downstairs bedrooms, which served as an art gallery.

“It’s an amazing house,” Warwas said of the interiors, which are enhanced by the artworks and make visitors feel connected to the space.

“People often take notes when they come to visit,” Puleo said of his art collection.

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1. Designer Ben Warwas stands inside the 250-square foot ADU, which features a tall window and a skylight. 2. In the former garage, stairs from the art studio lead up to the ADU and bathroom. (Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times )

From the sidewalk, the traditional stucco bungalow looks like so many others in the neighborhood. But step into the backyard, past the colorful paintings, textiles, tiles, stained glass and ceramics and the new rear exterior — painted a bright yellow — and it’s like a completely different property.

“The front of the house didn’t change, and the back of the house is totally different,” Warwas said of the exterior, which reminds him of a piece of paper that has been cut up and folded together. “It’s a fun moment.”

That he was able to totally transform the house without adding much square footage does not escape him. “It creates a landscape where you can travel back and forth, and the garden is now much more a part of the house,” Warwas said. “The yard got smaller, but it feels bigger.”

A stained-glass panel by Puleo hangs in the bathroom.

Mixed-media pieces by Megan Reed are on display in Puleo’s bedroom art gallery.

Despite a $95,000 ADU addition eventually growing into a $320,000 overhaul for the property, Puleo is happy to have the flexibility that comes with living in a home with two separate spaces.

“I could add a lofted bed and live in the ADU and make art and rent out the house if I wanted,” Puleo said. “It would allow me to go back and forth between the East and West coasts and teach and be with my family in Boston.”

As he sat taking it all in from his dining room table overlooking the San Gabriel Mountains, the artist said, “The house is super efficient now. This is a magical space.”

Puleo also chose colorful textiles for his dog Ono’s bed.

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Lisa Boone

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October 8, 2025
VIDEO: Utah family wake surfs in their backyard after record rainfall

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VIDEO: Utah family wake surfs in their backyard after record rainfall

Problem here and of course *** Farmington family decided to make the most of the mess this weekend, attempting to wake surf in their backyard. *** lot of water coming into the yard, nonstop, and my husband’s hunting, and I thought, there’s nothing I can do about this. So my kids started planning it and then I thought, I think we can do one better. So I grabbed *** ski rope and we put it on the back of the car and off we went. Were you worried about your kids getting hurt or dragged behind your car because we’re gonna have to say, you know, don’t try this at home. Um. You know, I was, I was careful. I’ll say I was careful, but I think sometimes we’re too careful in this world, so I think *** little bit of excitement’s OK. Stacy Durius has 4 older brothers, and she got one of them to jump in on the fun. They are usually the ones that are telling me to do crazy things and getting me when I was younger to do crazy things, and now I’m the younger sister who brings them to come and play with me too. He’s putting on his wetsuit and getting right in, her kids watching from the back of her car. Stacey says she’s never seen this kind of water in her yard and corral area here in Farmington, where she runs *** small farm and keeps horses. The record rainfall Saturday transformed this into *** muddy mess. I was like, Oh man, the kids are going to be *** mess. And then I thought, you know what, let’s just make the best of this, um, and go have some fun. And it looks like they did.

VIDEO: Utah family wake surfs in their backyard after record rainfall

Updated: 9:04 AM PDT Oct 7, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

A Utah family decided to make the most of the mud and water by attempting to wakesurf in their backyard after Saturday’s record rainfall.”A lot of water coming into the yard nonstop, and my husband’s hunting. I thought there’s nothing I can do about this, and my kids started playing in it, and I thought I think we can do one better, so I grabbed a ski rope and put it on the back of the car, and off we went,” Stacie Dorius said.Dorius has four older brothers, and she was able to get one of them to jump into the fun as well. “They are usually the ones doing crazy things and getting me when I was younger to do crazy things and now I’m the younger sister who brings them to come and play with me, too,” Dorius said. Dorius’ brother put on his wetsuit and got right in, while her kids watched from the back of her car, as they were pulling him. Dorius said she has never seen this kind of water in her yard and corral area in Utah. However, the record rainfall transformed her small farm into a muddy mess.

