No more damp uniforms!

Have you ever been in a hurry to dry a piece of clothing?  Maybe its your favorite shirt that you want to wear to an event that you’re running late for.  Or maybe even its the kids little league uniform that you just realized wasn’t taken out of the washer as you were running out of the apartment to get to the game in 20 minutes.  Well, follow this tip and maybe junior won’t have to wear a damp uniform the next time he takes the field!

And if the tip doesn’t help, you should at least find the actress and her fake southern accent to be hilarious!

Save money by raising your renter’s insurance deductible

Do you currently carry renter’s insurance?  Vista Ridge Apartments strongly advises their residents to get a policy.  It’s really not as expensive as you may think.  In fact, you can save money on your policy in quite a few ways.  Here is one in an article I found about saving money on renter’s insurance.  Check out this video too.

Deductible: Raising your renter’s insurance deductible can lead to substantial savings. Furthermore, it is best to have a large deductible to prevent you from using your renter’s insurance for small claims since many renter’s insurance companies are now adding a surcharge to as little as one claim, and surcharges can range anywhere from 10-85% depending on how many claims you file during a given time period.

Free decorating class at Pottery Barn, July 25

Leon Springs Business Association Mixer

The Leon Springs Business Association Mixer at Vista Ridge was a success! Thank you to all who came out!

3 Tips for Looking Better in Photos

Hey Vista Ridge, my friend Ashley recently wrote this blog about taking good photos. Thought I’d share it with you all!

One thing that Facebook has taught so many of us is that we don’t necessarily take the most flattering photos. Sure, we’ve all got the up-close profile picture down, but what about a full body shot? I was hanging out with some old friends of mine the other day and we snapped a few photos, and in every picture taken from over 4 feet away we looked terrible. The shots looked like they were from a police lineup.

With many years ahead of miscellaneous snapshots hitting the web ahead of me, I decided to do a little research on how to take a good picture. Here are a few tips that I found…t the waist. So I found a couple of tips for when you have your picture taken and

1. It’s all about position and posture. Don’t take a picture standing, full-frontal, facing the camera. You never see celebrities do this. You know why? It makes you look wide. When most celebrities take photos, they always stand slightly turned with her head tilted over her shoulder and looking at the camera showcasing that beautifully sculpted upper body.
2. Practice a good angle in the front of the mirror and keep it in mind when you have your picture taken.  You don’t have to stand with your feel side-by-side either.You can put one foot in front of the other and slightly turn it out to set your hips at a more flattering angle.
3. Don’t slouch. You want your shoulders directly over your ribs, your ribs on top of your hips, and your hips on top of your knees. It is ok to angle your body but don’t take up multiple planes.

Why a Kitten Makes a Great Pet

Anyone in the market for a kitten?  If you’ve never had one, cats make great pets! While they are very social creatures, most cats don’t follow you around waiting on your attention like their canine counterparts. While they do love their owners and are very loyal, cats will not worship their owners like dogs.  They are extremely independent yet easy to train.  I had a cat growing up named Lucky and no matter how bad a day was, she always would be joy to have around.

If you’re interested, the Animal Defense League of Texas ( 11300 Nacogdoches Rd., 78217) has an abundance of kittens that they desperately need to find owners for.  According to the Express-News, “there’s a wide variety available. Short fur, long fur, tortoiseshell, tabby — no matter what kind or color of kitty sounds appealing, it’s probably among the scads that are purring at the shelter right now.”

The ADL is open from 10 am – 6 pm. Adoption applications are accepted until 5:30 p.m. The fee for kittens less than 4 months old is $30 per cat. Those 4 months or older cost $25. The cost includes spaying/neutering and essential vaccinations.

3 Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe Around Water

Now is the time of year when swimming pools everywhere, including Vista Ridge, are opening up for summer fun.  But with great fun comes great responsibility, ESPECIALLY if you have young kids that you would like to cool off in the pool on a hot day.

I was just on one of my favorite websites, QuickAndDirtyTips.com, and came across some sensible advice to remember when taking your children near water.

Talk with your children about the dangers of water. It can be a challenging conversation because you don’t want them to be afraid of the water, but you do want them to know that it can be dangerous if they don’t follow the safety rules. Give them a quick checklist if it helps them remember. You can have them remember these three simple rules:

1. Do not play or run near the water.
2. Ask permission from an adult before going in or around a pool.
3. If you see another child near or in the water without a grown-up, tell an adult right away.

Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable summe.  See you around at the pool!

Vista Ridge Hawaiian Luau/Pool Party

Ever been to a luau before?  A luau is a Hawaiian feast or party that usually features lots of great food.  Well, get your flower print shirts and sunglasses ready, folks!

All Vista Ridge residents are cordially invited to celebrate summer fun and sun at our 1st annual…

Vista Ridge Hawaiian Luau/Pool Party

Saturday, May 22, 2010

1:00 pm until 5:00 pm

You won’t want to miss out!  We’ll have tapas from Tiago’s Cabo Grill along with other refreshments and ice cream.  BYOB.  We will also have a “Beach in a Bag” raffle, so make sure you get entered!

Sign those credit cards!

Unsigned cards are not valid and merchants can and will refuse them.  You might think that everyone knows that you have to sign your credit card in order for it to be valid – after all – there’s a panel on the back that says “Not Valid Unless Signed,” but you’d be shocked at the number of angry emails we get from people who have tried to use an unsigned credit card with “SEE ID” or “CHECK ID” written on it and were turned away when they refused to sign their card.

Here’s what VISA says should happen when you present an unsigned card:

1) The merchant will ask for your government ID.
2) You will be asked to sign the card. If you sign it, the signature on the card will be compared to the signature on the government ID. If you refuse, the card will not be accepted.

Did you find this advice helpful?  If so, check out more little-known credit card tips in this article titled 10 Things You Might Not Know About Your Credit Card.  If you have any credit card advice or tips that you’d like to share with the community, be sure to leave a comment!

Final Fogelman Four (or Five)

Hey Fogelman folks…the 2010 NCAA Basketball Tournament is wrapping up this weekend and if you’ve been following, you know that it has been ripe with upsets. As for the Fogelman Bracket Challenge, it’s still too close to call. There are numerous scenarios that can play out, each one resulting in a different winner.

Here is what we know…

• If Duke wins, Richard Call from Stewarts Ferry in Nashville, TN will be your 2010 Champion. Way to go, Richard! But don’t count your cookies yet…
• If West Virginia wins, then Jon Hawks will take the crown. I’m a Big East Conference fan, so I must admit that I’m in Jon’s corner. Jon, we’re not sure which apartment community you’re representing so if you’re reading this, make sure you drop us a note.
• If Michigan State wins the tournament, then Amanda Hill will be our official champion. However, because she is not officially a Fogelman property resident, she is disqualified from collecting any prize. Any prize would go to the first runner-up that is actually a resident. Sorry, Amanda. Maybe you should consider moving to a Fogelman community J
• And if Butler wins, well, here’s where it gets a little tricky. Because no one gave them a fighting chance at the beginning of the tournament, there is no clear cut winner at this point. It all depends on who they play in the Championship. If Butler defeats West Virginia in the title game, then Janelle Crandall from Metro 67 in Memphis, TN will walk away with the prize. If Butler defeats Duke, the title goes to Dani Soto from Hampton Woods in Shawnee, KS.

Good luck to each of the finalists! Don’t forget to tune into CBS to watch the tournament semifinals tonight starting at 6pm, and then the Championship game on Monday, April 5 at 8pm.

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