Community Blog

The Hard Rock Canyon apartment community is so close to Lake Travis, it’s a shame not to spend some time there. But some folks just aren’t sure where to go.

Here’s a real gem on Lake Travis that’s not so well known– Tom Hughes Park. It’s a bit hidden away on the east side of Lake Travis not far from the world famous Oasis.

It’s a small park, and it’s not what you would call “overly developed”. By that we mean that there are no real facilities there other than a port-o-potty for a restroom. Also, you have to negotiate a short, but kind of steep, trail to get from the parking area down to the water.

But look at it this way: those two minor downsides mean that the place is special. It’s secluded and not that many people go there. You may even have the whole place to yourself. And it’s a great spot to swim, or just lie on a limestone slab and sun yourself. And since it faces west from the shore, it’s a lovely place to catch a Central Texas sunset (unless you decided to have dinner at the Oasis).

Pack some snacks and water in a backpack, and wear some hearty shoes for the shoes for the short climb, and you’ll have a lovely day on the lake.

Tom Huges Park is a 20- to 30-minute drive from the Hard Rock Canyon Apartments.

Travis County has a web page with plenty of information about the park. It will tell you there is an $10 fee per vehicle to enter. However, a lot of people report that often there is no one manning the entrance booth, and you can enter without paying. You may get lucky.

Photo used under Creative Commons from jmtimages.

The motion picture that brought ectoplasmic residue to the world’s attention is showing this weekend in an outdoor screening on the streets of downtown Austin.

The film, of course, is the 1984 epic that was not nominated f0r any Academy Awards, Ghost Busters. Seriously, it’s a classic. Ghost Busters made slime something supernatural. And now many people think the Stay Puft Marshmallow Company actually exists.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is setting up its traveling screen on San Jacinto Street, between 5th and 6th this Sunday for the special event. There will be food for sale and a beer tent, too, so it’s going to seem a lot like a street festival, as well as an outdoor movie screening.

It’s a fund raiser for 6th Street Austin, a non-profit group that works to preserve and improve Austin’s 6th Street district. Greystar Properties is pleased to be a sponsor of event.

It happens this Sunday (August 8). The gates open at 7:30, and the flick starts at 9:00. Admission is free, but it would be very nice of you to donate $5 or more to the cause. Kids six and older are allowed, but only accompanied by a parent or guardian.

You might want to bring a lawn chair to the show. The show’s on a street. Which is kind of cool, actually.

Hardrock Canyon is strategically located for some of the best shopping Austin has to offer. We’re practically on the doorsteps of the Arboretum and Gateway. And just bit farther is the still-growing Domain.

Here’s a great reason to stop by the Domain, in case you’ve never been. The shopping area is offering a very good deal for tickets to Schlitterbahn. For $75, you’ll receive two tickets to the New Braunfels Schilitterbahn park, a $25 American Express gift card and a tote bag with a bunch of goodies.

But don’t delay. As of this writing, there were only a few of these packages available. Call 873-8099 to see there are still some left.

And while you’re at the Domain, take a walk around. It’s a beautifully designed shopping village with several famous luxury shops, including Burberry, Louis Vuitton, and Neiman Marcus. And you’ll also find mall stalwarts as Borders, Puma and the always fun to browse Brookstone.

The Domain is just a ten minute drive from Hardrock Canyon, and another reason why this is the perfect place to live in northwest Austin.

Photo used under Creative Commons from Elke Sisco.

A while back, we mentioned a great farmers market not far from Hardrock Canyon. But there’s a brand new farmers market that’s even closer, and worth a look-see.

It’s the Cedar Park Farms to Market. It opened in May on the north side of  Cedar Park. But starting this Saturday, July 17 it’s moving to the south side of Cedar Park (technically in the city limits of Austin) at Lakeline Mall. (As of the writing of this post, the website still shows the old address.)

You’ll find fresh, locally grown vegetables, fresh meat and eggs from central Texas farms, and tons of delicious homemade dishes.

It meets at 11200 Lakeline Mall Dr, Cedar Park Saturdays from 9am to 1pm. Look for it in the parking area between Dillards and Sears.

Check out the market’s Facebook page, too. It has messages from vendors who will be at the market, notices from the management and questions and comments from the shoppers who frequent the Saturday gathering.

(Photo courtesy Cedar Park Farms to Market)

Whew…thought I had lost you for a minute!  I know with all of the distractions of summer, you probably have barely had time to notice that sometimes, with MUCH FUN comes a LACK OF FOCUS.  Sometimes I forget where I put my keys…or my dog!  Ever leave something cooking on the stove, just to remember that you ALSO left clothes in the washing machine, 4 hours ago!!! Well I’m here with a solution to those who believe they may have minor forms of ADD, ADHD or those are just plain Forgetful!

