Blog Posts

Creative Hot Dog Recipes

Few things are as ripe with summer imagery as grabbing a hot dog or grilling one up yourself with friends and family. Whether you’re at a baseball game, at a picnic, or just cooling off in your apartment at the end of a long day, hot dogs are a classic way to go. So it only makes sense that The Block Townhomes is highlighting hot dogs this month. Below, we highlight a few recipes you can use when you want to chow down on the best dogs around. Kimchi Hot Dogs Kimchi usually takes time to age if you’re making it from scratch, but this recipe pulls from a ready-to-go kimchi for its relish. Matched with a bit of honey and rice vinegar and Korean hot mustard and your hot dogs will go from boring to talk of the town in no time. The prep time and cook time combine to be about fifteen minutes, and this recipe serves four. BLT Hot Dogs There’s not much more of a summer classic than crispy bacon, freshly cut lettuce, and thinly diced tomatoes with a layer of mayo on a sandwich. Unless, of course, you take that and add it all to a hot dog. And just sticking with regular mayo is too easy — the creamy caraway pickled mayo dressing on top is to die for, in our opinion. While this recipe takes about a half hour to make, we promise it’s worth the effort. Of course, you can always head to the park here in Starkville, MA and grill your own version of brats or burgers yourself (try a little celery salt added to your hot dog relish). If you’re using a charcoal grill we’ve got tips about How to Grill Perfect Hot Dogs and Burgers . If you’ve been looking for a portable grill, we recommend checking out these reviews from the BBQGuys . However you cook it, enjoy a hot dog this summer! Thanks for reading today’s post.

Laundry Day Tips

One of the perks of living at The Block Townhomes is having a full-size washer and dryer in your apartment — just one of the amenities we provide for our apartment community. Even though laundry is never ending, it’s a great convenience to be able to simply take care of laundry in your apartment, rather than driving all over Starkville trying to find a laundromat. Today we have some tips to help you achieve the whitest, brightest wash ever. Stain Treatment Print out a basic stain removal guide and hang it by your washer; that way you will have the solution you need for stains where you need it, when you need it. For a more in-depth stain removal information for all types of stains refer to this Stain Solutions Guide . Go white. Use all white towels for the bathroom. They can be washed as one load, and when necessary, they can be bleached. Another solution for dingy whites is to soak them in a solution of water and baking soda (add ¾ cup to a gallon of water) for several hours and then wash as usual. Washing and Drying Lifehacker points out the importance of checking your clothes' tags before you start washing. This will help you determine just how to wash each load. You can also sort your laundry by tag. Which laundry needs to be washed in cold water? Warm water? Does an item need to be hand washed or dry cleaned? Washing your clothing correctly will help it last longer. To keep dark colors from fading, wash them inside out. Be sure to zip zippers and fasten buttons so they don’t catch on other items during the washing or drying cycle. Other Tips There are also a lot of ways to save money while doing laundry. Dukes and Duchesses has some great cleaning tips and homemade laundry detergent ideas you can try this month. The post features a recipe for detergent and a handy infographic for washing your clothes the right way! Put an adjustable spring-load rod above the washer and dryer area to create a place to hang clothes as they come out of the dryer. What are your tips for getting the laundry taken care of in a timely manner? Let us know in the comments, and with the extra time you save, head on outdoors and enjoy the spring weather here in Massachusetts!

Best Bedding Ideas

Welcome back to the Apartments at Los Carneros blog. This is a space where we are going to share with our readers all of the best apartment living tips and tricks. Each month we will provide blog posts with things like recipes or local hotspots in the Goleta, CA area. Our last post was all about hosting a great movie night in your home. Today we are excited to share some ideas for decorating your bedroom here at The Apartments at Los Carneros. For great sheets, we like Serena And Lily. They are definitely an investment item but you’ll be happy with your choice. This French Ring design is a classic and comes in lots of different colors to match your existing decor. Another great option is this sheet set from Nordstrom. Try to purchase multiple sets of sheets that way they can be rotated while washing. A great pillow can really make a difference in your quality of sleep. Some chiropractors also recommend a good pillow for those who have back pain. Try this Tempur-Pedic one from Houzz. While a high end mattress really helps sleep quality, some aren’t able to make that investment. This gel mattress pad does a great job supporting your entire body while you sleep. This can help you wake up more rested and feeling energized. Try this one from Home Depot. The perfect addition to any bedroom wall is an item that really speaks to your personal style. Whether that be a framed quote, a picture of loved ones, or a dream catcher choose something that you love and will want to look at every time you enter your room. For some unique home decor, we love Roolee boutique. Check out their website right here for items like pillows and letter boards. Thanks for reading! Check back next month for more great content like this.

