Holiday Happy Hour and tons of Toys!

Whew, it's been a busy few weeks at Gazebo! Thank you so much to all our residents who came to the Holiday Happy Hour to celebrate with your neighbors before everyone gets into the hectic holiday groove! We may have finished off all the vodka, but there's still some *shots* from the party you can see below :).

We had so much fun with everybody

* spreading cheer and sipping on spirits *

 

(including this awesome concoction Dee created:)

Holiday Pomegranate Lemonade

 

Base Mix:

4 cups of Pomegranate Juice, chilled
2 bottles of club soda, chilled
1 can of Frozen Lemonade concentrate, thawed
Pomegranate arils and lemons, optional
Mix ingredients and serve with one of the following options

For the Family- Prepare base mix and top stir in 2 cups of chilled Sprite or Ginger Ale. Serve immediately.

For a Bubbly Beverage- Prepare base mix and stir in one bottle of Sparkling Wine, chilled. Serve immediately.

For a Holiday Cocktail- Prepare base mix and stir in 8-12 oz. of chilled Vodka, to taste. Serve immediately.

 

*we used vodka in some, champagne in some... and both in a couple :) (which was suprisingly delish)

 

and Here's the shots, as promised :)

 

 

 

We had a blast and collected TONS of toys to donate to kids in the "Forgotten Angels" program. The toys will be given to members of the Angel Tree program that weren't adopted:

"The Salvation Army Nashville Area Command has partnered with Daily’s Convenience Stores, LAMAR Advertising,

to bring our Holiday Angel Tree Assistance program a Forgotten Angels Shop. With over 17,000 “angels” in need

of assistance this year, not all of the “angels” will be adopted. To ensure that each special angel receives Christmas

assistance, we have developed a forgotten angels shop were we store generic toys, clothing and items. When a parent

comes to pick up their gifts and one of their children were not adopted, we send our volunteers to shop in our

Forgotten Angel Shop."

You can read more about this sweet program here.

 



HAPPY HOLIDAYS YA'LL!!

Be safe, and we'll see everyone back home here at Gazebo soon!

Gifting Nightmares!

The holidays are awesome, but shopping for them can be a downright NIGHTMARE. For those of you brave enough to face the Black Friday crowds and are happily and peacefully tying the final boys on your presents at home right now... cheers to you! (I secretly am super jealous and resentful). The rest of us are panicking up until the last minute to pick out everyone's gifts, only to find out that everything is out of stock everywhere. While looking for cool gift ideas I found this article on BuzzFeed that pretty much sums up my shopping life right now... can anyone else relate to this?
 
"The 13 Most Frustrating People to Buy Gifts for at Christmas"

1. The person who “doesn’t need anything.”

Of course they don’t need anything, but that’s the point of Christmas, isn’t it? Buying people things they don’t need but want? These people are usually your parents and will probably just say, “All I want for for Christmas is to be healthy and know you are happy.” Bleh. Buy them a Roku instead.

2. The person who “already has everything.

Much like the person who doesn’t need anything, these people are frustrating because you are up against a wall when trying to find out what they don’t have. Cool iPhone case? They have four. Nice pair of gloves? “Just bought some, sorry.” Buy them a bottle of booze and call it a day. Actually, buy two and keep one for yourself.

3. The person who wants a very specific gift(s).

 

Actual text from my sister of what she wants for Christmas. She is getting a candle.

4. The co-worker you got as a Secret Santa.

You’ve talked to them twice. All you know about them is that they breathe, and every once in a while they mention that they eat. Buy them a goldfish, because then at least when you see them, you can say, “Hey, how’s that goldfish? Still alive?”

*Fortunately, not a problem in the Gazebo office, ‘cause we all rock and love each other! J

5. The cool person who intimidates you with their coolness.

Your only hope is that they think your present isn’t lame, and maybe even like it. Buy them wrapping paper and say, “LOL. Get it?” as you run away in fear from of their hipster judgement.

6. The small person who was recently expunged from your friend’s body, aka a “baby.”

Are you obligated to buy them something or not? Plus, what can a baby possibly want? Buy them a bag of straws, because what the heck do they know, right?

