So you’re ready to move out and you need to pick where you’re going to live. There are several considerations you should think about.

• The distance between your home and where you work is very important. Do you love to commute or is a five-minute walk more your style? Before you sign the lease, take a trial ride, either by car or public transportation, from your potential new place to your place of employment. And take that trial ride during rush hour to get a good idea of what your commute will be like.

• Is there close access to safe and reliable public transportation? If yes, moving further from your employer might not be too bad.

• Do you worship regularly? If you belong to a church, temple or synagogue, are you moving within close proximity? If not, driving back and forth on the weekend will cut into a good part of your day. Check to see if there is a branch of your religious organization close to your new home.

• Trust your instincts. When you visit your new place, do you feel safe? Is the neighborhood well kept? Find out if there are any neighborhood crime watch organizations in the area. Where is the closest police station, hospital and fire department?

When you visit your potential new apartment, visit at different times of the day. Sometimes a neighborhood will attract different crowds during the day than during the evening. Talk open and honestly to your landlord and ask questions. If you would like, ask if there is another tenant that would be open to speaking with you about the building.  Only when you’ve done your research and are completely prepared should you take the step to sign the lease.

Do you value convenience above all else? Or do you like privacy and don’t mind walking half a mile for a gallon of milk? Apartments fall into one of two major types: high rises and all other types of low-rise buildings, including town houses, brownstones, walk-ups, garden and others. Mid-rise buildings, which are usually six to eight floors high, are a mix between the two. Mid-rise buildings will probably have some of the amenities found in a high rise but will be more in the style of a low-rise.

All apartments are different, however, which is why it’s important to do your research before going out to look at buildings. Use this list to decide which type of apartment you want to rent.

Typical High-Rise Features and Amenities

• A grocery or convenience store in the building.
• Often have additional convenience outposts such as a cleaners or beauty shop.
• Laundry facilities in the building.
• An exercise facility included in the rent.
• Phone, cable and Internet hook-ups are pre-installed and services may be added onto the rent so that you only receive one bill each month.
• Furnished units available.
• More flexibility with lease start/end dates.
• Elevator service.
• Variety of units available at any given time.
• Garage parking available for a fee.
• Management available in the building during the day for maintenance requests and other business.
• Less private and sometimes noisier than a smaller building.
• Deals/price breaks are harder to negotiate since a set price is pre-determined by the owner.
• May have a board made up of owners and residents who make decisions about resident rules and policies.
• Often described as more luxurious in style.

Low Rises

• May be easier to negotiate rent and other utilities.
• Renter sets up and pays for all utilities.
• Often in residential area where grocery and other stores and services are several blocks away.
• Street parking often necessary or extra rent to cover a garage or parking spot.
• Management varies from a large company to a single owner.
• Maintenance personnel lives outside the building or possibly outside of the neighborhood.
• Offers more privacy and is often quieter.
• Front door is off the street or accessed by stairs.
• Units vary widely in styles and electrical capabilities.
• Possibility of having a yard or outdoor space.
• Often described as more cozy or home-like in style.

If you think studio apartment means you’ll be hooked up with recording equipment for the performer in you or that efficiency is for those environmental types looking to conserve energy, you need to learn the lingo. Check out our dictionary of apartment-related definitions below.

Alcove: A small, separate space in an apartment which can house a kitchen or bedroom arrangement.

Apartment: A rented space in either a building, house or flat. Apartments are rented with a lease, a legal contract stating the terms of the rental.

Brownstone/Townhouse: A four- to six-story building often constructed during, or in the style of, 1800s to early 1900s housing. It can be a single-family home or divided into apartments.

Condominium: A space that is purchased in a building, including an apartment and a percentage of the common living space in the building.

Condominium Lease: Similar to a rental lease, except the apartment has a private owner. This type of lease may have more negotiable terms as only one owner is involved.

Convertible: An apartment with an extra alcove or room that could be converted into a bedroom. This is great for someone needing an office or someone who needs a child’s room.

