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For the health and well-being of ourselves and others during these unprecedented times, many of us have chosen to dine out less and get takeout more instead. But just because you're not eating out at a restaurant doesn't mean you have to stop enjoying your favorite restaurant fare altogether. Ordering delivery for pickup or takeout is a great way to not only get some variety in your diet but also to help support your fellow Arizonians so that we can all come out of this pandemic strong. Plus, you can make that support fun with the following crafty DIY takeout-menu organizer ideas that will help you keep track of and account for all your favorite restaurants.
DIY Ideas for Organizing Paper Takeout Menus
- Pantry Pockets. Martha Steward made these outstanding "pantry pockets" that are available via Staples but can also be made on your own. Simply go to the school and home organization aisles of your preferred store and purchase similarly designed desktop folders. Then, get a removable adhesive that is safe for your cabinetry, apply it to the back of the folder, and secure the folder inside your cabinetry, or use strong magnets to attach on the side of your fridge. Place the takeout menus inside, and voila!
- Menu Binder. If you prefer things to be less visible, check out this handy guide for a Takeout Menu & Coupon Binder. What's cool about this crafter's guide is that she includes the printable files she used so that you can spend an hour or so creating a gorgeous takeout menu organizer that matches hers without having to worry about not being crafty enough. Or, you could also use the outline as a guide and provide your own personal touch.
On the Hunt for a New Dining Room? Contact Us to See Our Floor Plans
Are you looking for a new Flagstaff apartment where you can comfortably enjoy all your takeout meals? Contact our team today at Country Club Vista to see our gorgeous open layouts and enjoy our proximity to some of the city's best dining!
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Some days, you just want a delicious homemade cookie without having to turn on your oven and heating up your home. For those times, you'll want to make the following 2 no-bake cookie recipes.
No-Oven-Needed Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cookie
Ingredients:
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Directions:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa powder to a medium-sized saucepan.
- Over medium heat, bring the ingredients to a boil for approximately 1 minute, stirring on occasion.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
- Drop mixture in walnut-size spoonfuls onto the lined baking sheet.
- Allow cookies to sit at room temperature until they harden, approximately 30 minutes.
The cookies will now be ready to eat or to be stored in the refrigerator.
No-Bake Chocolate Rice Krispies Cookies
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Rice Krispies or other crisped rice cereal
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 2/3 cups white chocolate cut up into chunks
- 2 2/3 cups dark chocolate
Directions:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Add the cereal, coconut, and white chocolate chunks into a bowl and stir.
- Microwave the dark chocolate in a bowl for approximately 20 seconds, stirring occasionally, until melted.
- Add the melted chocolate to the other ingredients and stir until well mixed.
- Drop tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto the lined baking tray.
- Refrigerate for one hour or more before serving.
Do you love to bake or cook? Then please come and check out our apartments in Flagstaff. The kitchens in our apartments each have a refrigerator, oven, stove, and dishwasher. Plus, each of our apartments comes equipped with an in-home washer and dryer. You'll also find many great amenities in our pet-friendly community. Contact us today to learn more!
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Oh my gourd-ness! Which gourd varieties should you choose this season to embrace the fall weather? Surely, you are familiar with pumpkins and standard ornamentals, but this year might be the time to branch out and explore new types of gorgeous gourds. While we can’t account for particular tastes, the following kinds of gourds are some of the most popular used in autumn for decorating either in bunches, solo, or cornucopia-style.
1. Pumpkin, Meet Apple
While it might seem comparable to mating a Chihuahua with a German Shepard, if you find an apple gourd you’ll immediately be struck by the intense light flecks in the flesh. While this is not an edible variety, the apple gourds are extremely popular for their use in arts and crafts. However, after a few weeks of drying out, the greenish hue will transform into a more appropriate shade of brown or orange.
2. Daisy Gourds
We associate daisies with flowers, but in the gourd scene, this open-pollinated variety simply has an unusual ‘daisy-like’ flower pattern on the stem of the fruit. They come in shades of yellow, green, and orange and are small enough to fit ideally into baskets or serve as complementary decorations around the home. If you choose to keep the stems attached, you can even hang them on a trellis, the patio rail, or a porch arbor.
3. Extra Long Varieties
If you truly want to have a show stopper appearance with your gourd collection, consider adding the long-handled variety, aka ‘dippers’. With a bulbous end and a curved handle, you buy these anywhere between the range of two to three feet in size, so make sure to have ample space for them.
4. Speckled Swan
Add a bit of green to your gourd collection with the fascinating Speckled Swan breed. They can grow up to 8 inches across but have a flat base that allows it to serve as a perfect centerpiece for surrounding with other smaller gourds. However, the sweeping, curved base furthermore establishes elegance, so it’s ideal for a dining table or mantle adornment.
Find an Ideal Apartment in Flagstaff at Country Club Vista
If you are ready to find your perfect home in the Southwest, contact us today to take a virtual tour of our available Flagstaff apartments.
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The fall season is a great time to put your baking skills to use, so you’ll have delicious desserts to savor. The following recipes feature a few of the season’s best flavors.
