A soft landing: Cool Stuff

Outdoor pillows add pop to your al fresco space.

Guatemalan spa resort treats hillsides and humans with tender care

TRACY BARNETT/Special Contributor Several outdoor dining and lounging areas invite contemplation of the area's natural beauty at Las Cumbres.Everything about Las Cumbres says "Guatemala," from the bright marimba music playing in the restaurant to the delectable chocolate-coffee blend, glistening from the oil of the fresh organic beans grown nearby.

Polite rebels

Sitting in line on colourful pillows in a little coffee shop in Kemang, South Jakarta, the boys of The Trees and The Wild could pass for nice and quiet kids. Just like their music: folk guitar, bass, a muffled voice and lyrics that dwell on the classic themes of love and family.

U.S. grapples with bedbugs, misuse of pesticides

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A resurgence of bedbugs across the U.S. has homeowners and apartment dwellers taking desperate measures to eradicate the tenacious bloodsuckers, with some relying on dangerous outdoor pesticides and fly-by-night exterminators.

A garden full of flowers flows right on in to a sunny new room

In Seattle, a frilly, flower-filled garden is all about going with the flow. From the koi pond out back to the sunroom to the entry courtyard in front, all is fragrant and lush.