Category: Blog

Who doesn’t like warm weather, blue skies, and longer days of sunlight? There’s a lot to love about summer, but the problem with the season is that there’s almost too much to do! To make things a little easier and to give you an idea of some great activities in the Macungie (and surrounding) area, check out these fun, family-friendly activities this summer.

Take a Hike Through the South Mountain Preserve

What better to do in the summer than get outdoors and appreciate nature? Luckily for you, you’ve got the great South Mountain Preserve just 20 minutes or so away. A part of the larger, 750-acre Robert Rodale Reserve, the preserve is full of trails that are suitable for hiking and biking. You can learn more and get a trail map at the Wildlands Conservancy website.

Watch a Bike Race at the Velodrome

The Velodrome at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center is a great place to take the family to see a cycling race. But don’t think this is amateur hour–the stadium hosts national championships, with the best cyclists in the world competing. All just 10 minutes away from your door! Each season has many high-adrenaline events that aren’t worth missing out on. Besides hosting these events, the Center also offers racing class for children and adults. Just in case you get inspired.

Face Your Fear of Heights at Dorney Park

No summer is complete without a weekend trip to Dorney Park. From the thrills of Hydra, Steel Force, and the Demon Drop to the kid-friendly attractions of Planet Snoopy and Dinosaurs Alive, there’s something for everyone. Plus, if you need to cool down, your ticket also gets you entrance to the adjacent Wildwater Kingdom, Dorney Park’s water park. At Wildwater, you can seek the same thrills with adventure rides or just have a lazy day lounging by Wildwater Cove.

See a Game at Coca-Cola Park

Cheer on the Lehigh Valley IronPigs when you take your family out to the ballgame at Coca-Cola Park! The stadium, also known as Bacon City USA, is home of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. As well as the thrills of a great baseball game, you can expect some great concessions, a picnic patio, and a KidsZone with a lot of great children’s activities. And with the inexpensive price of general admission tickets, you can afford to make this a regular tradition.

Learn How to Scuba Dive at Dutch Springs

Located in nearby Bethlehem, Dutch Springs is an aquatics park, adventure park, campgrounds, and scuba diving facility, all in one. That’s a lot of stuff! If you ever wanted to try out scuba diving, Dutch Springs is the place to do it, with interesting fish, sunken vehicles, and downed aircrafts to swim by. If you’re looking for something a little more adventurous, AquaPark at Dutch Springs has fun, water-based slides, rafts, and bounces, which are sure to be fun for the whole family.

With enough things to do to last you many weekends, now you can’t say you don’t have anything to do this summer. If by chance you get through all these activities before autumn hits, go out and explore Macungie yourself! You might just find the next best thing.

Ants: what are they good for? Absolutely nothing! These pests are gross, unsightly, and annoying, especially if they’re making your home their new home. Whether it’s your fault that you’ve had an ant infestation or it’s just some bad luck, you’ll need to do something about it. Here’s what you should do if you see ants in your apartment.

Don’t Panic and Do Something About It

While some people can take out an ant problem swiftly and with no fear, many of us have a tendency to panic. While it’s normal to have a visceral reaction to seeing a bunch of ants in the safety of your home, you should try your best not to freak out. Running around and worrying about the problem is just a waste of time.

Conversely, it’s just as easy to simply pretend that the problem doesn’t exist. If you put it out of your mind, it’s almost like it never happened, right? Sadly, this doesn’t stop your ant problem and will likely lead to the infestation becoming exponentially worse. Do something about it right away!

Call Your Community Office

While seeing a single ant may not be reason to suspect an ant infestation, a group of ants can be a sign of a larger issue. The first thing you should do once you realize there’s a problem is call your community office. They’ll guide you on the best course to take and schedule a maintenance visit if they believe it’s warranted. It’s best to get in touch as soon as you can. If you try to handle the problem yourself and fail –- or worse, damage your apartment – you could find yourself having to pay for repairs.

