Blog Posts

Stretch Your Creativity

In this post, the Autumn Creek Apartments Blog is featuring a few ways to stretch and express your creativity this month. We hope that these tips help you find new ways to be creative — whether you are creative in business, writing, painting, etc. — and express the new and innovative ideas you have. Make time for creative thinking Top Universities suggest that one way to unlock creativity is to set aside some time each day for creative thinking. The author says, “Every textbook on creativity affirms to the importance of setting aside clearly defined time for creative thinking or new projects. But often, even if we show up ready to innovate, still something doesn’t work and fresh ideas fail to pop up like popcorn. There are two reasons for this stalemate. The first is that we don’t practice dreaming, and the second is we don’t practice focusing on cohesive ideas.” Set aside time this month to think about your creative ideas before you create. Spend an hour or two thinking constructively about your project. What is it you want to achieve or create? What problems do you anticipate popping up as you work? How will you confront these problems? Go over your idea in your head, write down plans and lists, and then work. Build off of other people’s ideas In his TED Talk, Embrace the Remix , Kirby Ferguson argued that nothing is new; everything is recycled from the past. Ferguson says, “Our creativity comes from without, not from within. We are not self-made. We are dependent on one another, and admitting this to ourselves isn't an embrace of mediocrity and derivativeness. It's a liberation from our misconceptions, and it's an incentive to not expect so much from ourselves and to simply begin.” Don’t put too much pressure on yourself; just keep plugging away. It’s more important to keep working, thinking, and creating than it is to be completely original every time we sit down to create something. Click the link to read Kirby Ferguson’s talk and to learn more about how Bob Dylan borrowed from the folk singers that came before him. Try something new Sometimes stepping outside of your usual routine is the easiest (and best) way to express and expand your creativity. Take a cooking class in East Amherst or another WNY location, try your hand at painting, or write your first short story or a poem. Do something you’ve never considered doing before. Read a book on a topic you know very little about. Inspiration can come from everywhere and anywhere. Summertime is a good time to be creative. Do you have any creativity tips for us? Let us know in the comments.

Tasty Recipes for a Memorial Day BBQ

Memorial Day is coming up on May 27th, and this month the Autumn Creek Apartments Blog is featuring a few of our favorite barbecue recipes to help you get through the day. Invite a few friends and neighbors and head to our picnic area — complete with charcoal grills — or your favorite park in East Amherst, NY, and have a blast on Memorial Day! Memorial Day Friendly Recipes Grilled Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa from Cooking Classy™ Marinate your chicken in fresh lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, honey, chopped cilantro, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Grill the chicken and then top with an avocado salsa made with avocados, tomatoes, red onion, garlic, and lime juice. Summer Corn, Avocado & Black Bean Salad from Produce on Parade Toss together sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, black beans, avocados, red onion, and cilantro for a delicious summer salad. Dress this salad with olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. This dish can be served on its own or with your favorite brand of tortilla chips. Slow Cooker Boston Baked Beans Recipe from Food, Folks, and Fun These slow cooker Boston baked beans take a lot of work, but they’re worth it! Soak a pound of navy beans in water for eight hours before mixing the rest of the ingredients (baking soda, bay leaves, thick sliced bacon, onion, molasses, dark brown sugar, boiling water, maple syrup, dijon mustard, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper) in the slow cooker. You’ll need to cook these beans on low for about ten hours. Plan on starting on these beans at least a day ahead of time. No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Pie from Art and the Kitchen This no-bake strawberry cheesecake pie is a creamy and delicious treat. Combine jello, sugar, and cream cheese to make the sugary filling. You can make the crust with graham crackers and fresh strawberries from the local farmer’s market here in Lowell, MA. What are your favorite Memorial Day recipes? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading our post!

Mother's Day Ideas

It’s May and there’s nothing like springtime in WNY. We hope you are enjoying the flowers and the warmer weather here at our Autumn Creek apartment community. May also means that Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Are you prepared? We’ve got some ideas to help you get ready in our post today. What are your resources? First, take into account your resources. If you are short on cash, there are plenty of other things you can do that are just as — or even more — meaningful as a purchased gift. A heartfelt letter about why you love and appreciate your mom is priceless. Include specifics about what she taught you, favorite memories, and things you learned from her. If your mother lives in the same area, you could prepare a favorite meal, or send or take her the fixins for an easy-to-make dinner for a night when she’s too tired to cook. Be creative in your efforts. Do you have a plan? Second, plan ahead. Be prepared ahead of time so you aren’t scrambling at the last minute for a gift for Mom (you don’t want to end up with a cheesy mug). How about getting a printed book filled with pictures of you and your mom? It will bring back a rush of shared memories. And, if you do let it slip and need a last minute gift, shop online and have a gift certificate to her favorite store or website (can you say Amazon ) delivered to her inbox. Just remember to get her something she will enjoy, not something you would like for yourself. Send Her Flowers Third, if you ran out of time and didn’t plan ahead, flowers are always a great gift idea, especially if they come with a card that you can write a thoughtful note on. Keep in mind that if you’re not in the same state as your mother, you can always surprise her with coming home to a beautiful bouquet of bright vibrant flowers from 1800-Flowers , or, if she’s not into flowers, edible arrangements . We hope that you have a wonderful day remembering your mom (or other special mothers in your life) this month. Where are your favorite places to pick up flowers in the East Amherst, NY area? Let us know in the comments.

