OUT AND ABOUT IN IDAHO A Year To Remember Looking for something to do after the hurried holiday season is over? The following are a few ideas to start the New Year off with some fun: 1/5-1/7 Camelot - This four-time Tony award winning show comes to the Morrison Center for three shows. 1/8-1/10 Idaho LaughFest – Featuring 70 comedians, 18 shows with 5 venues, there is sure to be something to make everyone giggle. 1/10-1/11 Lewis and Clark Gun Show and the Idaho Fly Fishing Expo at the Expo Idaho - If you hunt or fish, this may be the event for you. 1/30 Momix Remix – This world famous group of dancers/illusionist are at the Morrison Center for a spectacular show. 1/30-2/8 McCall Winter Carnival – Kicking off its 50th year, the carnival includes vendors, a parade, lots of activities, and of course amazing snow sculptures.
KEEPIN’ IT WARM During the winter months it is especially important to keep the heat in your apartment at a minimum of 60 degrees – even if you are going to be gone, whether for the day, on vacation or vacating the apartment. By maintaining the minimum 60 degrees and keeping interior apartment doors open, frozen pipes can be avoided. Additionally, by keeping your apartment at a steady temperature, you will save money on your heating costs.ve
This year, begin a new tradition. Starting this month, each time something good, fun, or exciting happens, write it down on a slip of paper and place it in a decorated jar. On New Year’s Eve next year, empty the jar and read over all of the awesome things that happened throughout the year. It’s a great way to look back on 2015 as you move ahead to the 2016.
RESOLVE TO MAKE IT A GREAT YEAR! A new year. A new start. Making those New Year’s resolutions is the easy part, keeping them is when it becomes difficult. Here are 5 tips to help you stay on track to achieving your goals whether it‘s a fitness goal or any goal for that matter. Start out with something attainable. People often make goals that are either difficult to reach or unrealistic. Doing that makes the chance of failure greater. Write it out and place it where you will see it every day. A constant reminder will help you maintain that drive. Announce it to the public; post it on a social media site. By doing this you become accountable and the chances of giving up actually decrease. Make a plan! Create a step by step plan that will be your map to achieving your goal. Become accepting to change. You set this goal to make a change so do it! Bonus Tip! Be forgiving! If you fall down get right back up and try again. Everyone falters but don’t let that keep you down. Try and try again until you finally reach that goal! Good luck to all of you and a happy New Year!
Lazy Day Beef Barley Soup Winter time is always a good time to make soup. It’s a great way to keep your insides warm, when it’s cold outside. This recipe is easy, filling and can be made in the crock pot. Ingredients: 2 lbs stew meat (nicely marbled) 2 Tbsp. oil 10 cups water 3 rounded tbsp. beef base 3 stalks of celery, chopped 2 onions, chopped 5 cloves of garlic, minced 1 large potato, peeled and shredded 3-4 carrots, peeled and shredded 1 cup barley, rinsed
Directions: Salt and pepper the beef generously. In a large pan, heat the oil to medium-high heat. When it is very hot, add about 1/3 of the meat. Brown for 1-2 minutes and then turn to brown the other side. Remove to a plate when it’s browned on all sides. Repeat with the remaining meat in 2 more batches. (If you brown all the meat at once, it will steam the meat instead of browning it – not what you want. Add two cups of the water to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir up all the browned bits. Add this and the remaining 8 cups of water to the crock pot. Add the beef base, celery, onions, and garlic to the slow cooker and stir. Cook on low for about 6 hours. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook for another hour. Add the barley and simmer for another hour or so until its tender.
Gramercy Villas January Newsletter START THE NEW YEAR WITH PEACE OF MIND
Manager Sue Dominiak
Maintenance Nate McFain Eric Sallee
Porter Chase Borchardt
Office Hours Monday – Friday 12 pm to 6 pm For after-hours emergencies, please call our office phone and follow the instructions below: -Press 0 for an emergency -Press 9 to repeat the menu
The Gramercy Villas leasing office will be closed Thursday, January 1, 2015. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Closures:
START THE NEW YEAR WITH PEACE OF MIND Last month a notice went out regarding the new requirement we have for our residents to acquire Renter’s Insurance. All new residents and currents residents (on renewal) will be required to provide proof of at least $100,000 in Liability Insurance through the duration of their lease. Additionally, we strongly encourage residents to obtain Personal Property Insurance, since you are not covered by our community’s insurance policy. This Renter’s Insurance is important for our residents, as it will help not only cover your visitors if they have an injury accident while in your apartment, but also help you in the event you accidentally (not negligently) cause an event that damages someone else’s belongings on the property. This could be thousands of dollars out of your pocket. In requiring this insurance, we are taking a step in helping all of our residents have peace of mind that their belongings and furnishings could be replaced in the event of something like a fire. Additionally, many Renter’s Insurance Personal Property Policies cover you in the event of burglary. We encourage you to shop around, contact your current insurance provider, and, if you have any questions about Renter’s Insurance, or the E-Renter Plan, offered through the Resident Portal, contact the leasing office.
Make a Plan! Hopefully, you all had a chance to create your Emergency Preparedness Kit that we featured in last month’s safety article. Now it’s time for the next step in becoming a prepared resident: Make a Communication Plan! This involves simply planning in advance how you will stay in touch with household members in an emergency. Your family may not be together when a disaster occurs, so consider a plan where each family member calls or e-mails the same friend or relative in the case of an emergency. It may be easier to call out of town than locally, so be sure to include an out-of- town contact that may be in a better position to communicate with everyone. Be sure each member of your household carries a pre-paid phone card and knows or carries these numbers with them. During an emergency, phone lines may be busy or down altogether, so be sure to be patient. Knowing where everyone is, and that they are safe will be the first step in creating this important plan. Be sure everyone in your home knows the expectations for your communication plan and make certain your emergency contact knows their role in your plan.
Don’t Want To Walk In A Winter Wonderland? While walking around town can be a great form of exercise, it can be uncomfortable and even dangerous in the cold winter months. Valley Ride Transit is a great alternative to walking and this bus service provides transportation to many areas of Meridian and Boise – even Nampa and Caldwell, if you use the Inter-County Routes. Service begins as early as 6:20 am and runs as late as 7:15 pm. For as little as $1 per single ride and monthly passes starting at $18, the transit is a very economical way to travel, as well. They even provide Saturday routes to local fun spots like The Village. Be sure to go to www.valleyride.org for additional information about specific routes and times.