Co-operative (Also called co-op): A building owned by a cooperative apartment corporation. The corporation issues shares of its stock which are allocated to each apartment depending on the size and features. This means you don’t own the actual space but rather a share in the cooperation.

Duplex: Depending on the city, these can be a house divided into halves or a two-story apartment.

Elevator Buildings: Usually a six- to twelve-story building that uses an intercom or video surveillance system. They may or may not have a doorman and luxuries like an in-building gym or pool.

Furnished Unit: An apartment that comes fully equipped with furniture and amenities. These units may be available for either a short- or long-term lease.

Loft: A big, open space that has been converted into an apartment (often a former commercial building). Because of their popularity, loft-style apartments are now being built from the ground up. Their high ceilings and large windows are ideal for those who like to throw parties or need extra space.

One-bedroom: An apartment that includes a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and living area. A one-bedroom with a separate room not as big as the bedroom may be listed as a 1.5 bedroom, a junior four (four rooms), a flex two or a convertible two (two bedrooms).

Rental Lease: A legal document stating the dates, price, rules and other stipulations for the rental agreement between an individual and a management company or landlord. Once signed, they are hard to break unless you have a serious problem as outlined in the document.

Studio or Efficiency: A one-room apartment with a separate bath. A studio may also have a separate kitchen area. Traditionally thought of as an artist’s space, the studio is usually a less expensive option and great for those who don’t need a big space.

Sub-lease: Taking over a lease in a co-operative or rental apartment from the current tenant. The sublet renter usually shares responsibility for the apartment with the main leaseholder.

Two-bedroom: An apartment with two bedrooms and typically four, five or six total rooms. The bedrooms may have exact layouts or may vary greatly in size. There may be one main bathroom or a master bedroom and bath with another bathroom near the central living area.

Walk-up building: Usually the least expensive type of housing, these are four- to five-story buildings often constructed as multi-family housing.

Aromatherapy, holistic healing, mood enhancement, non-chemical treatments… What do all these popular practices have in common? Herbs. Yes, the exact ones you may be using in your kitchen to make your “famous” spaghetti sauce can also be good for your heart, cheer you up, fight infection and positively affect a slew of other physical issues. Here we’ve identified some of the most popular herbs for your reference.

Before you begin any herbal regime, you should consult with your doctor or other health professional to determine what treatment is best for you and your particular condition. Anyone with a pre-existing condition like high blood pressure, palpitations, other heart conditions, high blood sugar, diabetes or any other medical conditions should never begin taking herbal supplements without speaking to your doctor. If you are pregnant, no herbs should be taken without the consultation of your doctor. If you are currently taking any prescription medicine, NEVER replace that medicine with herbal treatment or add herbal treatment to your current medical treatment without speaking to your doctor.

Nettle – Most commonly made into tea, nettle leaves contain high levels of iron and vitamin C, which helps fight off infection (cold and flu) and bolster the immune system. It is also an astringent and can be used topically to help stop bleeding. It is also used for the treatment and the relief of the symptoms of: hay fever, rash, arthritis, eczema, dry skin, hemorrhaging and anemia.

Olive – Olive leaves have an anti-inflammatory property and can be used directly on the skin to clean wounds. The leaves have also been used to lower blood pressure and increase circulation as well as lower blood sugar. Olive oil is actually good for you. It improves the balance of fats in the blood. In cold weather, olive oil can be used to treat severely dry skin.

Parsley – It’s well known that chewing parsley after a meal can work wonders on bad breath but did you also know that parsley can reduce fevers, treat urinary tract infections and help eliminate kidney stones? It stimulates the appetite and increases blood flow. Parsley can also be taken as a treatment for gas, arthritis, cystitis and the relief of menstrual cramps.

