What’s Going Down in Dallas (November – December 2017)

Not sure what to do in Dallas this coming November to December? Plan your activities as early as now and take part in the fun and exciting events that are coming up in the next two months.

STUDIO GHIBLI FEST

November 5-6, 2017

Cinemark 17 with IMAX, 11819 Webb Chapel Road, Dallas, TX 75234

With the success of previous cinema events that featured Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke, acclaimed animated features distributor GKIDS and Fathom Events have partnered up to bring one of the most beloved series of Japanese animated movies to Dallas. Catch the Studio Ghibli Fest and see firsthand why the studio has become a household name.

VINTAGE MARKET DAYS – DALLAS/MCKINNEY

10:00 am – 4:00 pm Daily between Nov 17 and Nov 19

Myers Park & Event Center

Catch over 100 unique vendors at Vintage Market Days, a vintage-themed market where customers can find all sorts of authentic vintage items at great prices. If you’re a collector of antique furniture, architectural artifacts, one-of-a-kind decorative items for homes and offices, and other vintage-style items, this event is where you’ll want to be.

LIVE REINDEER PARK AND FESTIVAL
Nov 24 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
NorthPark Center

Join Santa Claus and his hardworking reindeer for a unique festival honoring the most famous reindeer of all — Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer! The event will feature a storytelling session, a live reindeer corral, photo opportunities with holiday characters, games, crafts, and treats for the young and the young at heart. Dallas Summer Musicals will also deliver a special performance at this event.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, CHOCOLATE AND SIPS TOUR – PARK CITIES/SWISS AVENUE AREA

5:30 pm – 11:44 pm Every Sat between Dec 2 and Dec 30

Dallas by Chocolate, 4925 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75206

Enjoy the sight of holiday lights all over by riding in Dallas by Chocolate’s private motorcoach. Taste the best offerings from the finest dessert venues in the locale, and soothe your spirits with spectacular holiday displays across different locations in Dallas. Sip hot chocolate as you sit down, listen to holiday music, and bask in the spirit of the holiday season. Participation includes transportation via private heated motorcoach, dessert samples, beverages and tour guide. As this is a dessert tour, make sure you’ve eaten supper before joining!

THE FRISCO BALLET PRESENTS THE NUTCRACKER BALLET

Dec 9 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Reedy High School, 3003 Stonebrook Parkway, Frisco, TX 75034

Come and watch The Nutcracker come alive with The Frisco Ballet’s special performance in time for the yuletide season on Saturday, December 9th at Reedy High School in Frisco. Performance times are at 3:00 pm & 6:00 pm. Ticket prices start at $16 per person. You may purchase your tickets at Sheena’s Dance Academy, located at 7975 Stonebrook Pkwy. in Frisco or online at www.thefriscoballet.org/nutcracker.

LONE STAR CIRCUS’® CIRQUE JOYEUX

Dec 28 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Dallas Children’s Theater

Enjoy an amazing circus spectacle as you witness thrilling daredevils, electrifying jugglers, mesmerizing acrobats, hilarious clowns, and endearing four-legged performers. Welcome 2018 with a bang, as Dallas’ very own Lone Star Circus showcases some of the world’s most skilled circus performers. Bring your whole family and enjoy this colorful event!

***

As you can see there are a TON of things to do in Dallas. So ask yourself, do you have a friend who is planning to relocate to the Uptown Dallas area and is currently searching for Dallas apartment options? Show them our Apartment Locator tool right here — we’ll help your friend find the perfect place to stay, just in time for the exciting November to December Dallas events!

November 1, 2017Doug BrysonComments OffDallas Apartment Guide, Dallas Living

Whether it’s your first foray into living alone or your latest attempt to find a leased apartment that feels just like home, there’s always a sense of excitement that comes with choosing a Dallas apartment to rent. However, as with any kind of decision that involves signing legally binding agreements and spending money, you need to be absolutely sure of what you’re getting yourself into before you sign that dotted line.

