Blog Posts

Ways to Give Back to Your Community

It might be the season of gift cards, holiday lights, and family feasts, but it’s the season of giving, too; the holidays are much brighter when we give a hand to our community. If you’re looking for ways to help members of your community thrive this winter and all year long, consider engaging in one (or all) of the following: Donate Gently Used Items Donating gently used items is both helpful and practical. It provides those in need with vital necessities such as shoes, coats, and sweaters. It also lets you clear the clutter from your closet and better organize your home. You can often donate most anything in good condition, including toys, gaming systems, musical instruments, and sports equipment (although different organizations have different rules). If you’re looking for someone who’ll pick up free of charge, consider using Pickup Please , which supports various charities. Volunteer Volunteering is one of the simplest and most direct ways to give back to the community; few gifts are more thoughtful than the gift of time. Fortunately, there are all sorts of places around Boulder looking for volunteers. From working in outdoor programs to helping seniors, rolling up your sleeves, and beautifying the local parks, you’re sure to find something that suits your altruistic interests. Check-in on Your Neighbors Checking on your neighbors is a meaningful act that requires little more than initiative. Focus on neighbors struggling, such as the elderly, those who live alone, or those recovering from surgery. Consider offering to cook a meal for them or simply sit and chat. The holidays can be lonely, and many people welcome company. Shop Locally While it’s certainly convenient to do your holiday shopping online with a few clicks of a button, shopping on Amazon doesn’t exactly infuse money into your community. Patronizing brick-and-mortar and mom-and-pop shops, on the other hand, creates jobs, fosters competition, and helps communities thrive. Consider shopping locally for holiday gifts, stocking stuffers, and Christmas dinner. Donate Blood Donating blood allows you to give yourself a gift. It takes around 30 minutes and is one of the quickest ways to contribute to your community. While blood banks always need all blood types, O-positive and O-negative individuals are especially encouraged. O-negative is considered the “universal donor” and is used in emergencies when the recipient's blood type is unknown. From giving your time to sharing your goods to mindfully choosing where you shop, there are many ways to give back to your community. Try one of the above and embrace the true meaning of the season.

Holiday Events Near Boulder, Colorado

Ready or not, here they come: The holidays are upon us! With so much hustle and bustle this time of year, it can be hard to take a few moments for family togetherness (that doesn’t involve fighting over the last turkey leg during Thanksgiving dinner). Fortunately, getting out for some holiday fun has never been easier!If you live in or near Boulder, consider putting the following on your holiday to-do list: Lights of December Parade The Lights of December Parade takes place on December 7th at 6:00 PM, starting at 15th and Walnut and heading west. Enjoy floats created by various community members, including businesses, churches, schools, and nonprofits. Stay for the grand finale to spy Santa Claus in all his garland glory. Freezie Fest and Cookie Crawl The Freezie Fest and Cookie Crawl occurs on December 14th from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Pearl Street and beyond. This festive event celebrates winter and showcases snowmen! Enjoy free train rides, visit Santa Claus, and play a few reindeer games. Don’t forget to stroll into participating retailers to participate in the cookie crawl! Chanukah on Pearl Chanukah on Pearl takes place on December 30th from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. This holiday ritual invites the entire community and features the lighting of the Menorah, music, hot cocoa, and Chanukah goodies. A free event sponsored by the Boulder County Center for Judaism, advanced registration is not required, but it’s heavily encouraged so the center can plan ahead. Holiday Festival CU Boulder’s Holiday Festival is an annual tradition that merges glimmering lights, evergreen decor, and enchanting music. Put on by the CU Boulder College of Music, it’s geared toward all ages and features student choirs, bands, orchestras, and faculty performers. Kick back and relax to traditional holiday songs as well as modern tunes. Winterfest Winterfest takes place just outside of Boulder in Louisville. Winterfest is a holiday-themed arts and crafts event hosted by the Louisville Center for the Arts. It invites children 14 and under (with their guardians) to decorate gingerbread men, bedazzle custom snowflake ornaments, and enjoy hot cocoa and holiday cartoons. If you’re looking for something to take your mind off shopping or cooking, Boulder offers many events to make your holidays merry and bright. Try one of the above to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year even more. The Habitat Apartments is located in Gunbarrel, providing convenient shopping access in downtown Boulder and beyond. We offer apartments and townhomes with private patios, a heated pool, outdoor kitchens, pet-friendly perks, and multiple floor plans. Contact us today to learn why we’re the perfect place to set down roots.

