Blog Posts

Halloween in Omaha

The seasons are changing and Halloween is on it’s way! Celebrate this year by attending a local event near your Spaces Apartment. Omaha.com has an awesome list of all the events in the area you can attend! Be sure to check websites of individual events for schedule and ticketing information. Some details may change year after year. Some of our favorites include: Canines in Costume : 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Bayliss Park in Council Bluffs. The Midlands Humane Society sponsors the event. Expect music, a $25 micro-chipping special, more than 20 vendors, raffles, games and prizes for your best furry friend and a costume parade around the park. For more information, visit www.midlandshumanesociety.org or call Terri Gach-Mils at 712-366-2551. VODEC Halloween Haunt Dance : 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs. Costumes encouraged and refreshments provided. Cost: $10 cash at the door. RSVP to Michelle at 712-328-2638. The dance is geared toward individuals with intellectual disabilities. Support staff for individuals who cannot be alone in the community are admitted free with paid guest. The Haunted Trail : Wednesday through Oct. 26 at Cunningham Lake. Guided haunted trail tours will explain the “strange events” that have taken place over the years by the lake with frightful characters and scenes along the way. Admission: $13 for adults, $8 for kids (ages 6 to 12). There will be a $1 discount for any canned good, with a maximum of three cans. All cans will go to the Salvation Army food pantries. For more information, visit www.hauntedtrailomaha.com . Hosted by Omaha Parks and Recreation Department. Halloween Safe Night and Fall Festival: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at Papillion-La Vista South High School, 10799 Highway 370. Candy, games, prizes, activities and bounce houses will be offered, along with a costume contest. Canned food donations will be accepted at the door to benefit Sarpy County food pantries. Hosted by the Papillion Recreation Department.

Coffeeshop-style Pumpkin Scone

As the seasons change, Pumpkin is making it’s way into our Spaces Apartment decor and our diet. We love any excuse to incorporate this seasonal ingredient into any meal. Pumpkin adds an earthy flavor and can be sweetened up as well. From desserts to dinner, this ingredient takes center stage however you decide to enjoy it. We’ve found a delicious recipe on Created by Diane that recreates our favorite coffee shop scones. Make a batch and have a treat with your coffee or breakfast every day this week! INGREDIENTS Pumpkin Scones 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ cup sugar 1 T baking powder ½ tsp salt 8 Tablespoons cold butter ½ cup canned pumpkin 3 Tablespoons milk 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp ground cloves ½ tsp ground ginger Pumpkin Icing 1 cup powdered sugar 2 Tablespoons milk ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ? tsp ground cloves ? tsp ground ginger (orange Americolor food coloring) INSTRUCTIONS Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry knife, until mixture is crumbly with no chunks of butter. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, milk and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and form into a ball. Pat out dough onto lightly floured surface and form into a 1-inch thick rectangle (about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide) Divide into three sections and then make each section into two triangles. Bake on parchment lined cookie sheets for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Scones should begin to turn light brown, let cool on rack. Pumpkin Icing Mix powdered sugar and milk together with spices and apply to scones when cooled. I applied first coat of icing then colored the rest orange and drizzled over the top We recommend you find a local pumpkin patch in Omaha, NE for a fresh pumpkin to bake with. Thanks for reading!

Room Escape Games in Omaha

Have you ever tried a “room escape” game? In these activities, a group of friends is locked inside a room filled with puzzles and hidden clues that they have to solve in order to escape before the time runs out and certain (fictional) doom falls upon them. Most teams don’t make it. Will you? Check out this great video for an explanation on how fun room escape games can be. Meanwhile, we’ve gathered together a list of a few places in Omaha where residents of Spaces apartments can go for an exciting room escape adventure, along with some Yelp reviews to let you know a bit about what you can expect. If you go, let us know in the comments how it went! Entrap Games “Wow!! This was the most amazing night my husband and I have ever had In 12 years! It's challenging, fast [paced], high adrenaline fun. Having to put the clues together to escape was harder than we expected. They do not disappoint in the creativity and puzzles. Clues are strewn everywhere for you to figure out and piece it together. We will be back again to complete every room. We did off limits today. We absolutely 100% recommend this to [anyone]. You leave being mind blown that you've never had this experience before. Fun date night, company building or any type of challenge seeker. Go! You won't regret it. [Also,] the $5 military discount is an extra bonus. Thank you Entrap Games for the best night.” — Renee Y. The Escape Omaha “My experience at the Escape Omaha was fantastic! I cannot wait until I can come back again! We [were] in a room that looked like a [Soviet] bunker and we had to escape before it blew up or something. There were 6 in my group and we were in a beginners room, we escaped with about 20 min left out of the hour they give you. We worked together as a team to solve the clues that gave us access to unlock several props that all led us to the code to unlock the door. The room was very realistic, apart from the [cheering,] we could hear from the room next to us when they escaped. [Of course,] we were actually able to leave whenever we wanted with the emergency exit, but if you leave the room you were not able to come back. It was a ton of fun!” — Vanessa M.