FARMINGTON, Utah —

A Utah family decided to make the most of the mud and water by attempting to wakesurf in their backyard after Saturday’s record rainfall.

“A lot of water coming into the yard nonstop, and my husband’s hunting. I thought there’s nothing I can do about this, and my kids started playing in it, and I thought I think we can do one better, so I grabbed a ski rope and put it on the back of the car, and off we went,” Stacie Dorius said.

Dorius has four older brothers, and she was able to get one of them to jump into the fun as well.

“They are usually the ones doing crazy things and getting me when I was younger to do crazy things and now I’m the younger sister who brings them to come and play with me, too,” Dorius said.

Dorius’ brother put on his wetsuit and got right in, while her kids watched from the back of her car, as they were pulling him.

Dorius said she has never seen this kind of water in her yard and corral area in Utah. However, the record rainfall transformed her small farm into a muddy mess.

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October 7, 2025
All-Clad’s New Outdoor Pizza Oven Comes With a Very Smart Feature

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This pizza oven goes to 11. At least it says it does. A mere 20 minutes or so after firing up the new All-Clad Gas Pizza Oven—the beloved pot-and-pan brand’s first real foray into outdoor cooking—the oven’s temperature gauge has gone deep into uncharted territory.

The dial’s markings top out at around 900 degrees Fahrenheit, but the thermometer’s needle is somewhere in no man’s land, well above what might register as a thousand if its thermometer weren’t busy shrugging. My infrared temperature gun seems inclined to agree, depending where I point it inside the oven, though the surface of the All-Clad’s thick 16-inch pizza stone is still hanging manageably below 900 degrees.

Consider this an announcement: All-Clad did not come to play.

Photograph: Matthew Korfhage

The propane-powered, 16-inch All-Clad is a powerful new entrant in the still young world of accessible backyard pizza ovens, a landscape whose first decade was mostly a scorched-wood duel between the English and the Scots—Ooni and Gozney, respectively. (See WIRED’s guide to the best pizza ovens.)

All-Clad is making a case that new ideas are still out there. The oven’s big sell, aside from its gaping 16-inch maw, is a rotating pizza stone that’s meant to take a lot of the fuss out of cooking pizza evenly. (The All-Clad isn’t alone. The lower-cost Versa 16 from Halo, which I’m currently testing, also offers a rotating stone.)

In the process, the All-Clad places itself as a genuine contender among top pizza ovens. Once I cooled the oven back down into more reasonable temperatures, I have used this All-Clad to make pies both neo-Neapolitan and New York, baked pies from fresh and frozen alike, seared a handsome ribeye steak, and cooked veggies that ranged from charred to even more charred.

Spin Me Right Round

Video: Matthew Korfhage

I’ll get into the specs later. But first, I want to talk about the oven’s most salient feature: that rotating pizza stone. Is it really as exciting as all that? In short, yes. Yes, it is. It’s likely to be especially attractive to first-time pizza makers, and those who turn out a lot of pies rapidly.

Most pizza ovens heat from a single primary source. And so pizza brands like Ooni have devoted considerable effort to modeling the interior domed shape of their ovens. With propane models that heat from a rim of fire in the back, the idea is to entice flames to lick up and over the dome, creating even heat around the oven, thus heating the stone evenly.

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Matthew Korfhage

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September 11, 2025
Column: America’s last presidential bellwether ends its winning streak

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The bellwether rings true no more.

For nearly a quarter-century, voters in Clallam County, Wash. — a lush green dot in the far corner of the country — have gone with the winner in 11 straight presidential elections. That’s an unmatched level of precision among more than 3,000 counties nationwide.