Here are some LONG TERM TIPS TO FIGHT A LACK OF FOCUS:

1. Diet: Eating smaller meals but eat them more frequently.  This will help your blood flow.  Avoid sugary or salty processed foods; these will drag you down quicker than an anvil attached to Wile E. Coyote!
2. Exercise: Relieve stress with a great workout!  This way, you can get your body & mind in shape at the same time!  Imagine an aerobics for your brain!
3. Sleep: Seven to Eight SOLID hours are ideal!  Too much OR too little sleep can have an adverse effect on your concentration, so no more late night parties or sleeping until noon!

…And if you need further help after that, just hop on down to Downtown Austin , and catch up on some of that mighty fine music!

Hurray for making it to the halfway point of 2010, and the Fourth of July weekend. The weather should be good– not too hot, and only the normal slight chance of a short summer deluge popping up here and there.

We hope you get a chance to catch a fireworks show or a picnic, or maybe you’ll just park yourself next to the pool here at Hard Rock Canyon and enjoy some down time.

We in the front office are going to take a little down time, too. We’re closing for the day on Sunday so we can do the July Fourth thing with our families. But do not fear, we’ll be back on the job bright and early Monday morning.

We know at least some of you will have Monday off, and will be enjoying a long weekend. Try not to rub it in as you walk past the office on your way to the pool.

Seriously, we hope you enjoy your weekend, whether it’s long or short, and we’re pleased you’re part of the Hard Rock Canyon community.

(Image: Some rights reserved, riptheskull)

Here’s an idea for a quick July 4th getaway. Consider making a road trip up to Arlington to catch a Texas Rangers game.

The Rangers are playing against the White Sox Friday through Sunday. And speaking of the Fourth and the Rangers, the two are going hand-in-hand this Sunday. The Rangers will be finishing up their three-game series against the White Sox with a bang. There will be a remarkable fireworks show after the game.

So let’s pack some a bag, hunt down a good hotel, order some tickets, and take a well deserved weekend get-away trip to Arlington for a Fourth of July celebration at the Rangers game.

(Photo: Some Rights Reserved, Rich Anderson)

Who doesn’t like free stuff? Especially when it’s actually some pretty good free stuff?

We hit the jackpot today with a free music download of artists playing at this year’s Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. The festival is going on right now in Tennessee.

National Public Radio’s music division is giving the festival some excellent coverage. This download is part of that. NPR did a similar free download for South by Southwest this year.

This sampler has eleven rather eclectic tracks from some of the up and coming bands at Bonnaroo. You, being a hip music lover from Austin will probably know at least a couple of the artists.

It’s free, with no strings attached. Well, you will have to register for a free iTunes account if you don’t already have one. You might consider that a string. But otherwise, there’s nothing to it.

NPR’s free Bonnaroo sampler will be available through July 31. The instructions are pretty simple. Click —> here <— to go to the NPR web page to start downloading.

(Photo: Some rights reserved, Lindsey T)

Brushing your teeth can save your life.

It’s one of the weirdest things I’ve heard, but there is growing evidence that there’s a link between poor oral hygiene and heart disease.

A recent WebMD article helps explain the connection between heart health and oral health. It has something to do with inflammation, which Wikipedia says is the body’s complex reaction to a pathogen.

We all need some inflammation occasionally. It’s how the body fends of infection. But too much inflammation for too long is bad. It’s associated with, among other diseases, arteriosclerosis– hardening of the arteries.

WebMD says researchers found that subjects who reported poor oral hygiene habits tended to show an elevated level of signs of inflammation in the bloodstream.

It’s not clear exactly what’s happening, but it could be that gum disease adds to the inflammation level of the body overall.

So when you brush, you are doing your heart good.

Read more at WebMD.

(Photo: Some rights reserved, Sarah N)

Speaking from personal experience, there comes a time in life when your body just starts doing what it wants. You can watch what you eat and exercise like a fiend, but the weight just starts to creep up.

It’s your metabolism starting to slow down. It only happens a little at a time, but it’s relentless.

Don’t despair, though. There are many steps you can take to keep the middle aged spread from spreading too far.

Here are some suggestions from WebMD:

1. Focus on body fat content, rather than just weight.
2. Lose weight slowly. Don’t “diet”; change your habits, instead.
3. Add weight training to your cardio workout. Everyone should pump at least a little iron.
4. Switch up your exercises. Doing the same routine is boring, and it eventually stops challenging your muscles.
5. Eat more before noon, less afterwards.
6. Reduce stress and get plenty of sleep.

Read more about this on WebMD.

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