Apartment Blog

Detroit has been the epicenter of soul music for decades.  Motown got its start in Detroit and signed artists such as s Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, The Four Tops, and The Jackson 5.  This made Detroit  a place for new sounds and big opportunities. According to VisitDetroit, “Detroit’s public school system, in the early 19th century, also made music accessible to all, hiring some of the best music education professors to cultivate young, artistic minds.” It is no wonder that Detroit is still the same way today.  Many genres find a safe home in Detroit and a place where they can experiment before going mainstream.

Known as the city of rhythm, Detroit keeps on moving along even during the tough time of the recession.  The music coming out of the city is reflective of the adversity they have had to overcome over the years.    You will not have a hard time finding some kind of music that you enjoy and living in Detroit may make your music selection more eclectic.  Detroit has great apartments that give you access to all the music you want.  A few are included here:

River Oaks West Apartments

Briar Cove Apartments

Independence Green Apartments

Get more information and search tips on Detroit Apartments, or view all Apartments for Rent in Detroity, MI.

Sources:

http://www.visitdetroit.com/index.php/music

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!

We all love when Valentine’s Day rolls around. If the pressures from the Christmas spending weren’t enough, let’s add another purchasing holiday a month and a half later! We understand the crunch you’re feeling, especially in these economic times; let us share a way to skip an added expense….. Valentine’s Day cards!

Now, I’m all for the modern, eco-friendly, economical approach (hello E-Cards), however, sometimes those aren’t appropriate for your loved ones who live close by.  So take a look below at two perfect homemade Valentine’s Day cards from AllFreeCrafts.com:

Here are the materials you might need:

• Pink and red hearts cut from construction paper (various sizes)
• Cream/white colored paper (computer paper) & red construction paper
• Scotch tape
• Elmer’s glue
• Blank cards (or use left over poster board for a one-sided card)
• Computer to type phrases or Alphabet stickers

Directions:

Card #1:

This Valentine’s Day card is quick and easy. Cut a piece of dark red paper to fit the front of your blank card (or poster board piece) and glue it in place. Type “Happy Valentine’s Day” on your computer and print it on the cream/white colored paper. Glue the cut-out phrase first on a dark red piece of paper, and then give that piece on another piece of cream colored cardstock to create a layered look. This card will open horizontally (or not at all), so turn it horizontally and glue the Valentine’s sentiment to the top third of the card. For the bottom portion of the card cut three small freehand hearts from the dark red paper. Glue these hearts to three torn scraps (in the shape of squares) to cream colored paper. Space these pieces across the bottom of the card and glue in place.

Card #2:

This card is made from a dark red piece of paper and a cream colored piece of paper. Cut a piece of the dark red paper to fit the front of your blank card (or scrap poster board piece) and glue it in place. Cut a large square from the cream colored paper and glue it just above the center of the card. Glue the piece of paper in place. Tear a large heart from the dark red paper and glue it in the center of the cream colored square. Type “Happy Valentine’s Day” on your computer. Print on cream colored paper and glue in the center of the heart.

These two methods are quite perfect whether you’re crafty or not! So use what you have lying around the house (scotch tape, glue and your computer) and if you don’t have the other materials, you can pick them up at your local dollar store. Trust me, for the price you’re paying you’ll get more bang for your buck! Plus, we’ll be posting a ‘Homemade Valentine’s Day Gifts’ blog where you’ll also be able to use these materials! Cha-ching!

When post people search for super bowl facts, the more interesting they are the better! So I searched through many websites and weeded out the not-so interesting stuff, to compile a list of 10 random facts I found interesting. I thought I’d share them with you….

1. The name “Super Bowl” was not used officially until the 3rd championship game in January 1969.

2. No NFL team has ever played the Super Bowl in their own stadium.

3. New Orleans and Miami have hosted the Super Bowl the most at 9 times.

4. Mike Ditka, Tom Flores, and Tony Dungy have all won a Super Bowl both as a player and a coach.

5. The following things have never happened in a Super Bowl: a scoreless first half, a shutout, an overtime game and a punt return for a touchdown.

6. 30-second TV commercials are believed to be costing close to $3 million this year. If this reported rate is true, how is it that we are in an economic crisis??

7. According to About.com, the amount of chips consumed on Super Bowl Sunday is over 14 tons!!

8. Eight million pounds of guacamole is consumed on Super Bowl Sunday.

9. An average of 6% of people will call out on the Monday following Super Bowl Sunday.

10. The Super Bowl is measured in Roman numerals because a football season runs the span over two calendar years.

Now granted I’m a football impaired chick, so these facts may not be an over the moon spectacular or anything. But they sure made me say ‘uh…’ when I read them. Hope they gave you a little something to think about, or a least a much needed break from your busy day!

