Apartment Blog

Spring is here! YAY!! But as the warm weather approaches, so does all the pollen and allergens that can aggravate your sinuses! Its not just outside allergens that can help create a Rudolph nose, but also the inside of your apartment! Here are a few tips that I’ve found helpful to allergy proof your home!

Concentrate on the Bedroom!

According to Angel Waldron of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, you spend about 80 percent of your time in your bedroom! So it’s logical that should be the first place you start. Believe it or not, dust mites live in your bed! Somewhere around two million of them! They take residence in your pillows, mattresses, bed springs, blankets and comforters. “These mites are the number one indoor allergen, and their population peaks in July and August.”[1] So do your part in controlling them and it’ll go a long way toward helping your allergies. Be sure to wash your linens in the hot cycle frequently. Another tip is to purchase allergen-proof pillows and bed covers. I had both of them growing up and they helped relieve my symptoms!

Manage the Pet Hair!

While I’m an animal lover as much as the next person, there is some pet dander that I just can’t be around-specifically cats! And apparently I’m not alone. “Approximately 10 million people are allergic to cat dander, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation.”[2] Cats have the most allergens followed by dogs and rodents. So to control your animals’ dander make sure you keep your pet off your furniture, including your bed! Bathing your pet once a week also makes a big difference in cutting down on allergens.

Keep Pollen Out!

With the warmer weather coming, people tend to have their windows and back doors open to let in the fresh air. I know I love doing that! Turns out that could be a huge contributor to my allergies! Doing that brings the pollen inside your apartment! So if you don’t want the runny nose, watery eyes, and stuffed up feeling-keep those windows and doors closed! Especially during the time of day the pollen count is at it’s highest, which is between 5:00-10:00 am.

Get Rid of Mold!

Who wants mold in their apartment? I know I don’t! The very thought of it gives me the shakes, but it happens! The biggest hotspots for mold happen to be in your bathroom and your closet! The bathroom is one of the wettest places in your apartment. The combination of heat and dampness is optimal for mold growth. So make sure you do your part to prevent it from starting. A few tips to help with bathroom mold is to make sure you circulate the air before and after your shower. Use the fan during the shower and open the door for 5-10 minutes afterwards. Also be sure to stretch the shower curtain after your shower so all the water can drain and the material can dry out. Wash your bathtub, shower door, walls, etc, if you see any mold. Use rubber gloves and a mixture of bleach and water. Doing these few steps will not only prevent your allergies, but also your health and the appearance of your apartment!

So there you have it. A few tips I’ve learned from AOL Real Estate about how to allergy proof your apartment! I know this spring the outdoor allergens are going to create difficulty for some, but at least when you get inside you won’t have to worry about too many irritants!

“The Quiet Man” Movie Review

I’m not sure how many of you have actually seen this classic film of an Irish tale.  But I truly recommend it. Being that I have a father who is a John Wayne fanatic, I have seen numerous movies starring him. ‘The Quiet Man’ is probably one of only two that I am able to sit all the way through!

This movie is of an unusual love story between a man and a woman with their cultures colliding.  John Wayne plays a gentle man from America, Sean Thornton. He has returned to the Irish village where he was born to retreat from a horrible memory of his last fight as a prize fighter where he accidentally killed his opponent. Burdened with his death, he seeks peace and comfort.  After his welcome home he encounters Mary Kate Danaher, played by Maureen O’Hara, in one of the most breathtaking scenes of the movie.  The red-haired colleen is herding a flock of sheep across a meadow. With the lush Irish landscape, Sean is mesmerized by her presence.  Once he realizes she is unmarried, he is determined to pursue her. This is where Sean is forced to learn the education of Irish culture and tradition. “Uh uh, no patty fingers if you please.”  From their first encounter Mary Kate and Sean reveal a passion and desire to be with one another. But the constant conflict between Sean, Mary Kate and her brother, Will, makes for an engaging story. The momentous retrieval of Mary Kate from the train station, where Sean literally drags Mary Kate 5 miles to a field where her brother is working, is compelling. With the cute and quaint town joining in all the festivities of this dispute, including waging who the winner might be, you’ll be laughing at the whirl wind brawl!