Crustless Pumpkin Pie
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees, then grease a 9-inch pie pan or plate. Mix pumpkin puree, heavy cream, packed brown sugar, 3 eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, cloves, ground ginger, and nutmeg together in a bowl using a whisk. Pour the pumpkin pie mixture into the pie pan or plate, then make it smooth. Bake the pumpkin pie for about one hour. Let your pumpkin pie cool in the oven for another hour while propping the oven door open slightly. Refrigerate for four hours or more before serving it.
Apple-Cranberry Crisp
Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees, then grease an 8-inch baking dish. Mix sliced apples, white sugar, nutmeg, cranberries, and cinnamon together. Pour this mixture into the baking dish, and spread it evenly. Mix oats, brown sugar, and flour together in a bowl with a fork, then add pecans. Sprinkle this mixture over the apple mixture. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes.
Cinnamon Cake
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees, then mix cinnamon and brown sugar in a bowl. Mix sugar and butter in a separate bowl, then add eggs and beat. In another bowl, mix baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour. Add the dry ingredients and a mix of milk and lemon juice to the creamy mixture. Add vanilla, then mix together. Spoon the batter into a greased 8-inch springform pan, then sprinkle with half of the cinnamon mix. Add another third of the batter, then the rest of the cinnamon mix. Add the rest of the batter, then bake for about one hour.
Try these recipes in the comfort of your own kitchen at our apartments in Flagstaff, AZ. Contact us to find out more about our apartment amenities and floor plans.
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It's always a good idea to work out, even if you're not doing it at the right time. Every time you move your body, you remind yourself of how important it is to use your muscles. But there are some key advantages to developing a routine that works for you. If you live in our apartments in Flagstaff, here are some things to consider when deciding the best time to work out.
Morning Pros
If you're working out in the morning, you're more likely to stick with the routine. This is because you don't give yourself the time to make excuses. However, if you get it out of the way immediately after you wake up and before your shower, it's a simpler activity to check off your list. It's also good for stimulating your metabolism and energy levels throughout the day.
Nighttime Pros
You're more flexible at night than in the morning, which means less strain on your body. If you struggle with injuries, this is definitely something to consider. You might also have more energy compared to right after you roll out of bed. More than that though, exercise provides serious relief after a tough day on the job. If you struggle with stress, it can be easier to work those aggressions out with some high-intensity exercises right after feeling all that build-up.
Final Tips
There are pros to each category, so you need to decide which ones really apply to you. Nighttime exercise may be better for the muscles, but it might also keep you up at night. Morning exercise might boost your energy, or it might make you hate getting out of bed.
Country Club Vista knows that it's not always easy to get in your workout. If you're looking for a new apartment in Flagstaff that will give you the space and energy you need to get moving, give us a call today to learn more.
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Are you looking for a way to spruce up your living space? There are tons of ways to add color and style to your home without spending a lot of money. Here are three easy ways to restyle your walls this summer.
#1: Hang New Curtains
If there’s one thing that can make a huge difference in an apartment, it's window coverings. While you want to continue to keep the basic blinds that came with your place for obvious reasons, hanging curtains is a great way to add a splash of color or a whimsical pattern to your room. Plus, blackout varieties are a great way to keep the inside of your space cooler during those hot summer afternoons.
#2: Create DIY Artwork
Got a lot of time on your hands and want to add a pop of color to your walls? Create your own artwork! Blank canvases and paints are readily available online for delivery right to your apartment door. And there are tons of videos on YouTube to show you how to try out different art techniques, even if you can barely draw a stick figure. This also makes a great project to get kids involved in.
#3: Frame Your Favorite Photos
It’s easy to get in a rut where all you do is take photos on your phone and post them to social media. Instead, consider printing and framing your favorite moments. Create a gallery wall in your living room or bedroom by grouping together frames that have similar characteristics, such as color or size. Not only is this a pretty amazing way to spruce up your space, but it can also literally bring you joy each time you look at it and relive your favorite moments in life.
Ready to make a new home in our Flagstaff apartments at Country Club Vista? Please contact us today to learn more about available floor plans and amenities.
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Are you ready to add a canine companion to your household? If so, there are several factors that you need to consider when searching for a new friend to share your apartment in Flagstaff, AZ. For example, if you have allergies, you may want to consider a low-shedding, hypoallergenic dog, such as a Shih Tzu. Another factor you should consider? A breed's tolerance for the Arizona heat. Although Flagstaff, itself, enjoys relatively moderate summers, the temperature in the surrounding desert areas can be brutal. So, if you plan on taking your dog to areas outside of Flagstaff for exercise or other activities, you should probably avoid selecting one of the following breeds:
French Bulldog
Dogs with flat faces, like the French Bulldog, don't do well in the heat. These type of dogs are known as brachycephalic breeds, meaning they have a number of conformation issues that makes it hard for them to breathe when it gets hot, including a smaller airway and larger tongues. They also have a harder time panting, which is the primary way that dogs cool themselves down.
Greyhounds
This breed does not carry around a lot of body fat and only has one layer of fur, as opposed to some breeds that have double coats. So, greyhounds lack the protective insulation against the sun that many other breeds have.