But the streak, dating to 1980, ended on Tuesday as voters favored Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Trump, by a decisive 53% to 44% margin. While there are still votes to be counted, Harris’ lead appears certain to hold.

That means there are no bellwether counties left in America; heading into the 2020 election there were nearly 20. After that, Clallam County — roughly balanced politically between its three small population centers and sparsely populated rural reaches — stood alone.

(Yours truly visited the county and took the measure of voter sentiments in September, just after the Trump-Harris debate: At the time, neither candidate was running away with the contest and virtually everyone was firmly dug into their positions.)

Marc Abshire, director of the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce and a Harris supporter, said he was proud the county went for the Democratic ticket “but also disappointed we’re losing our bellwether status because of it.”

“Out here, we just didn’t have the grievance vote that most of the rest of the country seemed to have,” Abshire said.

Setting aside any bruised pride, he said there are plenty of reasons to visit the region, beyond its former political prescience.

“We’re lucky to live in one of the most beautiful places in the nation, if not the world,” Abshire said. “We have the sea and mile-high mountains all in our front and backyards. Our weather is always temperate.”

People will just have to start looking elsewhere for a political barometer.

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Mark Z. Barabak

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November 7, 2024
Cash Cow To Join Bottled Blonde and Other Nightclubs North of Deep Ellum

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Midsummer we reported the strip of clubs near Deep Ellum was gearing up to get tipsier. Finally, we’re only two weeks out from the grand opening of Cash Cow on Friday, Oct. 4…

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Aaren Prody

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September 20, 2024
Home and backyard must-haves up to 50% off from Wayfair’s anniversary sale

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As a participant in multiple affiliate marketing programs, Localish will earn a commission for certain purchases. See full disclaimer below*

Wayfair’s massive anniversary has returned. If you are looking to spruce up your home or backyard, now is the perfect time. In celebration of Wayfair’s anniversary sale, you can save some big bucks on all your home and outdoor furniture. Right now bedroom furniture is up to 50% off, living furniture is up to 55% off, kitchen and dining furniture is up to 45% and outdoor furniture is up to 55% off. We’ve listed our favorite picks from the sale below. Whether you’re a minimalist or love some colorful decor we have something for everybody in this list.

P.S. check back often, as we’ll be updating with flash sale options daily.

Bedroom

Nora14” Plush Cooling Gel Memory Foam Mattress with Cooling Cover

All Season Goose Down Comforter

Double-Sided Cooling Comforter for Night Sweats Hot Sleepers

Cooling Down Alternative Gel Fiber Pillows (Set of 2)

Milianna Nightstand with 4 Drawers & Outlet, LED Lights

Bathroom

Lundberg Memory Foam Bath Rug (Set of 2)

Striped Single Shower Curtain

Adhesive Shower Caddy (Set of 4)

Hovey 4 Piece Bathroom Accessory Set

Livingroom

Perdue Velvet Square Arm Convertible Sofa

Eoghan Lift Top Coffee Table with 2 Drawers

Sonam Velvet Round Storage Ottoman

Pamplona Modern Upholstered Barrel Chair and Ottoman

Kitchen & Dining Room

Hambrook Bar & Counter Stool (Set of 4)

Outdoor

Meredydd Outdoor Deep Seating Cushion Set

Hayler Wood Burning Outdoor Fire Pit Table with Lid

Elgin Outdoor Patio Dining Set

* By clicking on the featured links, visitors will leave Localish.com and be directed to third-party e-commerce sites that operate under different terms and privacy policies. Although we are sharing our personal opinions of these products with you, Localish is not endorsing these products. It has not performed product safety testing on any of these products, did not manufacture them, and is not selling, or distributing them and is not making any representations about the safety or caliber of these products. Prices and availability are subject to change from the date of publication.

Copyright © 2024 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.

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KGO

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June 17, 2024
‘Just not afraid of humans’: Coyotes plague Mar Vista as neighborhood pets disappear

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Residents of Mar Vista are certain that they are being watched.