Boulder County Art Exhibits to Check Out This Fall

Whether you fancy yourself a connoisseur or simply looking for more cultural experiences, several exhibits in Boulder County and nearby offer a chance to explore your love of all types of art. From hands-on to visually appealing works, consider stopping by one of the following: Google Garage Google Garage at the Museum of Boulder offers an inventive, active space for children to explore, experiment, and get curious. A perfect outlet for the high-energy child who loves to tinker with their toys, this creative exhibit invites children to make a mess while making memories. It’s an ongoing exhibit and ideal to visit during the holiday break. Complementary Visions Complementary Visions is on exhibit at the Museum of Boulder until February 10th. It brings together artwork that explores color, tension, and harmony. This showcase features the creative genius of Serge Goldberg and Jean Pless and their unique interpretations of the world. They explore how opposing ideas complement each other and make artistry more vibrant. Smoke and Mirrors Smoke & Mirrors is a group show by eight artists that highlights optical illusions' magic. Using various reflective materials and novel methods, this exhibit celebrates distortion and a welcoming break from reality. It is at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art until January 12th. Faces of Food Access and Community Resiliency The Arapahoe Ramp of the Boulder Public Library features Faces of Food Access and Community Resiliency until November 24th. This photojournalism project shares the stories and faces of individuals in the community facing food insecurity. The goal is to educate the public about residents' hunger issues while highlighting resilience. Build: Design and Create with Lego Build: Design and Create with Lego is an exhibit at the Longmont Museum that piggybacks on an uber-popular exhibit from the past. While great for children, it caters to all ages, inviting builders to channel their dexterity, inventiveness, and architectural originality. From a spacecraft to an aircraft carrier to a high-rise apartment on the moon, the sky and your imagination are the limit. If you want to fill your autumn with art, consider stopping by one of the above exhibits. With a vast array to choose from, you’re sure to find something that inspires folks of all ages. The Habitat Apartments is located in Gunbarrel, providing convenient shopping access to downtown Boulder and beyond. We offer apartments and townhomes with private patios, a heated pool, outdoor kitchens, pet-friendly perks, and multiple floor plans. Contact us today to learn why we’re the perfect place to set down roots.

Baking With Fall Flavors: 5 Awesomely Autumn Recipes

From cranberry to apple to sage, autumn abounds with festive fall flavors. Whether you’re craving something sweet or savory, plenty of recipes go well beyond pumpkin bread. Brighten up the season one delicious bite at a time with the following baked delights: Butter Pecan Cheesecake Cheesecake is a decadent and filling dessert that’s known for its creaminess. This butter pecan cheesecake recipe taps into this dessert’s natural talents while adding something extra. Infused with crunchy pecans and drizzled with a caramel sauce, it takes cheesecake to more decadent, texturally appealing levels. Glazed Apple Bundt Cake This glazed apple bundt cake is a favorite of apple lovers (after all, an apple bundt cake a day keeps the doctor away!). This cake is flavorful, tender, and an excellent addition to any holiday party or self-care indulgence session, made with nutmeg, cinnamon, yogurt, apples, and a brown sugar glaze. Brown Butter Sage Rolls Brown butter sage rolls up the dinner roll game, relying on fall-friendly flavors to create a worthy sidekick to suppertime. Made with nine ingredients, these rolls are quick and easy to throw together. Pair them with a creamy soup, a chicken dish, or your Thanksgiving spread. Homemade Churros A beloved Spanish dessert, churros are a staple of amusement parks and street fairs everywhere. They’re also an easy-to-make after-dinner delight. While churros can be made in various ways, this recipe infuses dark chocolate, adding a balance of bittersweet tones for a more satisfying finish. Cranberry Bread Pudding Cranberry bread pudding is ideal for berry lovers craving the complementary sweet and sour combo. Offering a terrific tang, this recipe includes challah or brioche bread, brown sugar, naval oranges, almond extract, ground cloves, nutmeg, heavy cream, and cranberries. It’s a rare dessert that can be eaten after dinner or as a breakfast treat. From the fruity to the rich to sugary bliss, tons of fall-focused recipes are sure to thrill your taste buds. Try one of the above and bring some autumn to your appetite. The Habitat Apartments is located in Gunbarrel, providing convenient shopping access in downtown Boulder and beyond. We offer apartments and townhomes with private patios, a heated pool, outdoor kitchens, pet-friendly perks, and multiple floor plans. Contact us today to learn why we’re the perfect place to set down roots.

