Blog Posts

Time for Thanksgiving

We all know the common story about the first Thanksgiving: how the pilgrims invited the friendly Indians to join them for a three-day celebration of making it that first year, and having a good harvest; but their menu and what will grace our Thanksgiving tables are rather different. According to primary documentation materials*, deer, turkey, waterfowl, cod, and bass were the main dishes for the feasting — plus what the harvest provided, corn [wheat], Indian corn, and barley, but their peas were “not worth the gathering.” Based on their menu, turkey has stood the test of time. (This resource page gives you all the basics for successfully roasting a turkey , plus instructions for making the gravy and stuffing.) Giving Thanks Giving thanks that first Thanksgiving was one of the things noted in a letter written by Edward Winslow in December 1621. In it he remarks, “Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors.” Expressing gratitude is one of the hallmarks of Thanksgiving, and we have a few ideas about how you can embrace this tradition: Create a thankfulness tree and invite guests to write on the leaves what they are grateful for in their lives. Keep a gratitude journal. Take time every day to write down three things you are grateful for, and add the best thing that happened during the day. Pay it forward. Taking time to be grateful for what we have by doing something for someone else is a great idea. We love this list of 60 selfless ways to pay it forward . Just for Fun — Thanksgiving Trivia Question: Of the original 102 pilgrims that came, approximately how many survived to celebrate the first Thanksgiving? Answer: 50 Question: True or False — Thanksgiving is celebrated only in the United States. Answer: False. Canada also celebrates Thanksgiving, but on the second Monday in October. Question: What is the name of the famous rock credited to where the pilgrims first landed? Answer: Plymouth Rock. Question: What part of the turkey is saved and snapped as a superstitious good luck custom? Answer: Wishbone. Question: By the 19th century, celebrating Thanksgiving is said to have been the origin of what table tradition? Answer: Having a kiddies' table for the children. Question: True or False — The pilgrims dressed in colors, not just black and white clothing. Answer: True. The puritans are purported to have worn mainly black and white; the pilgrims wore colorful clothing. The BMW Management blog wishes all of our apartment communities a Happy Thanksgiving! *Information taken from this website .

Fabulous Fall Food Featuring Pumpkin

There is a nip in the air, the leaves are dressed for fall in hues of red and orange, and evening’s twilight arrives earlier each day — it is definitely sweater weather, and fall is in full swing. Pumpkins are a definite part of autumn, and are featuring some fun pumpkin facts* along with a variety of pumpkin-based recipes to try out this fall in today’s blog post. Fun Pumpkin Facts Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites. The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over five feet in diameter and weighed over 350 pounds. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs and took six hours to bake. Pumpkin flowers are edible. The tradition of carving pumpkins originated in Ireland. The Irish would carve jack-o-lanterns out of turnips to scare away evil spirits during the Celtic holiday Samhain, the night when spirits of the dead would walk the earth. Today we carve pumpkins instead of turnips. The name pumpkin originated from "pepon" – the Greek word for "large melon." Colonists sliced off pumpkin tops; removed seeds and filled the insides with milk, spices and honey. This was baked in hot ashes and is the origin of pumpkin pie. Pumpkin Inspired Recipes Serve it in a bowl, made of bread or otherwise, or even in a pumpkin shell, but however you serve it, pumpkin soup can really hit the spot. Try one of these recipes from “Recipe Roundup” — 10 Ways to Make Pumpkin Soup . Pumpkin Seeds — with a dozen recipes popping up in just one search , Allrecipes.com has got you covered for this tasty treat, featuring recipes from savory to sweet. Pumpkin Pie Cream Puffs from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles For a light dessert at your next dinner party, try making these pumpkin pie cream puffs. These cream puffs are bite-sized and a great finish to any meal. These pumpkin cream puffs are filled with maple whipped cream and pumpkin pie filling — an amazing burst of fall flavor. Of course, a blog featuring pumpkin-based recipes wouldn’t be complete without a pumpkin spice latte recipe included. We like this one from Taste of Home: Pumpkin Pie Latte . Please feel free to share your favorite pumpkin recipe in the comments, and thanks for reading today’s blog post. * Pumpkin facts are from the University of Illinois EXtension office.

Gamification It's Here

We’re holding our first-ever Gamification* contest where you can win a variety of fabulous prizes! Get the most points and badges to win. How do you get points and badges you ask? It’s simple. Simply login to ResidentPortal and complete actions such as: — making an online payment (no more rent checks) — setting up scheduled payments (never be late again) — adding a profile picture (smile, no driver’s license type pics here, please) — completing surveys (let us know how you feel) — referring friends (makes it easy) — starting or joining a club (book group anyone?) — sending an RSVP to a community event (just a click to let us know you’ll be there) — updating your Apartmates community profile. (tell us about yourself) ResidentPortal puts you in charge and allows you to manage your interactions with us easily, one click at a time. ResidentPortal is secure and available 24/7, a click at a time. Our mobile app, now available on iTunes , coming soon to Google Play , is convenient and user-friendly too! If you haven’t taken time yet to set up your ResidentPortal Account, it’s easy. Click on this link and create your account in minutes, and then get started with Gamification! We’re excited to be offering this activity to our community members. The contest runs through October and prize drawings will be held in November. One of the perks of living at Autumn Creek, Windsong Place, Renaissance Place or Stonegate Apartments is having access to all that ResidentPortal has to offer. Be sure to check your ResidentPortal or email for more information on the prizes and specific drawing dates...we’ll be sending out details. Thanks for reading today’s blog post, and as always, we welcome feedback. Simply leave a comment below to share your suggestions, opinions, and thoughts for our blog. *ResidentPortal employs gamification techniques through a system of virtual points and badges to reward you, our residents, for completing actions within your portal. Opting out of Gamification can be done through your account preferences .

