June, 2009
Tuesday, June 30th, 2009
Photo by Amanda Peterka
It’s that beautiful time of year already! If you are an MSU student or East Lansing resident looking for a great local fireworks display check out the awesome show in Lansing at the Adado Riverfront Park. The show is July 11th and starts at dusk. This is a great evening that wraps up the week of Common Ground Festival and is sure to be a fun filled time full of American tradition. Be sure to gather your pals, bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the local scene.
Tags: Common Ground Festival, Fireworks, Lansing Events, MSU Students
Posted in East Lansing News and Announcements | 2 Comments »
Friday, June 26th, 2009
Thriller, Black or White, Bille Jean, Smooth Criminal, Beat It, Remember the Times, Bad, Wanna Be Starting Something, Rock with You, Man in the Mirror…the list goes on and on.
It saddend the music listening world when it was announced yesterday that Michael Jackson, the “King of Pop”, had died.
Pop music has cyclical popularity for most artists. New Kids on the Block would be popular for a few years, followed by years of punk rock insanity, replaced by the Backstreet Boys and N*Sync. It comes and goes. For one man to stay popular in the eyes of the mainstream audience for 30 years is unbelievable.
Now lets say that his 18 Grammy Awards, 13 Guinness World Records, and star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame wasn’t enough to sell you, watch a live show. You’ll undoubtedly see why people call him the greatest performer of all time.
Personal life aside, you have to respect what Michael Jackson accomplished during the span of his career. He was more than a pop star. He was an artist that influence nearly every singer currently popular, ranging from Britney Spears, to Justin Timberlake, to Mariah Carey.
Fans worldwide will miss you and your contributions to music. Thank you, Michael.
- Ryan Shaul
Tags: Michael Jackson death, Michael Jackson Legacy, Michael Jackson Live, Michael Jackson Tribute
Posted in Hot Topics | 3 Comments »
Thursday, June 25th, 2009
Hey MSU, LCC, Cooley, and Douglas J Aveda Students! Don’t miss The Village Pool Party this FRIDAY, JUNE 26th from 1 to 5 pm. If you haven’t witnessed a Village Pool Party yet this summer trust me when I say you’ve got to be there to believe the turn out. (This week’s pool party is going to blow this one out of the water!)
Not only will there be plenty of FREE food, we will also have DJ Rod P droppin the beat live poolside.
Oh yeah, if there are any singles out there, The Village will be hosting a dating game that may just ad a little extra sizzle to your summer.
The best part about tomorrow’s event is the ability for you to save some extra cash. For one day only if you sign your lease at any Chandler Crossings Community you are only going to pay $25 dollars. (That’s a savings of $174 bucks).
Questions, or need directions visit your favorite MSU Apartments website for more details!
Tags: East Lansing Events, MSU Events, MSU Pool Party, Summer Pool Party, The Village Pool Party
Posted in Chandler Crossings Events | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
It is officially summer and mother nature sure is letting us know. This week we have had some scorchers so far and we are supposed to get some more. Personally, I enjoy a crisp, cool living environment in my MSU apartment; however, it does come at a cost. The other day my air conditioning was running all day long and I could almost see the dollar signs floating out my door. Take my advice, don’t follow my lead, your wallet and our environment will both be hurting afterward. I have learned from my mistakes though and now I’m here with a few green tips for cooling your MSU apartment without running the air conditioning 24/7.
1. Close your blinds! Closing your blinds during the peak sun hours of the day will keep heat from getting and staying in your apartment. This alone can keep your East Lansing apartment cooler for when you get home.
2. This may seem obvious, but get a fan. Even 1 MPH internal air movement can make you feel 3 to 4 degrees cooler.
Summer Heat
3. Monitor your internal heat sources. Having heat generating appliances on for extended periods of time can trap heat from the inside out. Make sure to turn off all unnecessary lights, tv’s, gaming consoles, or kitchen appliances.
4. Having a humid apartment makes a temperature that may be bearable, unbearable. Avoid mid-day showers, laundry cycles and super steamy cooking sessions. These activities will make your apartment more humid and in turn, make it feel warmer.
5. Remember this one. When you use your air conditioner, do not set it at the absolute lowest temperature! Setting the thermostat at 35 will not make your apartment cooler any faster. In fact it will eventually lock up your system and force it to be inactive for 48 hours. The purpose of a thermostat is to set the temperature at a comfortable, desireable temperature and allow the system to cool your MSU apartment down to that temperature. Once it is at the desired temperature the thermostat will work to keep it there. Setting it at the lowest setting won’t make you feel better any faster!
6. And last but not least, if you do use your air conditioner for a portion of the day, remember, never set the temperature more than 20 degrees lower than the outside temp. This little rule of thumb will save you a bundle on your energy bill because the compressor won’t be working overtime.