Patchouli – It’s a popular fragrance, an aphrodisiac and can be used as an insect repellent! Patchouli can cheer you up, and clean you up, thanks to its antidepressant and antiseptic properties. It can be used to treat skin conditions such as eczema and acne. Topically, patchouli oil can treat varicose veins and hemorrhoids.

Peppermint – The major benefits of this herb can all be felt in the stomach. Popularly used as a digestive aid, peppermint can help alleviate gas, bloating, upset stomach, colon spasms and help to cure ulcers. Because it contains a significant amount of menthol, it also can be used as an antibacterial treatment.

Here’s just a few of the most popular dog breeds with a snapshot of their dominant character traits that you may want to know. For more detailed information on dog breeds, visit a local bookstore, or call a local shelter or veterinarian.

American Bulldog/English Bulldog

• Can jump up to 6 feet in the air!
• Muscular and sturdy, can weigh up to 120 pounds (the English Bulldog is smaller at up to 55 pounds).
• Brave and determined but not hostile.
• Alert and self confident, heroic.
• Good with kids.
• Protective of the home.
• May be aggressive with strangers and other dogs, should have obedience training as puppies.
• Need to be around people.
• Snore and slobber.
• Easy to groom, average shedder.
• Ok in apartments as long as they are exercised, inactive indoors.

American Pit Bull Terrier

• The Pit Bull is not a naturally vicious dog, only improper training and handling have created dogs whose temperament is not ideal for the breed and earned them an often undeserved reputation.
• Strong need for socialization early.
• Strong need for obedience training and firm handling, can be willful.
• Good natured, amusing, loyal, playful.
• Intelligent and intuitive guard dog.
• High pain tolerance and will put up with rough play.
• Excellent with children in the family.
• Can grow to 110 pounds.
• Easy to groom, average shedder.
• Ok in apartments as long as they are exercised regularly.

Beagle

• The Beagle is a hunter.
• Gentle, sweet, lively and curious.
• Sociable, brave and intelligent.
• Calm and loving.
• Excellent with children, good with other dogs, not with noncanine animals.
• Determined and watchful, need patient and firm training.

The next time you have a wine tasting party, give the following guide to your guests. It will help them as they describe the wine as well as provide some fun “cocktail party” trivia for after the party discussions.

Acetic: An acid that can be present in wine. When present with ethyl acetate, it will give off the vinegary fragrance of spoiled or old wine.

Acidic: A wine descriptor for elements of tartness or sourness. All wines will contain some acidity, however, the younger the wine, the more acid will be present. A wine with an abnormally high acid content may be considered imbalanced.

Aroma/Bouquet: The aroma of a wine is the smell that comes specifically from the grape. The bouquet of a wine is the smell that derives from the fermentation process. Bouquet is used to refer to the “whole” of the wine, often independent of the type of grape that was used to make the wine.

Balance: When a wine is said to be balanced, no one note, or flavor, sugar, acid, tannin, alcohol, etc., is more prominent than another. Each flavor and fragrance is evident and can be noted. Younger wines are more often not as balanced as older wines.

Balloon: Believe it or not, some wines can be described as having a balloon scent/flavor. This plastic like, powdery note can be picked up in some Chardonnay varietals from cooler climates.

Big/Full: Wine with a stronger, more robust, flavor is described as being “big” or “full-bodied”.

Bitter: This description, along with sweet, sour and salty, comprise the four basic taste sensations. Bitterness in wine is directly associated with the amount of tannin present.

Body: When a wine’s body is referred to, one is normally speaking of the way the wine feels in the mouth. This weight is derived from the physical characteristics and alcohol content of the vintage. A heavier wine is described as having a full body where some zinfandels are lighter in body and flavor.

Brilliant: A brilliant wine is perfectly clear and usually has a higher than normal acidity.

Brut: A brut wine is an extremely dry variety of wine. Often this is a dry, sparkling wine.

Clean: A clean wine has no off-odors or off-tastes. It is most often properly balanced.

When you’re preparing to move, either into your first apartment, or just a new apartment, make sure you’re prepared financially by referring to this quick checklist.

