Apartment Blog

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

It’s no secret that rents are skyrocketing all over
the United
States. People are constantly looking at ways
to save money as the cost of living increases. One thought I find extremely interesting
is that couples are now ‘shacking’ up to save some money!!

According to the Census Bureau’s latest research,
there were an estimated 6.02 million unmarried-partner households in the
U.S. in 2006! Forbes.com researched these cities by
collecting data for 40 of the largest metropolitan statistical areas for five
different categories: marriages per 1,000 people, divorces per 1,000 people,
starter-home affordability, income disparity and availability of couples or
family counseling.

The round-up of the best cities for couples
were:

1. Dallas

2. Houston

3. Minneapolis

4. Denver

5. Austin, Texas

This is interesting news on Valentine’s Day!! We’ve
posted numerous blogs about the benefits of having a roommate, so why not
make that roommate your sweetheart!

For more information about how these cities were
selected, visit Forbes.com or Realestate.msn.

ForRent.com is dedicated to helping the consumer long after the apartment hunting process is over. We strive to be a resource for apartment renters, when searching for tips and advice during the apartment search as well as in their daily life. Which is why this February we have posted many topics such as tips for your Super Bowl & Valentine’s Day Party, cheap decoration tips, 10 reasons you will Love using ForRent.com, Apartment Amenities you love, Valentine’s Day Classic Movies, fun Valentine’s Day craft ideas, President’s birthdays, recipes and more! We hope that by providing our research and comments, the consumer will visit us again and again to obtain more helpful information and begin to recognize us as the ultimate apartment listing service.

Thank you for being our friend, visiting our blog, myspace profile, our videos on YouTubeTM and searching for apartments on our website. We hope you and your loved ones have a fabulous Valentine’s Day!!

Sincerely,

ForRent.com

Okay, so we’ve posted a lot of ‘lovey, dovey’ blogs pertaining to Valentine’s Day. And truth be told I wasn’t even going to blog about this, but I go to check my email this morning and saw this article! It must be shared with everyone! It’s about revenge Valentine’s gifts. So let’s say you and your sweetheart just recently broke up, right before Valentine’s Day, and you want to send him/her a little reminder that you’re still mad about it! Well on Asylum.com, you can. This website offers you many little trinkets to send depending on the level of revenge you’d like to get!

Scrolling through their gallery I saw so many things that almost make me wish I had an ex to send them to! Like the severed middle finger. Instead of actually flipping off your ex, you can now send him/her one in the mail! An authentic voodoo kit to put a curse on your enemy or a mailed stinky dead fish (guaranteed to be extremely offensive) is also available! There are also ‘bitter hearts’ which are like conversation hearts traditional of Valentine’s Day, but with the words ‘dumped, despair and dysfunctional’ written on them instead. And lastly, a mixed CD of the most annoying sounds!

Even if you don’t have an ex you’d like to send a revengeful gift to, just seeing all the possibilities you could send has to make you laugh a little!! And put a little smile on your face this Valentine’s Day!!

DISCLAIMER: FORRENT.COM DOES NOT ADVOCATE THE ACT OF BEING REVENGEFUL IN ANY WAY. WE CANNOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ACTIONS TAKEN UPON SOMEONE AS THIS BLOG IS SIMPLY POSTED FOR INFORMATIVE PURPOSES.

Has someone ever done something truly romantic for you in your apartment? When you got home there was a little surprise? One time I went on a family vacation w/out my boyfriend and when I got back I had a dozen roses lying on my bed strategically mapped in the shape of a heart w/a card!

Given the season of love, we’re posting ideas for little romantic gestures for your special someone. Most of them don’t require too much preparation, but some preparation will make the act that much more meaningful!

- Cooking his/her favorite meal. This idea can be something elaborate such as a starting from scratch entree, sides and dessert. Or it can be something simple and intimate such as breakfast in bed. Either one will truly be appreciated & remembered!

- Organize a scavenger hunt! In your apartment you can place little items for your honey to find. Sweet notes or poems, little surprise gift boxes, etc. The amount of fun you’ll have planning it and he/she will have searching for it will be remembered for years to come! And always have it end in a place where you’ll meet him/her!