I’d recommend ‘The Quiet Man’ to anyone. It’s a heart-felt romantic movie that is such a joy to watch!

Source:  speakeasy.org

St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations

In the United States there are many festivities to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. It goes back to the first celebration in Boston, Massachusetts in 1737 where the first Saint Patrick’s Day Parade took place on March 17th.

From the major cities like Boston or New York to your home town. Here is a brief list of some major festivals, parades and events happening in the U.S. Feel free to add your city’s celebrations to our list!

Savannah, Georgia
Savannah’s Saint Patrick’s Day parade usually takes place on March 17th, regardless if it’s during the work week. However for 2008, the parade will take place on Friday, March 14th to honor Holy week in the Catholic faith. The parade route changes each year but usually travels through Savannah’s Historic Park District and Bay Street. In additional to the parade, Savannah’s Waterfront Association has an annual celebration on Historic River Street which mimics Mardi Gras on Bourbon Street.

New York City, New York
According to Wikipedia, the New York parade has become the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world with more than 150,000 marchers and close to 2 million spectators on the street! The parade marches up 5th Avenue in Manhattan and ends by the U.S. 69th Infantry Regiment.

Seattle, Washington
A unique fact I did not know is that Seattle and Galway, Ireland are sister cities given that Seattle has many Irish residents! The annual Irish Week Festival is enormous and includes activities such as Irish step dancing, food, historical and modern exhibitions and Gaelic lessons. It starts on March 14th and goes through the 17th.

Chicago, Illinois
The dyeing of the Chicago River has been a tradition for over 40 years. While many cities have tried to mimic it, none can get as true of a St. Patrick’s color as Chicago’s river can. This year the dyeing is to take place on March 15th. Chicago also has a St. Patrick’s Day parade that takes place on the same day.

San Francisco, California
On March 15th, San Francisco will have the 156th anniversary of its Saint Patrick’s Day parade. At the end of the race there will be a family festival with games, music and various other ‘green’ activities!

If you enjoy celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, there are many options to choose from! Regardless of where you are, cheers to you having a great time!

Source: Wikipedia.com

The warmer weather will be here soon. Everyone is starting to rummage through their home for ‘spring cleaning’ and getting organized for 2008. So while you’re focusing on the home front, why not consider an update to your home decor? According to MSN Shopping there are 5 trends that are really stylish for this spring.

Black & White

The pairing of these two serve as a perfect backdrop to a full spectrum of hues & shades of color. A current popular combination with black and white is accenting them with aqua and coral. Using them can add a cool, elegant and cosmopolitan appeal to your home. But if you’re looking for a classic look, explore variations of white such as warm ivories and icy arctic white. Using different textures (rugs, wall paper, furniture, etc.) around your space will complement each other nicely. I have loved the black and white combination since college and in my apartment I have this trend in my kitchen with the ever popular color aqua as an accent color on place mats and dishes.

Primary Colors

When you think of spring the typical color palette that comes to mind is pastels. However, this year that isn’t the case. Look for more tropical punch color combinations with vivid shades of cobalt blue, ruby red, deep forest green and splashes of juicy citrus colors. You could use this décor element for accent pieces such as pillows, vases and artwork.

Nature Inspired

The use of natural colors, textures and materials is gradually becoming a more popular trend in home décor. Peaceful colors like pale blues and minty greens work especially well in bedrooms and bathrooms. And I’ve seen numerous color schemes mimicking the ‘change of color’ season with burgundies, oranges and olive greens. Along with color, incorporating materials of nature such as bamboo and sticks work well in your design. A relatively inexpensive way to add interest and color to your room would be to frame botanical/forest prints.

