Award-winning Moscarino Landscape & Design offers a more refined alternative for sports enthusiasts
By Bill Yurgen
Let’s pose a question for the true sports junkie: What are your options for enjoying a game with your pals?
Traditionally, it’s been going downtown to the ballpark, the stadium or the arena. If you are reading this, you’re likely one of us suburban types. That translates to fighting traffic into town, struggling with parking (and the exorbitant costs of doing so), fighting crowds, hoping your bladder can outlast the lines, and occasionally being treated to a beer shower by the slightly inebriated soul behind you who doesn’t realize he’s had one (or more) too many.
Afterward, you get to enjoy the crowded parking deck in reverse and the traffic jam getting out of the city.
More recently, the dedicated sports bar has improved on this tradition—slightly. Usually the noise and over-priced-but-mediocre food are much the same, albeit with more variety. And if you’re at the bar taking the end position among your group of friends, you just might find yourself sitting next to that same guy who spilled beer down your back at the stadium. This time he’s doing an unexpected and overly dramatic leap in the air, spreading his arms so that beer you were sipping, you are now wearing.
The Better Way to Watch
Chas Moscarino, of Moscarino Landscape & Design, offers a third choice—a sports-friendly entertaining space that offers up to three seasons of use, great food opportunities, and the best kind of gathering place for friends.
“This phenomenon is the next step in creating the ultimate outdoor room, which can have a wide variety of uses,” Chas explained.
“You can totally mimic being at the ballpark while you’re right at home. And it accomplishes that functionality all while enhancing the natural beauty of your backyard with lush, low maintenance plantings and striking architectural elements.”
I wondered aloud how the ladies feel about transforming their backyards like this. Chas’ response surprised me:
“Many of these women are big sports advocates and many women are employed full-time. They, too, want to enjoy the comfort and privacy of their own backyard whenever they have the opportunity to be at home with their families. The female fans we’ve worked with love this new backyard concept. And those who are slightly less enthused about sports find this is still a great place to entertain family and friends with movie nights, weekend cartoon marathons for the kids, and ‘ladies’ nights.’ These sports-friendly outdoor spaces are also a great place to keep tabs on husbands and teen sports enthusiasts,” Chas added with a wink.
Compare the possibilities with your favorite sports bar or the stadium:
- Big Screen All-Weather TVs – Check (the bigger the better)
- Shelter for Inclement Days – Check
- Grilling Your Favorite Tailgating Foods – Check
- Complete Bar with Beer on Tap – Check
- Wine Bar – Check
- Ultimate Food Prep Area – Check
- Fire Feature – Check
- Restroom – Check
- Multiple Conversation Areas – Check
- Three-Season Use – Check
2019’s Hottest Design Trends
- Radiant Heaters – These gas- or propane-powered workhorses not only provide much needed heat on a cool summer night; they extend the range of use of your outdoor space to three seasons.
- Fire Features – Everyone seems to want one of these. Fire pits for making s’mores, architectural fireplaces that enhance ambiance or create a cool contemporary vibe, and regular fireplaces that may double as wood-fired pizza ovens.
- Fuss-Free Smokers – There are any number of smoker designs that allow you to infuse your favorite cut of meat with a variety of wood-smoked flavors.
- Ambient Lighting – lighting that creates a festive mood and lighting that discreetly showcases the beauty of your new backyard.
Ready to play ball? Contact Moscarino Landscape & Design by calling 440-236-9000 or email them at info@moscarino.net so you can enjoy your amenity-filled backyard this year. For added inspiration, please visit CreateMyLandscape.com.