I know some of these super hot days can be frustrating and uncomfortable. But if you follow the tips above, you and your wallet can remain comfortable this summer in your East Lansing apartment.
-Alex Shikany
Tags: Cooling MSU Apartment, Green Tips, MSU Apartments, MSU Green Tips
Posted in Apartment Tips, Green Living | 5 Comments »
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
Lansing’s minor league baseball tea, The Lansing Lugnuts, provides fun for MSU students all summer long. Come support our city’s team in their 10,000 seat baseball stadium.
Considering the lawn seats are only 7 bucks and reserved seats 8 dollars, these games are a must if you’re looking for a good time! Not only are there cheep tickets, but there are daily specials at home games. For example, every Thursday is “Thirsty Thursday” and Friday and Saturday games have fireworks after!
Upcoming Lugnuts’ home games are Saturday June 13th and the following week, Thursday-Sunday June 25th-27th. All games listed are at 7:05pm expect Sunday the 27th is at 2:05pm. On the 13th, they will be playing the Great Lake Dodgers and the following week they will be challenging Dayton.
Catching a summer baseball game is practically an American tradition AND it’s a really great way to support Lansing’s Community. Wanna get a group of people to go? Let me know we have plenty of Chandler Crossings students that would love to car pool!
Tags: east lansing, East Lansing Events, Lansing Lugnuts, MSU, MSU Events, MSU Summer
Posted in East Lansing News and Announcements | 2 Comments »
Monday, June 22nd, 2009
You can’t deny it for a second. Not even if you tried.
You…love Facebook. You just do. But don’t be ashamed of it. We understand that it’s important to know the status of Steph’s and Mike’s complicated relationship. Or finding out that your friend Charles from the second grade now likes John Mayer after years of resistance.
Why not use Facebook for stuff that would actually matter to you? Stuff like chances to get free food and win prizes, awesome athletic tournaments, resume workshops, open mic nights, and so much more! Sounds pretty great, doesn’t it? All it takes is 3 simple steps to become a fan of Chandler Crossings:
- Log in to Facebook
- Click here to navigate to the page
- Click, “Become a Fan”
If you’re at any of our events, make sure to check out our pictures and videos we’ll have those posted right after any event.
Also, one of my favorite things about facebook is you get to see who else you know lives at Chandler Crossings. I actually met up with one of my best friends from elementary school at The Landings. I had no clue that they lived there until we both joined Chandler Crossings facebook page. That’s pretty cool .
We’ll be waiting for your add!
-Ryan
Tags: Chandler Crossings Facebook, Facebook Fan Page, MSU Facebook
Posted in Hot Topics | 2 Comments »
Friday, June 19th, 2009
Being a Michigan State University student with a summer job, I will be unable to make it home to spend Father’s Day with my Dad this Sunday. I was able to make it home last weekend, however, to spend time with him. But what does a 48 year old man and a 21 year old kid have in common to do on a Friday night?
You guessed it: Action movie.
We went to see The Taking of Pelham123 together. If you’re looking for something that will entertain your Dad, unlike the new neck tie or battery charger you were bound to get him, take him to see this movie.
For a film that approaches two hours in length, its so action packed it felt like it was only a half hour long. John Travolta’s performance as a lunatic villain was excellent, and Denzel acted as Denzel does in every film he’s in, flawlessly.
Still not convinced it will be worth it? Watch the trailer and I promise you’ll be pumped to see it.
-Ryan
Tags: father's day, father's day ideas, movie reviews
Posted in Hot Topics | Leave a comments »
Thursday, June 18th, 2009
Picture from GoodHouseKeeping.com
Everyone can use a little more organization in their life and the kitchen can be a messy hot spot! If you haven’t already read our blog on organizing your bedroom, don’t forget to check it out. Today we are going to review some great tips on how to keep your kitchen clean, clutter free and organized. Even if you are a fast food fanatic, or a microwave chef, these tips are still great to use.
First things first, go though your cabinets and take out all of your food items. Toss things that are expired and donate the other non-perishable items that you don’t use. I donated to the MSU Food Bank, but you can find any local food shelter that needs help all year round.
Next, organize the items on your counter top before you put them back into the cabinets. Create categories such as, spices, canned foods, snacks, and baking. Investing in a spice rack can be really helpful too, or just separate your baking spices from seasonings. Keep the heavy items in the lower cabinets and the most used items easily accessible.
Cooking utensils and tableware:
A utensil divider is a must to keep your spoons, forks and knives separated. A knife block is a great safe place to keep sharp knives, since you can grab them by the handle rather than digging around in a drawer. To organize serving spoons and spatulas you can either hide them away in a drawer, preferably near the oven- or opt for a stylish counter top organizer. For tableware, keep like items together. Designate shelves for glasses, plates and bowls.