7. The person who hates Christmas.

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These Debbie Downers are the first to complain about capitalism/consumerism/haterism and the first to get all hurt when they aren’t included in Christmas festivities. Buy them a sense of humor. JK! Buy them some socks.

8. The relative you haven’t seen for who knows how long.

How are they related to you again? Know what? Who cares? They’re coming over on Christmas Eve, so you better have a present for them. Buy them a red hat so that you can easily identify them at dinner.

9. The person who looooves Christmas.

 They love this time of year. So, the pressure to not disappoint them is almost unbearable. Buy them a snow globe. Or an ornament. Or one of those little ceramic houses that light up. Really, anything Christmas related will suffice.

10. The person who allows you to afford presents, aka your boss.

Wait, do they even celebrate Christmas? Shit. Is it more offensive that you don’t know or if you just say, “Happy Holidays!” as you creep out of the office without giving them a gift? Buy them a World’s Greatest Boss mug with a picture of Bruce Springsteen on it just to be on the safe side.

 

11. The parents. All of them.

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Whether it’s your parents or your significant other’s, parents are some of the hardest people to shop for (especially grandparents). What do they like? Taffy? Buy them taffy.

12. The person who surprised you with a gift.

It never fails: You’re at a Christmas party and one of your friends says, “I got you a little something. Merry Christmas!” You then mumble something about forgetting theirs at home, and are now forced to give them a gift the next time you see them. Buy them a bell that they can wear around their neck so that you can hear them coming next time.

13. The significant other who swears they will “stick to the budget, honest.”

You have both made it crystal clear that you will spend no more on each other than the amount you both have set. However, if history repeats itself, you will stick to the budget and they will go over it, getting you something amazing and making you look like a cheapskate. Buy them a karaoke machine, and sing “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet.” Then literally drop the mic.

Gave me a good chuckle (and summed up my gift buying experiences pretty darn well!)!

What's topping your wish list this year?

Do share... we all need some gift inspiration this time of year!!

 

Craft Brews and Kegs and Cans... oh my!

Thank you so much to all of our awesome residents that came out to party with us last night at

Cans for Kegs!

 

We collected TONS of canned goods to donate to Second Harvest and had a blast doing it! Staying true to our roots and love of all things local (because Nashville's pretty much the greatest place to live ever), the serious buzz beer came from local Nashville breweries and we definitely got turnt up found some new favorites to try out this fall. You have GOT to go try out some of their selections (and have fun touring the breweries while you’re there). Special Shoutouts to Tennessee Brew Works and Craft Brewed for donating super soft t-shirts and a couple growlers for us to pass along to our residents (holler)!

 

The kegs came from Craft Brewed, an awesome one-stop-shop voted “Best Craft Beer Retailer” by the Nashville Scene.

“As the desire for a good craft beer grows in Music City, Craft Brewed offers a new option for beer lovers. We specialize in unique, rare, and local craft beers; with both bottles and 21 offerings on draft. With on-and off-premise consumption offered, one has the unique experience to taste before committing to a 64 ounce growler fill. You can also stick around and enjoy a pint or two. Where else can you drink a beer while you shop for beer? In addition to a great selection of craft beer, Craft Brewed also caters to Nashville’s home brewers with a variety of base malts, specialty grains, malt extracts, hops, yeast, kits, and equipment. In addition to supplies for the beginner to advanced home brewer Craft Brewed also offers introductory classes for those interested in learning how to home brew.”

You can check out their website at http://craftbrewednashville.com/#super-awesome-page and go visit them at 2502 Franklin Pike- you won’t be disappointed!

We had selections from:

http://jackalopebrew.com

“They wanted to start a craft brewery that was an active member of the community, they wanted to make great beers for the local Nashville bar and restaurant scene, and have a taproom where people could come drink and learn about the brews.”

and http://www.blackabbeybrewing.com/main/black-abbey-beers/

“At the Black Abbey Brewing Company, we take an artisanal approach to beer. We are crafting unique and approachable ales from the highest quality ingredients. Yet, it’s more than that. We strive to supply liquid refreshment that is greater than the sum of its parts. Our beers are created, not made, right here in Nashville.