Alaskan Malamute
This dog was bred to live in very cold climates. So, it's not surprising that it does not tolerate heat well with its thick double coat. Shaving a Malamute is not recommended, as the outer coat actually insulates and protects the dog from the sun's rays.
Are you also searching for a dog-friendly apartment that will accommodate your new canine? Then, check out our pet-friendly apartments in Flagstaff. Our community includes dog park access as well as a variety of excellent amenities for you.
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There's almost nothing as elegant as white or near-white furniture. But it demands a lot of cleaning. Even if you don't have kids or pets, it takes very little dirt to make the most beautiful new sofa look dingy. So here's what to do to clean the furniture in your Flagstaff apartment home:
Cleaning White Furniture
- Start with the vacuum, using your brush attachment. The idea here is to get all the dust off of the surface. Little particles are no big deal on darker colored furniture, but on white furniture, it will be really obvious if you've accidentally scrubbed a bit of lint into the fibers of the upholstery permanently.
- Check the tag. If your furniture has any special requirements, the tag will let you know what to do.
- Learn to identify stains. You want to make sure you know what you're dealing with, as your upholstery may require different methods depending on what you're cleaning.
- Spot-clean regularly, and always try plain water, first. Your upholstery might be fine to clean with a little detergent, soap, or white vinegar, but you generally want to see if plain water will work, and then move on to the harder stuff only when necessary.
- Dish soap is usually safe to use on your upholstery. Again, check the tag. If dish soap is recommended, use cool water. Extreme temperatures may warp the upholstery.
- Follow the grain of the fabric as you wipe the surface down. Don't go in circles or up and down as you might with a bathtub. Stay in one direction.
- Allow your furniture to air-dry after cleaning.
- If you have expensive antique furniture, consider hiring a professional.
The following cleaners tend to be safe for most upholstery surfaces, but check the tag:
- White vinegar
- Rubbing alcohol
- Dish soap
- Baking soda and water
If you're still looking for somewhere to put all that white furniture, get in touch with Country Club Vista to see our available apartments in Flagstaff, AZ.
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There are so many perks to a virtual game night with friends. You still get the benefit of seeing everyone, and you don't have to worry (as much) about what to wear. (And you don't have to worry at all about when to leave so you can avoid traffic.) Here are a few tips to getting everything right.
Pick the Games in Advance
There are so many classic games that can now be played online in our Flagstaff apartments, including time-old favorites like Monopoly and Clue. But there are also emerging games that were created just for people with smartphones. Game sites like Jackbox and Spaceteam make it easy for you to work with each other or compete against one another for maximum fun.
Set a Few Ground Rules
Having a few moderating rules may seem like you're trying to kill the fun, but you're really just setting expectations before you get started. Do you mind if people have snacks while they're playing or will it be too distracting during a timed game? Will you play one round or two before wrapping it up? Organizing people over a virtual space is different than being in person, so these are just ways to prepare ahead of time before chaos ensues.
Read the Room
Some games may seem like a great idea in theory, but in the practice, things can fall off the rails pretty quickly. If everyone's starting to look a little bored at a marathon session of virtual Risk, make sure to pick up on it and have a couple of alternative suggestions in mind to keep the party going.
Our apartments in Flagstaff are ultimately what you make of them. However, if you're looking for a space that cares about your quality of life as much as you do, Country Club Vista may just be the place for you. Contact us today to learn more about our available floor plans or to ask questions about our amenities.
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The cooler days of winter in Arizona are coming to a close, and before summer settles in, you need to get your apartment back into tip-top shape. Spring cleaning doesn't have to mean an all-out frenzied cleaning fest. You can achieve a lot with a bit of decluttering. Take a look at five good decluttering tips for your Flagstaff apartment to get your spring cleaning kicked off just right.
Pick up seven items and find them a home.
It sounds silly, but if you're pressed for time between responsibilities, grabbing just seven items at a time and putting them where they belong can really make a difference from day to day. Articles of clothing, mail packages, grocery bags, dishes, electronics, and anything that is out of place can be grabbed and tucked away bit by bit.
Sort through your mail collection.
You know you have one. It's on top of the fridge, it's on the table, it's in a basket. Your mail collection can accumulate quickly, and it can cause a lot of clutter. Pick an hour to gather it all up, sort it out, and toss what you don't need.
Throw away items you've not found a use for in months.
A table you planned to redo, an old phone, the stack of newspapers you saved—these items could serve a purpose … eventually. However, your sanity in a clutter-free space is far more valuable than extra things.
Pick a closet and work five minutes daily.
That overly stuffed closet is filled to the brim, and cleaning it could take all day. Instead of tackling the entire mess, try setting aside five minutes per day to work on it. Set a timer on your phone, and get started. By the time spring arrives, you can have a clutter-free closet.
Rearrange a room.
Rearranging a room does two things: It gives your apartment a new, fresh look, and it forces you to look at any clutter you've had hanging around. It's fine to pick a small space, but at least do this in one room.
Decluttering doesn't have to be time-consuming, and having a nice place to start with can help. Reach out to us at Country Club Vista to find out about the Flagstaff apartments we have available.
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