And Jennifer Bedolla knows who it is: the pack of coyotes that she often catches lounging in her yard and who leave the carcasses of neighborhood pets around her home.

In previous years, the occasional coyote would pass through the area at dusk. But this year is different as the pack grows bolder, with coyotes trailing after people as they walk their dogs and lunging at pets and children.

“They’ve become more and more aggressive,” Bedolla said. “They’re just not afraid of humans. They’re just right on your back, running into you and not running away.”

The official response from the city of Los Angeles is that residents can clear brush from around their homes, bang pots and pans to scare away coyotes and overall coexist with the wild animals, according to an information campaign directed at the neighborhood.

Frustrated residents in the community just west of Culver City think L.A. officials do not appreciate their situation.

The usual methods don’t work for them, they say. Animal experts advise anyone who comes across a coyote to wave their arms, shout and make themselves appear as big as possible, but these coyotes are not skittish around their human neighbors.

Every day, among the hillsides the coyote yips and cries grow into a wild cacophony.

Bedolla said a coyote lunged at her 11-year-old son while he played soccer in his backyard as several other coyotes watched. She often carries her 9-year-old Maltese-poodle mix, Zola, when they go out for their weekly walk, because the coyotes seem to have claimed the neighborhood as their territory.

A number of pet dogs and cats have gone missing.

“I’ve cleaned so many neighborhood pets from my yard,” she said. “Just piles of fur and carcasses.”

Jennifer Bedolla stands on a top tier patio in her backyard, which has been inundated with very brazen coyotes in Mar Vista. Bedolla spotted 16 coyotes in her backyard recently.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

As hunters, coyotes are opportunists, experts say, their diet consisting of vermin, birds and, in suburban areas, human trash. They’re attracted to the scent of food on a person’s clothing and over the years have learned to live in close proximity to people.

For some residents, it’s a little too close for comfort.

But figuring out how they might get some relief — and who might help them — isn’t that easy.

One resident turned to the L.A. County agricultural commissioner’s Weights and Measures Bureau for help after a frightening encounter.

At around 11 p.m. on March 29, a person walking their dog in Mar Vista encountered a group of coyotes, said Chief Deputy Maximiliano Regis of the bureau.

“The coyote sort of stopped, looked at [the person] and then made some sort of screaming or yelp sounds,” Regis said.

The dog barked back, and the resident ran away, convinced they were about to be attacked. The person called Weights and Measures to investigate, and in early April an inspector found a mother coyote and four to five pups living in a nearby den.

The mother coyote was likely taking her pups out to hunt, Regis said. But the den is in Los Angeles city limits, and it’s up to the city to determine what to do next, according to Regis.

Los Angeles Animal Services coordinates with various agencies on wildlife within the city limits, including the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The city says the state agency manages the coyote population, but a spokesperson for Fish and Wildlife said the agency does not manage coyotes but provides information to local jurisdictions and the public on coyotes.

Coyotes at Jennifer Bedolla’s home in Mar Vista. One expert says the coyotes’ behavior is linked to pupping season.

(Jennifer Bedolla)

“Wildlife officers will respond to attacks,” the Fish and Wildlife spokesperson said, “but it is up to local agencies to deal with coyotes in their communities.”

L.A. Animal Services did not respond to follow-up questions about the city’s response to the coyote population. But in a statement, the agency said it hosted an online community meeting with the office of City Councilmember Traci Park as well as Fish and Wildlife to educate residents about “deterrents and property maintenance.”

The agency also hosts its own monthly information sessions about “how to safely coexist with wildlife, as well as ways for people to keep their pets safe,” according to a statement from L.A. Animal Services.

In Mar Vista, there’s a feeling that that type of safety is out of reach.

Resident Jeanelle Arias said a coyote snapped at her 14-year-old dog, Blaine, a toy breed, in their backyard. The coyote scampered away after Arias’ other dog, 7-year-old Bart, barked and gave chase. But the coyote didn’t run away, according to Arias. It hopped on top of a planter to watch what would happen next.