Veggies that Thrive in Cooler Weather

Growing vegetables in a community garden might seem like a summer activity, but it’s a healthy hobby that can be done all year. The key is knowing what vegetables to plant and which ones to avoid. Overall, several crops do well in cool and crisp Colorado weather, including the following: Kale Kale is a hardy vegetable known for being easy to grow. It thrives in cool weather and is tolerant of frost and snow. However, it tends to do better in the fall than in winter. Therefore, a cover of some sort is recommended if growing kale during winter months. Spinach Spinach is a vitamin-rich veggie known for its health benefits (and ability to give Popeye superpowers!). It grows best in cool weather, ideally in fall or spring, and tends to prosper in temperatures between 40 and 65 degrees. While it can tolerate some freezing, frail plants don’t do well if it gets too chilly. Brussels Sprouts Brussels sprouts have become all the rage ever since they’ve been paired with ingredients such as oil, bacon, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. Not only are they tastier than you might think, but they’re easier to grow, too! Brussels sprouts grow best in cool weather and are known for tolerating light frost; they should thrive as long as you space them out correctly. Radishes Radishes are among the easiest root vegetables to grow, making them a good starter crop for the younger generation looking to explore their green thumbs. They do well in cool weather, and crisp conditions produce the most flavorful bulbs. Radishes should be planted in succession because they mature quickly. Cabbage You can grow your own cabbage patch even as the weather turns; cabbage does well in autumn months and into icier conditions. While not a sought-after vegetable often eaten on its own, cabbage is an extremely versatile crop that works in all sorts of fall recipes, including stews and soups. Your community garden doesn’t need to grow idle just because Old Man Winter is gearing up to arrive. The above vegetables can reach new heights even as temperatures drop. The Habitat Apartments is located in Gunbarrel, providing convenient shopping access in downtown Boulder and beyond. We offer apartments and townhomes with private patios, a heated pool, outdoor kitchens, pet-friendly perks, and multiple floor plans. Contact us today to learn why we’re the perfect place to set down roots.

5 Books to Read This Fall

Nudge Netflix along. Give Hulu the heave-ho. Tell Peacock to fly the coop...because there’s no more rewarding activity on a fantastic fall night than diving nose-first into a page-turning novel. Whatever your go-to genre, from historical fiction to thrillers to books that make you think, there are several tales worthy of your must-devour list, including the following: Unmissing: A Thriller by Minka Kent Unmissing: A Thriller is an edge-of-your-seat read that tells the tale of Merritt and Luca Coletto, a married couple who’ve built their dream lives. Their marital bliss and familial utopia are threatened when Lydia, Lucas’s first wife, appears on their doorstep. Missing for a decade and long presumed dead, Lydia tells a tale of kidnapping, torture, and escape. But, as Merritt and Luca work to help Lydia get back on her feet, cracks in Lydia’s story start to appear, and secrets, Lydia’s and everyone else’s, reveal themselves. The Women: A Novel by Kristin Hannah The Women is a wartime story about Vietnam. It features a 20-year-old nursing student named Frances “Frankie” McGrath, who joins the Army Nurse Corps after hearing, “Women can be heroes.” Following her brother to Vietnam, she is quickly overwhelmed by the ruin and chaos of war. But the war proves to be only the beginning when Frankie and her fellow servicemembers return to the States, coming home to an America divided and a country that wants to forget that the war ever happened. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore The God of the Woods takes place at a sleepaway camp in August 1975 and tells the story of Barbara Van Laar, a teenage camper who’s gone missing. Barbara isn’t the first of the Van Laar children to mysteriously vanish; her brother met the same fate 14 years earlier, only to never be found. As the panicked search for Barabara begins, the secrets of the Van Laar family and their blue-collar community emerge, ultimately telling a tale of deception and second chances. Dreaming in Cuban by Cristiana Garcia Dreaming in Cuban tells the story of three generations of Cuban women and their varied reactions to the Cuban Revolution. Spanning political views and geography, the novel takes place from the mid-1930s to 1980. With a focus on the duality of nations, their beauty and poverty, their idealism, and their corruption, this tale is a tapestry of unique visions and wonderment at what could have been. An older novel, this book was first published in 1993 and was a finalist for the National Book Award. It was re-released with a new introduction to celebrate its 25th anniversary. All the Broken Places: A Novel by John Boyne All the Broken Places tells the tale of 91-year-old Gretel Fernsby, a quiet and content woman living in her well-to-do London mansion. She never talks about her escape from Nazi Germany at age 12, the terrible post-war years she spent with her mother, and especially not her father, who was in command at one of the most notorious concentration camps. But when a young family moves into the apartment below her, she can’t help but feel affection for the little boy, and a friendship ensues. After witnessing a violent episode between the boy’s parents, Greta’s memories come back to haunt her, and her past demands a confrontation. Whether you read every chance you get or’re making good on that New Year’s Resolution nine months earlier, many books are worthy of your bedside table. Try one of the above and enjoy a literary escape one page at a time. The Habitat Apartments is located in Gunbarrel with convenient access to shopping in downtown Boulder and beyond. We offer apartments and townhomes with private patios, a heated pool, outdoor kitchens, pet-friendly perks, and multiple floor plans. Contact us today to learn why we’re the perfect place to set down roots.