1. Netflix. Rainy day in and the kids need the TV so you won’t strangle them? Escape (if you dare) with Netflix for iPad. Stream your movies and TV shows so you aren’t stuck watching The Little Mermaid for the billionth time.

2. Pandora. At some point, we all get a little sick of our music. Find a mood you like and let Pandora guide you to some new tunes without spending any hard-earned cash.

3. Find my iPhone. Forgetful? Always keep track of your beloved iPhone with this app.

4. Remote Desktop Lite. Working from home and sick of being chained to a desktop or balancing a laptop? Try RD Lite. It’s great because you won’t have to spend even a little of your paycheck to get it.

5. Accu Weather. Use Accu Weather to find out for free if that storm heading your way will pass quickly or linger.

6. Apartment Therapy. Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, founder of apartmenttherapy.com, teaches you how to create a peaceful, productive space.

7. Weber’s on the Grill. Feeling like steak? Ribs? Chicken? Weber’s got it all with 250 grill recipes and another 40 just for rubs!

8. UrbanSpoon. Too hot cook? Find a great restaurant in your price range and neighborhood with Urbanspoon.

9. Craigsphone. Craigsphone keeps you close to Craigslist at all times because you never know when you’ll see a must-have couch or feel the urge to sell that outdated PC for parts.

10. Uzu. This week’s app of the week is totally useless, but so relaxing and wonderful that reviewers deemed it ‘worth every penny’. Hey, I’ve always wanted to make my own fireworks, so why not?

Do you love working outdoors?  Living north of Colorado Springs?  Volunteer at Garden of the Gods.  Garden of the Gods has a variety of opportunities, including information specialists, naturalist interpreters, youth program leaders and more.  Call (719) 634-6666 for more information.

Closer to downtown Colorado Springs?  Volunteer at Junior Achievement of Southern Colorado.  Junior Achievement teaches children about business and economics.  You can reach them at (719) 636-2474.

Love working with animals?  Take a look at Dreampower Animal Rescue.  Dreampower fosters animals of all sizes, from hapsters to horses, in people's houses until they can be rehomed permanently.  Can't have a pet?  Donate your time at adoption events or working on the newsletter or website.

A little further south, you'll find TESSA, an organization dedicated to assisting victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.  TESSA needs help with paperwork, crisis hotline calls, and special events, among other things.

Arcade Amusements is located at 930 Manitou Avenue, Manitous Springs, and is open from 10am to 10pm from early May until Labor day.  You can reach them at (719) 685-9815 to confirm.  Admission is free.

Since then the movement has picked up quite a bit of speed, evolving from a small political outcry to a full blown trend. Now it’s cool to be “green.” There is so much pressure to be green that one might have an anxiety attack in the grocery checkout line when asked the simple question “Paper or plastic?” (For the low down on which is really best, check out this handy article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18538484)

How does this pertain to you, loyal apartment dwellers? Well, if your Colorado Springs Apartment doesn’t even have a recycling program, you need to help them catch up with the times. Here are a few ideas to help your apartment community Get Green:

• Recycle: Read this wonderful step-by-step guide to recycling and waste management specifically geared towards apartment communities, created by the BFI Waste Service of Salinas, CA: http://www.bfi-salinas.com/multi-family-sbs-guide.cfm. Talk to your apartment manager about investing in a community recycling bin that residents can dump in. If necessary, send a petition or poll around the building to get your neighbors support.

• Grow: Scout out a plot of soil on the apartment grounds to start a community garden. Growing and eating your own food not only helps the environment, but it also helps you save on your grocery bill. You don’t need a ton of space to grown common veggies, fruits and herbs. Just a little patch of soil in a well-lit area will do. If you live in an urban apartment with zero green space, no problem, you can plant in containers on the rooftop, too. Recruit a team of residents to help you plant and maintain the garden (maybe you have a landscape designer or horticulturist living amongst you?). Make it fun for kids, too, by labeling areas of the garden with what they could be used for, like “Salsa garden” for tomatoes, cilantro and onions, or “Pizza Garden” for basil and peppers. Once you have a thriving garden, plan a community garden cookout!

• Reuse: Organize a drive at your apartment to collect gently used clothes, shoes, cell phones, laptops and small kitchen appliances to ensure they are properly disposed of or donated to those in need. You’d be surprised by how many organizations are out there to collect specific items. Most likely all you need to do is contact them with your idea and they can help you make it happen.

• Educate: Reserve the community clubhouse to host free seminars on topics such as composting, gardening, recycling, organic nutrition, etc. Not only will your neighbors enjoy the free learning opportunity, but I’m sure there are plenty of local small businesses who could use the free advertising, too.

• Volunteer: Round up a group of residents to participate in green volunteer activities around the neighborhood, such as planting, picking up trash, maintaining trails, etc. Contact your local parks & recreation office for ideas.

