Blog Posts

Tuscaloosa Apartment Living: November 2018

Welcome to this month’s edition of Tuscaloosa Apartment Living, brought to you by Rock Point Apartments, our apartments for rent in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. This month we’re bringing our residents important dates to look out for this month, the moves that we’re most excited to see this month, and some excellent books to read this fall to keep the spirit of Thanksgiving. Read on to learn more about these topics in today's blog post. Important Dates Daylight Savings Ends (November 4) It’s that magical time of the year again! The leaves have changed, there’s a cool breeze in the air, you can smell the fresh baked pies in the oven, and best of all, daylight savings is coming to an end. Here in Tuscaloosa, we do observe Daylight Savings, so make sure you set your clocks in your apartment back an hour this November 4th. There’s always those couple days a year where our schedules get thrown off from the change, so make sure you don’t forget this year and appreciate that extra hour of sleep! Iron Bowl (November 24) In what is perennially one of the best games of the year, Auburn will be in Tuscaloosa to take on your Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has put up historic numbers this season in his quest for the Heisman Trophy. Does he have the magic to lead Alabama to what will inevitably be a grinding game against Auburn? He’ll need some help from the Tide’s elite defense, but we know they can pull it off. #RollTideGiving Tuesday (November 27) Giving Tuesday Keep the spirit of Thanksgiving going a little longer this year and join us in an extra celebration. Giving Tuesday started as an effort to help bring the focus of the holidays back on what they are really about — giving. This initiative is worldwide and seeks to reinstate the habit of giving in a world that has become so focused on receiving and being concerned only about oneself. The seemingly small act of giving has the power to unify and build lasting relationships all over the world. Movie Suggestions Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald “The second installment of the "Fantastic Beasts" series set in J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World featuring the adventures of magizoologist Newt Scamander.” Grindelwald is up to something nefarious and Newt is on a mission to put it to a stop. Don’t miss this magical journey back into the Wizarding World that you know and love. Check it out on November 16. Widows “Set in contemporary Chicago, amidst a time of turmoil, four women with nothing in common except a debt left behind by their dead husbands' criminal activities, take fate into their own hands, and conspire to forge a future on their own terms.” Widows looks like a thrilling crime film with a star-studded cast that will be a treat to watch. We’re excited to watch it, are you? Catch it starting the 16th. Book Suggestions The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life by Janice Kaplan This month, we have books focused on gratitude in the spirit of Thanksgiving. There’s no better place to start than this. A New York Times bestselling book, this story details one woman’s efforts to keep her New Year’s resolution of being more grateful and optimistic. Janice Kaplan, a journalist and the former Editor-in-Chief of Parade magazine, weaves academic research and evidence-based findings in with her own personal journey to present readers with an excellent reason to give gratitude a shot. Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy by Nancy Leigh DeMoss This book teaches a powerful lesson: “Gratitude is a choice”. Learn about gratitude, the benefits of it, how it can change lives, and why it is so essential in this instructive and straightforward book. We can’t choose things that happen to us, good or bad, but we can always choose how we react. Why not choose to react with gratitude?

