Auston Chase Apartment Homes

It is the New Year, and for many in our apartments in Ridgeland, SC this is the perfect time to get a fresh start. New Year’s Resolutions and ideas to have a great year are the topics of conversation this time of year. Many have a holiday tradition that will certainly give you a leg up in the luck department.

There are a variety of foods that are believed to be lucky and to improve the odds that next year will be a great one. What is interesting is that all over the world the foods eaten on New Year’s Eve consist of the same major categories: grapes, greens, fish, pork, legumes, and cakes.

Grapes
New Year's revelers in Spain consume twelve grapes at midnight—one grape for each stroke of the clock.

Cooked Greens
Cooked greens, including cabbage, collards, kale, and chard, are consumed at New Year's in different countries for a simple reason — their green leaves look like folded money, and are thus symbolic of economic fortune.

Legumes
Legumes including beans, peas, and lentils are also symbolic of money. Their small, seedlike appearance resembles coins that swell when cooked so they are consumed with financial rewards in mind.
In Italy, it's customary to eat cotechino con lenticchie or sausages and green lentils, just after midnight

In the Southern United States, it's traditional to eat black-eyed peas or cowpeas in a dish called hoppin' john.
 
Pork
The custom of eating pork on New Year's is based on the idea that pigs symbolize progress.
 
Fish
Cod has been a popular feast food since the Middle Ages. The Danish eat boiled cod, in Italy, baccalà, or dried salt cod, is enjoyed from Christmas through New Year's; herring is consumed at midnight in Poland and Germany; the Swedish New Year feast is usually a smorgasbord with a variety of fish dishes such as seafood salad. In Japan, herring roe is consumed for fertility, shrimp for long life, and dried sardines for a good harvest

Cakes
Round or ring-shaped baked goods have special emphasis at New Year’s.

If you are looking for a recipe to bring to a New Year’s Eve party in Ridgeland, Beaufort or Hilton Head this weekend, bring some food with luck! Happy New Year from Auston Chase Apartment Homes.

Food information from Epicurious

With over 200 restaurant experiences, Hilton Head Island is truly the perfect place for a “foodie”. Our area chefs are devoted to using fresh and local ingredients, so the menu is always fresh. Do you have a favorite dining hotspot? Is there a popular restaurant you like to visit?
 
Your going to eat quite a bit in your apartment in Ridgeland over the next week or so, it will help you get ready for the 4th Annual Restaurant Week, being held January 21-28, 2012.

Modeled after similar popular events held in NYC and Los Angeles, Restaurant Week features local participating restaurants which will be offering specially price-fixed “prix fixe” menus.

The New Year is the perfect time to sample the tastes of Hilton Head. From seafood and authentic Lowcountry cuisine to four-star fine dining, Hilton Head Island has something for every taste and budget.

The argument in the press over whether to rent or buy has lately been more prominent than usual. The rent vs buy debate is complex and often the important issues can get lost in the emotion of it all. People forget that buying home is only an appropriate for some. Those who refer to renting as money down the drain are missing the point.

Renting an apartment in Ridgeland, SC provides flexible access to accommodation for many who are not interested, for whatever reason, in buying a home. Unlike buying, renting in an apartment home is less expensive and it is a faster and easier transaction. Renters carry no responsibility for building maintenance and have no exposure to house price risk.

Renting a home also provides options for those for whom it is not appropriate to buy in the current climate, such as those in full-time education, those who would prefer to be mobile, or those who are not interested in home maintenance or home ownership.

Excerpts from Mortgage Strategy

The housing market is stagnating right now nationally and in South Carolina and real estate brokers would have potential buyers believe that there is no better time than the present to buy a home. It is true, prices are down and mortgage rates are at all-time lows.

Unfortunately for the real estate brokers, many clients are not persuaded by that logic. Instead, in increasing numbers, they are choosing to rent instead of buy — unconvinced that the housing market has yet hit bottom. Would be buyers also understand that unless you plan to stay in your home for more than 10 years, buying a home may not be the right investment for everyone.

Apartments in Ridgeland, SC are conveniently located near Hilton Head Island, apartments in and offering apartment amenities that can’t be found in homes; renting is a great option for many. There is also a broad mix of tenants in the Auston Chase Apartment community: young single residents and families and empty-nesters that no longer have homeownership on their wish list.

For information on beautiful one-, two-, and three bedroom apartments in the Hilton Head Area contact Auston Chase Apartment Homes.

By giving gifts, kids learn how to give. But since they often don’t have money of their own, parents buy gifts and give on their children’s behalf. Lets face it, there are some pretty unique gives in South Carolina. But this holiday season, set up some space in your apartment in Ridgeland, SC to make some gifts with your kids. By making gifts, your children can really learn the gift of giving. Here are a few ideas for gifts that children can easily make for their loved ones.
 
Crafts with Hand-print

Grandparents love to see how their grandchildren grow. Make gifts with hand prints and they can turn into a family tradition. Dish towels, hand towels, T-shirts, table cloths, BBQ aprons and cloth napkins work well for hand-print crafts. Squirt fabric paint onto a paper plate. Lay out your fabric gift on a piece of cardboard. Press your child’s hand into the paint and then press it onto the fabric to leave a hand print behind. Your kids can decorate it further with fabric markers, but be sure to write the year too.

Make a Fleece Throw

Making a fleece throw is easy for kids because it doesn’t need to be sewn. Your kids can make a fleece throw with two same-size rectangles of fleece; they don’t have to be the same color or pattern. Cut 1-inch pieces of fringe all around the outside edges of both pieces that are about ½- ¾ inches apart. Lay them on top of each other then tie the fringe from each one together. Continue until all the fringe is tied.

Chanukah and Christmas bring us the season of giving, teach your kids how to give as well as receive during this holiday season.