Use Insecticide or Home Remedies

Depending on the severity of the ant problem, your community office may advise you to take your own actions before they send someone out to have a look. Your best bet would be to lay down ant traps, which you can find at almost any supermarket in your area. Home remedies, such as vinegar spray and citrus oils, may also help keep the ants away. You can find plenty of other tips online for getting rid of ants. If you’re still left with a lot of the bugs, you’ll know it’s time to call in the big guns, i.e. a pest removal service.

Clean Up Problem Areas

No matter if you’re expecting a maintenance worker to make a visit to your apartment or you’re dealing with the issue alone, you can still take some proactive steps to guard against future ant outbreaks. The main task you should focus on is cleaning your apartment and keeping good habits. So, if you tend to leave dishes for a day or two, or you don’t clean spills right away, get used to cleaning up immediately. While this may not be foolproof in repelling the ants, it’ll absolutely lessen your chances of it happening again.

Dealing with ants is an unpleasant task, but the main takeaway here should be that you can only solve it by dealing with the problem head-on. It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it!

Lehigh Valley may be best known for its industrial history and, nowadays, its attractions, but there’s one thing about the Valley that might surprise you. With plenty of colleges, universities, and community colleges, Lehigh Valley is also a hotspot for higher education! If you’re considering attending a school in the Valley, you have plenty of options to choose from. From public, state-supported universities to private, religious colleges, here are the best higher education options in Lehigh Valley.

Public Schools

Due to lower tuition fees and higher acceptance rates, public universities and colleges are usually the most popular choice for those looking to get into higher education. But while Lehigh Valley doesn’t have any public universities native to the area, there are a few campus offshoots of public universities from other areas of the state. Notably, Penn State has a campus in Center Valley, which offers degrees in applied psychology, business administration, corporate communication, and more. East Stroudsburg University also has a presence in the Valley; the school has partnered with other institutions in the Valley area to provide courses in nursing and speech language pathology.

Private Schools

While private schools may be more expensive and harder to get into than public schools, they often have smaller classes and a tighter community. And when it comes to private schools, Lehigh Valley has them in spades. In Allentown, there’s Cedar Crest College, a private women’s liberal arts college, and Muhlenberg College, which boasts more than 40 majors and an 11-to-1 student to faculty ratio. In Bethlehem, you can attend the private institutions of Moravian College or Lehigh University, which bills itself as having one of the largest private campuses in the country. Finally, Center Valley is home to DeSales University, which is a private Catholic university. While all of these schools was founded on varying principles, each takes pride in providing the best in education.

Community Colleges

You might not be looking for a costly, four-year commitment. In this case, attending a community college can provide you with some of your general education credits for a fraction of what it would cost you at a private or public university. There are a few community colleges in Lehigh Valley. First, there’s Lehigh Carbon Community College, which offers both associate degrees and certificate programs. LCCC has also partnered with Albright College and Bloomsburg University to offer some bachelor’s degree programs. Besides LCCC, Lehigh Valley’s other major community college is Northampton Community College. While NCC offers similar programs to LCCC, the school does one thing differently: it has on-campus housing available, the only community college in Pennsylvania to have such.

Each of these schools offers something unique, and there’s something about all of them that their students enjoy. Finding the right fit for your school is important, so it’s important to do your research before you commit to a school. Read up on your prospective school’s programs and mission, and if you can, schedule a campus visit. It might be comforting to know, however, that if things end up not working out with one college, there are many alternative options nearby!

Who needs the movies when you’ve got exciting live acts right at your doorstep? Well, Sands Casino Resort isn’t exactly across the street, but it is only half an hour’s drive away, and with some intriguing shows coming up in the next month, you’re definitely going to want to book some tickets. Whether you have a taste for magic, comedy, or music, Sands has you covered with these upcoming events.

April 14 – The Illusionists

Do you believe in magic? After seeing The Illusionists, you very well might. With this family-friendly show, straight from Broadway, you don’t get just one magic act – you get seven. Featuring more than half a dozen performers working in all sorts of magic genres, there are tricks that will delight anyone of any age. From the shock illusions of Dan Sperry to the death-defying escapes of Andrew Basso, you’ll be holding your breath in suspense and disbelief!

