Apartment Blog

Going along with our ‘Homemade Valentine’s Day Cards’ blog, we thought we’d give you some ideas to make your Valentine’s Day gifts this year.  Even if this isn’t your main gift, doing something creative and from the heart means everything to your loved one!

Here are a few craft ideas from About.com:

Conversation Heart Frame

Materials needed:

• Cardboard
• Paint
• Glue
• Candy Conversation Hearts
• photo
• Tape

Instructions:
Cut a rectangle shape out of the cardboard. The size you make the rectangle will depend on the size of the photo you are using. Cut a hole in the center of the rectangle where you will display the photo. Paint it red (or whatever color you desire). Set aside to dry.

Once the paint is dry, glue the candy conversation hearts all over the frame. Set it aside to dry again.

Once the glue is dry, tape the picture in the opening you cut in the center of the heart frame. Cut a small triangle out of the cardboard and attach behind the picture to make a stand, or you can even add a strip of magnet to the back!

Valentine’s Heart Jar

Materials Needed:

• Mason Jar
• Spray Paint
• Acrylic Paint
• Old Paint Brush
• Ribbon or Raffia
• Stencil Cut-Out of a Heart

Instructions:
Wash jar clean with vinegar, let it dry. Place newspaper under project to prevent making spills with paint.

Make a heart-shaped ’stencil’ and tape it onto the front of the jar. Spray jar with the spray paint and let dry. Spray a second coat and let dry. Once dry, take another type of paint and old toothbrush, and splatter paint around your heart design. Let dry.

Pull stencil off gently, tie ribbon or raffia around the top of the jar and secure with bow. Place a candle in the jar or fill it with candy, and it makes a real cute gift!!!

Another way to do this is have multiple stencil hearts for each color paints. Place that stencil around the jar and gently blot it with the old toothbrush and paint. Let dry and repeat process with another color paint-overlapping when possible.

Valentine’s Day Dinner:

And of course there is always that saying ‘the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,’ so why not find a yummy recipe to cook for dinner that night! It would be especially nice if you set the mood with music and candles. And made place setting cards out of construction paper! Finish it off with a delicious dessert too.

Change it up:

Does your significant other have a favorite cartoon? You can take whatever cartoon he/she likes and take out the verbiage from the cartoon (by putting white out over the words), then insert your words or a conversation that means something to the both of you (i.e your first kiss or the first time you said ‘I love you’).  Copy the cartoon on a copier machine (so the words you inserted look like it’s in the actual cartoon-instead of just being written over white out). Feel free to color it and/or matte it or frame it for your loved one!

Or, how about you take a poem from his/her favorite author? Or a childhood author? I’m actually doing this for my boyfriend’s Valentine’s Day gift, taking a poem from Dr. Seuss and changing the words (keeping the tempo the same) to make it applicable to him. It’s something very memorable and can showcase all the time and effort you put into it. To make it more decorative, you can use construction paper to add a punch of color or give it the ‘lovey-dovey’ feeling. I also plan on framing it for him as a one of a kind piece of art!

The count down is on! Super Bowl XLIII is five days away and the game is shaping up to be a good one. Everyone is looking forward to the traditional festivities for their Super Bowl party, such as the manly (or womanly) bonding, yummy food, friends, etc. However, according to Extra, the average person eats about 1,200 calories in snacks alone on Super Bowl Sunday?! That’s insane! Participating in this time honored tradition can be detrimental to your diet!

Well, take a breath….we’re providing you with two recipes that are for the healthy conscientious. Feel free to snack on these bad boys, in moderation of course, guilt-free!

Fresh Tomato Salsa

From Eatingwell.com Ingredients

• 4 cup(s) diced tomatoes (5-6 medium)
• 3/4 cup(s) finely diced red onion ( about 1 small)
• 1/4 cup(s) red-wine vinegar
• 1 1/2  jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 1/2 cup(s) chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Combine tomatoes, onion, vinegar, jalapeno, cilantro, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

With only 21 calories per serving and 0 grams of fat, you can snack happy with this recipe! J Be sure to serve with reduced fat or multi-grain chips for an added health bonus!