By Simon Phillips 

I like to do my bit for the planet by doing things like recycling and not using plastic bags for my grocery shopping, but my girlfriend takes green issues even more seriously.  Recently she started trying out all kinds of DIY cleaning tips using eco-friendly products.  To my surprise these strange concoctions made from things like baking soda and vinegar actually seem to do the trick.  As well as being good for your apartment’s air quality, you can cut down on packaging and reduce the number of cleaning products you need, and save money at the same time.  Here are some of the green cleaning tricks I’ve picked up, which you can try out for yourself next time you’re cleaning your apartment.

Upholstery - Baking soda works wonders at removing stains from upholstery.  To get rid of spots of greasy food on a polyester seat or cushion, rub dry baking soda into it and then brush off.  Vinyl seats such as recliners or barstools can be cleaned by using baking soda mixed to a paste with water.

Metal Surfaces - You can bring the shine back to a stainless steel sink by cleaning it with baking soda sprinkled onto a damp cloth.  You can clean chrome faucets and other fittings by using a paste of baking soda and water and buffing dry.  This works on metal barstools as well.

Flooring - To stop spills from staining carpet, remove any solids and then pour club soda onto the area.  You’ll need to act quickly and do this as soon as the spill happens.  The club soda will help bring the spill to the surface and stop staining.  When vacuuming, add baking soda and a few drops of a pleasant smelling essential oil to the bag to reduce unpleasant odors. 

Wooden Furniture - Ditch the synthetic spray polish and use olive oil mixed with a small amount of lemon juice instead.  Rubbing mayonnaise on water marks helps shift them, and lemon juice helps remove heat marks from wood.

Laundry - Adding a spoonful of washing soda crystals to each wash makes hard water softer and reduces how much regular laundry powder you need to use.  Stubborn stains, including red wine, tomato sauce and curry, can be removed from clothes by soaking them overnight in a mixture of 1 cup of washing soda to 1 pint of water and then washing as normal.

Bathroom - Use an old toothbrush and a paste of baking soda and water to clean up old grout on tiles around the tub.  Scrub shower curtains with baking soda or a few drops of white vinegar to remove mildew.  Pouring half a cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar down the plughole in the sink and tub can unclog blocked drains and if you do this regularly can prevent future blockages.  The same mixture can be used to remove lime scale deposits from a showerhead - leave it to soak in the mixture for an hour before running hot water through it.

Kitchen - Soaking greasy roasting tins in hot water and baking soda to loosen the grease and encrusted food makes them much easier to clean.  An effective multi-surface cleaner can be made from 2 cups of hot water, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of borax, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and a drop of washing-up liquid.  A homemade disinfectant can be made from 2 cups of water, 3 tablespoons of washing-up liquid and 25 drops of tea tree oil.

Windows and mirrors - A really simple way of cleaning windows and mirrors that really works is to spray undiluted white vinegar onto the surface and then buff to a shine using scrunched up newspaper or a paper towel.

Simon Phillips is a writer, interior design enthusiast and co-founder of GetBarstools.com.  He loves finding eco-friendly, money-saving ideas for the home.

As with tradition when a big holiday is around the corner, we like to post recipes for everyone to see. With this posting, however, we have posted a complete meal! The delicious main course, the heavenly side dish and the ever-so-needed scrumptious dessert!

Cranberry Chicken

Tender baked chicken gets dressed for the holidays with a chunky spiced fruit sauce in this recipe shared by Linda Rock of Stratford, Wisconsin on TasteofHome.com.

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 pounds)
• 1 can (16 ounces) whole-berry cranberry sauce
• 1 large tart apple, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon curry powder

Directions:

• 1. Place chicken in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20 minutes.
• 2. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients. Spoon over chicken. Bake, uncovered, 20-25 minutes longer or until chicken juices run clear.

Yield: 6 servings.

Crunchy Sweet Potato Casserole

This tasty side dish is sure to be a crowd pleaser! Just seeing the yummy picture is making my stomach growl!!! Provided by TasteofHome.com.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• TOPPING:
• 1 cup crushed cornflakes
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter

Directions:

• In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Spoon into a greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 20 minutes.
• Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over potatoes. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until the topping is lightly browned.

Yield: 6 servings. 

Pumpkin Spice Cake

I’ve actually made this little dessert. Not only is it very delicious, but it’s super easy to make too!

Ingredients:

• Yellow cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of canned pumpkin
• 1 ¾ teaspoon of cinnamon (divided)
• ¼ teaspoon of ginger
• ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
• 2 ½ cups ov vanilla frosting

Directions:

•  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cake mix, eggs, water, canned pumpkin, tspn of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Beat on low for 30 seconds, then 2 minutes on medium.
•  Pour into well greased/floured pans (2 9-inch round pans or bundt cake pan). Bake 20-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool.
•  Mix remaining cinnamon with frosting. Frost top of one 9-inch round cake, place the second 9-inch round cake ontop and frost all around the cake. Or if using a bundt cake, frost on the outside.
•  Serve and Eat!!!