Get Ready For Good Luck!

In Atlanta we know about great food, and we know yummy food is simple. Complicated dishes are recipes for disaster! Delicious New Year’s Day meals are easy to put together. Don’t forget to include all the fixin’s for good luck! Collards or cabbage, ham, and black eye peas. Because they look like pennies, black eye peas are believed to bring wealth when eaten on New Year’s Day. Some chefs not satisfied with pennies put a dime in the pot AND Atlanta home cooks have their favorite ways to make them!  One popular southern approach to black eye peas is Hoppin’ John.  Bradford Ridge Apartments is excited to share this tasty traditional preparation:

Hoppin’ John Recipe:

Serves 6

Ingredients:                                                               

2 tablespoons butter

1 clove fresh garlic, minced

1 small onion, chopped

1 small red bell pepper, chopped

2 cups black-eye peas, cooked

2 cups cooked rice

Fresh green onion for garnish

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and minced garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add peas and rice and cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Be careful not to overcook; Hoppin’ John is best when the bell pepper and onion still have some crunch to them. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with green onion.

Hotlanta NYE Party Ideas

Watching the giant peach drop in downtown Atlanta is a once in a life time New Year’s Eve experience. Do it once and you’re done! Expensive hotel parties can break the bank and with the holiday hub bub who has time to rent a tux? So why not ring in 2013 with your own celebration at home? No matter your budget or how many square feet you have, these party tips are for you:

• You want people to move around and mingle, so don’t clutter your space with tons of decorations. Save space and money by letting your party favors (i.e. hats, noise makers, boas…) double as decor. Spread them out in the party area for guests to use as they want.
• Breakfast is the most important meal of the day AND it is inexpensive. A midnight brunch buffet is a trendy affordable way to give your friends a late night bite. Danishes, casseroles, fruit salad, and even cold cereal are easy.
• Don’t forget cocktails, keep it simple. Search the internet for one holiday themed cocktail and serve sparkling wine at midnight. Provide mixers like soda, juice, lemons, and limes for guests that might bring something special or that won’t drink. Remind everyone to drink responsibly and have the phone number for a taxi service if you need it.
• People will be kissing at midnight. Have mints available.
• Finally, put together a take home recovery kit for everyone. Pack asprin, bottled water, vitamin C, and maybe a burned CD of your favorite songs from the previous year.

You can entertain from the comfort of your own home or apartment on a small budget and be the toast of the town. Just remember to have fun and be safe.

De-Clutter

              

Junk accumulates in our homes. It’s a simple fact. That is why when you Google “organization” every list of 10 things to-do  is at least 5 ways to throw things out. But sometimes the clutter in your life is the stuff you care for the most. How do you keep the things attached to the memories you love?

1. Store:  The fact is you might love it, but you don’t have a need for it everyday. Collections, gifts, clothing items, art… the list is endless. Properly storing these items under the bed or in a large closet is perfectly fine. A good tip is to purchase matching storage from a popular dealer. This means if your investment is damaged it can be replaced without much effort and you keep the appearance of your home neat. The Container Store has lots of cheap storage solutions. It’s what they do. Be armed with storage options.
2. Rotate:  Once you have some memories put away don’t forget about them. While you don’t need these items everyday you can bring them out of the closet to enjoy. Rotating your collections on display keeps your house fresh for guests too.
3. Corral:  Life is hectic and not everything in a home ends up where it belongs. Put containers in disaster prone areas to corral the clutter. When a container is full return each item to its right home. Trays, baskets, decorative boxes make excellent temporary lodging for hats, gloves, keys, sunglasses and more. The stair basket sold on Amazon.com comes to mind for when you aren’t ready to climb those stairs.
4. Stack:  Floor space is valuable real estate especially in an apartment with a modest floor plan. Having the proper way to use vertical space can safely secure the items you want to keep around for a long time.
5. Reduce:  Only own what you love. No list about organization is complete without at least one suggestion to throw out the junk (see above). Before you make a purchase decide if you really need the item. Do you have one like it in storage? Can you reuse something you all ready purchased? Will you love it forever?

Of course you can always move into a larger space if none of this will do – like the spacious floor plans at Linden Ridge!

Atlanta, a different kinda winter

It’s not the heat that gets you, it’s the humidity we say in Atlanta. All summer long the a/c works overtime keeping the metro area cool and dry. BUT winter in Georgia affords its residents the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors without freezing. It’s a different kinda winter wonderland.

SOUTHEASTERN ANNUAL FLOWER SHOW: Where else but the south can you hold an annual flower show in February? The Southeastern Annual Flower Show celebrates a milestone 25th anniversary in 2013 at Cobb Galleria this time. While the location isn’t downtown the trip from Riverside Townhomes in Austell or anywhere in the metro Atlanta area is well worth it if you love plants in their full bloom beauty and need your winter fix. Contact the Southeastern Horticulture Society for details.

SNOW MOUNTAIN at STONE MOUNTAIN: The weather man says it will be sunny with a high of 55, what do you do? Head over to Stone Mountain Park where they have created a true winter wonderland without the frosty temperature. The entire family can take part in a multitude of snow based activities with areas dedicated for smaller children and kids at a heart. Maybe warm up at SnoFire Point with hot cocoa and s’mores.

ICE SKATING at CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK: What guests don’t find at Sno Mountain is ice skating, but the ATL has you covered. Just $10 gets you time on the ice and skate rentals at Centennial Olympic Park.  Open until January 27th the rink offers student and group discount specials.

Experience warm tropical environments or bust out the winter gear from storage. A different kinda winter awaits you here.

Happy Holidays

Winter is the time of year we move inside to stay warm. And it is when we draw near our friends and family to warm each others’ hearts. Whether you say “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Hanukkah,”  “Festivus for the Rest of Us” or however you express the joy of the season, the JAMCO family of properties sends warm wishes to you and your family this year and next.

Welcome Home to JAMCO Properties!

JAMCO Properties, Inc. features 19 apartment communities in the Metro Atlanta area – we’re confident we have the right apartment home for you! Read more