Posts about Apartment Life

Healthy Eating Tips from Arrive West End

This month the Arrive West End Blog is following up last month’s post about taking advantage of our local Dallas farmer’s markets with a post about healthy eating! You need ideas about how to use all of the produce you got, right? Coupled with exercising, these tips will help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. Clip coupons and shop the deals. It may be easier and quicker to go to a drive thru and get your favorite fast food, but try minimizing it this month by opting in for more natural, fresh foods. You don’t have to go completely organic if you don’t want to spend the money on it, but you can still shop smart by considering how much foods cost per ounce and buying in quantities that save you money. Be sure to check out the ads in the newspapers or online for coupons. You’ll find that it’s much less expensive and more fulfilling than eating out regularly. Replace unhealthy foods with healthy alternatives. Cutting back on processed, sugary, sodium-packed foods will definitely contribute to a better, overall healthier feeling, both physically and mentally. Be sure to eat a source of protein with your meals. Also increase fruits and vegetables and include a variety of grains on your plates. And replace sugary drinks with water! Instead of totally cutting out unhealthy foods, still let yourself enjoy your food so you will actually want to make the effort to eat healthy. There are plenty of easy, delicious, and healthy recipes you can find on Pinterest or elsewhere on the internet. Plan a menu. Make your grocery shopping trips more productive and help yourself focus on buying healthy foods by having a clear idea for the meals you plan to make. This will help you be excited to eat the foods you buy, which will help you actually eat the food before it goes bad — in other words, to actually eat healthy! See this article for more specifics on setting yourself up for success when eating healthy . Give yourself a break. Eating healthy a hundred percent of the time isn’t always easy or fun. Making it a lifestyle rather than a diet can help you make good choices each day without stressing about it. Don’t beat yourself up for not eating as perfectly healthily as it might seem like other people do in case you slip up a couple times. Food is not the enemy, your journey to a healthy life isn’t a competition with anyone else’s, and you can enjoy it! Remember how in control you are to stay on the right track. What tips do you find helpful to eating healthy? Share with the rest of our Texas apartment community by leaving a comment. Thanks for reading. Good luck, and have fun crafting your menus!

Eight Ways a Farmers' Market Can Benefit You

It’s August, and that means it is the perfect time to shop for fresh fruits and vegetables at our local farmers’ market. Today the Arrive West End Blog brings you some great reasons to shop fresh and get things from the field to the table in your apartment in short order. Top Eight Reasons for Shopping at Farmers’ Markets (based off of Nutrition.gov’s reasons for shopping at a farmers' market ) 1. Recently picked fruits and vegetables are at their peak for flavor and nutrition. 2. By supporting a farmers’ market, you are supporting local farmers and the local economy. 3. Can you say antioxidants and phytonutrients? Fresh fruits are chock full of them. (Don’t know what that means? Find out more about the facts of antioxidants .) 4. Strengthen your Texas community by supporting and talking with your local farmers. Learn how your food is grown and visit with neighbors and friends at your local market. Make new friends! 5. Farmers’ markets are a good source for getting foods that fit into My Plate guidelines. To find out more about this topic, spend some time at Choose My Plate . 6. Farmers and other vendors like to talk about their products, and chances are they have good suggestions about how to use them, too. Just ask if you need cooking tips. 7. With so many different varieties available at a market, you have the opportunity to try something new to you. Go ahead! It’s fun! 8. Farmers’ markets are waiting to be discovered. Chances are there’s one near you. Check out the Dallas Farmers Market or use this handy tool to find out where to go. Our favorite thing to do with our fresh finds is to cook! Check Pinterest for a nutritious recipe featuring whatever foods you pick up. Where is your favorite local market? Do you want to share a favorite recipe? We would love your feedback, so use the comments section to share your tips.

Keeping Your Cool When the Mercury Rises

The dog days of summer are upon us! How do you stay cool when the mercury is rising? You may have no problem staying cool inside your air-conditioned Arrive West End apartment, but when you’re out and about in Dallas, the Texas heat is a force to be reckoned with. Follow our tips to keep your cool when the temperatures climb this July. Hydrate. When it gets hot outside, hydration is your number one way to combat the heat. Carry a reusable water bottle with you and drink water all day long. Seek out the shade. There can be a discernible drop of temperature between sunny and shaded areas, so seek out the shade when you’re outdoors. Find open green space. Avoid large areas of cement and asphalt which retain summer heat. Spend time in tree-studded green spaces when you’re outdoors when you can. Dress to be cool. Choose loose-fitting, light-colored, lightweight clothing to help you stay cool. Natural fabrics that breathe let the heat out; think cotton and linen, and stay away from synthetics. Wickaway fabrics, the kind of clothing usually worn when exercising is a good choice. Wear a hat. It’s amazing what a little shade can do to keep you cool. A hat or an umbrella is a good way to keep the sun’s rays away. Avoid getting a sunburn on your face Jump in the pool. Swimming is a refreshing way to stay and exercise at the same time. Just be sure to wear sunscreen to avoid getting burned. Eat right. Avoid heavy foods and opt for foods high in water content; fruits, salads, and soups are all good ideas. Foods can also be a great source of water to keep you hydrated and avoid headaches from the heat. What are your favorite ways to stay cool when you need to be out and about in the summer months? Please share with our apartment community in the comments! Thanks for checking out our blog post today.