Movie Night

Welcome back to the Apartments at Los Carneros Blog. This month we are excited to share some ideas for hosting a movie night in your apartment here in Goleta, CA. Heading to the theater to see a movie can really be expensive, and sometimes it’s a little more fun to host your friends in your own home. Skip the lines and crowds and watch a movie on your own couch with people you love! This month, there are some great movies coming out on DVD that you can watch at your movie night. Find them below. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story — Former scientist Galen Erso lives on a farm with his wife and young daughter Jyn. His peaceful existence comes crashing down when the evil Orson Krennic takes him away from his beloved family. Many years later, Galen is now the Empire's lead engineer for the most powerful weapon in the galaxy, the Death Star. Knowing that her father holds the key to its destruction, a vengeful Jyn joins forces with a spy and other resistance fighters to steal the space station's plans for the Rebel Alliance. Lion — Five year old Saroo gets lost on a train which takes him thousands of miles across India, away from home and family. Saroo must learn to survive alone in Kolkata, before ultimately being adopted by an Australian couple. Twenty-five years later, armed with only a handful of memories, his unwavering determination, and a revolutionary technology known as Google Earth, he sets out to find his lost family and finally return to his first home. Split — Though Kevin (James McAvoy) has evidenced 23 personalities to his trusted psychiatrist, Dr. Fletcher (Betty Buckley), there remains one still submerged who is set to materialize and dominate all of the others. Compelled to abduct three teenage girls led by the willful, observant Casey, Kevin reaches a war for survival among all of those contained within him — as well as everyone around him — as the walls between his compartments shatter.

Weekend Activities

Starkville has a ton of local events and activities for you to try. Mix up your typical weekend routine with a new activity outside of your apartment at The Block Townhomes! You don’t even have to spend a fortune to have a good time. Invite some friends and make some memories together this weekend! Recreational activities are a fun way to spend your weekend and you get some exercise while you’re at it. Located right here in Starkville is the Joe Frank Sanderson Center . Programs include aquatics, group fitness, and intramural sports. The site says “The Bulldog Disc Golf Park opened in June 2005 and features 18 challenging holes. The park is located between Herbert Hall and the University Commons apartments. The park is the home of the MSU Disc Dawgs sport club.” For fishing, check out Chadwick Lake: “Located next to the Joe Frank Sanderson Center is the beautiful Chadwick Lake. This scenic lake is great for relaxing after a tough day of classes or wasting time while waiting for an athletic event to start. Many people come to the lake to catch bass, crappie, and catfish. Others bring pets and let them take a swim or just run wild. A walkway surrounds the southern end of the lake to allow for fishing or sightseeing.” The Rec Plex is another place for softball, soccer, and other field sports. “The RecPlex is a state-of-the-art multipurpose field complex. It features four lighted softball fields; a control building containing restrooms, equipment storage, a first-aid room, and concession stand; a maintenance building with office space and locker facilities for officials; two lighted multi-purpose fields for playing soccer, flag football, rugby, lacrosse and other competition; and a restroom building located adjacent to the multi-purpose fields. The RecPlex also features underground sprinklers on all fields; softball fields with Crimson Stone® infields and Mississippi Choice® turf. The RecPlex is accessible to persons with disabilities.” These facilities are available to everyone in the community. Some require a reservation. Go to the website for more information with regards to their policies.

Get a Better Night's Sleep

As a student, your time is precious! Between classes, studying, homework, and a social life getting the right amount of sleep each night might seem impossible. It is suggested that we get around 8 hours of sleep. Being well rested will help you feel energized and more able to focus on your classes and school work. Sacrificing some of your social life (or precious Netflix shows) will really pay off. Getting more sleep might take a little bit of planning. To fit in a few more minutes in the mornings, set out your clothes the night before and pack your lunch. This way you can free up some time in the mornings to ensure you’re getting more rest. Use an alarm. Not just in the morning — you can use one at night too. Decide what time you need to start your bedtime routine and notify yourself each night that it’s time to wrap up game night and head to bed. Also, try to avoid TV or Computer screens around an hour before bed. This will help your mind and eyes wind down and relax in preparation for sleep. Speaking of your night routine, try implementing a few calming exercises and practices. Lavender scented candles or sheet spray can help calm you. Drinking warm water with lemon or a cup of chamomile tea also can help too. Make sure you have a quality pillow and mattress pad. These things will help enhance the quality of sleep you do get. There are also some smartphone apps which will help you track your sleep each night. Some can even be programmed to wake you up at the time which will make you feel most rested and awake. Implementing a calming night routine and getting adequate sleep will help you in a lot of areas of your life. You’ll be able to focus better and spend time accomplishing things during the day instead of napping. Thanks for reading The Block Townhomes Blog! We hope that you have a great month here in Starkville, MS!