Spicy Blue Cheese Dip

From Eatingwell.com 

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup(s) reduced-fat sour cream
• 2/3 cup(s) crumbled blue cheese
• 1 tablespoon(s) distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Whisk sour cream, blue cheese, vinegar and cayenne in a small bowl.

This blue cheese dip is perfect compliment for buffalo wings (again, moderation is key) or with a tray of veggies!

We’ve posted an article previously with ‘Ten Tips for Advertising during Tough Economic Times’. And today I stumbled upon an article from the Wall Street Journal circling the same suggestion we provided; which is for companies to ‘provide perks’ for their customers. This is something we’d like to elaborate more on as it’s very current for today’s market. As I’m sure many property managers know the nationwide vacancy rates are increasing. In fact, according to research collected from Reis, apartment vacancy rates rose to their highest in more than 3 years-greater than 6%-in the third quarter of 2008. While most companies are looking to abandon ship on items such as advertising, the successful companies know better. So what else can property managers do in order to ensure lower vacancy rates at their communities? Again, we go back to the ‘provide perks’ tip.

Renters are smart. There is a plethora of information on the internet about how renters have control now. And everyone knows that turnover in the multi-family housing industry is costly. So keeping renters that are stable and dependable is highly desirable.

So what perks would your company be able to provide? The most popular choice for renters is going to be rent discounts! “There isn’t the job growth necessary to sustain a high demand for rentals and they [property managers and owners alike] have to be much more realistic” about price, said Daniel Baum, chief operating officer of the Real Estate Group. Offer rent discounts for residents that opt to stay in a longer lease.  And beware of the ‘shopper’ renter. These renters will do their research and seek out similar apartments in your neighborhood for less money. Be prepared to show how your community stacks up, or match the competitors pricing.

Another perk to offer would be services for next to nothing or free! (Everyone loves the word FREE) Does your community charge for additional amenities, such as spa usage, renting the club house or the use of a garage? Or how about upgrading on renters appliances? You could even sell the fact you’re installing energy star appliances to save them more money on monthly utilities!

And finally while property managers/owners have to pay bills too, we all need to be a little more flexible. In this state of the economy people are taking pay cuts or worse, loosing their jobs. So if a resident contacts you regarding the rent being a few days late, or a possible payment plan, weigh your options. If this renter has a steady track record, then be willing to discuss alternatives.

Times are tough, but everyone-property managers/owners and renters alike-have to survive. So finding a balance between what each side can financially do is going to be the way to weather this current economic storm.

You may have read as part of our ‘10 New Year’s Resolutions for Renters’ that getting fit was number five on our list. But what you may not know is the best way to do that. When most people think about getting fit, they think they need a gym membership. The problem here is that most renters aren’t familiar with the fabulous amenities they have within their own apartment community! So we’re here to tell you five reasons you should utilize your apartment community’s fitness center.

1. Location! Can you imagine a closer facility to work out in? Just a few streets down you’ll be at your gym. I will walk to my fitness center in the morning; it’s much shorter than having to start my car and fight traffic lights to go anywhere else! (Which considering I get up in the morning to work out, saves me precious minutes to sleep in!)

2. Sheer Convenience! Most fitness centers have better hours than typical gyms. The fitness center in my apartment community is 24 hours! Twenty-four hours! Can you believe that? I can work-out WHENVER I want! That’s a wonderful convenience to have, especially since most people are so busy these days.

3. No additional fees! You’re already paying rent to live within the apartment community. To utilize their fitness center is FREE to you! Why pay additional money to exercise, when most fitness centers have just about the same machines as gyms? Granted they may be a bit older, and there may only be one piece of each type of equipment, but remember, you’re not fighting as many people to work out there! And it’s FREE!

4. Privacy. When I went to the gym, I would NEVER be the only one there working out. There would always be 5-10 people beside me. Now if exercising with privacy is appealing to you, then the fitness center may be the best way to go. You’ll have to find a routine where most people don’t typically go (for my fitness center its right about 6:00-6:30 am-before work) and you’ll have as much privacy as you can ask for. Turn the TV to whatever channel you want. And you can have the freedom of exercising without any judgment from someone else!

