Colorado Balloon Classic, Labor Day Weekend 2010

What a great combination: the Colorado Balloon Classic and Labor Day Weekend! The city of Colorado Springs will definitely have it’s head in the clouds this weekend! The Colorado Balloon Classic is the largest and the longest continuously running hot air balloon festival in the Rocky Mountain Region as well as the State of Colorado, and it’s being held September 4 through 6.

The event is held in Memorial Park off Pikes Peak Avenue between Hancock Ave. and Union Blvd near Prospect Lake. There will be mass ascensions of over 100 balloons throughout the three day period, and there will be a Balloon Glo Saturday and Sunday night. A balloon glow is basically when the balloons ascend at night and the balloons resemble twinkling starts in the night sky.

Each year a variety of concessions are available and entertainment is provided during each event, so you will be fed and entertained. Balloons will lift off at 7 am (I know, it’s pretty early), and the Balloon Glo will take place at 8 pm. More people will be out for the Balloon Glo, seeing as it’s a later time, and much cooler than during the day.

The Colorado Balloon Classic is an annual family event held each Labor Day weekend, and admission for everyone is FREE!

Some of the Talon Hill Apartments residents are going, are  you?

photo credit: Wikipedia

1st Annual March for Miracles, Aug. 28!

Hey Talon Hill Apartments! Want to support a good cause? Come out to support Starlight Children’s Foundation Colorado (organization that’s dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses and life-altering injuries) at the 1st Annual March for Miracles on Saturday, August 28 at 9 am.

This is a running/walking event around a spectacular 3.1-Mile course on the USAF Academy grounds starting at the Air Force Academy’s historic Falcon Stadium.

Don’t think that the event is just for adults, there’s something for everyone! There’s a children’s fun fair and 1 mile fun walk, awards for age groups 3 deep in each division and winning team members, if participating, you’ll receive a commemorative t-shirt, overall male and female race winners will receive round trip United Airline tickets, live entertainment, and more!

This event is fun for everyone, and it’s just the right amount of exercise to get you through the end of summer. If you can, I encourage you to make it out. If not, well, there’s always next year!

What are you doing this weekend?

Directions from Talon Hill Apartment Homes (13 minutes)

Head east on Ramtron Dr toward Lily Lake Dr. Turn left at Voyager Pkwy. Turn left at Old North Gate Rd. Continue onto Northgate Blvd. Slight left to stay on Northgate Blvd. Continue onto Stadium Blvd.

Want to Get Away for a Weekend? Take a Camping Trip!

Hey Talon Hill! Have you ever wanted to get away for the weekend and wanted to go somewhere different from the norm? Well, what about a weekend camping trip? Colorado Springs, and Colorado in general has plenty of lush spots, mountainous views, and glassy lakes that will fulfill your camping fancy.

Here are a few destinations that you may want to keep in mind:

• If you want to take a short hike, The Crags, Pike National Forest is a good choice. According to Out There Colorado.com, this is one of the best short hikes in the area: three miles round trip, without too much elevation gain, and with plenty of interesting rock formations and great views. You can also climb Pikes Peak from the trailhead.
• If you want to party with your fine feathered friends and get above the treeline, then you want to visit the Guanella Pass. This is a prime place to go because the road tops out at 11,669 feet, so a lot of your hiking work has been done. From the east side of the road you can hike to the top of fourteener Mount Bierstadt, and from the west side you can hike to Square Top Lakes.
• Want to go rafting? Check out East of Salida to raft the Arkansas River. It’s the place to go because the Arkansas River is Colorado’s most-rafted river, and trips like Browns Canyon, Bighorn Sheep Canyon and the Royal Gorge can thrill even in late summer when the spring runoff has long since washed to points east.

These are just a few of the great places to enjoy the great outdoors in Colorado. Visit them to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city for a while.

Do you to camping/hiking often?

information provided by outtherecolorado.com

photo credit: bgautrea

Dat’s Italian! Enjoy the “Flavor of Our Family”

If you love the rich, traditional flavors of Italy, you should visit Dat’s Italian restaurant in Colorado Springs. Four generations of the Tarsetti/Alfiero families have passed down their original Italian recipes to culminate into some of the best homecooked, authentic Italian dishes.