Celebrate National Comic Book Day

Later this month, on the 25th, is National Comic Book Day! How long has it been since you read a comic book? A week? A year? Decades? Maybe even… never? Well, however long it has been, why not take advantage of the upcoming holiday to pick up a great story or two? There are a number of places that you can pick up comics in the area. One of the closest is the W. Dale Clark Library , not too far from us here at Spaces Apartments. If you find something you really love there and just have to own, or if you want a wider selection, or if you want some great recommendations from someone who knows comics really well, it might be worth it to head over to Legend Comics & Coffee or Comic City . Not sure where to start reading? Well, we’ve got some recommendations for a variety of great stories: Daredevil: The Man Without Fear Taunted and tormented by children while growing up, Matt's life was irrevocably altered after he was blinded by radioactive materials while saving the life of an old man. The payoff? An unbreakable will and a keen intelligence, helping focus the super-senses he was blessed with during the accident. Batgirl Vol. 1: The Darkest Reflection Barbara Gordon is finally back as Batgirl! The nightmare-inducing brute known as Mirror is destroying the lives of Gotham City citizens seemingly at random. Will Barbara be able to survive her explosive confrontation with this new villain, as well as facing dark secrets from her past? A new chapter in the riveting adventures of Batgirl continue in stunning fashion, with [a] script by fan-favorite Gail Simone and stellar art by superstar Ardian Syaf! Brandon Sanderson’s White Sand On the planet of Taldain, the legendary Sand Masters harness arcane powers to manipulate sand in spectacular ways. But when they are slaughtered in a sinister conspiracy, the weakest of their number, Kenton, believes himself to be the only survivor. With enemies closing in on all sides, Kenton forges an unlikely partnership with Khriss -- a mysterious Darksider who hides secrets of her own.

Preparing to Go on Vacation, Part II

Taking time to make adequate preparations will ensure your vacation goes smoothly without unnecessary glitches. In today’s blog we have some additional ideas to help you get ready to head out and relax. Preparing Your Spaces Apartment for Vacation Time Take the time to clean your apartment before you go. Not only will you enjoy coming home to a clean apartment, but you can prevent health issues from becoming a problem. Before you leave be sure to clean out the refrigerator, take out the trash, and ensure there are not wet clothes in the washer (in fact, leave the lid up while you are away). Start packing several days before your trip, and use a checklist . Check the weather report for your destination so you will be prepared with appropriate clothing. Unplug appliances that don’t need to function while you are away, adjust thermostats, close the curtains, and set a timer for the lights. Stop by the bank to get cash, including a variety of smaller bills to use for tips and incidentals. Do not pack money, credit cards, or other valuables in your checked baggage. Divide your money and credit cards into separate places; that way if something happens you will have reserves. Confirm your reservations a few days before you head out; this way nasty surprises are less likely to occur. Prepare the Night Before You Leave Charge it. Be sure to completely charge your cell phone, notebook, ipad, and other electronic devices. If you have a portable charger, make sure it’s charged too. Download ebooks, music, movies, etc. while you have reliable wifi service and don’t have to pay data charges. Pay any bills that will fall due while you are on vacation; you don’t want to end up with extra charges because you forgot to pay. That’s it! Get a good night’s sleep, and in the morning before you leave, make your bed with fresh linens. When you arrive home, travel weary and ready to sleep in your own bed; it will be delightful to slip between the bliss of clean sheets. Safe travels, and thanks for reading today’s blog post.

Preparing to Go on Vacation, Part I

August. The traditional month to take a summer vacation. Whether you are staying relatively close to Omaha or headed to the other side of Nebraska, or elsewhere, we’ve got some ideas about how to effectively prepare for leaving and coming home from your vacation in this month’s blog posts. Preparing to Leave on Vacation We tend to spend a lot of time planning our vacations, but sometimes we miss a few bits of paperwork that can come back to bite us, so don’t forget to: Make a color copy of your passport. Having a copy could be helpful in case you lose the original. Also, use your cell phone and take pictures of your driver’s license, your prescriptions for contacts or eyeglasses as well as medication, and any other important document. Call your bank and credit card company to let them know you will be traveling so you don’t end up with frozen accounts due to suspected fraud. If you are relying on public transit for your trip, prepare ahead of time. Check out schedules and the cost of fares. Before you leave, put the number for a cab company in your phone, or download the app for Uber or Lyft if they are available in the city you are visiting; doing so could prevent you from being stranded in an unfamiliar place. Make reservations ahead of time for restaurants, shows, and lodging when you are able to. It is easier to do the research ahead of time in the comfort of your Spaces Apartment where you can easily check reviews and make comparisons. Perhaps give Airbnb or VRBO a look. Prepare an itinerary and leave it with a family member or friend. Make arrangements for someone to pick up your mail, water your plants, and feed your pet (or make boarding arrangements). Stay tuned! In our next blog post we will share ways to prepare your apartment for your vacation. Where is your favorite vacation destination? Please feel free to share in the comments.