The Old Lease - If you’re moving from one apartment to another, make sure you’ve fulfilled the terms of your old lease. If you move out early, you may be responsible for a reletting fee and/or the remainder of rent due on your lease.

Security Deposit - You’ll need to pay a security deposit. If you’re moving from one apartment to another, you may not get your old security deposit back in time, the amounts may be different, or you may only get a certain percentage of your deposit back. Make sure you have this money in the bank, just in case.

Utilities - If you are moving to a new town, or moving to a building that has different utility providers, you may need to pay deposits for things like electricity, phone or any utility not included in your rent. If you are changing phone numbers or getting a new phone line installed, you may need to pay additional set up charges for that.

Costs of Moving

• Will you be hiring movers?
• What will the packing materials cost?
• Will you be renting a truck?
• If you’re having friends help you, it is common courtesy to offer them lunch and refreshments, make sure you figure this into your costs of moving, especially if you have a lot of friends.
• Meals (you won’t have your oven or microwave)
• Cell phone calls.
• Will you need to stay in a hotel in between apartments?

Pets

Pet Deposit – If you have a pet, your new apartment may require a special deposit for your animal. Make sure you ask about this, and if there is one, find out what has to be done to get that fee back, before you sign the lease.

During the Move – It’s probably not a good idea to have Tiger hanging around when you’re trying to move. There’s a good possibility that your pet may either get lost or get hurt. Don’t take a chance of this happening. Have a good friend watch your pet, or, kennel your pet for the day or days surrounding your move. If you will be kenneling your pet, consider that cost in your total moving budget. If a friend will be watching your pet, although it will be less expensive than a kennel, you should still buy a thank you gift.

Time – Sure, you’ll be spending a good deal of your time moving, but time is money. Think about the financial implications of taking time off of work as you pack and unpack.

Chemical cleaners can be harmful to the environment and if you handle them too much, harmful to you too! Take a look at the following suggestions to find some natural and organic ways to stay spic and span!Apple Cider Vinegar – Good for cleaning hard wood floors.

Baking Soda – Leave on carpets overnight to absorb odors and vacuum in the morning. Add two tablespoons to boiling water and pour over pans or dishes that are crusted with stuck on food, let sit for 10 minutes and then rinse. Combine baking soda and water to rinse hair combs and brushes. Use a sprinkle of baking soda to eliminate odors from garbage cans, diaper pails, shoes, and kitty litter boxes. Pour a cup into the toilet, let it dissolve and then flush once a week to cut down on odors and clogging. Can be used to scour pots and pans.

Club Soda – Good for cleaning chrome. Good for shining kitchen and bathroom countertops.

Lemon – Add lemon juice to rinse water when cleaning the refrigerator for natural freshening. Sprinkle salt on a fresh cut lemon and wipe on marble to remove stains. Lemon will remove light stains from porcelain sinks. Fresh cut lemon will remove stuck on particles from glassware.

Orange Essential Oil – When diluted in water, can be used as a hard wood cleaner and polish.

Pine Essential Oil – Can be used for deodorizing garbage cans and can be diluted and used as an all purpose cleaner, especially effective on tile and linoleum floors. (With all essential oils, be careful. Some people may have allergic reactions to the oils, either patch test your skin before using or handle with rubber gloves.)

Rubbing (denatured) Alcohol – Will remove hairspray from mirrors and glass surfaces. Shines chrome and glass. Will clean the caulking around bathtubs.

Seltzer Water – Good for cleaning chrome.

Vanilla Extract – Put some on a cotton cloth in the refrigerator to keep nasty odors at bay.