“If it wasn’t for Bart, Blaine would have been attacked,” Arias said. “There have been so many pets that have disappeared.”

On June 4, a coyote trailed closely behind a man as he walked his dog around the neighborhood, according to footage captured on a Ring camera video.

Neighbors said the man eventually spotted the coyote and yelled to scare away his stalker.

Shelley Beringhele has lived in Mar Vista for the last 10 years, but her family has been in the neighborhood since her grandfather Val Ramos built his home in 1963.

Coyotes were never a concern for the community, Beringhele said, but now shadow humans and pets.

“I find it disturbing how bold the coyotes have become and how little the city is willing to do about the situation,” Beringhele said.

But Rebecca Dmytryk, co-owner with Humane Wildlife Control, sounded a hopeful note. She said the coyotes’ behavior is tied to pupping season. Coyotes want to convey to other canines in the neighborhood that they have pups and are territorial.

“They want to make sure that dogs understand, ‘Do not come over here, because our pups are close by,’” Dmytryk said.

Despite the animal carcasses, Dmytryk doesn’t believe that coyotes are hunting neighborhood dogs but looking at them as intruders.

The coyote pupping season stretches for a few months, from when coyotes give birth to when the pups become juveniles and leave their parents. The coyote activity should die down by autumn, Dmytryk said.

Mar Vista is not unique, Dmytryk said. Other parts of Southern California are also enduring the pupping season, including sections of South Central Los Angeles and Woodland Hills, where she recently responded to one call to get coyotes out of a crawl space under a home.

Dmytryk said she’d been contacted by one concerned Mar Vista resident and her business uses humane means of hazing coyotes. She provided the resident with information about how they can protect their home, similar to the advice provided by the city. Her methods include humane traps.

California does not allow coyote traps within 150 yards of a residence without written consent, but that has not stopped some cities. Torrance contracted a trapper in an effort to manage its coyote population, which includes killing coyotes. The result was a state investigation over possible violation of the trapping law.

Although Dmytryk advocates for humane measures, she does agree that the city of Los Angeles should take a more proactive approach to tracking coyotes and investigate why they’re active in one area. Residents in Mar Vista agree, although some say they’re unsure what that would involve. They just know that they are fed up.

Mar Vista resident Shari Dunn, on a recent night, picked up a neighbor who had just encountered a coyote as she was walking her husky puppy. The neighbor screamed and became distraught over the encounter.

“I drove her home, and she was bawling,” Dunn said. “The woman had just gotten home from work and was walking her dog. I guess you can’t do that anymore.”

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Nathan Solis

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June 13, 2024
9 people killed in California’s massive storm: Here’s how they died

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State officials have reported that nine people across California died in the biggest storm of the season, a major atmospheric river that left a trail of destruction due to dangerous winds and historic rains.

Among the deaths, four were killed by fallen trees in Northern California and two died in car wrecks in Southern California, officials said.

The storm initially whipped into Northern California on Saturday as a bomb cyclone — meaning it rapidly intensified — fueling dangerous winds on top of an already moisture-heavy system. Wind gusts along the Northern and Central California coast exceeded 90 and 100 mph in some areas, as the storm unleashed the beginning of a deluge of rain.

By Sunday and Monday, the system was walloping Southern California, dumping record-breaking rainfall, causing hundreds of mudslides and debris flows and forcing evacuations and water rescues.

The storm — fueled by El Niño, human-caused climate change and typical winter weather patterns — resulted in widespread power outages, road closures and flooding.

Here’s what The Times has been able to confirm about the nine people who died in the storm, in the order they occurred:

Feb. 1 in San Mateo County

A man in San Mateo County died Thursday after his vehicle hydroplaned and struck a tree, becoming the first storm-related death, according to Brian Ferguson, a spokesperson for the governor’s Office of Emergency Services. It wasn’t immediately clear if the heavy rain in the area at the time of the accident was brought on by the storm that hit the Northern California coast two days later.