Tuscaloosa Apartment Living: October 2018

Welcome to this month’s edition of Tuscaloosa Apartment Living, brought to you by Rock Point Apartments, our apartments for rent in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. This month we’re bringing our residents suggestions for celebrating National Pizza Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, topics surrounding upcoming holidays like National Gumbo Day and Halloween, movie recommendations, and more. Read on to learn more about these topics in today's blog post. October Celebrations Breast Cancer Awareness Month October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so join in the battle against breast cancer! We recommend visiting the official website of the National Breast Cancer Foundation. They even have a page all about ways that you can help in the battle against breast cancer. Discover a way that you can use your individual talents to make a difference in this movement. National Pizza Month Did you know that October is National Pizza Month? To celebrate, we suggest either a visit to your favorite pizza restaurant here in Tuscaloosa, Alabama or making homemade pizza at your apartment. Try one of these 50 Easy Pizza Recipes we found online from Food Network. Happy National Pizza Month! Upcoming Holidays National Gumbo Day October 12th is National Gumbo Day! Celebrate by making this rich and flavorful Chicken Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo to enjoy at your apartment this month. The recipe comes from Immaculate Bites and is loaded with chicken, sausage, shrimp, and crab legs. Gumbo is the perfect meal to warm you up on a chilly fall day. However you choose to celebrate, we hope you enjoy celebrating National Gumbo Day this year! Halloween Day Halloween occurs annually on October 31st each year. This holiday is the perfect excuse to dress up as your favorite superhero or television character. Check out this list of 100+ Top Trending Costumes to find your perfect costume for this year. However you choose to celebrate, we hope you have a happy Halloween! Movie Suggestions Venom Are you excited to watch Venom? Check it out in theaters beginning Friday, October 5th. “When Eddie Brock acquires the powers of a symbiote, he will have to release his alter-ego ‘Venom’ to save his life.” Check out this new Marvel movie about a super villain! Halloween Just in time for the holiday, Halloween arrives in theaters on Friday, October 19th. Here’s the storyline: “Laurie Strode comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago.” Book Suggestions What Remains of Her by Eric Rickstad “From the New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Girls comes this chilling, harrowing thriller set in rural Vermont about a recluse who believes the young girl he's found in the woods is the reincarnation of his missing daughter, returned to help him solve her and his wife's disappearance.” The Outsider by Stephen King “An unspeakable crime. A confounding investigation. At a time when the King brand has never been stronger, he has delivered one of his most unsettling and compulsively readable stories.”

Tuscaloosa Apartment Living: September 2018

Welcome to this month’s edition of Tuscaloosa Apartment Living, brought to you by Rock Point Apartments, our apartments for rent in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. This month we’re bringing our residents suggestions for celebrating Better Breakfast Month and Self Improvement Month, topics surrounding upcoming holidays like National Video Games Day and National Cheeseburger Day, movie recommendations, and more. Read on to learn more about these topics in today's blog post. September Celebrations Better Breakfast Month Did you know that September is Better Breakfast Month? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it often goes forgotten, rushed, or even packed with excess sugar. We recommend trying one of these healthy breakfast ideas for busy mornings from Greatist. Start reaping the benefits of eating a better breakfast today! Self Improvement Month September is also Self Improvement Month, so dust off your list of goals for the year and recommit to work towards them! Simon Sinek points out in his September 2009 TED Talk (viewed nearly 40 million times) the power of finding your “why” . A powerful motivator for any action, whether it’s personal or professional, small or large in scope, can propel you further toward your goals than you ever thought possible — with the perk of personal fulfillment, too. So try for some introspection this month and see what motivates you. Upcoming Holidays National Video Games Day September 12th is National Video Games Day! Celebrate by having some friends over for a game night. We found a list of The 25 Best Video Games to Play with Friends from Gameaboo to help you out. However you choose to celebrate, we hope you enjoy celebrating National Video Games Day this year! National Cheeseburger Day September 18th is National Cheeseburger Day! Celebrate by visiting your favorite burger restaurant in the area. Need a recommendation for where to go? We highly recommend a visit to BurgerFi , which is just 5 minutes away from our apartment community. At BurgerFi you will find 100% natural angus beef, free of hormones and antibiotics and chef-driven menu items, like our famous crispy fries and double-battered onion rings. We hope you enjoy celebrating National Cheeseburger Day this month! Movie Suggestions Peppermint Have you seen Peppermint yet? Check it out in theaters beginning Friday, September 7th. Here’s the premise of the movie: “Peppermint is a revenge story centering on a young mother who finds herself with nothing to lose, and is now going to take from her enemies the very life they stole from her.” Smallfoot Do you have any weekend plans yet? We suggest going to your local theater and watching Smallfoot. It comes out in theaters on Friday, September 28th. This fun animated comedy is about a Yeti who is convinced that the elusive creatures known as "humans" really do exist. We think you will really enjoy this fun spin on the classic tale of Big Foot. Book Suggestions Beautiful Exiles by Meg Waite Clayton “Key West, 1936. Headstrong, accomplished journalist Martha Gellhorn is confident with words but less so with men when she meets disheveled literary titan Ernest Hemingway in a dive bar. Their friendship—forged over writing, talk, and family dinners—flourishes into something undeniable in Madrid while they’re covering the Spanish Civil War.” A River of Stars by Vanessa Hua “In a powerful debut novel about motherhood, immigration, and identity, a pregnant Chinese woman makes her way to California and stakes a claim to the American dream.”

