Do you know the difference between yoga and Pilates?  As programs of excercise, both disciplines have grown a great deal in popularity over the past several years with men and womnen throughout the United States .  They both also seek to build muscle strength and flexibility. 

The difference between the two disciplines is not so much physical as it is philosophical.  Yoga is more of a spiritual practice with roots in ancient Eastern meditation.  There are many versions of yoga, including the two most popular versions, Vinyasa and Hatha.

Pilates, on the other hand – named for its founder Joseph Pilates – was created early in the 20th century to help rehab injured WWI soldiers.  It is more focused on strengthening and coordinating the core muscles that stabilze the body than it is on mediation.

Does anyone at here at Vista Ridge Apartments practice either?  If so, what are some of the benefits you’ve realized.  If you’re interested, they offer Pilates and several different types of yoga classes at Lifetime Fitness at The Rim (5639 Worth Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78257, 210.222.1984).  If you’re not a member, no worries.  They have a free 7-day trial membership that you can use to to check out the classes and see if it’s for you.  What’ve you got to lose?

(Photo Credit: sazztastical)

Have you ever been in a hurry to dry a piece of clothing?  Maybe its your favorite shirt that you want to wear to an event that you’re running late for.  Or maybe even its the kids little league uniform that you just realized wasn’t taken out of the washer as you were running out of the apartment to get to the game in 20 minutes.  Well, follow this tip and maybe junior won’t have to wear a damp uniform the next time he takes the field!

And if the tip doesn’t help, you should at least find the actress and her fake southern accent to be hilarious!

This week (August 21-28)  is San Antonio’s first annual Culinaria Restaurant Week.  You can enjoy three-course meals at a variety of the city’s best restaurants.  Full lunches are only $15 and $35 for dinners!  To see a list of participating restaurants, visit www.visitsanantonio.com/eat.

And if you’re feeling adventurous and would like to try cooking your own culinary masterpiece in your apartment, check out this delicious recipe for Garlic Alfredo Tilapia!  Serve it with rice and steamed broccoli.

Ingredients

• 4 tilapia fillets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup Alfredo sauce

(Credit: AllRecipes.com)

The Last Song

Miley Cyrus shines as the star of this heartwarming coming-of-age movie that will strike your emotional chords. Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, The Last Song follows Ronnie and her estranged father as he tries to restore the loving relationship they once had. But reconnecting with his rebellious daughter isn’t easy, so he chooses the one thing they still have in common — music.  Rated PG.  Genre: Drama, Romance.

I figured this would be a cool movie to recommend, particularly for kids, considering the huge following that Miley Cyrus has.  Has anyone read any other Nicholas Sparks books?  My mother is a big fan.  Not really my cup of tea, but hey, to each his/her own.

If you’re a fan of Cyrus or Sparks, check it out this week.  The closest Redbox kiosks to Vista Ridge are at McDonald’s (7257 N Loop 1604), HEB (24165 W Interstate 10 Ste 300) and Exxon Mobile (13687 W Interstate 10).

Do you currently carry renter’s insurance?  Vista Ridge Apartments strongly advises their residents to get a policy.  It’s really not as expensive as you may think.  In fact, you can save money on your policy in quite a few ways.  Here is one in an article I found about saving money on renter’s insurance.  Check out this video too.

Deductible: Raising your renter’s insurance deductible can lead to substantial savings. Furthermore, it is best to have a large deductible to prevent you from using your renter’s insurance for small claims since many renter’s insurance companies are now adding a surcharge to as little as one claim, and surcharges can range anywhere from 10-85% depending on how many claims you file during a given time period.

Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Steve Austin and Arnold Schwarzenegger all in the same movie…what more needs to be said?

If you’re planning on going to see The Expendables (and I know you are), here are showtimes for a couple of the theaters around northwest San Antonio near Vista Ridge: Santikos Palladium IMAX and AMC Huebner Oaks 24.  Check out the trailer below.  I can’t wait!

Sometimes for kids, it’s the simple things that make them happy.  Take Vista Ridge for example.  Sure, it’s a child-friendly apartment community and kids can have all sorts of fun here, but even with beautifully landscaped grounds and a resort style pool to lounge around at, a kid my just want to swing or climb around on some playground equipment.

If that sounds like your child, you might be interested in the San Antonio Botanical Garden’s latest exhibit, Playhouses & Forts, open through October 24.  At the exhibit, you will find eight unique, interactive playhouses and forts put together by members of the local San Antonio design community.  This is a fun family activity where a kid can really let loose and be a kid.

“Playhouses and Forts simply invites visitors to have fun. Each year we see more and more families enjoy coming to the Botanical Garden and these interactive creations will intrigue the visitors throughout the summer and into the fall,” says Garden Director Bob Brackman.

San Antonio Botanical Garden admission is $7 for adults and $4 for children.  They are located in the heart of San Antonio, conveniently accesible from Vista Ridge on Interstate 10.  The address is 555 Funston, San Antonio, TX 78209.  Have fun!

Is anyone out here at Vista Ridge big on water sports…particularly canoeing?  You might want to head down to the San Antonio River Walk next weekend for the Ford Canoe Challenge on Saturday, August 14 from 7:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.  Here’s how San Antonio Events describes the event…

Over 90 canoe teams compete in the FORD Canoe Challenge…local celebrities, city officials, Corporate teams and Boy Scouts & Girl Scouts compete in timed heats. The race begins at the Chamber of Commerce, heads east through and around the Convention Center Lagoon, through the River Center Mall Lagoon and ending back at the Chamber of Commerce.

This is pretty much the only time of year that anyone is allowed to canoe in the San Antonio River Walk.  It should be cool to see all of the boats in there.  The event is free to the public and if you need more info, you can call 210.227.4262.

(Photo Credit: SA Events)

It seems that a congratulations to Northside Independent School District (NISD) is in order.  They have been given the high distinction of Texas Recognized District byt the Texas Education Agency.  I’m not terribly familiar with the San Antonio public schools, but the districts ratio of Exemplary campuses to Recognized campuses seem to be far more than the average of what one might expect for the state of Texas.

Here’s a summary from the press release they put out last Friday.

Northside ISD has been named a Texas Recognized District for the third year in a row by the Texas Education Agency. It is also notable that NISD has the most number of Exemplary Schools in District history and the least number of Academically Acceptable Schools ever. (Northside has no schools rated below Academically Acceptable.) NISD is one of the largest and most diverse districts in Texas to earn a Recognized rating.

The District has a total of 51 Exemplary campuses, 37 Recognized campuses, and 4 Academically Acceptable campuses. No campuses were rated Academically Unacceptable. Those numbers compare to last year’s 42 Exemplary campuses, 37 Recognized campuses, and 10 Academically Acceptable.

What do you think are some of the better schools in the NISD?  What grade do you give them?  Are there academic areas you feel are more important than others to our children’s public education?  Hit me with a comment.  Individual schools will post their own accountability ratings and campus TAKS scores by August 28.

(Photo Credit: orangeacid)