April 23 – Brit Floyd

Shine on the dark side of the moon with this great gig at Sands. Billed as “the world’s greatest Pink Floyd tribute show,” Brit Floyd brings all the classics to the current generation. Expect to hear such greats as “Us and Them,” “Time,” and of course, “Comfortably Numb.” With all those songs performed by a professional band and backup singers, and an impressive visual show to go along with it, you’ll wish you were there.

May 6 – Jim Norton

Comedian Jim Norton made his name as a guest on the popular radio show, “Opie and Anthony”. This stop at Sands is part of his “Mouthful of Shame” tour, which sums up his comedy style pretty well. Norton’s brand of comedy mixes crudeness and self-deprecation in an act that’s decidedly not appropriate for the children. Recently, Norton has appeared on shows such as “Inside Amy Schumer” and “Louie”.

May 7 – Lewis Black

Maybe you like your comedy a little angrier and more politically charged. If that’s the case, you might prefer seeing Lewis Black when he performs at Sands on May 7. Black is best known for his recurring appearances on “The Daily Show”, as well as his hour-long comedy specials on Comedy Central and HBO. Tellingly, he recently performed voice work for the Pixar film, “Inside Out”, as a character named “Hate”. But, don’t let Black’s anger fool you – he’s also seriously funny.

May 11 – Ellie Goulding

English singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding hits Sands in support of her newest album, “Delirium”, which has all the electronic beats you’d expect of a hit musician today. While Goulding is arguably more popular in her home country, you’ve surely heard the ear worm “Love Me Like You Do”, which was featured in the movie, “50 Shades of Grey” and was a massive hit worldwide. You should also expect to also hear recent hits “Something in the Way You Move” and “On My Mind”. If you weren’t already a “Goulddigger” (seriously, that’s what her fans call themselves), you will be after this performance.

These shows are hot, and they’re bound to sell out soon. So, if any of them pique your interest, make sure you book your tickets ASAP!

It seems fitness trackers are all the rage today, and you don’t even need to go to the gym just to see them anymore. You can find them on the wrists of teachers, soccer moms, and your coworker. So, is it time for you to make the fitness tracking plunge? Don’t give in to the hype just yet! Although a fitness tracker isn’t a huge monetary investment, it does require a bit of a lifestyle change, so you should put some thought into whether it’s for you before you go and buy one. Consider these pros and cons of owning a fitness tracker.

Pro: Fitness Trackers Help You Set Goals

There’s no doubt about it: fitness trackers are great at giving you goals to work toward. More than likely, the first time you’ll turn on your tracker, it’ll ask for some simple data, such as your height, weight, and goal weight. Then, it’ll tell you how active you need to be that week to meet your goal. If you need someone to tell you what to do and when, a fitness tracker can be a good digital coach.

Con: You Could Do Most of It Yourself

Before you go running out to buy a fitness tracker, consider whether you really need a digital wristband to track your data. If you’re someone who wants to keep it simple, and you don’t mind busting out the pen and paper, you could track some of this data yourself. Of course, you won’t be getting the in-depth analytics of your workouts down to the second, but if you’re unconcerned about this level of detail and you just want to keep track of the essentials, you could do so on your own.

Pro: Easily Compete With Your Friends

Many fitness tracker systems include a networking aspect, so you’re able to make digital friends with your real-life friends and compete with them, complete with daily and weekly leaderboards. Competition is a good motivator for getting out there and doing what you want to do, and seeing your neighbor with the higher daily step count than you might just push you into taking that evening walk.

Con: Fitness Trackers Aren’t As Accurate As You Might Think

Here’s the dirty little secret that fitness tracker owners won’t tell you: trackers aren’t 100 percent accurate. Unfortunately, the technology just isn’t there yet, though it is constantly improving. This might not seem like a big deal, but when you start basing your goals on certain figures that you know aren’t completely accurate, you could start weaseling your way out of finishing your day’s exercises.

