Available 2 bed 2 bath

Attention Club Pacifica Residents!

 

Remember that you can get $500 if you refer someone you know to move into Club Pacifica!

We now have available a two bedroom two bath apartment home located downstairs in a secluded location!  The monthly rent is $1510 per month. So spread the word to your friends, family and co-workers and become $500 richer!

 

Craft and Stay Clean

Do you like to craft or take on projects?  Cleaning and staying organized can be the worst part of starting a new craft or project.  We have some tips on how to keep your work station clean and organized while completing your latest creation. This can make the project less overwhelming and a more enjoyable experience.  You can learn more at apartment therapy.

Start with a clean surface.

Every project will have different requirements. You might need a small table for a quick paper project, or an enormous area to layout quilt pieces — either way it's a good idea to clear off your surface and wipe it down before getting out your supplies. It only takes a minute and ensures you won't set your materials down in a puddle from your water glass, breakfast crumbs, stray threads, or any of the dozens of household perils for craft supplies.

Gather all of your materials and tools before beginning your project.

This is a common cooking tip that applies to crafting as well. By gathering everything together you're checking to be sure you have all of the necessary supplies, and preventing mess-making mid-craft mad shuffles through the bins, baskets, closets and drawers that house your supplies. Now, I will not be so obnoxious as to say that having all of your supplies stored in an organized manner is a tip for staying organized while crafting, but I will say that if the ribbon you need is tucked in a drawer with other ribbons instead of tangled around eight half-wound skeins of yarn studded with hazardous fabric shears and knitting needles, it will be easier to get started on the right foot.

Corral small items.

Anything tiny that comes in multiples should be corralled into bowls or other small containers. Things like beads, sequins, scrapbook eyelets, and screws have a tendency to roll off everywhere and then be impossible to find. I occasionally realize I must have dropped some beads when I hear my vacuum struggling near my project table. Of course, I feel I have to mention glitter. By all means corral it in a container of some kind, but if you're working with glitter my best advice is to learn to love glitter, because you will be living with it until the end of time. I have been married three and a half years and I still find glitter from the place cards at my wedding, and I've moved twice since then!

Place a scrap receptacle right at your feet.

Any sort of basket or bin to drop scraps into as you go will help keep things tidy. I like to put all of my sewing or paper scraps into my bin while I'm crafting, then go through at the end to see if I have any scraps large enough to keep. If you're working with glue, paint, or other messy/sticky items, it's a good idea to have an actual trash can nearby to throw away anything that can't be salvaged.

Clean up immediately upon finishing your project.

This is where I get into trouble. It's important to immediately put away all of your leftover supplies and tools. That way everything is back where it belongs when you want to start your next project. It's amazing how cyclical organization is! Once everything is put away you can wipe down your surfaces again. If anything has spilled, or you've marked your surface, it will never be easier to clean than when it's fresh. You can even take care of a fair amount of the aforementioned glitter mess with a damp towel.

Following these tips should help you have a tidy crafting experience, and set you up to start your next fun project!

Comfort Food From Around the World

Do you enjoy comfort food?  Here are some great recipes from around the world.  Each of these recipes is considered a "comfort food" in their country.  You can learn more at The Kitchn.

TOP ROW
• 1 How to Make Fried Rice - China
• 2 Cuban Black Bean Soup - Cuba
• 3 Korean-Style Steamed Eggs - Korea
• 4 African Beef & Peanut Stew - The Congo and Ghana
• 5 Gluten-Free Dessert Recipe: Marking's Bibingka - The Philippines

Authentic Spaghetti alla Carbonara

MIDDLE ROW
• 6 Vegetarian Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup) - Vietnam
• 7 Shepherd's Pie - Ireland
• 8 Lamb Korma - India
• 9 Authentic Spaghetti alla Carbonara - Italy
• 10 Slow-Cooked Boeuf Bourguignon - France

How to Make Baklava

BOTTOM ROW
• 11 Enchiladas Verdes - Mexico
• 12 How To Make Baklava - Greece
• 13 Sauerkraut, Potato & Cheese Pierogi - Poland
• 14 Thai Green Coconut Curry with Chicken and Zucchini - Thailand
• 15 Recipe: Salmon and Black Sesame Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls) - Japan

DIY Valentine's Day Gifts

 Are you looking for a gift for your special guy this Friday?   These are some great DIY gifts that will not break the bank.  Keep reading and you can learn more here.




1. DIY Sharpie Mug - For the always-working-late, coffee-obsessed guy
Want him to stay sharp in the morning? Make your own coffee mug by drawing or writing some personal messages on it with a Sharpie marker. It's an easy, tailored gift that he can actually use. You can buy your own mug and Sharpie or get a DIY mug gift package at Starbucks. Here's a YouTube tutorial:

2. DIY Skinny Tie - For the business-first, suit-up-like-Barney-Stinson guy

Suit up!

