We hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day celebrating with the ones you love!
Fun DIYs to Give New Life to Unwanted Household Items
February 12, 2016 by
Instead of tossing out those household items that seemingly have no use anymore, give them new life by repurposing them into something useful. This not only helps you to save a bit of cash, it also helps to reduce your waste production and show a little love to our environment. Here are a few fun DIYs for making over unwanted household items!
- Turn empty condiment bottles into squeeze bottles for dispensing pancake batter. Just make sure you thoroughly clean them out first—no one wants to eat ketchup-flavored pancakes!
- Turn an ornate vintage picture frame into a vanity tray. Simply add a pretty fabric instead of a photo, lie it flat, and fill it with perfume bottles, makeup, and more.
- Clean the fine “hairs” out of corn on the cob by using a dry toothbrush that you don’t use anymore.
- Hang an old rake upside down and use it as a rustic necklace holder.
- Portion toddler snacks perfectly by filling the cubes in an ice cube tray. They are the perfect size for berries, pretzels, cheese cubes, and chocolate candies.
- Purchase a vintage window shutter from a garage sale or thrift store and use it to display important memos, mail, and photographs. Simply clip wooden clothespins along the slats and even add S-shaped hooks for keys.
50 All-Time Favorite New Uses for Old Things [RealSimple]
6 New Uses for Old Things [Country Living]
25 New Ways to Use Your Old Stuff [HGTV]
Flix Brewhouse: Beer, Burgers and First-Run Flicks
February 9, 2016 by
Flix Brewhouse isn't really like any other theater-restaurant hybrid. Each of its locations (there are three throughout Texas) boasts its very own microbrewery in-house. So beers come fresh from the brew room, and you're welcome to sample any of them before deciding on just one. There are nine house-brewed beers available, plus 38 more on tap.
Order one as soon as you sit down in one of the stadium "dining rooms." A server will stroll up to grab your drink request, then step back and let you look over the menu. Pizzas, salads, burgers, and even tacos are offered, not to mention decadent desserts such as bourbon pecan pie and warm peach galettes. Dig into your food and sip your brews while you watch the first-run movie splashed across the screen. Flix Brewhouse enlists the most contemporary technology to ensure crystal clear picture and sound at every screening.
Flix Brewhouse
Hesters Crossing
2200 S. Interstate 35
Round Rock, TX 78681
(512) 244-3549
www.flixbrewhouse.com/round-rock
www.yelp.com/biz/flix-brewhouse-round-rock
Dependable Virtual Destinations for Apartment Decor and Accessories
February 5, 2016 by
It’s no secret that shopping online often yields affordable results, and the same goes if you’re looking for home décor items and accessories for your apartment. Any renter on a budget will love to browse those finishing touches that really make a house a home, and these are some of the best places to find them.
Urban Outfitters
While you may already shop at the trendy clothing retailer for all of your favorite T-shirts, Urban Outfitters also offers a great selection of stylish home goods. From eclectic art prints to colorful duvet covers and even mid-century modern inspired furnishings, you’ll find a number of great items on the convenient website.
Wayfair
If your home décor style is classic with a touch of modern, Wayfair is just the place to shop online. Here you’ll find chevron print area rugs, gold metallic picture frames, and antique-inspired clocks to hang on the wall.
CB2
For those who prefer sleek, minimal décor and bold pops of color, CB2 is a great option. Discover things like low-profile sofas, interesting throw pillows, and industrial bar stools, or browse the limited edition art selection to find affordable pieces from some of the biggest up-and-coming artists in the art world today.
5 Interesting Facts About Frank Sinatra
February 2, 2016 by
Frank Sinatra’s voice made him quite possibly the most popular singer of the 20th century, delivering personal lyrics and irresistible melodies with command and flair. He was a tough guy with a softer side, and American audiences simply couldn’t get enough of Ol' Blue Eyes. Here are some of the most interesting facts about Frank Sinatra.
- Frank Sinatra was so inspired by Bing Crosby that he dropped out of high school to pursue singing as a career. He performed at local nightclubs in the Hoboken, New Jersey, area and even got some air time on the city’s radio stations.
- After noticing his local success, bandleader Tommy Dorsey invited Sinatra to join his band. Sinatra and Dorsey enjoyed two years of hit songs together, but eventually Sinatra quit to pursue a solo career.
- In just three short years between 1943 and 1946, Sinatra released 17 Top 10 singles.
- In addition to his incredible voice, Sinatra was also a talented actor. He made his film debut in 1943 with the movie Higher and Higher, and in 1953 he won an Oscar for From Here to Eternity.
