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The change in seasons is a great time to give your patio or balcony a makeover. Put away your summer decor, and consider using one or more of the following fall decor ideas to spruce up this part of your home.
Spruce Up a Small Table
If your patio or balcony has a small table, add some fall flair to it with a simple display. You can put a basket filled with silk autumn leaves and small gourds on your table, or arrange a few fall-colored candles on a small tray. This display gives you a bit of seasonal cheer to admire while sitting outside.
Get Cozy
Add some texture to your balcony or patio that gives it a cozy feel. Since the weather usually doesn’t get chilly in Northridge during fall, you don’t really need heavy blankets or throws out there. Instead, drape a couple of lighter throws or blankets in fall colors over patio chairs. You can also put throw pillows with fall designs, such as autumn leaves, on these chairs. Adding a fall-colored outdoor area rug to your balcony or patio can make it seem even cozier.
Set Up a Pumpkin Display
Pumpkins are one of the most common symbols of the season. Depending on how much space you have, you can make a small or large pumpkin display to celebrate fall. If you don’t want to risk having fresh pumpkins get moldy, you can decorate with artificial ones. This gives you more creative options to choose from, such as realistic-looking pumpkins or metallic pumpkins in vivid colors.
Add Fall Flowers
Putting flowers on your patio or balcony is one of the easiest ways to decorate for fall. You can put a colorful vase on a small table with seasonal flowers in it, such as mums, marigolds or pansies, or place potted fall flowers in different spots on your patio or balcony. Consider using silk flowers, so you don’t have to worry about replacing them or watering them.
Our apartments in Northridge, CA, include a private balcony or patio where you can enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning or unwind after work. Contact us for more details on our community and apartment amenities.
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Fall brings opportunities for new seasonal dinner menus. To help our residents at Candlewood North apartments in Northridge manage their busy schedules while turning out great dinners, we supply a head start in the form of a collection of recipes for entrees that can be prepared quickly. Here are two delicious and easy-to-make seasonal dishes.
Baja Chicken Bowl
This colorful, refreshing, nutrition-packed dinner serves two. (Prep time: about 20 minutes)
Ingredients
4 ounces cooked chicken, diced
1 cup brown rice, cooked
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup salsa (your favorite pre-made brand)
1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 tbsp. olive oil
Sea salt
Ground black pepper
Directions
Heat oil in a skillet. Stir in diced chicken, corn and diced red pepper. Cook over medium heat until mixture is heated thoroughly and red pepper is slightly softened (approximately 5 minutes). Salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon warm rice into two bowls. Then, spoon chicken mixture on top of rice in both bowls. Top each bowl with salsa. Generously spread Monterey Jack cheese on top of each bowl.
Shell Goulash
Dress up the standard goulash recipe with shell pasta replacing elbow macaroni and adding pretty garnishes.
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 1/4 cup low sodium beef broth
1 (15-oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 cups medium-sized shell pasta, uncooked
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Cherry tomatoes cut in halves for garnish
Directions
Heat oil In a large skillet. Add onion, and cook over medium heat until slightly softened (approximately 5 minutes). Add garlic. Cook about 1 minute more, or until garlic fragrance is expressed.
Add ground beef. Add salt and pepper. Cook until meat is no longer pink (approximately 8–9 minutes). Drain fat.
Stir in tomato paste. Pour in broth. Add diced tomatoes.
Season with paprika and Italian seasoning.
Stir in shell pasta.
Simmer, stirring the mixture occasionally, until pasta is tender (approximately 15 minutes).
Fold in cheese, and remove from heat. Garnish with parsley and cherry tomato halves.
Candlewood North, Northridge, CA
Beautiful Candlewood North apartments in Northridge, CA, are within walking distance of California State University and offer a resort-style swimming pool, controlled access, pets allowed, patios and balconies, wood-style flooring, and more. Call our office today at (866) 796-2183 to see which floor plans are available.
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Life gets hectic for many people as they transition from summer into the cooler fall months. That doesn't mean residents can't enjoy life to the fullest in their Northridge apartments, though! Fall is the perfect time to sample some new wines as the leaves begin changing color and the temperatures drop. Here are five wines to try out as you transition into the fall.
Perfect Wines for Fall
- Grenache: A Grenache is considered one of the best wines to savor in the fall. It sometimes has a higher alcohol content, but that's okay in cooler temperatures! The region the Grenache comes from can have a big impact on flavor. American Grenache relies on raspberries and cloves for flavor, while the French and Italian varieties use dried strawberries. It goes great with a pork roast or traditional Moroccan dishes.
- Marsanne/Rousanne: These are two white wines from the Northern Rhône region. Blend them together for an aromatic white with pear and nut flavors — perfect for fall! It's a delicious complement to a fall meal of roast turkey.
- Barbera: Barbera is considered northern Italy's "wine of the people." Argentina and Napa Valley also make great varieties of Barbera. The oak-heavy versions can have more of a chocolate or vanilla "kick" to them. Barbera is the perfect accompaniment to a pot roast or meatloaf.
- Dolcetto: This dry wine is another one popular in northern Italy. Dolcetto has more tannin than a Barbera but is less acidic. It's a delightful mixture of fruit and bitterness for a chilly evening, and it goes well with a hearty beef stew or onion rings.
- Carignan: How about a great cranberry-flavored wine for the fall? This medium-bodied red pairs well with almost any meal. Wine connoisseurs recommend the new varieties of Carignan coming out of central Chile, as well as the more traditional ones from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France.
We hope you enjoy those delicious fall flavors as it gets cooler outside! Don't forget, we have floor plans available for viewing if you have friends or acquaintances looking at apartments in Northridge. Just have them call the leasing office at (866) 796-2183.
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