Studio-Style Cycling Arrives at Autumn Creek Apartments

Springtime in East Amherst, NY is the perfect time to re-dedicate yourself to your fitness goals, and we’re here to help. Head on over to the fitness center here at Autumn Creek Apartments and check out our new Peloton Bike! Studio cycling has grown in popularity and using a Peloton Bike is like having your own, private cycling studio. Technology combines with superior workmanship to create a fitness option that enables you to take advantage of live and on-demand studio cycling classes from the comfort of our fitness center. The 22” HD touchscreen the bike is equipped with is easy to navigate. Keep track of your progress with detailed metrics which can help you stay motivated to keep up with an exercise program. Choose your preferred options for music, workout length (classes range from 5 - 120 minutes), instructors, and more. The Bike offers about 8000 on-demand classes plus 14 daily live classes which are available anytime. Our daily live classes feature 12 NYC instructors who will inspire and lead you to success with the touch of a button. If you are new to cycling, these suggestions from Shape can help you get the most out of your workout. We particularly like number five on this list: “Sneakers and capris are fine for your first few classes, but if you want to make cycling part of your regular routine (say, at least once a week), you may want to invest in cycling shoes and padded shorts, Figueroa says.” We’re excited about the Peloton Bike that is now available in our fitness center. If it is not available when you visit, be sure to stick around and take advantage of the other exercise equipment we provide for members of our apartment community. What is your favorite way to work out? Have you done studio cycling before? Let us know about your experience in the comments. Update: May 7, 2019: Peloton rolled out some awesome new features inspired by you! Check them out here

Autumn Creek Garners Top Award Three Years Running

ApartmentRatings.com has come out with the 2018 Top Rated Award Winners list, and once again, Autumn Creek Apartments in East Amherst, NY came out on top for the third year running. Being named a top-rated apartment in the country is not an easy thing to achieve. Close to 95% of the properties listed on the ApartmentRatings.com website do not make the cut, meaning that Autumn Creek is among the 5% of total properties that qualify for the award — no small feat! ApartmentRatings.com is one of the most searched websites when it comes to apartment hunting, and they strive to “provide transparent and honest information that enables renters and property managers to improve the evolving concept of ‘home.’" According to the website, they are the largest online source for renters’ reviews of apartment communities. Based on those facts, criteria for the 2018 Top Rated award includes the following: 10+ total reviews 5+ reviews in 2018 70% or greater overall recommended score Autumn Creek comes in at 88%* with 114 reviews. To get a taste of what the reviews are saying , we took a sampling to share: “One of the reasons I love Autumn Creek is due to their staff. Whether you call or stop by the front office with a question or concern, rest assured your will be concern will be promptly handled.” “Out of every apartment I have ever lived in this is the best so far. Staff is good & maintenance is on point. Alex, my main man has helped me several times so far in my stay, Best maintenance guy I've ever dealt with.” We invite you to take a few minutes and leave your own review on ApartmentRatings.com . Let us know what you think about living in our community. If you’re new to writing reviews, these tips can point you in the right direction: Be sure to stick to the facts, and be clear about your experience. Be specific about what you liked (or didn’t like). Detailed information is much more helpful than vague generalities. Check your spelling and grammar — use complete sentences and only single exclamation points — poor mechanics devalue what you are saying (the reader may think, if this person can’t even take time to write correctly, how can I trust his or her opinion). We appreciate our residents! Working together we can continue to create an apartment community that is second to none. Thank you for all you do to make Autumn Creek Apartments the perfect place to live in WNY. *At the time of the award calculations

Meal Planning Made Easy

Meal Planning can be a difficult habit to keep. Whether you’ve tried meal planning or not, we suggest giving it a shot or getting back in the habit. It can make a big difference in creating healthy eating habits, saving time, and adding variety to your meals. The Autumn Creek Apartments Blog brings you some of our ideas on how to have an effective meal plan. Use a few of our suggestions and find what’s right for you. Make mealtime your favorite time! Plan Shopping Trips For some people, taking a trip to the grocery store is the hardest part of meal planning. To make it an easier experience, plan out what days you will go shopping and make it a habit. Always remember to write out a shopping list before you go shopping! This will make your trip go much quicker and it will make it easier to skip over the snack and candy aisles. Find Your Format You can find all sorts of apps, printable sheets, or spreadsheet formats to help you with meal planning. Some people like using apps , but maybe you like to have a plan written or printed out. Use a word document, a spreadsheet, or a printable sheet to write out your plan. Try out something new and decide what is easiest for you. Stick to a Time Frame Determine how far out you want to meal plan. A week is a good way to go because it will allow for a shopping trip once a week and it’s a manageable amount of planning. Maybe you prefer meal planning a month in advance or the night before. Whatever you like, stick with your plan and create a habit out of it. Use Daily Themes Have you heard of using daily themes while meal planning? This is a great way to make meal planning easy. Choose themes for each day of the week, then pick a meal based on that theme. For example, Mondays you always make seafood, Tuesday-tacos, Wednesday-breakfast-for-dinner, Thursday-sheet pan dinner, Friday-soup, Saturday-Italian night, and Sunday-vegetarian. Choose your own themes and enjoy a super simple meal plan. Freezer Meals Freezer meals can be lifesavers when you have a busy week. Even making 2 or 3 meals on Sunday before the chaos of the work week begins can make all the difference for you down the road. Freezer meals can also be put in a slow cooker before you head off to work. We hope your meal planning efforts go well this spring. With your extra time, get out and enjoy springtime weather here in East Amherst, NY! Thanks for reading!