- Though Sinatra was signed to Capitol Records for the beginning of his recording career, he left the label to start his own label, Reprise, in the late 1950s. Warner Bros. bought Reprise, and Sinatra then started his own film production company, Artanis.
Are you a Sinatra fan? Tell us which song by Ol' Blue Eyes is your favorite!
Frank Sinatra [Biography]
Frank Sinatra Biography [Rolling Stone]
About Frank Sinatra [MTV]
Beware of These Three Surprising Sources of High Fructose Corn Syrup
January 29, 2016 by
Avoiding high fructose corn syrup seems like it would be fairly easy if you read your labels and eat a plant-based diet. However, there are still ways in which this artificial sweetener can find its way into the food you eat. Here are three surprising sources of high fructose corn syrup that you might want to avoid:
- Salad dressing. Low-fat or not, many salad dressings contain high fructose corn syrup as a main ingredient. Make your own with oil and vinegar dressing or buy organic to avoid this.
- Honey-roasted peanuts. There are only seven ingredients in this sweet snack, and corn syrup is one of them. Choose raw or oven-roasted nuts instead.
- Ketchup. It might be no surprise that ketchup includes sugar, but some brands contain exceedingly high amounts. Look for all-natural brands or use ketchup sparingly.
Corn Syrup in Unexpected Foods [Huffington Post]
Surprising Products That Contain High Fructose Corn Syrup [Divine Caroline]
(Not So) Sweet: Surprising Foods Containing High Fructose Corn Syrup [Babble]
6 Popular Foods with High-Fructose Corn Syrup [FitDay]
It’s Always Tee Time at Teravista Golf Club in Round Rock
January 29, 2016 by
Teravista Golf Club is one of those unique facilities that has managed to combine a state-of-the-art golf course with breathtaking scenery. In fact, it's not unusual to find golfers pausing from their game for a few minutes to admire the 50-mile vistas that are visible from the hills of this 7,200-yard course. Course amenities include a well-stocked pro shop with everything you need to improve your game, as well as impressive practice facilities, including greenside and fairway bunkers, a chipping green, and the largest practice green in all of Austin.
Individual and group lessons are available for beginners who want to learn the fundamentals of the game, as well as for seasoned players who are looking to perfect their technique. And don't forget the on-site restaurant, which is a convenient place to relax after your game with a burger and a brew.
Tee times start at 7 a.m. and are easy to book online.
Teravista Golf Club
4333 Terra Vista Club Drive
Round Rock, TX 78664
(512) 651-9850
www.teravistagolf.com
www.yelp.com/biz/teravista-golf-club-round-rock
Monkey See Monkey Do!: Off-the-Wall Gifts That Can’t be Imitated
January 26, 2016 by
Whether you love kitschy, quirky trinkets or you know someone else who does, Monkey See Monkey Do! is one of Austin’s most popular gift shops. This wacky store is like a toy store for adults, and it is positively packed full of all of the magnets, action figures, whoopee cushions, and novelty candies that you can imagine. There’s also a number of Austin-themed gifts!
None of these items are particularly useful, but once you spend a while in this silly shop you'll realize that that’s what makes them great. And of course, Monkey See Monkey Do! even carries a vast assortment of—you guessed it—monkey paraphernalia!
Monkey See Monkey Do! is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Monkey See Monkey Do!
1712 S. Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 443-4999
www.facebook.com/MonkeySeeMonkeyDoAustin
www.yelp.com/biz/monkey-see-monkey-do-austin
Free Fitness Class
January 26, 2016 by
Tonight is Spin n Abs at 7:30! Come on down and join the class.
Grand Nail Spa: Buff, Polish and Pamper
January 22, 2016 by
Not all nail salons are created equal, and regulars insist that Pflugerville’s Grand Nail Spa is one of the best in the Austin area. This stylish nail salon features a friendly staff of technicians who are skilled in all of the latest nail trends, and the salon itself is stylish and comfortable. Teal colored walls and modern furnishings create a relaxing environment, and the spacious waiting area is filled with magazines for customers to page through while waiting to get their nails done. Grand Nail Spa even offers complimentary drinks and a candy bar for guests to munch on, and the high-tech massage chairs are completely customizable.
Once it comes time for the manicure or pedicure, Grand Nail Spa buffs away dead skin, then moisturizes and polishes fingers and toes to your specifications. The salon even offers a much larger assortment of shellac polish colors than most salons for those who want to splurge a bit more on their manicure.
Grand Nail Spa is open 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.
Grand Nail Spa
1700 Grand Ave Parkway
Pflugerville, TX 78660
(512) 990-7300
www.grand-nailspa.com
www.yelp.com/biz/grand-nail-spa-pflugerville
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