March 2016 Newsletter

 Welcome! It's Our Pleasure to Serve You! / Bienvenidos! Es un
Placer Servirle!
Your Community Team
Karen VanGoethem
Our Team would like to extend a warm welcome to all of our new residents and a sincere thank
you to our loyal residents who continue to call our community home. We're happy to have you with
us! ⁄Nuestro equipo quisiera darles una cálida bienvenida a todos nuestros nuevos residentes y
agradecer sinceramente a los residentes leales que continúan llamando a nuestra comunidad su
hogar. ¡Estamos felices de tenerlos con nosotros!
Property Manager
Mauricio Ayala
Assistant Manager
BUENA VIDA CONNECT! Easter Fun / Dia de Pascua!
Griselda Rodriguez
Resident Ambassador
Bring the kiddies for Easter Fun! We're having an Easter Egg Hunt on Thursday, March 24th at
4:30pm at the Clubhouse. We haven't forgotten adults either, so come be part of the drawing for
prizes! There will be fun and refreshments for all! ⁄ ¡Traigan a los niños para diversión de Pascua!
Tendremos una búsqueda de huevos de Pascua el jueves, 24 de marzo a las 4:30pm, en el
Clubhouse. No hemos olvidado a los adultos tampoco, ¡así que vengan a participar en la rifa para
premios! Habrá diversión y refrigerios para todos!
James Navarrette
Maintenance Supervisor
Jorge Amaya
Maintenance Associate
Roelmis Duany
Maintenance Associate
What Should You Do If You Ever Smell Gas? / ¿Que debe hacer
si huele a gas?
Andro Rodriguez
Maintenance Associate
Be sure to take a moment to review the enclosed Public Awareness Plan on gas safety and share
it with other household members. Gas emergencies are rare but can happen. Whenever there is a
gas leak, there is a possibility of fire or explosion. Educate yourself and family on recognizing the
signs of a gas leak. Natural gas has a chemical added to it that makes it smell like rotten eggs or
sulfur so it can be easily recognized. If you have any questions, please call or stop in our Office
and we'll be happy to assist you. ⁄ Asegúrese de tomar un momento para revisar el Plan de
Concientización adjunto sobre la segrudiad del gas natural, y compartalo con los miembros de su
hogar. Las emergencias de gas son raras pero pueden ocurrir. Siempre que haya una fuga de
gas, existe la posibilidad de incendio o explosión. Edúquese a si mismo y a su familia para
reconocer las senales de una fuga de gas. El gas natural tiene un químico añadido que lo que
hace oler a huevos podridos o azufre, para que se pueda reconocer fácilmente. Si tiene
preguntas, favor de llamar o pasar por la Oficina para poder asistirle
Courtesy Patrol
512-982-4666
Reliant Towing
512-363-5900
Office Hours
Monday Thru
Friday
8:30am - 5:30pm
Saturday
10:00am -5:00pm
Sunday
Closed
Congratulations to Our Winners! / ¡Felicitaciones!
Contact Directory
Main Office
Please congratulate your neighbors Heriberto & Eloina on winning $100 in our Early Bird Raffle!
You could be our next winner! Just pay your rent on or before the first of the month and you're
automatically entered in our raffle! ⁄ Por favor feliciten a sus vecinos Heriberto & Eloina ganadores
de $100.00 en la rifa de Early Birrd! Usted podría ser nuestro próximo ganador! Sólo page la renta
antes de primero del mes para entrar automaticamente en la rifa!
(512) 836-4629
Office Fax
(512) 837-8802
Emergency Contact
(512) 836-4629
Villas de la Luz Apartments
www.villasdelaluzapts.com | 1630 Rutland Dr. Austin TX 78758
HOME GREEN HOME
Now more than ever, people are showing concern for our planet
by living in such a way that alleviates some of the stress the
human race has put on it over the years. We are all familiar
with the ways that advancing technologies have encouraged
us to decrease our energy use, but many are looking to make
environmentally positive changes at home as well. This can be
done by using natural cleaning products, using less water in
daily routines, and even by the way we furnish our living spaces.
According to a survey by Realtor.com®, more than 30% surveyed
said that they currently live in an “eco-friendly” residence and
nearly 85% said that they would opt for a more eco-friendly living
environment. That’s great news for “green” furniture companies,
second-hand shops, and most importantly, mother earth.
Furnishing your residence in an eco-friendly way can be
something as simple as choosing pieces that contain materials like
ecologically harvested wood, sustainable bamboo, organic fabrics
or fills on upholstered pieces, and making sure non-toxic finishes
are used. Also, you’ll want to look for fair-trade companies or buy
from local establishments that are using best practices when it
comes to how the materials are harvested or made. This process
of buying “green” sometimes comes with a hefty price tag, but
online retailers, such as Overstock.com, offer Worldstock, where
you can purchase handmade and fair-trade goods, many of which
are made from sustainable materials, at a more moderate price
point.
Another major way you can “go green” at home, reduce your
carbon footprint, and save some serious cash, is by shopping at
second-hand stores for pieces that can be repurposed in your
home. In addition to making “one man’s trash another man’s
treasure,” it’s fun to hunt for that unique piece that will give
your home a little character for years to come. You can always
personalize the piece by painting it a new color, using non-toxic
paints. And when it’s time to freshen up your space and say goodbye to your old favorite piece, make sure it finds its way to a new
home and not to a landfill. You can sell old furniture on Craigslist, in
your local newspaper, or give it away on Freecycle.org.
