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Apartment Thanksgiving Tips - Part 2

Whether you just moved into a new apartment and are having your turkey feast there for the very first time, or whether its your first year inviting friends and family over to your place, you might be wondering how you can really make it all go off without a hitch. To give you ideas for the best way to plan it all out, weve made a list of a few of our favorite suggestions for having Thanksgiving dinner in your apartment. In our last post , we focused on getting things ready for dinner. In this post, well be focusing on helpful clean-up tips. Leftover Turkey To save space in your fridge, wed recommend carving up leftover turkey meat and putting it into ziploc bags or space-saving tupperware. Keeping it on the carcass will take up more room than you want, and its harder to deal with later. Utilize Your Guests One of the easiest ways to make clean-up that much easier is delegating different responsibilities of cleaning to different guests. Whether that means everyone doing something at once, or tapping in and out of dish washing responsibilities, youll feel a lot less burnt out at the end of the night with the extra help. Timing Dessert + Cleaning Glasses Last but not least, wed recommend holding off on serving dessert until youve gotten the dishes from dinner done. Cleaning as you prepared your main dishes should mean all thats left are plates and silverware. Save delicate stemware like wine glasses for the morning. Youll have more energy to wash them and thus less likely to break them in the sink.

Apartment Thanksgiving Tips

Whether you just moved into an apartment and are having your big turkey feast there for the very first time, or whether its your first year inviting friends over, you might be in panic mode about how to make it all work. It seems like no matter how much space you have, you have to work with new constraints every year. To give you ideas for the best way to plan it all out, weve made a list of a few of our favorite suggestions for having Thanksgiving dinner in your apartment. In two posts, well outline both how to show off your mealand the best way to clean it all up in the next. Modular Dining Style If you have an amount of guests that will fit around the table, wed recommend setting everything up buffet-style in the kitchenor on the stoveto save on space. But if youre expecting more than a table-full, dont be afraid to utilize couches or extra seats. Floor pillows, step stools, and smaller tables can work in a pinch. Having a more informal meal can make it easier to have conversation when things feel a bit more casual. If you want to keep things classy, you could even use inexpensive trays for each guest to keep their plates and cutlery. Simplify Appetizers For guests that want something to snack on until the foods ready, itll help you cut down on meal prep and space to put out smaller bowls of healthy nuts, candy, or a simple plate of crackers and your favorite fancy cheese. Whatever you do, stick to things that involve minimal to no cooking or prep. Rearrange + Declutter To streamline available space, dont be afraid to move tables into the bedroom to allow for extra seatingor to open your living room up to your guests. Wed also recommend placing table or counter clutter in another room to provide more space for drinks and plates.

A List of Fall Themed Movies to Watch This November

Like it or not, fall is here to stay. But the good newsdepending on how much you like itis that winter is now just around the bend. The beautiful colors, holidays, and experiences of fall come and go almost too quickly. However, getting family or friends together to watch some movies that celebrate this season is the perfect way to relish in all its glory. Though theres certainly a healthy crop to pick your movie of choice, weve decided to get the gears turning by sharing a few of our favorite fall classics. Whether youre excited about the upcoming change in season or not, youll feel a little closer with fall with any one of the movies below. Dead Poets Society Prep school and uniforms and autumnal scenery in Delaware. This inspiring movie is a classic way to connect with the majestic surroundings of fall. Honing in on an unconventional teacher that helps his class connect with what theyre learning outside of their textbooks. Robin Williams gives an outstanding lesson in bringing what we learn to life. And with his recent passing, this is a great way to look back on his emotionally moving career. Rudy Football is about as fall-centric as you can get. Notre Dames campus and football team are at the focus of this story as our main character Rudyas played by Sean Astintries his best to overcome the academic, financial, and physical limitations that would keep him from playing the game he loves for the school of his dreams. You cant get a more satisfying ending than this one. October Sky East Tennessees fall colors help tell the story of a group of boys journey to build a rocketand what one of them will do to escape a life of working the local coal mines. After being inspired by a satellite in the sky, this movie follows the struggles and odds that work against the par for the course in this rural town. And it just goes to show what it means to stick with your dreams.