Country Get-A-Way

A recent post of our ‘Romantic Get-A-Way on a Budget’ was about creating a one time get-a-way vacation for your loved one. Why not incorporate that into the design of your home instead of just for a holiday? If you particularly enjoy the simple life of country living, then have a room in your home focused around that. Use weathered, whitewashed wall treatments and handcrafted furniture. For inspiring ideas think of a faraway place and let your imagination run wild!

Beach House

Do you know a better way to have an airy, relaxed and comfortable feel to your home than by decorating it like a beach house? A casual and simple look would be a perfect retreat. Patterns in pastels and stripes work best and your color scheme should be limited to soft, natural shades like sky blue, aqua and peach. I personally have my bedroom and bathroom decorated in what I like to call ‘beach chic’. I have pale blue, cream, khaki and brown incorporated with bold stripes and touches of the ocean everywhere. To accomplish this look make sure you pay attention to detail by using seashells, driftwood or nautical instruments.

For the first time, it appears that I may be up with the trends. My apartment seems to be in good shape for decorating in 2008. What about yours?

Source: MSN Shopping; www.msn.com

How much to you know about the United States’ first President? Did you know that there is actually no proof that he chopped down his father’s cherry tree with a little hatchet? And that contrary to popular belief, while he had several set of teeth made none of the sets were made from wood? There were actually comprised of hippopotamus and elephant ivory. To learn more about this honorable man read on!

George Washington, born in 1732 in present day Colonial Beach, Virginia, was the first President of the United States from 1789-1797. George Washington and Martha Custis married on January 6th,1750 just three weeks after they first met, at her home known as The White House. In 1775 Washington was chosen to be the commander-in-chief of the American revolutionary forces. As a result of his strategy, revolutionary forces captured the two main British combat armies — Saratoga & Yorktown - a big victory in the Revolutionary war. In the late 1780s, Washington presided over the Philadelphia Convention that drafted the United States Constitution. Washington became President of the United States in 1789 and established many of the customs and practices of the new government’s executive department. He supported plans to build a strong central government by funding the national debt, implementing an effective tax system, and creating a national bank.
Washington is a powerful symbol to the United States and he has consistently been ranked by scholars as one of the greatest U.S. Presidents. Henry Lee, a Revolutionary War comrade and father of the Civil War general Robert E. Lee, said of Washington in his funeral oration that of all Americans, he (Washington) was “first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” Lee’s words set the standard by which Washington’s distinguished reputation was imprinted upon the American memory.

Today we remember a great man. Happy Birthday President Washington!

Source: wikipedia.org

Many of you know today is President’s Day from the various amounts of sales adds or if you are one of the lucky few to have the day off from work. But do you know what the actual history of President’s Day is? Where is stems from and why it’s so important? Allow us to educate you a bit….

This holiday was first celebrated in commemoration of George Washington’s birthday in 1796, which was the last full year of his presidency. By the early 19th century, Washington’s Birthday had become a bona fide national holiday including many celebrated traditions such as speeches, receptions, etc. Then along came Abraham Lincoln who was another revered President also born on February 12th. Following the year after his assassination, Lincoln’s Birthday became a formal observance. Lincoln’s Birthday, however, didn’t actually make it to become a national holiday, although many states made it so.

In 1968, legislation was enacted that affected several federal holidays, one being Washington’s Birthday. It was decided that the observation of his birthday would be on the third Monday in February whether it fell on the 22nd or not (which is actually his birth date). This act was designed to simplify the yearly calendar of holidays and give federal employees some standard three-day weekends in the process.

Even though on record the third Monday in February is known as Washington’s Birthday, it has become popularly known as ‘President’s Day.’ To honor Washington and Lincoln as well as the other men who have served as president.

It is very important to realize how this holiday came to be and to honor the beloved men who have run our country. Given that this year is an election year, you can choose who will be celebrated on the next Presidents day. So be informed and vote in the 2008 election!!