Tuscaloosa Apartment Living: August 2018

Welcome to this month’s edition of Tuscaloosa Apartment Living, brought to you by Rock Point Apartments, our apartments for rent in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. This month we’re bringing our residents suggestions for celebrating National Peach Month and National Golf Month, topics surrounding upcoming holidays like National Watermelon Day and National Thrift Shop Day, movie recommendations, and more. Read on to learn more about these topics in today's blog post. August Celebrations National Peach Month Did you know that August is National Peach Month? Make a visit to a farmers market in your area to pick up some fresh peaches to enjoy in or out of your apartment. We recommend trying out this peach hand pies recipe from Girl Gone Gourmet for a sweet treat that is low mess and the perfect dessert to bring along to a picnic. Happy National Peach Month! National Golf Month August is also National Golf Month, so break out your golf clubs! We recommend a visit to the Ol’ Colony Golf Course here in Tuscaloosa. The Ol’ Colony Golf Course has been ranked Best Public Course in Alabama by Golf Digest and one of the Top 50 courses in the USA by Golf week. Ol’ Colony is a Jerry Pate designed 18-hole championship golf course with over 70 bunkers and 25 acres of lakes that come into play on several holes. We hope you get the chance to go golfing this month. Happy National Golf Month! Upcoming Holidays National Watermelon Day August 3rd is National Watermelon Day! Celebrate by eating some fresh, juicy watermelon. We found a few tips from Fifteen Spatulas on how to pick a good watermelon to help you out. You could also try out one of these 30+ watermelon recipes from Delish for something refreshing and delicious. However you choose to celebrate, we hope you enjoy celebrating National Watermelon Day this year! National Thrift Shop Day August 17th is National Thrift Shop Day! Celebrate by visiting your favorite thrift store. Never been thrift shopping before? Read these thrift shopping tips before you go to make the most of your thrift shopping experience. There’s no need to spend a bunch of money on designer brand clothes when you can find similar gently used items at a thrift store for a fraction of the cost! We hope you enjoy celebrating National Thrift Shopping Day this month! Movie Suggestions The Darkest Minds Have you seen The Darkest Minds yet? Check it out in theaters beginning Friday, August 3rd. Here’s the premise of the movie: “Imprisoned by an adult world that now fears everyone under 18, a group of teens form a resistance group to fight back and reclaim control of their future.” Crazy Rich Asians Do you have any weekend plans yet? We suggesting going to your local theater and watching Crazy Rich Asians . It comes out in theaters on Wednesday, August 15th. This contemporary romantic comedy, based on a global bestseller, follows native New Yorker Rachel Chu to Singapore to meet her boyfriend's family. Book Suggestions All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth “In the last day of summer, Grace Fairchild, the beautiful young wife of real estate mogul Allister Calloway, vanished from the family’s lake house without a trace, leaving behind her seven-year old daughter, Charlie, and a slew of unanswered questions.” Twist of Faith by Ellen J. Green “After the death of her adoptive mother, Ava Saunders comes upon a peculiar photograph, sealed and hidden away in a crawl space. The photo shows a shuttered, ramshackle house on top of a steep hill. On the back, a puzzling inscription: Destiny calls us .”