White Vinegar – Leave a bowl of vinegar standing in your kitchen or bathroom to absorb odors, works especially well on smoke smells. Added to the final rinse cycle on a dishwasher, vinegar will help prevent and remove water spots from glassware. Use a cloth dampened with white vinegar on stainless steel to remove water spots. Run vinegar through your coffee pot and then run 3 or more pots of water only (to rinse) to remove hard water residue. 2 to 3 tablespoons of vinegar to 1 gallon of water will work magic on very dirty windows. Use one cup of water to one cup of white vinegar to remove polish buildup from wood furniture and floors. Keep stains from forming in your toilet by dumping a half gallon of white vinegar in the bowl and letting it stand overnight, once a month. White vinegar on a moistened sponge will remove soap residue in the shower.

Tis the season for curling up by the fire, cuddling, playing in the snow and other winter festivities… What goes perfect with the chilly weather? Hot chocolate of course! Here’s a few of our favorite, non-traditional, guaranteed to make you say “yuuuum”, hot chocolate recipes.

First the basics:

Although most hot chocolate recipes indicate that hot water should be used, milk (skim, 2%, whole, whatever..) will make your hot chocolate richer, creamier and downright more delicious.

A good basic recipe to start with:

o 25 oz non-fat milk powder

o 16 oz non-dairy creamer powder

o oz presweetened cocoa mix

o 13 oz chocolate malted milk powder

o 1 cup powdered sugar

§ As you can see, this is a huge amount to prepare. Either store it in an air tight container or feel free to half or third the recipe.

§ If you are planning to add flavorings to the finished hot chocolate, cut down on some of the powdered sugar in order to not make it sickly sweet.

When you mix the above powder with your warmed milk, use no less than two teaspoons. Depending on your taste preference, you can add more for a richer, creamier taste.

An even simpler basic recipe:

o 2 cups milk

o 4 squares bakers chocolate

§ Melt the chocolate into the milk in a large saucepan.

§ can also mix up the kind of bakers chocolate that you use. Try semi-sweet if you’re going to be adding a lot of flavored syrups or milk if you’re going the pure route. Try a white chocolate hot chocolate for something completely different.

Post in Health and Fitness

Aromatherapy, holistic healing, mood enhancement, non-chemical treatments… What do all these popular practices have in common? Herbs. Yes, the exact ones you may be using in your kitchen to make your “famous” spaghetti sauce can also be good for your heart, cheer you up, fight infection and positively affect a slew of other physical issues. Here we’ve identified some of the most popular herbs for your reference.

Before you begin any herbal regime, you should consult with your doctor or other health professional to determine what treatment is best for you and your particular condition. Anyone with a pre-existing condition like high blood pressure, palpitations, other heart conditions, high blood sugar, diabetes or any other medical conditions should never begin taking herbal supplements without speaking to your doctor. If you are pregnant, no herbs should be taken without the consultation of your doctor. If you are currently taking any prescription medicine, NEVER replace that medicine with herbal treatment or add herbal treatment to your current medical treatment without speaking to your doctor.

Garlic – Besides recent studies indicating that garlic helps promote a healthy heart and reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol, it is also one of the most effective anti-biotic herbs available. It works wonders on infections of the nose, throat and upper-respiratory system. It also reduces high blood sugar and helps to prevent yeast infections and certain types of cancers. Garlic has been used as a treatment to rid the body of worms and other parasites.

Ginger – One of the most popular spices, ginger has been used to treat colds and help break fevers. Ginger can help reduce headaches and cure indigestion.

Ginkgo Biloba – Well known for its effect on the memory, ginkgo biloba increases circulation in the body. Increased circulation in the brain helps prevent dizziness, short term memory loss and depression. In the rest of the body, it provides relief for other diseases and disorders such as diabetes, hemorrhoids, varicose veins and asthma.

Ginseng – Ginseng helps improve stamina and resist stress. It increases mental and physical functions and helps the immune system fight disease.

Jasmine – The pleasing aroma of the jasmine flower has long been used as a relaxing antidote to stress and an anti-depressant. It is also an expectorant for cold and flu sufferers. Extracts from the plant can be found in cough syrups and teas. Externally, jasmine oil can be used to treat dry skin.