• Switcheroo: Minimize waste and contaminants as much as possible inside your own apartment. Replace all light bulbs with more efficient kinds (you’ll love the reduced utility costs), use low-no VOC paint on your accent walls, switch to using recycled paper products, shop at farmers markets, etc. These are small, simple changes that make a big difference.

There are a ton of other great ideas out there that will help take care of the environment, and also bring your Colorado Springs neighborhood and apartment community together in the process. Not to mention that volunteer activities and community leadership look fabulous on a resume…

Check out hubbuzz.com for more information about Colorado Springs Apartment Living!

An unexpected day off is great because you have no advanced warning to fill the day with to-do’s, and it’s not safe to drive around running last minute errands. Instead, think of this downtime as a gift and do something for yourself for a change! Use this time wisely. Turn off the technology and settle down with a good book and cup of tea. Take a bubble bath. Organize your closet. Get caught up on Lost (ok, sometimes technology can be relaxing!)

This is also a great time to connect with your neighbors, especially if you live in a Colorado Springs apartment complex. You could bake a loaf of banana bread to share with the new tenant across the hall, or the elderly lady you hold the elevator for all the time. Or head down to the hot tub for a soothing soak and a chance to rub elbows with other residents who are usually out and about during the day. You never know who you might meet! Why not invite your neighbors down to the clubhouse for a movie marathon or a round of board games? Some of the best things about renting an apartment in Colorado Springs are the fabulous amenities available to you and the unique people you are surrounded by.

If you get a case of cabin fever after a few hours of Seinfeld re-runs, bundle up and head outside! If you live in an apartment and don’t have to bother with shoveling a driveway or de-icing the sidewalks, you can take a stroll (well, more like a trudge, really) around your Colorado Springs neighborhood. It might be interesting to see what the area looks like under a blanket of snow, and you might see people and things that you’ve never noticed before. If you usually get coffee by your workplace, now is the time to check out the local coffee house around the corner instead. If there’s a park nearby, it’s quite entertaining to watch kids play in the snow (and dogs, too)! 

Whatever you do, even if you sleep for 20 hours, make sure you enjoy yourself. Snow days only come around a few times a year!

What kind of wonders, you wonder? In Colorado Springs, for example, you can celebrate Obscura Day with a trip lead by the Colorado Steampunks to the Wild Wild West Museum (located in Old Colorado City/West Colorado Springs), afternoon tea at Glen Eyrie Castle (located in Northwest Colorado Springs) and wrap up the day with "tourist trapping" at the Garden of the Gods.

Obscura Day is defined on the Atlas Obscura Website as "an international celebration of curious places ahppening around the world." A full schedule of events can be found online, and participants are encouraged to take pictures and share their experiences on Twitter using #obscuraday.

Click HERE to see Obscura events are going on in your neighborhood.

Click HERE for more details and to RSVP for the Colorado Springs event.

Buy Tickets: http://www.newspaceentertainment.com/coloradosprings/avenueq/?utm_source=hubbuzz_COSAveQ&utm_medium=Grassroots&utm_campaign=COSAveQ

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Please contact me at babyjohnson26@yahoo.com for the site address or business opportunities with AVON!

Thank you!

Here are some tips to help you stay safe and healthy at your apartment this flu season:

1.) By far the #1 most important and effective way to prevent illness is to wash your hands. And not just after you go to the bathroom, either. Make sure you thoroughly wash your hands after working out at the community fitness center, shooting pool in the clubhouse, using the business center computers or even just pushing the elevator buttons. 

2.) It’s one thing if you want to cover your own apartment in germs, but PLEASE, if you have to cough or sneeze in the hallway, laundry room or any other public areas of your apartment building, make sure you turn your head into your elbow or shoulder! No, it is not sufficient to use your hand to cover your mouth because then you will spread your germs to the next surface you touch (unless, of course, you run straight to a bathroom to scrub your hands ?)

3.) Get a regular flu shot. There is much debate about what time of the season you should have the flu shot administered, but most health professionals agree that getting a flu shot is a solid step towards preventing illness. Go one step further and work with your apartment manager to organize a flu shot clinic at the community to encourage your neighbors to get one, too.

4.) If you live with roommates, make sure you all pitch in to clean your apartment at least weekly. Wipe down kitchen and bathroom counters with an anti-bacterial cleaner and a clean sponge and/or paper towel. Also, regular vacuuming and sweeping cuts down on dirt particles that can aggravate allergies (which cause sneezing and germs).

If you still get sick this fall, do your best to stay at home so you don’t infect your neighbors and/or co-workers! Don’t use the community amenities during your down time, including the fitness center, hot tub or TV/game room, and make sure to wash your bedding and toss your toothbrush once you’re back on your feet again.

And, if you're really worried about getting H1N1, maybe you should invest in a neat face mask like the one in this picture haha.