Source: patriotism.org

Mr. Abraham Lincoln, born on February 12th, 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky, was the sixteenth President of the United States. During his terms, he helped preserve the United States by leading the defeat of the secessionist Confederate States of America in the Civil War. He also introduced measures that resulted in the abolitions of slavery. His assassination in 1865 by John Wilkes Booth was the first presidential assassination in U.S. history. Booth thought he was helping the south, but instead made Lincoln a martyr for national unity.

Lincoln is viewed by many scholars as one of the top three U.S. Presidents. His everlasting influence on the United States will forever be remembered.

Remember him and all that he has done for this great nation today. Happy Birthday!

Source: Wikipedia.com

By Research | NFL Network

I. This is the 42nd Super Bowl and the second time it has been held in Arizona. Super Bowl XXX was held at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona (Cowboys 27, Steelers 17).

II. The NFC leads 21-20 all-time but the AFC has won eight of the last 10 games after losing 13 straight.

III. The AFC is the home team in this year’s Super Bowl.

IV. To date 3,205,733 people have attended Super Bowl games.

V. No Super Bowl has ever gone to overtime.

VI. The team that has won the coin toss is 19-22 all-time in the Super Bowl and has lost the past four straight and nine of the last 11 games. The Patriots lost the coin toss in each of their three Super Bowl wins. They won the coin toss for Super Bowl XXXI and lost the game; they lost the coin toss for Super Bowl XX vs. the Bears and also lost that game. The Giants won the coin toss in Super Bowl XXXV and lost that game; they lost the coin toss in both Super Bowls XX and XXV and won those games.

VII. The Giants-Patriots Super Bowl is the 12th Super Bowl to feature two teams that met during the regular season. The team that lost the regular-season meeting has won six of the previous 11 matchups. The last matchup was Super Bowl XXXVI between the Patriots and Rams (Rams won regular season; Patriots won the Super Bowl)

VIII. The Giants-Patriots Super Bowl is only the second time that the two Super Bowl participants have met in the final regular season game; the other occurrence was in 1977 when the Cowboys and Broncos met in Week 14 and then in Super Bowl XII. The Cowboys won both games. (The Giants and Patriots also met in the final game of this year’s preseason; The Patriots won that game 27-20).

IX. The Patriots have 20 players with Super Bowl experience on their current roster; the Giants have three.

X. Patriots LB Tedy Bruschi will be playing in his fifth Super Bowl; he is the 15th player to play in five Super Bowls. He is the seventh player to play in five Super Bowls with the same team, joining Larry Cole (Cowboys), Cliff Harris (Cowboys), D.D. Lewis (Cowboys) Charlie Waters (Cowboys), Rayfield Wright (Cowboys) and John Elway (Broncos).

XI. 21 Quarterbacks have been named MVP of the Super Bowl, the most of any position.

XII. Tom Brady is one of four players with multiple Super Bowl MVP awards –- the three others are quarterbacks as well: Bart Starr (2), Joe Montana (3) and Terry Bradshaw (2).

XIII. Tom Brady is 1 of 4 players with three Super Bowl wins as a starting QB. The other three are Terry Bradshaw (4), Joe Montana (4) and Troy Aikman (3).

XIV. Tom Brady is the 23rd NFL MVP to play in the Super Bowl in the same season. The last MVP to win a Super Bowl the same season was Kurt Warner in Super Bowl XXXIV in 1999. Overall, 10 NFL MVPs have won the Super Bowl in the same season. In 1968, Earl Morrall won the NFL title but lost Super Bowl III to the Jets.

XV. The Patriots are making their sixth Super Bowl appearance –- and fourth in last seven years. The Patriots are the fourth franchise to make six Super Bowl appearances, joining the Cowboys (8), Steelers (6) and Broncos (6).

