Community Blog

Germantown and the surrounding area is full of great restaurants and things to do.  Need a little inspiration?  Check out these local attractions:

Germantown Flea Market

On the first Saturday of each month from April to October, the Germantown Flea Market will return to the MARC train station parking lot on Bowman Mill Drive from 8AM to 1PM. Be sure to arrive early for the best selection.

Ridge Road Recreational Dog Park
Take Fido out for some exercise in the half-acre open play area at Ridge Road Recreational Park. It’s a great place to meet fellow dog lovers and other canine companions.

Schaeffer Farm Yellow Trail
Want to explore the great outdoors? Check out Schaeffer Farm, a popular hiking, biking and equestrian destination. The Yellow Trail is an eight-mile loop, the longest of the park’s five trails.

Guapo’s
Once you’ve worked up an appetite, fill up on mouthwatering Tex-Mex food at this delicious neighborhood eatery.

Golden Bull Grand Café
This is another great choice for a delectable meal. Open daily for lunch and dinner, Golden Bull serves traditional continental cuisine made with the very freshest ingredients.

Trendy Thursday Design Tip:

Are you a handy person or need a new look for your headboard? This headboard is designed from pieces of wood to resemble window shutters. It really makes the bed stand out and is easy to do. It’s amazing to see how old bedrooms transform with the help of a few designers. I can’t believe the bedding was only $42. The headboard was under $100. What a steal!

This video was from the HGTV YouTube channel. They’ve always got the best ideas and make it easy for you to redo your space!

Gas prices keep increasing – do you want to save? Dan Shapley gives 5 ways to save money for gas:

1. Public Transportation – not only does this help cut down on pollution, but the public transportation system in the US saves 3.4 billion gallons of gas a year.
2. Carpool helps cut your gas bill in half! Struggling to find a carpool? Try these sites: Divide the Ride, eRideShare, Craigslist.org, and Carpool World.
3. Walk, Bike, or E-Bike- This might  not work for all you and I know the weather is too cold now, but keep in mind every trip to work without the car saves you money on gas and keeps you in shape.
4. Goodbye SUV- Forget your SUV , the gas guzzling days are over and now it’s time to drive a fuel efficient car. See the list of the most fuel efficient cars.
5. No more bad habits- If you’re not willing to get rid of your SUV, at least get rid of the bad habits. Changing your bad driving habits and maintaining a regular vehicle maintenance can improve the fuel economy 20%. This will also reduce the amount of pollution in the air.

Use these tips and you’ll save! Do you have any tips to save on gas  money?

The land from “down under” brought me great joy tonight. I always enjoy trying new wines and tonight I went for a Riesling to compliment my seafood dinner. Pepperwood Grove, a Riesling,  caught my eye with the sleek green bottle from South Eastern Australia. The flavor had a rich fruit taste with strong aromas of apricots and hibiscus blossoms, mixed with pineapples, nectarines, and other delicate items.

Pepperwood Grove is recommend to serve with spicy entrees, seafood, or citrus based salads. I purchased the bottle for under $10 at Publix; I highly recommend you do the same, you’ll be in for a treat!

Remember when your parents taught you the golden rule? The same applies for your pet. It’s important to be courteous of your neighbors when you’re taking your pets out. I agree it’s not fun to clean up after your pet, but it’s your duty as a pet owner.

Keep in mind…

• Your pet’s waste is not a fertilizer
• You should carry a disposable bag (more than one) to clean the mess and seal it up before you throw it away
• Pet’s waste is unhealthy because it can spread parasites and illnesses
• Having a pet on the property is a privilege, and you don’t want to ruin the privilege for your neighbors by not taking responsibility

Residents, this a friendly reminder: please remember to pick up after your pet. Remember that kids play outside, people walk in the grass, and we want to keep the yard clean…

It’s hard to keep up with the best cell phone provider because they are constantly competing with their competitors. One has great customer service, while the other has a better plan. One has faster Internet service, while the other has better coverage. Who wins?

AT&T has been the leader in the smart-phone market, since they are the only provider for Apple’s  iPhone. Lately, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint have slowly been catching up. Each service has their pros and cons, so how do you decide which is the best?

T-Mobile is known for their customer service and great family plans. All Verizon Wireless plans include unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling within its network. Many plans include unlimited calls to or from Friends & Family numbers and unlimited messaging. Sprint offers the new 4G. So many choices… who should I choose?

Which provider do you use and why?

Remember the days when “Friends” was the biggest sitcom on Thursday nights? Watched a few episodes the other night, and remembered how much I loved that show.

Remember the Ross and Rachel saga… One of my favorites is definitely “The One with the Prom Video” or the one where Chandler and Joey play a competitive game with Rachel and Monica for their apartment. I remember how excited I was when Chandler and Monica got together.  This show made me realize how important it is to have friends. You could relate to the characters and have a good laugh. I’ve collected the seasons and continue to re-watch them… it never gets old!

Do you have a group like Friends? What does friends mean to you? Share your favorite episode….

Nations emerged together last Friday night to partake in 2010 Winter Olympics. Vancouver exceeded everyone’s expectations with a beautiful indoor opening ceremony.  David Aktins  used the ceremony to discuss Canada’s history and wanted to “Inspire the World”. A snowboarder jumped through the Olympic rings, Joni Mitchell’s version of “Both Sides Now” played during the tribute to Canada’s prairie provinces, whales and salmons on the big screens were believable, and Wayne Gretskzy lit the Olympic torch.

Team USA takes the lead right now with 8 medals, and Germany falls behind with 5 medals.  Who do you think will win the most medals?

See today’s schedule for Winter Olympics…

Love. A four letter word with so many meanings. What are you doing this weekend?

Here’s a few tips to save some money and inspire the romantic sparks:

• Eat in on Valentine’s Day – with this weather we probably have too!
• Be spontaneous: ice skate, visit the zoo, or go see a  play!
• Bring your own bottle of wine to the restaurant – may have to pay corkage fee, but it’s more personable
• Watch the infamous Chick Flick  for ideas- “When Harry Met Sally”, “Sleepless in Seattle”,  “Love Actually”,  or “An Affair to Remember”

Remember:  “Love life and life will love you back. Love people and they will love you back.” ~Arthur Rubinstein
Happy Valentine’s Day!

The Winter Storm has been a record setter.  I read the “Washington Post” this morning and it’s great to know people are volunteering to help the elderly. With power outages,  meals on wheels being suspended, and people getting stuck – we’re sticking it out!

Remember Community Management Responsibilities

• Clear sidewalks of snow and ice
• Clear stairwells of snow and ice
• Clear breezeways of snow and ice
• Plow and salt roadways through the property

Remember Resident Responsibilities

• Clear snow around and in between vehicles
• Place snow onto grassy areas
• Please do not place snow onto sidewalks, roadways, fire hydrants or other areas that have already been cleared

Stay warm friends!!

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