Blog Posts

Winter Drinks to Enjoy

Although the weather isn’t too cold outside here in Miami, FL, celebrate the winter season by making yourself a warm drink to cozy up with in your apartment his holiday season. Make drinks with family and friends during a holiday celebration and enjoy these recipes in today’s Sunset Palms Blog. Homemade Salted Caramel Eggnog A warm eggnog drink is always a good idea. This recipe comes from The Cookie Rookie . You’ll need the following ingredients: whole milk, heavy whipping cream, cinnamon sticks, vanilla extract, grated nutmeg, eggs, white sugar, caramel syrup, sea salt, and dark rum (optional). Red Velvet Hot Chocolate This drink is a warm liquid version of a tasty red velvet cake. You won’t want to miss out on this recipe. It comes from Tidy Mom . To make this drink you’ll need whole milk, sugar, semi-sweet baking chocolate, red food coloring, and vanilla extract. For the cream cheese whipped cream to top your drink with, you’ll need these ingredients: heavy cream, cream cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Maple Chai Tea Latte This tasty maple chai tea latte is great paired with some gingerbread cookies and good company. This recipe comes from Through Her Looking Glass . To make this you’ll need milk, a chai tea bag, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and some optional spices: cinnamon and nutmeg or allspice. S’mores Hot Chocolate If you love a good s’more all year around then you need to try this s’mores hot chocolate recipe. Start out with a cup coated with graham cracker crumbs on the rim and make the hot chocolate with these ingredients: milk, water, cocoa powder, light chocolate syrup, sugar, non-bitter stevia, and salt. Mix up the drink, then top with a whole lot of marshmallows. You’ll then broil the cup in the oven to brown and melt the marshmallows. Enjoy this tasty and delicious drink! What’s your favorite warm drink during the holidays? Share your recipes with us in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

De-stress During the Holidays with These Tips

Don’t let the holidays leave you feeling stressed and worn out. In today’s Sunset Palms Blog we have some ideas to keep you feeling relaxed and at ease during the holiday season. Read on for tips and enjoy your month here in Hollywood, FL. Schedule a massage. A massage can be just what you need during this time of the year. Schedule an appointment at a nearby spa or massage therapy office. It would be a great way to spend some down time after a busy shopping trip or after a long day at work. Take some time to yourself and enjoy it! Meditate. Spending some time meditating at your apartment is a great way to take your mind off of your busy schedule and help you to refocus on what’s important. If you haven’t practiced meditation, read this great article from the New York Times . The article also includes some audio practices for you to follow along with. Take a warm bath. A hot shower or warm bath can do just the trick to help you to relax and de-stress in the midst of a busy schedule. Use some essential oils to soothe you such as lavender or peppermint, or use a bath bomb from LUSH Cosmetics . They have a variety of types of bath bombs for you to try out. Spend a night in. Sometimes you need a break from all the holiday gift wrapping, shopping, and parties. Taking a night to yourself to relax and unwind can help you to feel renewed for a new day. You’ll get more accomplished if you take this time to yourself. Watch your favorite holiday movie, drink some hot cocoa, and if you feel inclined, invite over some close friends for a casual night at your apartment. How do you stay relaxed and de-stress during the holidays? Share your tips in the comments below. Thanks for reading and visit again soon!

Board Games to Play This Month

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s a great time to play some board games with family and friends. In today’s Sunset Palms Blog, we’re bringing you a few board game lists that have some great suggestions for you to check out. We hope you enjoy your holiday season here in Hollywood, FL! Best Board Games for Groups Check out Play. Party. Plan. for some great game board game ideas to play like Uno (Attack) . “Everyone’s played UNO the regular way. When we play UNO, we play that if you have the same card as one that is played, you can play it immediately, out of turn. Then play continues clockwise after the person who played. When you start using multiple decks, this can get CRAZY!” 14 Favorite Group Board Games Here’s another great blog post to check out with some board game ideas. This post is from The American Patriette . They have game suggestions such as Quiddler , Anomia, and Wits and Wagers. “Quiddler is a super easy-to-learn game that simply requires you to make words from the letter cards you draw. With each successive round, you gain an additional card in your hand (so round 1 you start with 3 cards, round 2 you have 4 cards, round 3 you have 5 cards, etc.). This game is also conducive to conversation and doesn’t require a ton of concentration, but it is still challenging and competitive.” 20 Must Have Board Games for Family Game Night This list of 20 “must-have” board games comes from Life at the Zoo . Check out their list of game suggestions such as Trivial Pursuit , Guess Who, and Jenga. “Another game that I have fond memories and that also come in lots of different additions to suit you and your family – from junior versions, through to mastermind versions [is Trivial Pursuit]. I sometimes suspect that my parents liked this game, as we would always beat them at all the others.” What’s your favorite board game? Let us know in the comments below so we can check it out. Thanks for reading the Sunset Palms Blog and visit again soon!