The Black Abbey Brewing Company was founded in a Nashville neighborhood. We are good friends working together to craft something unique as the city itself. We are proud to be a Tennessee brand and we let that shine through the design of our beer. We at The Black Abbey are your neighbors. We can’t wait to share a pint with you.”
 

and http://www.blackstonebrewery.com/

“We opened our brand, new state of the art, brewing and bottling facility in the summer of 2011. Look for our beer in stores, restaurants and bars throughout the middle Tennessee area.”

Thank you again to all who came and hung out!!

CHEERS

 

Share the WARMTH!

Brrr.... Maybe you were more prepared than I was, but I feel like this winter came out of NOWHERE. It was gorgeous and warm last week and then I blinked... and all of a sudden it's freezing!! I spent all night pulling my old coats out of the attic and scrounging for gloves. I'm sure some of you will be doing the same thing here shortly, and as you do try to set aside any coats that you don't wear anymore. This week we're hosting a coat drive for the Nashville Rescue Mission to keep everyone warm this winter. You can drop off any gently used (or new!) coats in the office through Saturday and we will pass them along to help those in need!

Mayor Karl Dean, in regards to the Nashville Rescue Mission, says,

"Service to the community—to the “least of these”—is an often-overlooked part of what makes Nashville such a great city. Often the headlines discuss Nashville as an “it” city or as a “boomtown” for economic growth. These accolades are great, and I certainly think Nashville has earned them.

What doesn’t get so much attention is that Nashville also tops the list as a compassionate and engaged city. Nashvillians look out for one another, and they aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves to help those who need a helping hand.

Nashville Rescue Mission is a shining example of that Nashville spirit. All year long, the staff and volunteers of the Mission work tirelessly to not only provide shelter and safety to Nashville’s homeless citizens, but to help change their lives for the better."

 

Living in an apartment community, I'm sure you know that great neighbors make a great community. We are so thankful for each and every one of our fantastic residents, and hope that we can all come together to give back to our larger Nashville community by being a good neighbor to everyone here in need. Warm your heart with kindness and warm the hearts and bodies of those who would otherwise be cold on these new chilly winter nights! This season, SHARE THE WARMTH!!

 

Spring!!!

This is my favorite time of year. The flowers are in bloom, and the pollen is in the air! Take your allergy medicine and enjoy the ride.


You can bring spring to your apartment despite the limited space with container gardens. If you want to go the easy route, you can purchase something like this:

You can buy it here.


If you want a more creative option, my favorite website has everything you need. Wait for it...Pinterest!!!

DIY Herb Garden? Here you go:


This is neat because you can have fresh herbs for cooking and it only takes up a corner of your patio!


           If you want to try a smaller scale, then you could try something like this. There are no instuctions for this one, but I think it would be pretty easy to figure out.




If flowers are your thing, you can really make a big impact in a small space. The flower tower that Home Depot has been promoting is a prime example of this. In one pot you can make this...

...Or this

Don't let the size of your space limit the possibilities of what you can do with it!






Pin of the Week!

Who loves Pinterest and has thumbs? >>This girl!<< At least once a day I start a sentence with, "I saw this thing on Pinterest..."

That said, it is an awesome resource to correct whatever issues you have in your apartment. One of the most common questions I get is in regards to storage. If your apartment is lacking in the storage department, you still have options. With some help from Pinterest and a good dose of creativity, you can take control and make more storage.

My favorite storage solution so far is this:


Can you say "Genius"? This is only about six inches wide depending on what size  wood you use. It uses  the dead space between the fridge and the wall! While I found this on my favorite website, Classy Clutter by Mallory and Savannah is where I found the plans to build it. You can find the tutorial here.


It is really useful if you are limited on storage space or if you just want to expand the amount of storage in your apartment.

What ways have you found to maintain the clutter in your apartment?

Nashville News

Hi Guys!

Have you read any interesting news about our city?

We are getting our very own H&M!! It will open in the Opry Mills Mall. Here is the link to the article in the Nashville Business Journal: http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2013/01/24/coveted-clothing-retailer-hm-to-open.html?ana=e_du_pub&s=article_du&ed=2013-01-24

Nashville is the "it" city. The New York Times published an interesting article about our city. You can read it here: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/09/us/nashville-takes-its-turn-in-the-spotlight.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0