5. And finally, BECAUSE YOU CAN! As you start searching for apartments to rent, you narrow them down based on a list, such as: location, price, amenities, etc. So, since you’ve picked this apartment to rent, the bigger question is why not work out there? If one of your New Year’s Resolutions really is to get in better shape and you want to save a little bit of $$, then BECAUSE YOU CAN, I say work out there!

We hope these reasons provide you with enough motivation to go and use the facility you have available. Whatever way you choose to accomplish your New Year’s Resolutions, we’re ecstatic! Here’s to a healthy 2009! 

As most of us renters know, while closet space is a nice amenity to have, it isn’t usually one of our top choices for narrowing down apartments. Therefore, we are usually stuck with whatever closet space we are given in the apartment we choose. And while a closet the size of Harry Potters Room under the stairs isn’t desirable, it’s manageable. So we’re here to provide you with a few tips on how to turn that hole in the wall of a closet, into a functional space for your wardrobe and accessories.

Tip 1: Do some ‘Spring cleaning’
The easiest way to get more room in your closet is to go through the items in there. Get rid of anything you don’t wear, haven’t seen or haven’t worn for more than a year.

Tip 2: Use all available space
If the closet you have only has one rod across the top, consider putting in a tension rod so that you can have double the space. Put the longer items on top (likes dresses and pants) and the shorter items on the bottom (like jackets, skirts and shirts). This is what I have done in my closet and it really opens the space!

Tip 3: Find Space Saver Ideas
The hanging shelf closet organizers can be used for various items. You can put sweaters, t-shirts, jeans or whatever in there. The space it takes to hang up the organizer will be more than doubled with the amount of garments you can put in there.

Tip 4: Use the back of the door
I think people underestimate the amount of room it’ll save them if they put a shoe rack or an over the door rack to hang accessories.  Instead of putting your shoes on shelves, free up those shelves with a shoe rack on the back of the door. If nothing else, you can always put a full length mirror on the back of the door so you can check yourself before you leave. That’ll save room somewhere else in your apartment.

Tip 5: Stash seasonal items
There are quite a few storage bins available in stores. You can get rolling bins for under your bed to hide non-season items. For example if you are in the summer months, there is no reason for you to have your bulky sweaters and jackets in your closet. They just take up space. Put them in a container under your bed and get them out when the weather calls for it.

So there it is, five tips to help you organize the closet in your apartment into something that is practical for your lifestyle. You will truly be surprised by the ‘magical’ transformation!

It’s a tradition with my family year after year. We always pile up in our car and drive around to look at Christmas lights. There is one house in particular we always stop and see. We call it the ‘NOEL House’ as it has the ‘NOEL’ saying prominently displayed on its rooftop. We also make it a point to go to see the Holiday lights at Virginia Beach Oceanfront. There is something grand about looking at the holiday light displays across our city. I look in amazement at the creativity and the excitement that I feel. I feel like a child again, anxiously waiting for the big day!

Accumulated by americasbestonline.net, here is a list of the best holiday light displays in cities across the nation. Look who turned up number 11! J If you are near one of the areas, make sure you go out and look at the wonderful lights displayed.

1. Silver Dollar City- Branson, MO
Millions of Christmas lights cover the whole park. Plus, the entire city is transformed into a holiday wonderland each evening at 5:30 p.m. as guests join together on the Square for the lighting of the dazzling, five-story Special Effects Christmas Tree. Adorned with over 250,000 lights coordinated to blaze to the musical movements of Christmas songs, this unique Special Effects Christmas Tree presents classics such as “Carol of the Bells” and Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” in a spectacular light and sound show.
  
2. Oglebay Festival of Lights- Wheeling, WV
In 1985 a holiday tradition began at Oglebay and spread throughout the city of Wheeling. That tradition is the Winter Festival of Lights celebration. The first year, displays and landscape lighting covered about 125 acres over a three-mile drive throughout the resort. Since then, the show has grown into one of the nation’s largest Christmas light shows, covering more than three hundred acres over a six-mile drive throughout the resort. 
 