Pro: A Fitness Tracker Could Be the Motivation You Need

Despite their cons, fitness trackers can do what you might not be able to do yourself. They can send you reminders every day and keep you on track. Some of us simply need a kick in the pants to start changing our habits, and fitness trackers can help ensure that.

If you’re still not sure about whether you should buy a fitness tracker, think about tracking your own activities for a week or two. If you find that you’re getting along and seeing results without one, good work! But if you have no idea where to start or you’d like to see a greater breakdown of your data, it might be time to start comparing wristbands.

St. Patrick’s Day isn’t just an excuse to drink green beer. It’s also an excellent opportunity to revel in the fine tastes of Irish cuisine. The good news is that there are a ton of great dishes to choose from, and the bad news is that you’ll have a hard time deciding what to cook! To help you out, here are some recipes to get you in the spirit of the Irish.

Full Irish Breakfast

To wake up like a true Irishman or Irishwoman, start your day off right with this large, traditional breakfast. An Irish breakfast consists of (deep breath) bacon, sausage, black or white pudding, baked beans, eggs, veggies, and potatoes. To go along with your meal, have a cup of black Assam tea. This large meal will surely keep you going until lunchtime. No judgment if you decide to skip the black sausage.

Colcannon

If you’re still full from breakfast, try this colcannon recipe for a lighter lunch. Colcannon is similar to mashed potatoes, being a creamy dish consisting of potatoes, cabbage, and other vegetables. It’s typically eaten along with ham or bacon, but if you’re looking for a smaller lunch, you might want to give those a miss.

Soda Bread

For a snack to keep your energy up during the time, look no further than this basic soda bread recipe. A classic staple of the Irish home, soda bread is bread that’s baked without yeast but rather – you guessed it – soda. There are variations on this recipe that include caraway seeds and raisins, so you’ll want to consider your tastes before baking.

Irish Stew

Stews and soups are popular Irish lunch and dinnertime foods, and while they often include meat and potatoes, there’s a lot of room to play around with to match your taste. The traditional meat used in Irish stew is mutton or lamb, but beef is a popular option as well. Include onion, thyme, barley, and bay leaves to add to the flavor. This irish stew recipe calls for tender lamb and carrots, ladled into a shallow bowl.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

A staple Irish dinner, corned beef and cabbage is a simple and hearty way to end your day. Corned beef and cabbage is traditionally boiled, but if you don’t mind losing out on tradition in exchange for more flavor, bake the dish using this recipe instead.

Chocolate Stout Cake

For desserts, this chocolate stout cake recipe will surely please. An addition of a couple of cups of stout, considered by many to be a dessert beer, will add a slightly unusual twist.  Did someone say Guinness? For extra wow factor, serve with the beer you used to make your cake.

Of course, there are plenty more dishes to choose from, but these foods will give you an educated peek into Irish cuisine. You might want some drinks to go along with all this Irish food, so consider picking up some Guinness or Murphy’s stouts, or for those with lighter pallets, Kilkenny cream ale or Smithwick’s ale. And if you’re feeling a little more up for it, a bottle of Jameson’s Irish whiskey should do just fine!

When furnishing your apartment, it’s important to do so with items that make you feel at home. After all, what good is having your own apartment, if you don’t love the way that you feel every time you come home from work each day? On the other hand, furnishing your new apartment can be costly, which isn’t ideal when you’ve likely just paid a handful of fees for moving in.

If you’re wondering what to save money on and what to splurge on in an apartment, here are some things to keep in mind.  

Splurge On

More than anything else in your apartment, your bedroom set is going to be worth spending money on. After all, a great night’s rest is invaluable and will have tremendous impact on your mood and productivity the following day. Therefore, it’s certainly worth investing into a new bed when moving into your apartment. Top the mattress with new bedding and surround yourself with a comfortable ambiance, and you’ll love resting in your bedroom after a long day at work..