You can find more information about swine flu on the Center for Disease Control website.

Looking for an apartment to rent in Colorado Springs? Search apartment rentals by neighborhood now on hubbuzz.com!

Tickets $30.00 - $50.00

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That said, there isn’t one person in our office who regularly buys or drinks serious protein shakes. Although everyone was excited to hit the kitchen to try the new snacks during that evil 3 pm slump, most had doubts that Mix 1 would be something worth craving. Even if we were looking to beef up Schwarzenegger-style, the enhanced muscle tone wouldn’t be worth the abuse our taste buds would have to take from the thick, chalky taste of typical protein powders.

Luckily, and to our pleasant surprise, none of the flavors we tried (mix berry, mango, blueberry vanilla, tangerine and dark berry) had traces of the aforementioned nastiness. Not only do they taste good, but they are chock full of good-for-you ingredients:

• 15 grams of superior whey protein isolate
• 23 vitamins & minerals
• 3 servings fruits & veggies from antioxidants
• 3 grams of soluble fiber
• 2.5 grams of heart healthy fat
• antioxidants = to 4 cups of green tea
• free of lactose, gluten, soy & caffeine
• for more nutritional info visit What’s Mix 1?

The fully-balanced nutritional food-drinks were originally created to help busy, on-the-go people get a much needed shot of wellness. The handy (and recyclable!) spill-proof, screw-top containers of goodness can be enjoyed in-between meetings, halfway up the summit, in the car (yes, they will fit in your cup holders!) or while hurriedly walking the dog before work (at least that’s when I have one).

Besides being quick and easy to consume, they are designed (or mixed) to provide you with 4 hours of continuous energy. You know what that means? It means you can kiss that familiar 3 pm slump goodbye!

Some people balked at the amount of calories and sugar (most flavors have 200 calories and about 22 grams of sugar), but it is important to examine what ingredients are responsible. First of all, Mix 1 uses only all-natural cane and fruit sugars to sweeten the bevvies, which is much healthier for you than highly processed sugars such as high-fructose corn syrup used in other “nutritional” shakes. 

Also, Mix 1 shakes are intended to be used as well-rounded snacks or light meals that contribute to a balanced eating plan, and therefore should provide some calories. Besides, calories measure energy, which is the whole point! Drinking zero calorie sodas will not truly get you past a slump at any time of the day (trust me!).

Whether you’re looking to lose weight, gain weight, help your heart or improve your athletic performance, just go check out the Mix 1 Website. There is a ton of great health and fitness info in the form of articles, blogs and nifty interactive graphics for you to explore.

Want a free sample of Mix 1 delivered to your doorstep? Claim your lease with hubbuzz.com in September to get your $101 cash back reward AND be entered in a drawing to win a case of Mix 1 shakes!

One is YardSaleTreasureMap.com which lets you enter an address, search radius and day of the week to generate a list and a map of local yard sales taking place around Colorado Springs that day. The listings are pulled from craigslist ads and not only show the location of the sale but also details about what sort of items will be up for grabs.

If you have recently moved into a new house or apartment in Colorado Springs and need some new furnishings this could be a very helpful tool that will save you time and money. And if you’re not familiar with Colorado Springs, don’t worry, the site helps you map a route and lets you print directions so you don’t get lost.

Another great site is MapMyFitness.com which has a ton of fitness tools, including articles from popular fitness magazines, local running paths, fitness plans, and a ton of other cool tools for fitness buffs.

This tool would be especially helpful for someone who has just moved to a new Colorado Springs neighborhood and needs to create a new fitness routine, or even for someone who travels a lot and needs to change their routine often for different locations.

You can also hook up with other members to join fitness groups in Colorado Springs on the ‘community’ tab. There are so many links and resources on this site that you could spend hours browsing and planning. Related sites include MapMyHike.com, MapMyRide.com and MapMyTri.com.

Topic:  "Tips on organizing your affairs."

Refreshments are always provided.  Come and enjoy engaging conversation with some yummy treats.

check out the following links...

http://blissfest333.com/

Blissfest 5
Angel Eyes
An Art, Music, and Film Festival
Aug. 1-31-2009
A Benefit to help
Angel eyes

www.nosh121.com

The Firehouse
817 W Colorado Ave
Colorado Springs, CO 80905

http://www.angeleyes.org

http://www.kellygjeppesen.com

http://www.youtube.com/user/michaelbliss333

http://twitter.com/Blissfest5

If you need another reason to go other than the cheap brews and grub, then you'll like to know that all proceeds will benefit the Military Charities for Those that Protect our Freedom.

Event runs from 6-11pm on Friday may 15th and from 2-10pm on Saturday May 16th.

To see a complete list of vendors and for more details, visit the Summit Brewfest Website.

See a map of Southwest Colorado Springs and get directions to the Norris Penrose Event Center.