DIY Thanksgiving Place Cards

In today’s Sunset Palms Blog, we want to help you prepare for Thanksgiving dinner by sharing some DIY place cards for an elegant and put-together dinner table. We hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends. Have a great holiday season here in Hollywood, FL! Glitter Top Pumpkin Place Cards These fun and sparkly pumpkins are a creative place card that will add character to your table. The idea comes from Oh My Creative . To make these you’ll need small pumpkins (one for each table setting), fine glitter, cream-colored paper, straight pins with a ball tip, glue, and a small-sized paint brush for gluing. Click on the link above to see the final product and for detailed instruction — each pumpkin will be all glittered up with a name pinned on. Pinecone Place Cards The most simple place cards you’ll find are these pinecone place cards from A Little Clarification . This tutorial gives you free printable place cards. All you’ll need after printing them out are small pinecones. Enjoy these pretty place cards that take little to no time. Burlap & Glitter Place Cards This is a maple leaf idea that comes from Typically Simple . To make these place cards you’ll need burlap, cardstock in fall colors, a white Sharpie, mini clothespins, glue or Mod Podge, a paint brush, and glitter. Follow the tutorial on their website. Pumpkin Place Cards These pumpkins place cards are cute and a great way to not only show each guest where they're sitting but also for some fun additions to your table decor. This idea comes from Vicky Barone . To make these place cards you’ll need the following materials: mini pumpkins, metallic acrylic paint, a paint brush, kraft paper, scissors, hole punch, white stamp pad, alphabet stamps, and twine. Do you have any place card DIY ideas? Share your thoughts in the comments below so we can check it out. Thanks for reading and visit the blog again soon!

Haunted Attractions near Hollywood, FL

Do you love haunted attractions? Here on the Sunset Palms Blog, we’re highlighting a few haunted attractions that you need to check out this month. Bring along some friends from our apartment community and enjoy a spooky night out here in Hollywood, FL. Engima Haunt “New scares for 2017, Enigma Haunt features three hair raising haunted attractions in one indoor location, utilizing two floors in more than 19,000 sq feet to create each horrifying destination. Taking over an hour, only the insane can handle all three… can you?” South Florida is deeply rooted in history and tradition. For years, stories about the impenetrable depth of the Everglades and the mysteries around the fog of Lake Okeechobee have been passed down. The Enigma Haunt dives head first into these stories and awaits someone to join them. Enigma Haunt is about a 40-minute drive from Sunset Palms. It’s a bit of a drive, but it’s worth it. House of Horrors House of Horror promises you an exciting and fun night. The largest haunted house in South Florida, House of Horror’s Haunted Carnival is two acres with over 30 rooms of bone-chilling terror. Be prepared as night falls when House of Horrors brings the dead to life. House of Horrors is about a 40-drive from our apartment community. Distorted Dreams Haunt “This isn't your average Halloween haunted house. We aim to terrify our patrons, and have them screaming for more Distorted Dreams is by far the most disturbing haunted house.” Distorted Dreams Haunt is about a 30-minute drive from Sunset Palms. There’s no better month than October to surrender to your fears and walk along a path in the dark. We hope you make the most of this holiday season, get together with friends, and explore these spooky attractions. What are you most excited to see this month? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading!

Halloween Books to Read This Month

Looking for something to read this month? Check out one of these books that are great to read around Halloween. Our suggestions include, but are not limited to, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone , The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid , The Strange Case of Dr, Jekyll and Mr. Hyde , and Frankenstein . We know you’ll enjoy them. Have fun reading here in your Hollywood, FL apartment. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling The Harry Potter series is one that everyone, child or adult, can read, enjoy, and immerse themselves in every day of the year. But if you want to feel like a witch or wizard this month, start this magical series and practice learning spells, defeating dark wizards, and going through life with the Golden Trio. Reading this series will change your life if you haven’t already read it. The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams This book is another one of those picture books that will entertain most people, no matter their age. Enjoy the cadence of the writing, whether you’re reading it aloud or in your head to yourself. You may not have walked through the woods with inanimate objects clomping around behind you, but this book will thrill you as if you had, and it will resonate with you if you’ve ever faced your fears head-on. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson In this harrowing tale of good and evil, the mild-mannered Dr. Jekyll develops a potion that unleashes his secret, inner persona—the loathsome, twisted Mr. Hyde. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Learn about Dr. Frankenstein and his monstrous creation first-hand by going back to the roots of this classic story. Consider your own answers to the questions the scientist is obsessed with concerning nature, the origin of life, and our roles in meddling in those things. What’s your favorite Halloween book to read in October? Let us know in the comments.