Construction Maison

Dear Graham E ach year, we drive to a timeshare apartment complex in the Bavarian Alps to spend two weeks walking in the mountains. During the 12 years or so that we have been going there we have made German friends ; and my wife has learnt enough German to be able to hold basic conversations with them – I speak no German at all. One such friend is a German widow. This year, the friend who has ferried her round since her husband died is unable to come, so the widow will be there on her own. We have taken her out several times in the past but worry about the responsibility we’ll have for her this time, especially given the language issue for me (and, to a lesser extent, my wife). We don’t want something to happen to her (we’re all in our 70s). I confess also that we feel it will take the shine off our holiday somewhat: she is a needy and somewhat disagreeable person. Can you suggest a compromise?...

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The friendship of the four young roommates — though cemented in the dark trappings of an obscure neo- Nazi group called Atomwaffen Division — never seemed destined for bloodshed. One was described as a former science nerd, serving in the Florida National Guard . Two others worked temp jobs at a recycling plant and talked about joining the military. The fourth caught flak from his roommates for wasting his days with video games. Now two of the young men are dead, the other two are in jail and authorities are left to answer this question: Was Atomwaffen Division plotting violent acts or were the four young men merely posers? Four days after police say one of the roommates shot and killed two others, Atomwaffen posted an ominous video on YouTube depicting members standing with arms extended in “Heil Hitler” salutes and posing with guns in front of a swastika flag, their faces obscured by images of skulls. It ended with a stark slogan, scrawled in red: “Join your l...

TAMPA, Fla. — The friendship of the four young roommates — though cemented in the dark trappings of an obscure neo- Nazi group called Atomwaffen Division — never seemed destined for bloodshed. One was described as a former science nerd, serving in the Florida National Guard . Two others worked temp jobs at a recycling plant and talked about joining the military. The fourth caught flak from his roommates for wasting his days with video games. Now two of the young men are dead, the other two are in jail and authorities are left to answer this question: Was Atomwaffen Division plotting violent acts or were the four young men merely posers? Four days after police say one of the roommates shot and killed two others, Atomwaffen posted an ominous video on YouTube depicting members standing with arms extended in “Heil Hitler” salutes and posing with guns in front of a swastika flag, their faces obscured by images of skulls. It ended with a stark slogan, scrawled in red: “Join your local ...

A block north of the Western Brown Line stop , you'll find a family-friendly collision of worlds. Time and continents get confused at the crossroads where Lincoln Avenue runs into the intersection of Lawrence and Western avenues . Staring down the street bearing his name, a statue of Abraham Lincoln — perched on a podium and holding his stovepipe hat — watches over the juncture. Honest Abe seems a fitting guardian of the spot that is at once multicultural and wholly American. Once you pass under the arching entryway onto Lincoln Square , restaurants with Argentine, Greek, German, Mexican, Dutch and New Orleans fare are all within a stone's throw. Some take you back in time and some feel like home. Locals say the corridor is family-forward with a European touch. It's not hard to see. On a recent Friday evening , families congregated in the plaza. Children straight off Gap runways devoured frozen yogurt and painted patios in chalk while fluffy dogs sniffed out pigeons. Old...

Château d'Artigny As we drove up the hill and around the bend, a magnificent, regal château suddenly appeared and took my breath away. Perfectly symmetrical with a large garden and pond with fountain in front and framed by trees in the background, the Château d’Artigny is truly one of the most sumptuous places I have ever stayed. With 56 rooms, eight lounges, two dining salons, a pool and spa, guests are well taken care of. Located in Montbazon in the Loire Valley, 15 kilometers from Tours, the 65 acre grounds are a manicured oasis of quiet nestled on a hill looking out over the Indre Valley with the Indre River flowing peacefully below. Besides the château, there are two smaller properties, Ariane Pavillon and Fragrance House, that also include guest rooms . Château d’Artigny As I entered the spacious Belle Époque lobby, I was overcome by its size, beauty and grandeur. Though there is an elevator, glide up the elegant curving staircase that leads to rooms on the first floor. Pas...

Editor’s note: This profile originally appeared in Minnesota Lawyer, a sister publication of Finance & Commerce. Mary Wawro spends much of her time with legal documents as senior vice president and general counsel for Minneapolis- based Ryan Cos . US Inc. Seeing projects such as the Downtown East redevelopment in Minneapolis come to life is among the rewards of her job. Downtown East includes the Commons park near U.S. Bank Stadium, apartments, a hotel, a parking ramp, two Wells Fargo office towers and Ryan’s new headquarters in the Millwright Building at 533 S. Third St. “My favorite part has been the interesting projects that I’ve worked on, particularly here at Ryan and with so many smart, dedicated people,” said Wawro, who has been at Ryan for 15 years after two years as outside counsel. “When you work a lot with documents and concepts, it can feel really good to see the physical buildings that resulted from those documents.” Construction- related legal work touches on...

Regeni was undeterred. Proficient in five languages, he was insatiably curious and exuded a low-intensity charm that attracted a wide circle of friends. From 12 to 14, he served as youth mayor of his hometown, Fiumicello. He prided himself on his ability to navigate different cultures, and he relished Cairo ’s unruly street life : the smoky cafes, the endless hustle, the candy- colored party boats that plied the Nile at night. He registered as a visiting scholar at American University in Cairo and found a room in Dokki, a traffic-choked neighborhood between the Pyramids and the Nile, where he shared an apartment with two young professionals : Juliane Schoki, who taught German, and Mohamed El Sayad , a lawyer at one of Cairo’s oldest law firms . Dokki was an unfashionable address, but it was just two subway stops from downtown Cairo with its maze of cheap hotels, dive bars and crumbling apartment blocks encircling Tahrir Square . Regeni soon befriended writers and artists and practi...