Feb. 3 in Sacramento County

A woman in Sacramento County was killed by a fallen tree in her backyard, Ferguson said. Additional details were not immediately available from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.

Feb. 4 in Sutter, Sacramento, and Santa Cruz counties

Three men were killed by downed trees in Northern California the next day.

Chad Ensey, 41, of Carmichael suffered blunt-force trauma and died at a hospital after a tree fell on him in his backyard amid strong wind, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.

In the rural Santa Cruz County community of Boulder Creek, Robert Brainard III, 45, was killed when a tree fell on his home, officials there said.

And in Sutter County, 82-year-old David Gomes was found dead beneath a fallen redwood tree in his backyard, authorities said.

Feb. 5 in San Bernardino County

In San Bernardino County, a 69-year-old man died after losing control of his truck in Yucaipa, sending it into an embankment that submerged part of the vehicle, according to the California Highway Patrol. The San Bernardino man was taken to a hospital, where he died of his injuries. His identity wasn’t immediately available.

Ferguson also confirmed another traffic death in Southern California on this day, but the details weren’t immediately clear.

Feb. 5 in San Luis Obispo County

A 90-year-old woman in Los Osos died after the power went out at her home, where she was in hospice care and dependent on oxygen, according to San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s spokesperson Tony Cipolla.

She called 911 after losing power and medics responded, but she died soon after, Cipolla said. He did not immediately provide her name.

Feb. 6 in San Diego County

A person was found dead in the Tijuana River along the Mexico border, according to Mónica Muñoz, a spokesperson for the San Diego Fire Department.

Firefighters were called to Dairy Mart Road just after 1 a.m. Tuesday after a body was reported floating in the water, Muñoz said. Teams working with U.S. Customs & Border Protection were able to recover the body, but the person was already dead, she said.

The person has yet to be identified.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Times staff writers Noah Goldberg, Priscella Vega, Hannah Fry and Hannah Wiley contributed to this report.

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Grace Toohey

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February 7, 2024
Bodies found inside and outside Palmdale house; deaths of 4 men under investigation

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Four men were found dead at a Palmdale residence on Tuesday — two in the backyard and two inside the home — according to Los Angeles County authorities.

Sheriff’s deputies were contacted Tuesday by the Los Angeles County Fire Department after fire crews found “multiple persons down” at a residence in the 37000 of 17th Street East. The Fire Department had been dispatched to the home at 4:35 p.m.

When law enforcement arrived, officers found four people around the property, all of whom were pronounced dead.

“There were obvious signs they had been deceased for a while,” said Chris Reynoso, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The deaths are under investigation by law enforcement, but a Sheriff’s Department spokesperson told The Times there was no threat to the community.

Deputies were at the scene Tuesday night trying to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

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Jeremy Childs

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January 16, 2024
Wondercide Expands Line of Plant-Powered Pest Protection for Pets and Home
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New offerings add convenience and layers of defense against fleas, ticks, mosquitoes & flies

Press Release
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Mar 17, 2022
AUSTIN, Texas, March 17, 2022 (Newswire.com)
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Wondercide, the leader in safe and effective pest protection for pets, people, homes, and yards, announced a new lineup of plant-powered products debuting this spring. The first to launch was the Mosquito & Fly aerosol spray ($12.99 MSRP), and now through April, three new products expand the company’s Flea & Tick offering for dogs and cats. Flea & Tick Shampoo ($19.99 MSRP), Flea & Tick Collar ($19.99 MSRP), and Flea & Tick Spot On ($19.99). These new solutions continue the Wondercide approach to Treat Nature with Nature™.

