Top 10 Apartment-Specific New Year’s Resolutions

It’s that time of year again when we make resolutions. If you haven’t made your resolution yet, below is a list of apartment-specific resolutions. Feel free to steal any of these ideas, and if you’d like, leave a comment about your own resolution below!

1. Buy fresh flowers for the apartment each week: You can often find great bouquets at supermarkets and flower shops around SF, and it offers nice ambiance for your apartment.
2. Keep the apartment tidy: If you’re living in a studio (or even a bigger unit!), it can be hard to stay tidy, so perhaps this one is top on your list!
3. Cook at home more often: Eating out can be pricey and unhealthy, so perhaps this year you will vow to use your apartment kitchen more often!
4. Garden: If your apartment has a nice outdoor area (like 20th Avenue), you might work on your green thumb – it’s nice for you and your neighbors and fresh air is a plus!
5. Reorganize your furniture: Sometimes something as simple as re-organizing your furniture can feel like a great new start. If you want to start fresh this year, this one may be top on your list!
6. Opt to Bike: Many apartment buildings feature bike racks, but have you taken advantage of them? Maybe this year, you will vow to ride your bike to work rather than driving.
7. Take More Pictures: In addition to living in charming apartments, SF residents are also lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. This year, will you vow to take more pictures?
8. Clean out Your Closet: Many of us are guilty of holding on to clothes that we are convinced we will wear again yet we never do. Take an afternoon to clean out your closets. To get a list of local Salvation Army drop offs, click here.
9. Turn off the Tube & Read: Many of LPG’s apartments get tons of natural light, which we all know is perfect for curling up on the sofa with a good book. This year, will you trade in the clicker for a cliffhanger novel?
10. Enjoy Friends & Family: Whether you are taking advantage of the cute restaurant around the corner, or cooking at home for friends and family, this may be the year that you vow to spend more time with the people that mean the most to you. 

Happy New Year! 

The lighter side of Lightner Group - Summer 2009

Halloween-Themed Recipes from LPG

Jason Swanson, LPG staff member and fabulous cook, in his kitchen in San FranciscFor all you San Francisco renters who enjoy a nice holiday-themed recipe, we thought we would blog a few recipes from Jason, who in addition to being the Lightner Property Group office coordinator is also a fabulous chef.

The two recipes that Jason has provided, Pumpkin Soup and Seasoned Pumpkin Seeds, can be created using 1 pumpkin and a few other basic ingredients.

Pumpkin Soup

What you will need:

• 1 large pumpkin
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• ¼ cup honey
• 1/8 cup brown sugar
• salt and pepper
• 1 white onion
• 2 low sodium 18 oz. chicken broth

Directions:

• Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Step 2: Cut out the top of the pumpkin, as you would if you were carving it and gut the pumpkin. Place the pumpkin seeds to the side. Rinse to get rid of all the gunk, seeds should be completely cleaned.
• Step 3: Peel the pumpkin rind using a knife or vegetable peeler. Jason always uses a knife.
• Step 4: Cut the pumpkin into cubes. Place to the side.
• Step 5: In a large mixing bowl, mix together ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), ¼ cup honey, 1/8 cup brown sugar and salt and pepper.
• Step 6: Toss cubed pumpkin in mixture in the large mixing bowl.
• Step 7: After tossing cubed pumpkins in mixture, place the cubes on a large baking sheet. Be sure to use a spray of Pam before placing the pumpkin cubes on the baking sheet to avoid “stickage.” Place baking sheet in preheated oven.
• Step 8: Bake pumpkin until cubes are “fork-soft” If you have chosen as Jason puts it, “a good, hard pumpkin,” it will take approximately 45 minutes for pumpkin cubes to get “fork-soft.”
• Step 9: Dice the white onion. In a large soup pot, sauté the diced onions until they are translucent. Fill the pot halfway with chicken broth, this will take approximately 2 18 oz. chicken broth. Jason recommends using low sodium chicken broth to reduce the amount of sodium intake. Bring mixture to a boil.
• Step 10: Once pumpkin is “fork soft” add to the chicken broth and onion mixture in the large soup pot. Cook until the pumpkin is breaking apart, which should take about 15 minutes.
• Step 11: Use an immersion blender until you get the desired consistency for your soup. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can alternately transfer the soup mixture to a blender and blend. Just keep in mind that you should not completely cover the blender to avoid it exploding.

Seasoned Pumpkin Seeds

What you will need:

• Cleaned pumpkin seeds
• EVOO
• Salt and Pepper (or a variety of other spices, see the recipe for options)

Recipe:

• Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
• Step 2: Mix all EVOO and salt and pepper together. Alternatively, if you want sweet pumpkin seeds you can mix brown sugar and cinnamon with EVOO. If you want spicier pumpkin seeds, try mixing spicy cayenne pepper and garlic salt with EVOO.
• Step 3: Spray a large baking pan with PAM and spread cleaned pumpkin seeds. Place in preheated oven . Cook until seeds are browned.
• Step 4: Take out seeds after they are browned and immediately transfer to spice and EVOO mixture. Toss in large bowl. Jason recommends doing this step last because the seeds tend to hold onto the spice mixture better when they are hot.
• Step 5: Serve and enjoy!