Here are some important questions to ask yourself before you sign that lease:

1) Can I afford it?

This is obviously the first question that will pop up in your head, and rightly so. And we’re not just talking about upfront costs here — you also need to consider if leasing that apartment is a sustainable arrangement for you for the duration of your planned stay. This wouldn’t be so much of a problem if you have a stable job, for example, so you have to consider your sources of income and calculate if you can really afford to pay the rent consistently.

2) Is the apartment located in an easily accessible area?

Not everyone can enjoy the luxury of having a car, but everyone certainly needs to get around the city. When you’re looking for an apartment to lease, make sure that you manage to figure out how long it will take you to get to your place of employment, especially if you don’t have a vehicle of your own.

3) Are all the amenities in the building/in my preferred apartment in good, working condition?

One of the worst things that can happen to you when you sign a lease without thoroughly checking your apartment is to suddenly realize that you’d have to spend a fortune on repairs and restoration.Make sure to inspect everything, and we mean EVERYTHING, inside your soon-to-be-leased apartment. Check if the water’s working, if there are holes in the wall or ceiling, if all the electrical sockets are working, if any windows are broken, and so on. Don’t be afraid to be thorough — after all, you ARE signing up for something long-term, and once you affix your signature on your contract, that apartment becomes your responsibility.

4) Do I completely understand the rules and regulations of this place?

As negative as it may sound, always consider the worst-case scenario. What if an emergency happens, and you need to call for professional assistance? Is someone there available who can help you out, or are you basically on your own when things go awry? Make sure that there are handymen or repairmen whom you can call in case something suddenly breaks in your apartment. It also falls upon your shoulders to familiarize yourself with the ups, downs, ins, and outs of your lease contract. If there’s anything there that you don’t understand, don’t be afraid to ask!

5) Is the general atmosphere happy and positive?

You may think that this is not so important, but you would be terribly mistaken. You wouldn’t want to live in a place with no decent lighting — imagine waking up each day and not catching any sunshine! — or one that’s full of noisy neighbors. It doesn’t hurt to consider if your satisfaction in finding an apartment to lease will translate into happiness when you’re actually living in it.

In search of the perfect living space for you to lease in the Uptown Dallas area? Discover all of the best options you can find and make an informed choice. Our Apartment Locator service can help you find just the apartment you’ve been looking for.

October 6, 2017Doug BrysonComments OffApartment Locating Service, Dallas Apartment Guide

Few things in the world can beat the euphoria of moving into a new apartment. After all the packing and transporting, there’s a certain comfort that comes with you just being able to sit down and enjoy the fact that you’ve successfully relocated to Dallas.

Of course, it’ll only take you about 10 minutes before you start itching for home.

Don’t worry, though! It doesn’t require much effort to transform your new (albeit temporary) living space into a place you could truly call home. We’ve even prepared a handy guide, just for you!

Before anything else: Talk to your landlord first!

You certainly wouldn’t want to be making any changes to your Dallas apartment that would end up violating your contract and incur severe penalties. Before you even so much as plan to move a table or hang a picture, clarify what you can and can’t do.

Once you’re done with that, you can begin setting design goals for your apartment.

Some helpful tips before you begin

Define your budget for decorating your apartment, so that you can plan what to buy and avoid overspending.
Figure out if you would have the time to do all the renovations in the first place — you don’t want to accidentally end up with a stockroom of unused decorations instead of a comfy apartment!
Identify which areas of your apartment you DON’T want to change. Which places in your living space are fine, just the way they are?
Remember: When you leave, you’re going to have to take all of that stuff down! Don’t do anything complicated or change anything in a major way that you’d have to take down eventually.