- Dancing! You and your sweetheart can dance the night away. This is more directed to men for women, as women would typically like this gesture more. But when she is doing something else, like cooking, just take her hand and ask for a dance. Music or not make no difference, just as long as you gaze into her eyes! (If you’re a talented singer, serenading her could be a nice touch!)

- Make a soothing & relaxing bath! This tip is also more directed to men for women, as women would typically like this gesture more. However, that’s not to say that some men wouldn’t! When he/she gets home from work, have rose petals leading to the bathroom in your apartment. Candles already lit and peaceful music (or whatever kind of music he/she would prefer) playing. This little gesture will be greatly appreciated as most people don’t take the time to pamper themselves-even when they REALLY need it!!

- Make a picnic in front of the fireplace in your apartment! So you have this awesome amenity in your apartment-a fireplace. Ever used it? Why not make a romantic evening centered around it? Have a blanket laid out in front, a warm fire going, and food that you’ll both enjoy. After dinning, cuddle up next to one another!

- Movie night! Whatever kind of movie your sweetie is into, be sure and rent (or purchase) several in the genre. Even go as far as preparing ‘normal’ movie theater food. Such as popcorn, hot dogs, nachos, candy, soda, etc. Have the lights off and enjoy ‘snacking’ while watching his/her favorite flicks! (A big factor in your sweetie enjoying this is if you don’t complain about his/her movie preferences!)

What romantic gestures have someone done for you? Did a room in your apartment get a total makeover? Let us know! Sharing ideas with us will help someone else this Valentine’s Day!!

You want to host a Super Bowl party with all your friends and/or family, but have to watch what you spend? Food/drinks is obviously going to be a larger expensive, rightfully so, but how can you have a bit of décor to your themed party when you’re on a budget? Well, here’s a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Make Your Own Football! This is a really cute and neat idea. Just take some paper plates, cut them into shapes of footballs and decorate them (i.e. color them brown w/white threads or in the colors of the football teams playing that day). You could even hole punch them and string them up around the room like a banner!?!

2. Bake A Football Cake! Since you’re already going to be providing food (or maybe have a pot luck) make sure there is a football decorated cake. You can use food coloring for the icing and little sticks (or going really economical-matches) for the goal posts. It’s sure to be a crowd pleaser, decoration centerpiece and a yummy surprise!

3. Styrofoam Bricks! These are really cute ideas for people to throw on the ground when the referee makes a bad call or their team gets scored on. Guaranteed to get some use!! Just go to your local arts and craft store and pick up a bunch of blocks. Get some spray paint (preferably the reddish/brown color of bricks) and paint away! Stack them up in the middle of your room, they’re bound to be discovered!

4. Balloons Galore! Balloons are a cheap and easy way to decorate your house for this party. Get a few bunches (probably not more than a dozen, which can cost you about $6 dollars) and strategically place them where the majority of your guests will be. They will make a big impact for not a lot of $$!

5. Paper Chains! Going back to your childhood days when you use to make decoration out of paper strips, staple them together in circles and build from there. It made a cute little chain that you could decorate the classroom with. Why not mimic that for your party? Sounds goofy, but for two packages of different colored paper (very inexpensive), you can cut them into five strips each and get a pretty decent size streamer around your room! Be creative and do one of the teams colors around the food and the other team’s colors around the T.V.

6. Use Your Computer! Have you found all sorts of neat graphics online that you’d like to use? If you have a color printer, why not use it! Print out some of these images and cut them out. Tape them on various surfaces around your apartment. It actually turns out quite nice (and really good for your budget)! Place them on the bathroom mirrors, the kitchen cabinets or on the fridge. It’s just a little bit of decorations everywhere without a lot of extra money coming out of your wallet!

7. Use The Dollar Store! I swear by this place to everyone! Seriously it’s amazing. Go here for your other items that you have to buy (i.e. paper plates, napkins, cups, utensils, table cloth, etc.). It’ll really save you money in the end and still be sufficient enough for your party! Other stores that are economical that might be in your area are: Dollar Tree, 39 cent store, Party City, etc.

Do you have anymore cheap ideas for decorations? Let us know! The more ideas you share, the more money in everyone’s pockets this Super Bowl Sunday (especially for any of you who have wagered on the game and might loose!!)