I am so glad the United States was the country so many Italians chose to call home many years ago. Italian cuisine has become such an integral part of our dining culture. Although Dat’s Italian only recently opened in April, I have already had dinner there 3 times. Personally, I prepare really good Italian food at home, but there is something about the atmosphere and the flavor of the restaurant that draws you back. Not to mention the delicious cuisine.

They offer all the traditional favorites on the menu such as Lasagna, Chicken Cacciatore and Spagetti and Meatballs, however, this is not your American mama’s Italian! The Lasagna ($8.75) features homemade lasagna noodles, sweet Italian sausage, six Italian cheeses and either Meat or Red sauce. Now, the Chicken Cacciatore ($7.75) is chicken, slow-cooked in Chianti, served over Garlic Bread with a bold and slightly spicy Red sauce.  You can choose Red, Meat or Alfredo sauce to have on your Spagetti and Meatballs ($7.75) and it comes with two enormous meatballs.

One of my favorites is the “Setti” Soup ($7.50). It is a yummy, hot chicken broth laced with Parmesan dumplings and fresh chopped spinach. Served alongside is Garlic Bread and fruit. I’ve enjoyed this dish 2 of the 3 times I have been there. Dat’s Italian also offers the Children’s Plate ($4.75), which features traditional Macaroni and Cheese and Spagetti and Meatballs, fruit, Garlic Bread and a beverage.

If you want  a salad with your entree, there are several to choose from, but I suggest the Italian Tomato and Cucumber Salad ($2.75). Don’t forget dessert. Pignoli ($3.25) and Anisette ($2.00) Cookies are available for an after-dinner delight or you can take home a box!

Dat’s Italian Restaurant is only 11 miles from Talon Hill and is located at 2514 West Colorado Avenue. For more information or directions, call 719.632.3287 or visit the website at DatsItalian.com.

Photo courtesy of  K.Hurley

Remember! Annual Fire Inspection May 25th-27th.

Hi everyone,

Just a friendly reminder, it is time again for our annual fire safety inspection. We will be testing the fire alarm, inspecting sprinkler heads, inspecting fire extinguishers (leave yours under the kitchen sink), changing out the air filters, installing carbon monoxide detctors (if you don’t have one already), testing CO and Smoke detectors, turning off space heater in water heater closet.

You do not have to come home for this inspection. Please make sure that you leave your front door privacy lock unlocked so that we can enter to complete this mandatory inspection. We thank you so much for choosing Talon Hill and for your cooperation!

May 25th: Buildings 1605, 1575, 1550, 1545
May 26th: Buildings 1520, 1670, 1665, 1455, 1460
May 27th: Buildings 1445, 1405, 1450, 1485, 1490

Photo courtesy szlea

Save Money by Keeping Your Kitchen Clean

Sometimes, as I am driving home from work, I make a conscious decision to stop and pick up something to eat or to gather everybody up and go out to dinner. I just don’t want to face cooking and then having to clean up those dishes. I’m just too tired. However, I have noticed that my budget has gone on tilt lately and I have realized it’s because we are eating out too often.

So now I have devised a new plan that helps me to eat at home and stay on budget. Here are a few tips for those of you in the same boat.

1. Clean as you go. This means when you finish with a bowl or utensil, rinse it and put it in the dishwasher. While you are waiting for water or something else to heat up, wipe the counters down where you were just prepping the dish.
2. Sweep and shake. Sweep the floor and shake out rugs immediately after dinner. This will prevent gook from getting squashed into your rugs or drying on your tile.
3. Prepare casseroles on the weekend. Eating in is certainly more cost-effective, let alone healthier. Take a few hours over the weekend to make-ahead a couple of easy casseroles for freezing.
4. Paper versus China. Use paper plates and disposable utensils a couple of nights a week.
5. Salad Night. One night a week, have a simple salad. Easy to prepare and good for you.

More tips available at Living on a Dime.

Photo courtesy of  independentman

Fine Dining at the Pepper Tree Restaurant

Besides being known for the best skiing in the United States, Colorado Springs also heralds some of the finest culinary establishments you can imagine. The one that comes to mind, first, is the Pepper Tree Restaurant.

Known for its contemporary cuisine and magnificent views of  downtown, the Pepper Tree Restaurant invites you to sample it’s amazing fare, extraordinary view and insurpassible service.

To view the Pepper Tree’s menu and complete list of impeccable wines, visit the Pepper Tree Restaurant’s website.

Photo courtesy of flickr.com