NEW Mosquito & Fly Product

For indoor and outdoor use, the Mosquito & Fly is a plant-powered aerosol spray designed to quickly kill mosquitoes and flies, with the ability to kill over 20 other bothersome bugs, such as drain flies, fruit flies, gnats, and more.

Powered by geraniol and lemongrass oil, this spray kills by contact and, when used as directed, is safe to use around kids and pets. The aerosol is propelled by carbon dioxide (CO2) and does not emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or lower indoor air quality. Once empty, the container is recyclable. Available now at Wondercide.com and Amazon.com.

NEW Flea & Tick Products

The entire lineup of the new Flea & Tick products features natural cedarwood and peppermint oil with a fresh peppermint scent. In further innovation, the Flea & Tick Collar and Flea & Tick Spot On offer pet parents added convenience and a safe alternative to conventional spot drops and collars when used as directed. Flea & Tick Spot On, Collar, and Shampoo will be available for purchase online at Wondercide.com, Amazon.com, Chewy.com, and pet specialty retailers in the U.S.
- The Flea & Tick Shampoo is Wondercide’s first liquid shampoo. Made for dogs and cats four months or older, it kills fleas and ticks by contact and repels them, making the shampoo an excellent first step in treating an active infestation or as part of an ongoing flea-and-tick maintenance routine. The shampoo is free of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and helps soothe itchy skin from bug bites.
- Flea & Tick Collar comes in two versions – one for dogs (up to 23″ neck) and one for cats (up to 13″ neck). The water-resistant collars are designed for pets four months or older and offer up to four months of continuous protection against fleas and ticks, up to one month of protection against mosquitoes. The collars feature a breakaway safety feature that will protect pets if a bit too much tension is applied.
- Flea & Tick Spot On is designed for dogs and cats three months or older. Each box contains three monthly applications. One size is available for cats, while three sizes in small, medium and large are available for dogs. Each water-resistant monthly application repels mosquitoes for up to seven days in addition to repelling fleas and ticks for up to 30 days.
With the new product offerings, Wondercide customers can be worry-free in 1-2-3.
1. Kill fleas and ticks on your pet with Flea & Tick Shampoo and Flea & Tick Pets + Home spray, the original flea-and-tick solution.
2. Repel and prevent fleas and ticks on your pet with Flea & Tick Collar or Flea & Tick Spot On.
3. Maintain control indoors with Flea & Tick Pets + Home and outdoors with Flea & Tick Yard + Garden spray.
As with all Wondercide products, these new solutions are powered by plants and safe to use around kids when used as directed. Mosquito & Fly Spray, Flea & Tick Shampoo, Flea & Tick Spot Collar, and Flea & Tick Spot On are 25b products (deemed by the EPA to be “minimum risk” to humans and the environment) and cruelty-free, tested only on the bugs they’re designed to eliminate. All packaging is recyclable including the aerosol once empty.

“When you love someone, you do everything in your power to protect them. I founded Wondercide because I knew there had to be a better way to protect my dog Luna, and help other families keep their loved ones protected,” said Stephanie Boone, Founder and CEO of Wondercide. “These new products add extra layers of plant-derived protection, while the Collar and Spot On deliver convenience to busy pet parents. They are easy to use and will help make life better for Packs of every kind, everywhere.”

To date, Wondercide has protected over 1.5 million families and counting! For more information visit www.wondercide.com.

About Wondercide

Founded in 2009 and as seen on Shark Tank in 2016, Wondercide is an Austin, TX company on a mission to protect pets, families, homes, and yards from pests like fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes with safe, plant-based, proven-to-work solutions. The signature line of products is powered by steam-distilled, natural essential oils. Wondercide is woman-founded, family-friendly, and USA-made with US and global components. Wondercide is driven by Fierce Love® to help you Protect Your Pack® and is available for purchase on Wondercide.com, Amazon.com, Chewy.com, and at select pet-specialty retail stores nationwide.

For Press Inquiries, please contact: jenna@caracaulkins.com

Source: Wondercide
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March 17, 2022