Sources: life.gaiam.com/article/guide-buying-eco-friendly-furniture
treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-furniture.html
realtor.com/news/real-estate-news/most-americans-want-eco-friendly-homes
SLOW COOKER CORNED
BEEF AND CABBAGE
Try this St. Patrick’s Day favorite, using Irish
beer in place of water, giving the dish a
richer flavor.
Ingredients
1 corned beef brisket (3-4 lbs.) + pickling
spice packet (included with beef)
½ pound red potatoes, washed and halved
1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
4 carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 bay leaf
2 bottles of Guinness® beer
1 small cabbage, cut into wedges
Grainy mustard, for serving
1. Place onion, carrots, and bay leaf into the
slow cooker.
2. Remove brisket from package, trim excess
fat, rinse and pat dry. Place brisket on top
of vegetables, sprinkle pickling spices that
came with the brisket over meat, and pour
beer over brisket and vegetables. Add
enough water to almost cover the meat.
3. Set slow cooker to low, cover, and let
simmer for approximately 8 hours. In the last
two hours of cooking, add the potatoes. In
the final hour of cooking, add the cabbage.
4. Carefully remove the brisket from the slow
cooker, let cool for 15 to 20 minutes, and
slice thinly across the grain.
5. Serve sliced brisket with vegetables,
pouring a small amount of the cooking liquid
on top, and with a side of grainy mustard.
Serves 4-6.
POP (UP) GOES THE LIBRARY!
In 2009, Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin, built a sweet tribute
to his mother, a former school teacher who adored reading.
The tribute came in the form of a little red school house that he
built with a hinged door on the front and a compartment that
could hold a small supply of books. Todd placed it in his front
yard, with a little sign that read “Esther Bol Memorial Library”
and his neighbors and friends were delighted that they could
engage in a book exchange right in his front yard. The first
“Little Free Library” was born and they’ve been popping up all
over the United States ever since.
Bol, along with his business partner, Rick Brooks, made it their
mission “to promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book
exchanges worldwide and to build a sense of community as [people]
share skills, creativity and wisdom across generations.” Their goal to
have 2,510 libraries across the country was inspired by Andrew Carnegie,
who greatly supported public libraries around the turn of the 19th century,
and Lutie Stearns, a Wisconsin librarian who brought books to 1,400
locations through traveling libraries between 1895 and 1914. It is safe to
say that number has been exceeded, as there are currently over 36,000
Little Free Libraries in the United States. Check out littlefreelibrary.org to
find one near you!
TRIVIA CHALLENGE
THE WORST LIST
1. Whose “Long March” from Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist
forces lasted 368 days and covered 6,000 miles?
SplashData, a maker of password-management
applications, lists the following as the 20 worst
and most popular passwords that people
choose. Make sure your passwords are strong
by always using at least 8 characters and a
combination of numbers, capital letters, and
symbols.
1. 123456
11. 1234567
2. password 12. monkey
3. 12345
13. letmein
4. 12345678
14. abc123
5. qwerty
15. 111111
6. 123456789 16. mustang
7. 1234
17. access
8. baseball
18. shadow
9. dragon
19. master
10. football
20. michael
STRETCH OF THE LEGS
2. How much is the rent for the Monopoly property
Boardwalk if it has been improved with a hotel?
3. What author wrote the children’s poems in the book
“Where the Sidewalk Ends?”
4. What Texas city is noted for its River Walk?
5. The Doak Walker Award is awarded to players in what
sport?
Think you know the answers? Email your answers, with “Stretch of the
Legs Trivia” in the subject line to: [email protected] for
your chance to win cool stuff!
Five Trivia winners will be selected each month. Be sure to include your full name, phone number,
and mailing address in your email submission so we may contact you with prize information
should you be selected. Deadline for entry is March 31, 2016 and winners will be notified by
April 15, 2016. Good luck!
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
1
Rent Due Today
Wednesday
2
Thursday
3
Friday
4
Pago de la Renta
6
Zilker Park
Kite Festival
Festival del
papalote en Zilker
Park
13
7
Felicidades a
nuestros
cumpleañeros de
este mes!
14
Remember to Test
Your Smoke
Detectors!
8
15
Don't Wait
RENEW Today!
Uh- Oh!
Rent is Late!
Saturday
5
Happy Birthday to
all who celebrate
birthdays this
month!!
Ay! La Renta esta
Atrasada!
9
10
11
12
16
17
18
19
Recuerde probar los
detectores de humo!
SXSW Music
Fesitval Begins 11th to 20th
No Espere
RENUEVE Hoy!
Rodeo Austin
Begins - 12th to
26th at Travis
County Expo
Rent a DVD for the
Kids Today!
Rente un DVD para
los niños hoy!
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Refer a Friend &
Earn a $300 Bonus!
Refiera a un Amigo
y Gane $300!
Kid's Club Easter
Egg Hunt
4:30pm
Búsqueda de
Huevos de Pascua
No Olvide pagar su Remember to Pay
renta antes del 1ro Rent by the 1st to be
para la rifa de Early
entered in
Bird!
$100 Early Bird
Raffle!