Pots and pans:
Store the smaller pots in pans inside of the larger ones to save space. Keep them in a cupboard near the stove, or in the drawer underneath the oven if you have one.
Other items:
Place dish clothes near the sink, and pot holders near the stove. It helps to go with your instincts and place items where they make sense to you.
Cleaning items should go underneath the sink, or in a cabinet that doesn’t contain food. I recommend getting a small basket to keep the cleaning items that you use the most in. This way when you go on a cleaning spree you can grab the whole basket and have everything you need.
Avoid keeping bills, paperwork or homework in your kitchen, and keep the odds and ends in a designated “Junk Drawer.”
Now that your organized, good luck at keeping your msu apartment clean!
- Katelyn
Tags: clean apartments, clean kitchen, MSU Apartments, Organize your apartment
Posted in Apartment Tips | Leave a comments »
Wednesday, June 17th, 2009
Personally when I am making dinner in my MSU apartment I don’t put much thought into the little things. Typically it is just cook the food and eat it. But there are some helpful tips that will make your dining experience more enjoyable and also provide you with some knowledge to take with you into future cooking endeavors.
1. Don’t slice into your meat right after it comes off the grill. You will lose the delicious juices. Wait 5 minutes before biting into burgers or grilled chicken, 7 minutes for steaks and at least 15 minutes before cutting into a turkey or large roast.
2. Never store tomatoes, peaches, potatoes, onions, bread, garlic or coffee in the refrigerator. Cold temps compromise the flavor and texture of theses foods.
3. Teflon coatings can deteriorate on high heat. Save the nonstick pans you have for cooler cooking jobs such as sauteing fish or cooking an omelet.
4. If you put lemons, limes or oranges in the microwave for 15 seconds before squeezing them they will yield twice as much juice! Buying half the amount of fruit can save you some money as well.
5. Go shopping on a Wednesday! Research shows that only 11 percent of people get their groceries on a Wednesday. That number drops to 4 percent after 9pm! Fewer crowds, shorter lines, less stress.
Apartment Cooking
6. Pat dry your meat and fish before cooking it. The moisture on the surface of these meats creates steam when it hits the hot cooking surface. This impedes the caramelization process.
7. For all you pasta lovers, if you want perfect al dente noodles, drain the pasta about 1 minute before the box tells you to. Then dump the noodles back into the pot and stir in the heated sauce. The pasta will finish cooking inside the pot.
8. Don’t serve warm food on a cold plate! Heat your dishes in a 150 degree oven for 10 minutes before serving a meal. On the other hand, if you’re making a cold dish such as a salad throw a couple plates in the freezer for a few minutes. The coolness of the plate really brings out the freshness of the salad.
9. Instead of using the pan or skillet when cooking bacon, throw some bacon on a baking sheet and roast it in a 375 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Bacon’s tendency to scrunch up makes for an uneven cooking surface in a pan, but the oven will produce that perfect crispy, but not too crispy texture.
10. Lastly, a healthy tip to make those vegetable taste a bit better. Before you cook your aging produce, drop them into a bowl of ice water. Plants naturally wilt due to water loss; ice water penetrates their cells to restore their crispness.
I hope these tips can be helpful to you all as the ongoing struggle of developing a cooking game grows in your lives. Practice makes perfect and the more knowledge you have, the better the dinner party will be in your East Lansing apartment.
-Alex Shikany
(Information from the article “Banish Takeout!” by Paul Kita. Men’s Health Magazine, June 2009.)
Tags: Apartment Cooking, MSU Apartment Cooking, MSU Cooking, MSU Culinary Tips
Posted in Apartment Tips, Life Tips | 1 Comment »
Monday, June 15th, 2009
After 17 years of being a staple in late night comedy, Jay Leno has left his signature 11:35 PM weeknight spot as host of the Tonight Show. His replacement: a former writer on both Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons and long time host to the wildly popular Late Night program for 16 years, Conan O’Brien.
Is there a single Michigan State University student who is NOT excited about this? Granted, Jay is a classic. His humor, however, is geared toward our parents. Conan is a college student’s Tonight Show host. His style is silly, fun, energenic, and most importantly unpredictable. Sounds a lot like us college students, doesn’t it?
I have to admit, it is a little odd having NBC on after the news, and not hearing, “It’s The Tonight Show, with Jay Leno”
Check out his first Tonight Show on Hulu.
-Ryan
Tags: College Entertainment, College TV, Conan O'Brien Tonight Show, Jay Leno Tonight Show, Tonight Show
Posted in Hot Topics | Leave a comments »