Tuscaloosa Apartment Living: July 2018

Welcome to this month's edition of Tuscaloosa Apartment Living, brought to you by Rock Point Apartments, our apartments for rent in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. This month we're bringing our residents suggestions for celebrating National Ice Cream Month, topics surrounding upcoming holidays like Independence Day and National Hammock Day, movie recommendations, and more. Read on to learn more about these topics in today's blog post. July Celebrations National Ice Cream Month Did you know that July is National Ice Cream Month? With the warm, sunny weather, we think that July is the perfect time to enjoy some ice cream! We recommend a visit to The Baked Bear here in Tuscaloosa for a one of a kind ice cream sandwich that you can build yourself! The Baked Bear has over a dozen original-recipe cookies and ice cream flavors, giving guests a chance to mix and match to find their favorite combination. Before they’re served, the sandwiches can be rolled through toppings ranging from Fruity Pebbles to Oreo crumble, giving them an Instagram-worthy touch. National Grilling Month July is also National Grilling Month so start firing up the grill! Put our on-site grilling area to good use by having a barbecue with family and friends. Read up on these summer grilling tips from Eating Well before you get started for the best possible grilling experience. Also, if you need ideas for what to grill, check out the collection of grilling recipes from The Food Network. Happy National Grilling Month! Upcoming Holidays Independence Day July 4th is the day that the USA celebrates gaining its independence from Great Britain. Summer is the prime time for festivals and fireworks, and this holiday is the quintessential one for doing just that. Find a parade, festival, or fireworks show in the area. You can even see what museum tours are available so you can really immerse yourself and your loved ones into history. Pre-parade 5Ks are also fun ways to dress up, get active, and participate in the fun of an organized event. However you choose to celebrate, we hope you have a fantastic Independence Day! National Hammock Day July 22nd is National Hammock Day! Celebrate by making your own hammock to enjoy at your apartment this summer. There’s no need to spend a bunch of money to get comfortable. These DIY hammocks are relatively easy to put together and are perfect for taking just about any wooded area in or out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. So put together your very own hammock today and get to relaxing outdoors! Movie Suggestions Ant-Man and the Wasp Have you seen Ant-Man and the Wasp yet? Check it out in theaters beginning Friday, July 6. Scott Lang is grappling with the consequences of his choices as both a superhero and a father. Approached by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym, Lang must once again don the Ant-Man suit and fight alongside the Wasp. The urgent mission soon leads to secret revelations from the past as the dynamic duo finds itself in an epic battle against a powerful new enemy. Check out Ant-Man and the Wasp this weekend! Mission: Impossible - Fallout Do you have any weekend plans yet? We suggesting going to your local theater and checking out Mission: Impossible - Fallout. It comes out in theaters on Friday, July 27. Ethan Hunt and his IMF team find themselves in a race against time after a mission goes wrong. Plan your weekend today by buying tickets for Mission: Impossible - Fallout. Book Suggestions The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison “In this garden grow luscious flowers, shady trees…and a collection of precious “butterflies”—young women who have been kidnapped and intricately tattooed to resemble their namesakes. Overseeing it all is the Gardener, a brutal, twisted man obsessed with capturing and preserving his lovely specimens.” Every Note Played by Lisa Genova “An accomplished concert pianist, Richard received standing ovations from audiences all over the world in awe of his rare combination of emotional resonance and flawless technique. Every finger of his hands was a finely calibrated instrument, dancing across the keys and striking each note with exacting precision. That was eight months ago. Richard now has ALS, and his entire right arm is paralyzed. His fingers are impotent, still, devoid of possibility. The loss of his hand feels like a death, a loss of true love, a divorce—his divorce.”