Getting the Most Out of the Fitness Center

Living at a BMW apartment generally means having access to an onsite fitness center, an amenity that we may take for granted. When was the last time you used the fitness center? If it’s been awhile, maybe it’s time to recommit and get started. We have pulled together some tips for getting the most out of working out in your apartment community fitness center (or wherever else you go for exercise). Keeping Track of Your Progress Keeping track of where we’re at can help us stay motivated and maintain focus. Devices such as Fitbit, a phone app, or even the old-school method of using a notebook can be used to track your exercise. Tracking is also a good way to reinforce the choice you made to exercise. Be Accountable to Someone Accountability is a key component to creating a successful workout routine. Some people can simply be accountable to themselves, but for many others, having a workout buddy helps them stay on track with their fitness goals. Find a workout buddy to go with you. If you know your friend is going to be knocking on your door, you are more likely to get out of bed at o’dark-thirty to exercise. Reward Yourself Rewarding yourself can be a strong motivation for maintaining a workout schedule. The form of the reward isn’t as important as simply creating a reward. Rewards can range from enjoying a healthy smoothie, to watching an episode of your favorite show, to indulging in a session of gaming, or even just paying yourself every time you work out. Add a dollar to a workout jar, and after a month buy yourself something you’ve been wanting to get. Working out regularly contributes to a sense of wellbeing, promotes good health, and offers social interaction. What do you like best about having an onsite fitness center? Please feel free to share your experience in the comments.

Tips for Filling Out Applications

Contemplating moving into a new apartment can be exciting, exhausting, and perhaps a bit intimidating. In today's blog post, we offer some tips for preparing to submit applications that can be applied to a variety of situations, including applying for a BMW Management Company apartment. Sometimes little details can make all the difference, and being prepared helps lead to success. These are some steps to take for filling out applications that can help make the whole process go smoothly and lead to a positive outcome. 1. Verify Your Credit Getting a copy of your credit report is a good place to start. Verify that your credit matches the requirements of the application. This is the easiest way to avoid disappointment once an application is submitted. (And if there are issues, you will be able to take steps to remedy them before you submit an application.) 2. Documentation Preparation Gather the documentation you will need. Typically that includes driver's licenses, social security cards, proof of employment, and references. There may not be a field in the actual application, but you may need to scan or fax a copy of the document to complete the application. 3. Do a Read-Through Reading through an application before you begin filling it out will give you a general idea of what will be required and what information you will need to have on hand. 4. Double-Check the Document After you've finished, but before you submit your application, double-check it for completeness. This is to ensure that you didn't miss anything and that the information is correct. One of the most frustrating occurrences is to realize you made a mistake after you hit the send button. Check for typos and correct spelling. It may only be an application, but first impressions count. Do you have any tips or methods for submitting rental applications? Share those in the comments below for others preparing to fill one out today!

Coming Home to StoneGate

StoneGate is home to satisfied residents. Our five-star rating may have something to do with that, or perhaps it's the amazing amenities in our apartments and our community. In today's post, we will highlight what makes StoneGate the place to be. A few of the perks of living at StoneGate include a responsive staff, 24-hour emergency maintenance commitment, on-site management, and our concierge services. There is always something to do! Between our resident social events, clubhouse, TV lounge, and game/card room, you don't even have to leave home to have a vibrant social life; though if you do need to get out and about, our convenient location makes it easy. We care about your health by providing smoke free buildings and an on-site fitness gym, and access to the swimming pools at our sister communities. It's a pleasure to take your pet for a walk through our manicured grounds, or invite friends over to share an outdoor meal in our picnic area. And that's just our community. Our apartments are amazing, too; with details to fit your lifestyle, they say, "Welcome home!" From our trash removal service, to the open, inviting floor plans, plank floors, vaulted ceilings, and granite counter-tops, the design details of our apartments define us. Fashionable and accessible, StoneGate caters to our residents' needs. Take a look at our ratings and reviews . Jean said, "Most of all I would say it is convenient to so many things. The people are friendly and the staff is amazingly responsive to requests made." Why do you love living at Stone Gate? We would love to hear. Please feel free to share in the comments. Apartment Amenities Certain floor plans may have different amenities depending on when they were updated, what building they're in, etc. FREE Cable FREE Water Trash Removal Included Wood Style Plank Flooring Available Attached Garage(s) Private Entries Vaulted Ceilings Central A/C Fireplaces, Stainless Steel Appliances Available High Definition Counter-tops Available Private Patio or Balcony Walk-In Tubs Available Chairlifts Available Additional Storage Granite Kitchen Counter-tops Available Medic Alarm Pull Cord System Walk-in Closets W/D Hookup Wheelchair Accessible