Some suggestions for making your new apartment feel like home

Get something to make the place smell good. A lot of people forget this simple but important element. Your eyes aren’t the only things that need to be appeased here – your living space won’t feel like home if it doesn’t smell like it! Considering how easy it is to pick up an air freshener, this should be one of the first things you’ll get done.
Start with the most important part of your apartment (to you). It could be your living room area, or your kitchen area, or even your bed. Begin your redecorating with the place where you’ll be staying most often, so that you’ll feel the effects of your efforts quickly.
Placement matters. Plan where your utensils and furniture will go, so that everything will feel like they’re right where they’re supposed to be, just like home.
Get the right lighting. Set the mood with the right choice of lighting for your rental apartment. Choose something that’s cool to your eyes, but will still provide just the right illumination for your needs.
Change the curtains and carpets to designs that are more familiar and appealing. Since these are probably the easiest things to replace in your apartment that would have the most visual impact, it’s a good idea to pick out carpets and curtains to match your preferences.

These are just a handful of suggestions regarding what you can do to feel at home in your rental apartment, while minimizing the possibility of damaging the place or making your eventual departure complicated and messy. Ultimately, go with whatever will make you happy and satisfied. Just as long as it falls within the boundaries of your contract, of course.

In search of the perfect living space for you to lease in the Uptown Dallas area? Discover all of the best options available to you and make the right choice. Use our Apartment Locator service to find exactly the place that you had in mind.

September 20, 2017Doug BrysonComments OffDallas Apartment Guide, Dallas Living

In today’s Dallas Apartment Guide, we’ll be talking about how you can spice up the look of your current living space.

Truth be told, it doesn’t matter if you’re living in one of the many Uptown Dallas apartments available for lease, or if you’re residing in an entirely different state. How your living space looks still matters, as it has a direct effect on your level of comfort and quality of life.

However, you might find yourself challenged or limited by the fact that you don’t own the place you’re living in. Don’t fret, though, as there are ways to breathe life into your Dallas apartment without breaking any of your leasing terms OR spending a ton of money.

1.Invest in modular pieces.

Keeping in mind that you’re not living in a permanent space, you need to plan your decorations with mobility and ease of packing or replacement in mind.

Therefore, you should invest in versatile furniture pieces (such as tables that turn into storage containers or beds that fold into themselves and become couches) and decorative “tile tattoos” (removable stickers that can hide imperfections on your walls and tiles). You have plenty of options for temporary wallpaper stickers, too!

2. A bit of furniture rearranging goes a long way.

Sometimes, it’s all in the way you put your furniture together. Consider reorganizing your furniture to optimize space and give your living quarters a whole new look.

3. Upgraded lighting is a bright idea.

We’re not saying that you should go crazy and upgrade all your lighting fixtures at once — that’s a bit impractical. Instead, opt to switch out a couple of lamps, or use LED lights to enjoy well-lit rooms via energy-efficient light sources.

4. Add a dash of green to your apartment.

Have some plants in a window box to liven up the place. Having plants by your windowsill is a great way to improve your productivity, too!

5. Paint can be your best friend.

If you want a simple way to brighten up the colors in your apartment or simply give your eyes something new and relaxing to enjoy, a new coat of paint on your walls and furniture will go a long way. Of course, you’ll need to get permission from your landlords first before you go to town with that paintbrush, but believe us, some will even welcome the idea of you adding a touch of life to your leased apartment.

If you can’t repaint your walls, you can at least paint your furniture and make them look brand new. Pick a color that pops, but goes well with your interiors.

6. Hang up a painting or display your collection.

A well-placed oil painting will work wonders on even the most drab of walls. Pick your favorite painting and a nice frame to go with it, and hang it up a wall that needs some livening up. If you collect statues, figurines, or any other display items, find a space for them, like a bookshelf or a tabletop, and arrange them so that you can see all of them in their limited-edition glory.

Bonus tip: Get yourself a rug to hide any imperfections on your floor. It’s a cheap and simple solution that adds a touch of sophistication to your living space as well.

Know a friend in need of a place to stay in the Uptown Dallas area? Point your pal in the direction of our Apartment Locator tool, and let us help your friend find a living space that’s just right.

July 27, 2017Doug BrysonComments OffDallas Apartment Guideapartment guide | dallas apartment | Dallas Apartments | uptown dallas