Ties are one of the top picks in terms of gifts for men, but instead of spending hundreds of dollars on a nice tie, why not make one for him? You can use any kind of fabric you want, just be creative. A guy can never have too many ties--just as girls can never have too many shoes. 
DIY MEN'S SKINNY TIE

3. DIY Meal - For the food-loving, on-a-budget guy
The first thing everyone thinks of when it comes to Valentine's Day is having a good meal at a nice restaurant, which is usually expensive. Instead, why not buy a couple of candles and placemats and cook him a meal instead? Dinner can be just as nice at home, especially if you cook his favorite dishes. Here's a link to some Valentine's Day recipes, but there are thousands of other ideas out there for making a special V-Day feast.
20 LOVEY DOVEY DINNERS

One for you and one for him.

 

4. DIY Laptop/iPad Case - For the tech-savy, slightly hipster guy
Many people have Macbooks and iPads these days, but you can make his stand out with a personalized laptop or iPad sleeve. Be creative by adding things that only you two would understand. From leather to tweed cases, here are 20 simple tutorials on making a laptop or iPad sleeve just for you and yours. 
20 DIY LAPTOP/IPAD SLEEV PROJECTS
5. DIY Kiss Flip book - For the romantic, photo-loving guy 

Time to go old-school this time

Whether he's a hopeless romantic or a down-to-earth practical kind of guy, he will definitely appreciate this cute little idea. Between Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Vine, you can easily find photos and videos of your other half, but this old-school method of stop-motion will create a more touching action sequence than any app could. Here's an easy tutorial on making a Kiss Flip book, which you can customize to your liking.

Side Dish from Your Childhood

Are you craving that familiar food from your childhood? You can have grown up tater-tots that do not look like they come from a school cafeteria?  Here is a great recipe from The Kitchn.

Grown Up Tater-Tots

Serves 2 to 3

1 pound small potatoes, like baby Yukon Golds or fingerlings
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Italian parsley, finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Thoroughly scrub the potatoes and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until they are tender enough to pierce with a fork, but not browned. Let the potatoes rest for 10 minutes or until they are cool enough to handle.
Turn the oven up to 450°F. Using the bottom of a plate, a sturdy rocks glass, or measuring cup, smash the potatoes with firm, downward pressure. Squish each potato to about 3/4-inch thick. They will crack and split, but they should, for the most part, stay in one piece.
Brush or drizzle generously with olive oil, sprinkle with minced garlic, and place back in the oven. Bake until crispy and golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and parsley, and try not to eat the whole pan by yourself.

A New Look For Your Home

Are you getting bored with your current look in your bedroom?  There are ways to change up your bedroom without spending tons of money.  A few simple changes can make it feel like you have a whole new bedroom.  You can learn more at apartment therapy.

1. Clean your sheets. Nestling in between freshly laundered sheets is probably the easiest and cheapest way to feel like you're in a new room. If you're feeling fancy, try adding some homemade linen spray.
2. Make your bed. While I have a hard time keeping my bedroom as neat as I'd like, I always make my bed. Even if there's some stuff on the floor and your hamper's full of dirty laundry, a made bed gives a bedroom a sense of order.
3. Clear off or minimize clutter on dresser tops. Lots of little things tend to accumulate on my nightstand (glasses and mugs, mostly) and my husband's dresser (e.g., baseball hats and receipts). A quick sweep can make your room instantly better organized and cleaner looking.
4. Bring in flowers or a plant. The January Cure teaches all of us how refreshing it is to have some fresh greenery. Drop a few dollars at the grocery store or, if you have a sunny spot, relocate one of the succulents you have sunbathing in another room. At least in my world, greenery is happiness.
5. Rearrange artwork. Switching up what hangs where is a free way to change how your room looks and, in my experience, is a good way to get started thinking creatively.

Eliminate the Clutter in Your Apartment

Does your apartment get cluttered throughout the week?  Here are some great tips on how to slowly eliminate the clutter that builds up throughout the week.  These tips will help your apartment stay cleaner, and it will help you feel less stressed when you come home.   You can learn more at apartment therapy.

Designated Outbox: Set up a permanent basket, box, or bag by your front door to toss things that need to go. Make it part of your decor so that it's part of your daily life and doesn't just look like a messy cardboard chore lurking in the corner, sending accusing looks at you. Try emptying it once a week or at least twice a month.
Clean As You Cook: Somehow a messy kitchen with a pile of dishes is always the first stop on the ride on the messy train. Never go to bed with a sink full of dishes. Waking up to dirty dishes just sets you starting your day off wrong. Also, try to clean up as you cook so that when dinner is done you don't turn around to more work and can end your night on a good note.
Sort Mail Immediately: I am guilty as charged when it comes to piles of mail in various places that "I'll get to later." My new workflow is: pick up mail; open it over the recycle bin; put bills in a designated bill cubby; and feel good while doing it.
Tidy Up 10 Minutes a Day: You can split this up into two five-minute chunks or a full ten. Quickly shuffle through your house (preferably at the end of the day) and put away all those little things that you took out, opened, or tossed on the couch throughout the day. This way you can reset your home each evening and start fresh each morning.
Refocus Your Energy: A long time ago I heard someone say, 'it takes just as much energy to be messy and it does to be clean" and it always stuck with me. It makes total sense: when you're messy you are just delaying the energy it will take to clean it up instead of doing it immediately. I find that, when I clean as I go, I'm much happier and rest so much better without 'to do's' weighing on my mind, or seeing guilt-ridden piles of stuff.