XVI. The Patriots have won three Super Bowls; with a win they’ll join the Steelers (5), Cowboys (5) and 49ers (5) as the only franchises to win 4 Super Bowls.

XVII. Bill Belichick is the eighth head coach to appear in four Super Bowls. The others are Don Shula (6), Tom Landry (5), Chuck Noll (4), Joe Gibbs (4), Bud Grant (4), Marv Levy (4) and Dan Reeves (4).

XVIII. Belichick is one of four coaches to win three Super Bowls. The others are Chuck Noll (4-0), Bill Walsh (3-0) and Joe Gibbs (3-1).

XIX. Since 2001, the Patriots are 24-7 when meeting teams for the second or third (Jets, 2006) time in the same season.

XX. Junior Seau is making his second Super Bowl appearance; the first since Super Bowl XXIX. The 13 years between Super Bowl appearances is the longest span in the game’s history.

XXI. The Patriots are the third team to win 18 games in a season, including playoffs. The ’85 Bears (18-1) and ’84 49ers (18-1) also won 18 games.

XXII. The Patriots are the 11th team to go 10-0 at home, including the playoffs. Of the previous 10 to accomplish the feat, 8 of them won the Super Bowl (only the 1990 Bills and 1988 Bengals lost).

XXIII. The Patriots led the NFL with 36.8 PPG this season, the highest in the Super Bowl era.

XXIV. The Patriots are the 17th team to lead the NFL in scoring and reach the Super Bowl. The previous 16 teams are 9-7 in the Super Bowl (last two — the ’05 Seahawks and ’01 Rams — have lost). The last team to lead the NFL in scoring and win the Super Bowl was the ’99 Rams in XXXIV.

XXV. The Giants will be playing in their 18th NFL title game dating back to 1933. The Giants have won five NFL championships in their history –- including two Super Bowls.

XXVI. The Giants’ 18 NFL championship game appearances are the most in NFL history.

XXVII. Eli Manning is the seventh No. 1 overall pick to start the Super Bowl at quarterback; the others are Peyton Manning, Drew Bledsoe, Troy Aikman, John Elway, Jim Plunkett and Terry Bradshaw.

XXVIII. 18 sets of brothers to have reached the Super Bowl. Eli and Peyton Manning are the first set of brothers at quarterback.

XXIX. Eli Manning is the only quarterback in the 2007 playoffs yet to throw an interception. Of the 12 quarterbacks in the 2007 playoffs, he had the most interceptions during the regular season (20) — tied for the most in the NFL with Jon Kitna and Carson Palmer.

XXX. Eli Manning is the seventh quarterback in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to throw 20 interceptions in the regular season and reach the Super Bowl.

XXXI. This is the second straight season in which the NFC quarterback in the Super Bowl threw 20 interceptions in the regular season (last year, Rex Grossman threw 20 interceptions, and threw three in the playoffs, two in the Super Bowl). The other to throw 20 interceptions during the regular season and then reach the Super Bowl are Kurt Warner (22 in 2001), Phil Simms (22 in 1986), Terry Bradshaw (25 in 1979 and 20 in 1978) and Darryl Lamonica (20 in 1967). The only two Super Bowl quarterbacks to throw 20 interceptions during the regular season and not throw one in the playoffs were Boomer Esiason in 1990 and Simms in 1986.

XXXII. Tom Coughlin is coaching in his first Super Bowl as a head coach. Head coaches making their Super Bowl debut are 20-22.

XXXIII. Tom Coughlin has coached 205 career games, including the playoffs. That is the most games coached before making a Super Bowl debut as a head coach.

XXXIV. The Giants are 10-1 away from Giants Stadium and 3-5 at home this season.

XXXV. The Giants are the third team to reach the Super Bowl by winning three straight road games, joining the ’05 Steelers and ’85 Patriots.

XXXVI. The Giants are the ninth wild-card team to reach the Super Bowl. Wild-card teams are 4-4 in the Super Bowl. The ’05 Steelers were the last wild-card team to win.