3. Fantasy of Lights- Pine Mountain, GA
A 5 mile drive by car or trolley takes visitors past 13 holiday scenes with more than 8 million  Christmas lights.  Since 1992, this outdoor light and sound show has glittered with holiday magic for millions of people. Families from across the Southeast have added Fantasy In Lights to their list of memorable holiday traditions. This year, experience the 15th annual Fantasy In Lights with its eight million lights creating more than a dozen beautiful scenes, and you’ll see why this is the brightest holiday light show in the South! 
 

4. Smoky Mountain Winterfest- Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville, TN. 
Smoky Mountain Winterfest is a magical celebration that begins in late fall.  Ride the Trolley Tour of Lights around Pigeon Forge and claim a spot on the sidewalk  for Gatlinburg’s “Fantasy of Lights” Christmas Parade, featuring lighted floats, marching bands and giant helium balloons.  This event combines 3 Tennessee cities: Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville. These neighboring Smoky Mountain towns are ablaze with 5 million lights thru February. 
 

5. Trail of Lights - Austin, TX
The  Trail of Lights is a mile long display of 42 lighted scenes, US Post Office, Santa’s House, the Yule Log, and an entertainment stage. The festival begins with the lighting of the Zilker Tree, a 155 feet tall, 180 feet diameter lighted tree consisting of 3,309 bulbs on 39 streamers strung from Austin’s historical Moonlight Tower. Since 1987 the honor of lighting the tree has been bestowed upon the winner of the city-wide children’s tree coloring contest. The tree lighting ceremony takes place on the first Sunday of December. 

6. Magical Nights of Lights - Lake Lanier, GA
Rekindle an old tradition or create a new one at Lake Lanier Islands Resort’s 16th annual Magical Nights of Lights holiday celebration. Known as the world’s largest animated light extravaganza, the fun kicks off November 22 through December 30 from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 pm. nightly! Bring the whole family a drive through tour of over six miles of twinkling, holiday light displays and a live nativity scene complete with live actors and animals!

7. Holiday Festival of Lights, Charleston, S.C.
Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission created the Holiday Festival of Lights to bring families and friends together and to raise support for the Charleston county park system. With over 600 individual displays located throughout the park in 132 power locations, the Holiday Festival of Lights is a magical sight to see! 
  
8. Enchanted Garden of Lights, Chattanooga, TN
See Rock City! The gardens’ natural beauty is complemented by more than 25 holiday scenes as half a million lights illuminate rock formations along the Enchanted Trail. 

 9. Southern Lights - Lexington, Ky.
The annual Southern Lights event is the largest fundraiser held for The Kentucky Horse Park. Over 25,927 vehicles passed through the electrical wonderland in 2006 alone! Everything from petting zoos, model railways, arts, crafts, and Santa Claus fill the Indoor Attractions section free of charge to guests.

 10. Mission Inn - Riverside, CA
This magnificent hotel and grounds have over two million Christmas lights!  Enjoy the sounds of the holiday season as our Dickens’ Carolers stroll throughout the hotel every Thursday through Sunday, beginning November 25, 2005, or enjoy a romantic carriage ride around the grounds - to take in the lights of the holiday season.
 
11. 100 Miles of Lights - Virginia Beach, VA
Come share the glow of the season and experience millions of lights and hundreds of events from Virginia’s capital city to the Atlantic Ocean. The region will glitter and glow, sparkle and shine with lights, lights and more lights. 100 Miles of Lights features holiday events and activities in Richmond, Williamsburg, Newport News, Hampton, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach.

Drive-through and walk-through light shows will dazzle and shine with more than two million lights, providing a colorful backdrop to the wide range of events and activities for the young and young-at-heart. Lighted boat parades, city illuminations, festivals, parades, living history re-enactments, caroling, dining events, music and dance are among the many activities occurring throughout the region from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day.
12. Bright Nights at Forest Park - Springfield, MA
New England’s most popular holiday destination and largest drive-through lighting display. Two and a half miles of Forest Park are illuminated with more than 500,000 twinkling lights, bringing the magic of the holiday season to life for people of all ages, in dozens of dramatic scenes such as “Poinsettia Fantasy,” “Seuss Land,” “Toy Land,” and “Victorian Village.” Plans are in place this year for bright new displays, and special celebrations to commemorate the holiday traditions of the many cultures that make up the region.

Source:
http://www.americasbestonline.net/christmas.htm