Tuscaloosa Apartment Living: June 2018

Welcome to this month's edition of Tuscaloosa Apartment Living, brought to you by Rock Point Apartments, our apartments for rent in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. This month we're bringing our residents suggestions for celebrating National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month, topics surrounding upcoming holidays like National Donut Day and International Picnic Day, movie recommendations, and more. Read on to learn more about these topics in today's blog post. June Celebrations National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month The River Market hosts our favorite local farmers market. Check it out to celebrate National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month during June. “The Farmers Market at the Tuscaloosa River Market has added a seasonal Tuesday market each week from April through November from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm as a convenience for our customers. Our market is a Certified Farmers Market under the Alabama Farmers Market Authority. Each Tuesday 15-20 vendors sell their goods ranging from organic fruits and vegetables, USDA processed beef, pork, and chicken, goats milk soaps, artisan crafts, baked goods and so much more. The market is free and open to the public.” The River Market is about a 9-minute drive from Rock Point Apartments. Happy National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month! National Candy Month Peterbrooke Chocolatier is our favorite local candy shop. Check it out to celebrate National Candy Month before June is through. “Peterbrooke Chocolatier transforms the art of fine European chocolate making into a truly American experience by combining the very best ingredients and old world techniques with a variety of all-American treats. Traditional favorites like decadent truffles, [handmade] caramels, and cherry cordials indulge even the most discerning chocolate connoisseurs. Specialties such as chocolate covered cookies, pretzels, popcorn and strawberries which are hand-dipped daily with Peterbrooke’s own unique blend of milk chocolate, rich decadent dark and creamy sweet white chocolates.” Peterbrooke Chocolatier is about a 10-minute drive from Rock Point Apartments. Happy National Candy Month! Upcoming Holidays National Donut Day National Donut Day was on Friday, June 1. Guess what? We’re still celebrating all June! Visit Krispy Kreme Doughnuts to celebrate National Donut Day for the whole month long! “Krispy Kreme has been selling our famous Original Glazed Doughnut since we opened in Winston-Salem, NC in 1937. Still our most popular and best-selling product, this glazed, yeast-raised doughnut now delights fans across the globe. “We still make all of our doughnuts fresh daily, a process which can be seen in our factory stores. Our unique doughnut theater allows customers a first-hand look at how our doughnuts are made. The iconic Hot Light lets fans know when doughnuts are coming down the line, and is a signal to stop in for fresh, warm doughnuts. “Each shop sells a variety of freshly made doughnuts as well as hand-crafted espresso based specialty coffee drinks and brewed coffee. Special, limited time offerings allow us to provide additional varieties suited to the season or special occasions. “Our shops open early and close late, providing opportunities to satisfy your craving whenever it hits. We’re the perfect spot to meet friends for a treat, take the kids to make a memory, or just sneak away for a coffee break.” Krispy Kreme Doughnuts is about a 7-minute drive from Rock Point Apartments. Happy National Donut Day! International Picnic Day Visit Annette N. Shelby Park to celebrate International Picnic Day on Monday, June 18th. Here are a few reviews from Google users: “Nice and [quiet] area. It has a playground so it's great for the kids. Great place to read or meditate. Has a fantastic water park open to the public on the summer months.” “Nice water features, close to residential areas and near historic district. Good experience.” “My bulldog loves this park! There are plenty of doggie bag areas and the playground is great” Annette N. Shelby Park is about a 3-minute drive from Rock Point Apartments. Happy International Picnic Day! Movie Suggestions The Incredibles 2 Do you have any weekend plans yet? We suggesting going to your local theater and checking out The Incredibles 2 . It comes out in theaters on Friday, June 15. “Elastigirl springs into action to save the day, while Mr. Incredible faces his greatest challenge yet -- taking care of the problems of his three children.” Tag “One month every year, five highly competitive friends hit the ground running for a no-holds-barred game of tag -- risking their necks, their jobs and their relationships to take one another down. This time, the game coincides with the wedding of the only undefeated player. What should be an easy target soon becomes an all-out war as he knows they're coming to get him.” Book Suggestions Florida — June 5th “In her vigorous and moving new book, Lauren Groff brings her electric storytelling and intelligence to a world in which storms, snakes, and sinkholes lurk at the edge of everyday life, but the greater threats and mysteries are of a human, emotional, and psychological nature. Among those navigating it all are a resourceful pair of abandoned sisters; a lonely boy, grown up; a restless, childless couple, a searching, homeless woman; and an unforgettable, recurring character -- a steely and conflicted wife and mother.” A Thousand Beginnings and Endings — June 26th “Fifteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate.”