XXXVII. The Giants are the fourth team to reach the Super Bowl following a 0-2 start. They join the ’01 Patriots, ’96 Patriots and ’93 Cowboys.

XXXVIII. The Giants are the only team in NFL history to win 10 straight road games in a season.

XXXIX. Bill Belichick (15) and Tom Coughlin (7) have 22 postseason victories combined, tied for the second most in Super Bowl history among opposing coaches and surpassed only by the 25 combined playoff wins by Tom Landry and Chuck Noll in Super Bowl XIII.

XL. Giants long snapper/linebacker Zak DeOssie’s father Steve DeOssie played in Super Bowl XXV as a member of the Giants (Belichick was the defensive coordinator of that Giants team). The DeOssie’s are the ninth different father-son combo to reach the Super Bowl.

XLI. When he appears in the game, Jeff Feagles will be the oldest Super Bowl participant at 41 years, 335 days. The previous oldest was Mike Horan at 40 years, 363 days. Feagles began his career with the Patriots in 1988.

XLII. Giants DE Justin Tuck and Patriots LB Adalius Thomas are cousins. Tuck’s father and Thomas’ father are first cousins.

Source: NFL.com

Spicy Seven Layer Dip

Items you’ll need:

1-2 cans Refried beans

Container of Avocado Dip

1-2 tubs of Sour Cream

1 lb of ground beef/turkey/chicken

1 Green Pepper (diced)

Sliced Jalapeno Peppers

1 bag of Shredded Cheddar or Taco/Mexican Cheese

1-2 bags of Tortilla chips (recommended Tostitos Gold Tortilla Chips as they are thicker & will hold the dip better)

Process:

1. First Layer: Heat up the refried beans in the microwave until it becomes smooth (a few minutes), you’ll need to spread a flat layer on your pan. Then let it cool.
2. Second Layer: smooth over the avocado dip onto of refried beans layer leaving a ¼ to 1/8^th of an inch on the side.
3. Third Layer: smooth sour cream over the avocado dip, also leaving ¼ to 1/8^th of an inch on the side (so you can start to see the layers on the side of the pan).
4. Fourth Layer: sprinkle the ground beef onto of the sour cream layer. For a healthier alternative you can use ground turkey or chicken. Depending on your taste you can lightly sprinkle or pile on the meat. (or none for vegetarian dip)
5. Fifth Layer: add the diced green pepper on the ground meat
6. Sixth Layer: add Jalapeno peppers onto of the green peppers (more if you like extra spice, less if not too spicy)
7. Seventh layer: depending on your preference for cheese, you can sprinkle or just dumb the whole bag (evenly distributed) on top of the entire dip!

This dip can be refrigerated until needed, so you can do this in the morning, make all your preparations for the party and bring it out as guests start to arrive.

Many critics of this holiday would have you believe that this holiday was invented by the greeting card companies. That commercialism is how this holiday formed. But that just isn’t so. Yes, in present time Valentine’s Day is a highly commercialized holiday, ranking as the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas. But does anyone really know the history behind Valentine’s Day? Well, here’s a little synopsis to ease your cynical mind:

Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14^th (duh!). It is the day in which lovers express their love for one another traditionally by the giving of candy, flowers and other gifts. It is named after two early Christian martyrs named Valentine; Valentine of Rome and Valentine of Terni.

The day itself wasn’t actually linked as a romantic holiday until Geoffrey Chaucer in the middle ages.  Chaucer wrote a poem in honor of the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia.  The poem goes like this:

For this was on seynt Volantynys day

Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese

[choose] his make [mate].

And thus Valentine’s Day became associated with the desire to find one’s mate (i.e. the Lovers holiday). One can only imagine customs that made it what it is today; finding one’s mate, proving ones love, showing ones love, gifts for your love, etc. So while the greeting card and jewelry businesses thrive around February, the actual day has history & meaning.