Conquering Laundry Day at West End

At Arrive West End, we are pleased to provide a wonderful array of amenities for our apartment community, including in-apartment, full size washers and dryers. Gone are the days of driving all over Dallas, TX looking for an open, clean, affordable laundromat to do laundry! Today we have some tips to help laundry day go more smoothly. Pre-treat your items. This is a given, but it’s easy to dismiss as unimportant. But you don’t have to bear with a stain staying around on a forever-ruined piece of clothing if you treat the stain as soon as possible. First, remove the foreign substance. Then wipe or dab at the stain with a cloth soaked in cold water. Then wash with soap or a stain remover, including an option from this Stain Solutions Guide . Load strategically. Keep your things sorted by sorting as you go, day by day, and washing according to the directions on the tags. Make it easier to remember what goes together by keeping a whiteboard by your washer. As you load, make notes of anything that can’t go in the dryer so it’s easier to pull the items out when you switch loads. Use mesh bags. We all know the struggle of losing socks. Avoid the problem entirely by collecting your socks in a mesh bag (one per person you’re doing laundry for, if you’re doing it for others besides yourself) and tossing the bag in the washer when it’s full. You can also use mesh bags for holding other miscellaneous items, such as stuffed animals. Do laundry more frequently. Sometimes the pile of dirty clothes is so overwhelming that it makes laundry day a nightmare. Dividing up the laundry during the week can make laundry day less stressful and much faster. If you’re having trouble getting all of your laundry done, try mixing up your routine by spreading out the chore throughout the week. You might be surprised by the result. What other tips do you have for making laundry less stressful? Share your ideas with the rest of us by leaving a comment below.

Spruce Up Your Arrive West End Balcony or Patio for Spring

Standing under the balcony voicing your undying love may not be your style, but Romeo and Juliet have nothing over you when it comes to using your private balcony or patio at Arrive West End. Our balconies and patios are just one of the amenities we provide for members of our apartment community. In today’s post we have ideas about how to make the best use of the space. Besides taking a few minutes out for a relaxing drink after work, your balcony can be an oasis amid the Texas sunshine. Spruce Up Your Arrive West End Balcony or Patio — Comfortable seating is a must. Choose something that reflects your personality. A couple of deck chairs, a glider rocker, a wicker seat, or some repurposed furniture piled high with colorful cushions can do the trick. Be creative and choose something you love. — Add plants. Greenery intensifies the feeling of being outdoors, and if placed strategically, plants can also screen balconies or patios, adding a touch of privacy. — Add color. Colors can affect our mood. Depending on the colors you use, your balcony or patio may be high or low in energy. Fabrics, flowers, and objects can have a dual function to add both color and texture. Textures can also be added by using braided rugs, bamboo shades, or wicker furniture. Adding cushions is an easy way to add splashes of color and texture to your seating area. — Decorate. Use the wall of your balcony or patio to display items you wouldn’t necessarily hang inside. How about a kite collection to add a splash of color, or your favorite fishing rod and net for a bit of texture and an aspect of storytelling? Colorful tapestries to create a focal point on a balcony wall, too. Add a string of lights to create ambiance for evening enjoyment on your patio. Balconies are of course the perfect place to steal a kiss! So turn your balcony into an inviting place where you can share a moment with that special someone — or barring that, a place to enjoy a drink and a book in privacy. We hope you enjoy these and any other ideas you come up with this month. Thanks for reading today’s post.

Celebrating the Month of March at Arrive West End

The Arrive West End Blog is ready to welcome the month of March; not only is it officially spring, here in Dallas, TX according to the calendar, it is also a month with several celebrations coming up including Johnny Appleseed Day (3/11), Pi Day (3/14), the Ides of March (3/15) and of course, St. Patrick’s Day (3/17). It’s a week full of activity and we’ve got some ideas to help you make the most of it. Johnny Appleseed Day Choose the day you want to celebrate, March 11th or Sept. 26th. It’s a toss-up according to those who care; some call for celebration on his birth date, Sept. 26th, and some on his alleged death date, March 11th. John Chapman was the real-life Johnny Appleseed who lived in the American Midwest. He was an eccentric frontier man who made it his life’s work to establish orchards throughout the area and some are still around today. Whichever day you celebrate, raise a glass of apple cider in his honor. Pi Day 3.14 is, of course, the truncated number π. It is the mathematical constant, the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, which is approximately equal to 3.14159, which goes on to infinity and beyond. We take the first three digits, 3.14, and read them as a date: Pi Day, March 14th. We suggest celebrating with a slice of pie, and to help you out, we found this site with fifty! Yes, fifty types of pies . That’s enough pie recipes for a party at your apartment! The Ides of March Watch Julius Caesar, wherein the phrase, “Beware the Ides of March” became famous, immortalizing the assassination of Caesar on March 15th. There are a variety of movie versions to choose from. Learn more about the history of the Ides of March from History.com. St. Patrick’s Day The Patron Saint of Ireland, St. Patrick was an Englishman, and you’d be hard-pressed to find green beer in an Irish pub — a couple of interesting facts about the holiday. Check out this History.com article to learn the history behind this widely celebrated Irish/American holiday which includes turning the White House fountain green. What holidays are you celebrating this month? Do you have any special recipes or activities planned? Share in the comments so we can all learn more ways to celebrate March. Thanks for reading today’s blog post.