Throughout the rest of your apartment, you’ll likely also have other pieces of furniture that you use more frequently. For example, that coffee table in the living room may be important if this is a commonplace for gathering with friends. Or if you are someone that hosts family dinner, then a dining table may be more important. As you evaluate the needs that you have in your apartment, invest in items that you use more frequently to ensure that they last for years to come.

Those that spend time in the kitchen will also want to consider investing in quality appliances. Not only will an upgraded coffee pot help you save time in the morning, but it’ll also help you save money by avoiding that stop at the coffee shop. There are plenty of appliances throughout your kitchen that’ll be worthy of investing in for your apartment.

Save Money On

Electronics are something that you may want to reconsider before you spending a lot of money on. Even though you may love having the best surround system in your apartment, the truth is that technology typically becomes outdated quite quickly. Consider looking for the best deals and avoid spending too much on tech products that you won’t use for a long period of time.

Collapsible storage units are a must-have if you’re living in an apartment. However, avoid spending a lot of money on said units. You can find inexpensive storage options that will help you maximize the space that you have, without minimizing your wallet. Storage is worth having, but not spending a lot on.

Your new apartment will feel more like home as you outfit it with furnishings. But as you begin to accumulate items, not everything is going to be worthy spending a lot of money on. Therefore, consider this insight as to what to save money on and what to splurge on in an apartment.

As you climb to the top of your professional career, it can be challenging to find the proper balance between work and personal life. This is even more so the case in today’s technology-driven workplace, as you’re continually connected to the office through your smartphone or computer. After all, there will always be emails to respond to or clients to please, even when you’re not clocked in on the boss’ time.

No matter how much you have on your plate, it’s important to find the right balance of personal and professional goals. As you look to juggle it all, here are 5 tips for keeping a work & life balance.

Set Your Schedule In Stone

To get to the top, you’ll need to be flexible with your job. If the boss needs you to come in on the weekend to finish a proposal before Monday, sometimes that’s what you’ll have to do.

But when you’re not making that climb to the top, instead consider having a set schedule that nothing will alter. That might mean only working 9-5, and then spending your evening with family or doing personal hobbies. Whatever it takes to divide your time, set it in place to ensure you stick to a routine that offers balance.

Have Work and Personal Devices

It seems impossible to disconnect from technology. Whether it’s your personal Facebook page or your work email, you’ll always have something come across that needs to be dealt with.

Help to separate professional and personal matters by having individual devices for both. When you clock out, turn that work phone off until you show up the next day. Be sure to also turn your personal phone off at work, so you can focus on your career. Even if you have to stay connected to your phone at all times, you can balance your time by having separate devices for work and play.

Find A Hobby

After a long day at work, it’s easy to come home and fall flat on your back as you look to rest before the next day. However, this repetitive cycle isn’t necessarily very fun. This is why you should consider adding a hobby to help you make more of your time out of the office.

Hobbies like meditating or exercising will help to recharge your body and mind while out of the office, making you better when you’re at work. Or if you just pick something up with friends, you’ll have something more to look forward to when not at your 9-to-5

Avoid Trying To Multitask

You may have told your boss that you’re excellent at multitasking to help you land the job, but consider focusing on things once you are established. Many professionals argue that it’s nearly impossible to efficiently balance multiple tasks at one time, which is why you’re better focusing and achieving your goals as they are in front of you.

Know How To Work From Home

Working from home adds its own unique set of challenges for balancing life and work. If you work from home, have a dedicated space for getting things done that is separate from the rest of your living space. Also set aside specific times to work, as this will help you focus while at home. Working from home can be great, but only if you know how to balance it effectively.

There are plenty of distractions that’ll keep you connected to the office at all times. However, consider these 5 tips for keeping a work & life balance that you can handle.

One reason that many people choose to live in an apartment is to save money for the future. But when you consider all of the little fees that eventually add up over the course of the month, it’s a common occurrence to feel as though the savings is never quite enough.

Luckily, a great way to save money is through monthly subscription services. No matter what it is that you’re looking for, it’s likely that you can save money if it’s something you can subscribe to or become a member of. For those living in an apartment, this means a lot of savings over the year, which is always a welcome bonus.