Delicious Desserts for When Youre Already Sick of Pumpkin

With the full onset of fall comes the obvious return of pumpkin and deals on seasonal fun size candy. But this is the time of year known for robust and calming flavors that feel more welcome as the temperatures gradually drop. From robust cinnamon to roasted pecans and spiced apple cider, theres comfort yet for those that are already tired of pumpkin in everything. Below, weve included a few dessert go-tos for when youre already sick of the seemingly omnipresent orange gourd. Apple Harvest Pound Cake Theres no better time for apples than fall in the pacific northwest. And making this harvest pound cake is one of the better ways to bring out all the rich local flavors in applesespecially with its thick caramel glaze. With a balanced blend of fresh cinnamon, chopped walnuts, granny smiths, and brown sugar, this is just the thing you need in your escape from seasonal pumpkindom. You can find what youll need for it over here . Black Mission Fig Clafoutis Heaven have mercyfigs dont get as much credit as they deserve for the way they can bring a dessert together. And when you add French-style pancakes and a port-infused cream to the mix with some fresh and juicy figs? This ones a real game changer. With a bit of orange zest and vanilla extract for taste, your tongue will be thanking you for the rest of the day. You can find what youll need for this recipe over yonder . Apple Cider Doughnuts Were back to apples again, but we couldnt really help ourselves. In the event you buy more apples than you needed for the our first apple-based recipe, you might as well use the rest in this on-the-go treat. With a bit of espresso powder, rich apple cider, and a dash of nutmeg, these doughnuts will are perfect for the daily grind. You can find the ingredients and step-by-step over here .

Scary Movies for the Faint of Heart

Scary movies are enjoyable any time of year, but theyre certainly not for everyone. Lots of people dont enjoy being scared. And maybe you feel a bit left outtheres just not that much out there that comes with enough of a thrill that doesnt keep you up at night. Whether youre looking for something to watch on your own, or something thats a little more appropriate for all ages, weve compiled a short list below of a few of our go-tos for the faint of heart. For the Faint of Heart Beetlejuice In 1988, Tim Burton was at a point of his career where he was still unfocused and taking thrilling chances. And his adaptation of this script was a commercial and critical success. Focusing on a recently deceased couple that now haunts their former house, Michael Keatons Beetlejuice tries to help them scare away the new tenantsbut not without second-thoughts. This one is as fun while still being the right amount of creepy. Ghostbusters Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd made a big impact with this movie that came out in 1984. After a trio loses their jobs at Columbia University, they turn to trying to make ends meet by fighting and capturing ghosts for hire. Involving a healthy amount of jokes, hotel chase scenes, and a towering marshmallow man, this movie satisfies with easy scares. And still holds up after all these years. Arachnophobia Jeff Daniels and John Goodman star in this 1990 horror-comedy that doesnt do much to put our fear of spiders at bay. Following a group of entomologists thats looking for new species of arachnids and insects, one deadly spider ends up delivering a fatal bite and making it back to the U.S. in a coffin. From there, it finds a mateand the towns inhabitants start dropping like flies. The dated feel of this movie helps it feel campy enough to reduce its creepy-crawly moments. But youll have to watch this one to see if they stop the threat of a venomous species outbreak.

Authors Living near Puyallup

With temperatures gradually sliding downward and autumn foliage beginning to appear amongst the green trees of Puyallup, its a perfect time of year to curl up by the window with a warm drink and a good book. Well leave the choice of drink up to you, but weve got a few suggestions for great reading material. Theres something exciting about reading the work of a local authormaybe its the shared influence of the area on both you and the writer creating a common bond, or perhaps its the knowledge that you might run into the writer next weekend at the store. Whatever it is, weve gathered together a list of a few bestselling Washington authors for you to perusehopefully, youll find something new and exciting for your reading pleasure! Urban Fantasy If youre a fan of magic and paranormal creatures, check out the works of Richelle Mead . Shes the author of dozens of urban fantasy novels, from the Georgina Kincaid and Dark Swan Series to the young adult Vampire Academy and Bloodlines Series. Legal Thrillers Steve Martini practiced law for a decade before turning his talents to writing. His first novel, Compelling Evidence, was followed by over a dozen more exciting page-turners about the cases of defense attorney Paul Madriani. Historical Romance Theres something wonderfully romantic about other time periodsperhaps it has something to do with the enduring success of such authors as Jane Austen or the Bronte Sisters. If youve run out of the original classics, dont worry Lisa Kleypas is still composing award-winning historical romance for you to enjoy. Short Stories and Literary Humor Sherman Alexie is a writer who is difficult to pin down in one genrehe writes compelling, dark stories and more lighthearted, humorous tales, and often mixes both together. He has works aimed at adults, teens and even children. In short, he has something for everyone. We recommend starting with The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven or The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Romance and Womens Fiction There must be something inherently romantic and heartwarming about Washington, because it is abounding in writers of romance and of womens fiction. In addition to Lisa Kleypas that we mentioned above, bestselling authors Julia Quinn , Kristin Hannah , and Debbie Macomber all make their homes here in the Pacific Northwest. Check out their websites for the lists of their booksmillions of fans cant all be wrong!