You’ve seen recent posts about how you can do more to protect the environment and conserve our resources, such as recycling and reusing. But what other efforts are being done around you that you may not even know about? Did you know that apartment communities are making great strides to improve their communities to increase their ‘going green’ efforts? It’s true!

It all starts with construction. Recycled materials can be used, low VOC paints, carpets and other indoor products are making their way as well as heating and cooling systems that are geothermal based (meaning it draws upon the earth’s temperature to supplement traditional systems). Many products are out there for construction companies to use, such as biodegradable linoleum and industrialized recycled polmer (for carpet tiles).

So why aren’t all apartment communities being converted using more environmentally friendly efforts? Well that’s a simple answer, money! “Green construction is often looked at as costly and can seriously hurt the project’s bottom line. Using environmental design is normally estimated to cost as much as 15 percent more than traditional jobs[1].”

Even so, the costs for going green may increase for the developers but they do the exact opposite for the tenants. Having more energy efficient & water saving devices in the apartment community will help drive down costs for residents, which is ultimately what every renter wants!! And given the increased demand of environmentally friendly communities, I’d say resident’s voices are being heard. Many renters expressed that they would pay more in rent if they would be living in a building that makes efforts to conserve and recycle. Because when you think about it, having those amenities will actually save you more money in the long run with reduced electric and water bills!!

So ask your apartment community if they’re doing their part!

[1] Daily Record, The (Baltimore), Jun 25, 2004 by Ezra Fieser

Since we’ve posted information about Christmas and Hanukkah, I thought I’d post a brief history of Kwanzaa as well.

Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26^th (today) till January 1st and is a holiday for honoring family, communities and African Culture. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits” in Swahili, a Pan-African language which is the most widely spoken African language. It was created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor in the department of black studies at California State University at Long Beach. This celebration is held for seven days, one day for each of the below principles.

Day One: UMOJA (Unity)

This principle promotes togetherness among families, communities and races.

Day Two: KUJICHAGULIA (Self-determination)

This day is about creating and living with each others’ unique identities.

Day Three: UJIMA (Collective work and Responsibility)

On the third day, those who celebrate Kwanzaa encourage each other to embrace individual problems as issues that the community can solve.

Day Four: UJAMAA (Cooperative economics)

Ujamaa promotes entrepreneurship that will benefit the community.

Day Five: NIA (Purpose)

People strive to improve the community with their vocational skills.

Day Six: KUUMBA (Creativity)

Kuumba is closely related to Nia. Kwanzaa stresses any creative work that will make the community a better place for present and future generations.

Day Seven: IMANI (Faith)

The last night of Kwanzaa encourages people to believe in each other and the victories won by their ancestors.

Kwanzaa isn’t a religious holiday, so it is not uncommon for a family to celebrate both Christmas and Kwanzaa.

Do you or somebody you know celebrate Kwanzaa? Tell us a little bit about your traditions?

Source: OfficialKwanzaaWebsite.org

Don’t let the excitement of the holiday season make you vulnerable to theft this holiday season. Here are some tips to help you avoid identity theft and protecting your home.

Deter thieves by safeguarding your personal information

○ Make sure you shred any financial documents and paperwork before you throw them out.

○ Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through email or mail unless you know who it is you are working with

○ Don’t carry around your Social Security card or write it on your checks.

○ Keep copies of your receipts when purchasing gifts.

○ Never tell anyone your PIN for the ATM and don’t write it down on your card!

○ To be extra cautious you can always sign up for a credit monitoring service so you can view changes that occur on your credit report.

Protect your home from potential criminals

○ Be cautious about locking the doors and windows to your house. Also don’t forget to lock your garages and sheds.

○ If leaving for an extended period of time, make sure your neighbors have a key to your place and pick up your mail (if you don’t already have it held at the Post Office)

○ Have lights set up to be on automatic timers.

○ Don’t hide spare keys near your door (i.e. under the rug, above the door, under a rock, etc.) Burglars know this trick!

○ And don’t leave descriptive telephone answering machine messages. (Like they did in Home Alone) It just lets whomever (even telemarketers) know that you will not be home for a certain period of time.

Make sure you are safe this holiday season by protecting against identity theft and other holiday crime.

Source: Federal Trade Commission