We live in a great time to join up and save money, as these are the best subscription services to enhance apartment living.

Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime is quickly growing as the best option for nearly anything you can imagine for your apartment. Whether you’re looking for free shipping on a new kitchen set or you want to download the latest newly released movie on digital copy, you’ll get massive discounts if you’re a Prime member. Amazon is growing to become the leading marketplace for online sales, and your apartment living will be much better when you can quickly utilize the Prime services for just $99 per year.  

Birchbox

You’ll find the perfect beauty and grooming supplies for both men and women with a subscription to Birchbox. Each month, users get an individually curated package with items specific to their grooming and beauty requests. This is a great chance to find something new, while also minimizing the amount of money that you spend on varying grooming supplies that you may end up not liking.

Club W

Come home after a long day of work to a glass of wine from Club W. For $45 a month, members get three bottles of wine to experience. Additional services can be purchased if you’re a true aficionado, as this is a great way to continually learn more about flavonoids and other elements to wine. While Club W may be specific to those who enjoy wine, it’s well worth the subscription to expand and learn more.

Other Subscriptions Worthy Of Considering:

While many of your subscription services may be worth purchasing online, there are also some memberships that’ll substantially help you save money each month. A membership to Sam’s Club or Costco will help you save on everything from groceries to clothing. You can also consider a membership with the American Automobile Association, which does more than just assist in the event of a breakdown. With a AAA membership, you will receive discounts at restaurants, hotels, and much more. For a minimal investment each year, AAA is worth the protection and benefits.

Living in an apartment will be even better when you can save money on daily necessities. To start saving this month, consider these subscription services to enhance the apartment living experience.

While other people may embrace the winter and enjoy the cold weather, that’s not always the case for everyone. After the excitement of the holiday season, it’s easy to fall into the winter blues if you’re living in an apartment. Small spaces can seem claustrophobic, especially if you can’t get out to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and some fresh air.

Luckily, your apartment doesn’t have to be a solitary winter confinement. Instead, here are some tips for surviving the winter blues in your apartment.

Redecorate Your Space

If you’ve been meaning to redecorate your home since you moved in, now’s the perfect time to do it. While you’re stuck inside during the winter, it makes sense to turn your apartment into a sanctuary that you love. Whether that includes adding a huge television to the living room or turning that extra bedroom into a place for sneaking away to read a good book, you’ll love being at home when you have plenty to enjoy while you’re there.

Take On A New Hobby

Those New Year’s resolutions aren’t going to complete themselves. You have a list of things you wanted to learn, from meal planning for the week to learning a new language, and now’s the time to get on it. Invest in yourself during the winter, and you’ll benefit the rest of the year.

Stay Fit

Winter workouts make for beach bodies. While winter is great for holiday pies and comfort food, it’s not so great for your fitness goals. Dedicate space in your apartment to work out during the winter and you’ll keep a tight body with a clear mind. You may even have a clubhouse with a gym in it in your apartment complex, which makes things even easier to stay to your fitness goals.

Plan For The Summer

When it seems like there’s no end to winter in sight, plan a summer vacation that will remind you of warm weather and beautiful beaches. Planning a vacation will not only give you something to look forward to, but it’ll also help you stick to those fitness goals and that bathing suit body you desire.

Binge With Friends

Fire up the Netflix and binge on your favorite shows and movies with friends during the winter. Being with friends will help you get through the winter and might be perfect for a fun night in. You won’t be lost in conversation at the water cooler this winter if you binge on the best TV shows and movies that everyone else is watching.

The Perfect Amount Of Sleep

The winter is perfect for getting rested with plenty of sleep. However, while a moderate weekend winter slumber may help you perform better at work, avoid turning it into a seasonal hibernation. Staying locked up at home all winter is not only boring, but it won’t be long before those blues set in even deeper.

No matter what time of year it is, you can make the most of living in an apartment. But if you feel like the space is a bit small during the colder months, consider these tips for surviving the winter blues in your apartment.