It’s spring in Gainesville, which means beautiful sunny days with a cool breeze blowing through town. It’s the perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy this wonderful weather on your bicycle! Don’t have one? Then get one from Gator Cycle! Gator Cycle is located on the corner of Archer Rd and 34^th Street. They’re the largest bike shop in town and even offer bike rentals if you’re not ready to commit and purchase. Gator Cycle doesn’t just sell and rent bikes, they also service them. Their service pricing is very straightforward and can be found on their website. They’re also having a huge sale April 11-15^th! Their TrekFest Spring Sale will allow you to get an awesome bike and accessories at a discount!
We love them because their passionate about cycling and want to get you the bike that’s perfect for your body and needs! Still not sure why you should choose Gator Cycle? Check out these 9 reasons why they’re the best place for you!

Mmm Me Gusta

La Nopalera is a delicious and affordable Mexican restaurant on SW 34^th St. Their queso is heaven, which seems redundant because obviously queso is heaven! All of us here at Emmer frequent La Nop and are never disappointed!  Pretty much everything on the menu is delicious; I haven’t had something I didn’t like! Some personal favorites are the Taco Salad, burrito lunch meal, and of course the queso. The friendly staff serve large portions of food quickly, plus you can’t beat the price! Check out their menu on their Facebook Page and be sure to stop in for dinner!

A Place for Girls

Girl’s Place empowers girls to grow courageous, strong and self-sufficient by providing them with a place they can go after school to complete their homework, participate in sports and craft activities, hear from special guests, participate in field trips, and grow in a safe and nurturing environment. The girls are picked up from school and transported to Girl’s Place where they enjoy the afternoon and get picked up by their parents by 6:00pm. Girl’s place provides a free snack as well as concessions where food can be purchased. Girl’s Place also has a summer camp from June 10^th-August 16^th, Monday through Friday from 7:30am-6:00pm. Girl’s Place offers financial assistance to families who cannot afford the membership and weekly fees. Emmer Group supports Girl’s Place in their efforts to empower girls in the community to become strong women. Emmer is participating in the Hats, Hearts, and Handbags Luncheon fundraiser on April 12, 2013. We’re selling $1 raffle tickets and 1 lucky winner will win a night on the town to Vellos Brickstreet Grille. Be sure to get your raffle ticket before Thursday!

Office/Guest room:

If you have the luxury of having a guest room in your house it can easily be transformed into an office/guest room. The guest room portion can consist of a day bed or pull out sofa with side tables and a TV on the wall or atop a dresser. Now the rest of the space can be used as an office.

Cloffice:

If you don’t have a guest room, perhaps you have an extra or underutilized closet. You can turn a closet into a cozy space to get work done. Don’t believe me? This cloffice was created out of a smaller linen closet and organization is the key to the space.  This cloffice was created by removing the doors and creating an office nook out of the closet space.

Color Choice:

Now that you’ve found a space for your home office, let’s paint it! The paint color you choose isn’t just for looks, it actually effects your productivity and mood. Neutrals such as brown, gray, tan don’t increase productivity on their own but can supplement an accent color like blue or green that reduces stress and increases relaxation. You don’t want to overwhelm your eyes or the space by painting all of the walls a red, yellow, orange, or white because these are reflective tones and can evoke negative emotions like anxiety and anger. You also don’t want to use dark colors for the main color choice because it can make the room feel small and make you feel tired. Optimal colors for your office could be a light gray/blue or tan with a blue or green accent wall. This way you have the feeling of lightness to keep you energized while include a stress reducing color and not overwhelming your eyes.

Organization:

Finding the right desk for your space and price point is a search you’ll just have to undertake. However, there are some great ways to update used/worn furniture to match the look and feel you’re going for in your office space. Inside of a boring and ugly filing cabinet, try revamping it with fabric! Choose  a fabric that matches your style, clean the cabinet and remove any handles/locks, paint mod podge or spray adhesive on the area you want your fabric to go, place your fabric, paint over with mod podge, and voila a chic cabinet! You can also use wall paper, scrapbook paper, book pages, or maps in lieu of fabric for the same results. Another way to revamp an ugly filing cabinet is by priming and spray painting it then using an interesting stencil to paint the design on. You can also use washi or duct tape to create striped patterns for very low cost. Lastly, this chest transformation into a filing unit is a great way to re-purpose furniture and have a beautiful and different look for your filing cabinet.

Wall Organization:

Create a simple but different dry erase board for your to do list/notes/messages by putting a piece of fabric inside of a picture frame! Dry erase markers will apply and erase easily on the glass. I know you may think I’m chalkboard paint obsessed after our last décor on a dime post, but there are really great ways to use it! This site, shows you a bunch of different ways you can use chalkboard paint from creating your own colored paint, to painting trays/frames to use as a bulletin board, to creating a chalk calendar on your wall. If you have an old drawer that you want to put to use, back it with cork board covered in fabric and hang it on the wall for a shabby chic look! This storage box blends in perfectly with your book shelf! Another great idea and space saver is this amazing command center

What’s this? Not the owner of a green thumb? Not a problem. Even if you’ve never picked up a shovel in your life (lucky you!), there are still some plants that are awfully hard to mess up. What can you plant if you’re a bonafide gardening disaster? Let’s look at some options, shall we?

1)      Moonbeam Coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata)- This native Florida plant is super low-maintenance and very easy to upkeep. Once you stick it in the ground, it pretty much does its own thing as it’s draught- and mildew-resistant. It blooms with clusters of little, yellow daisy-like flowers and green, fern-like foliage. Not a bad option if you’re looking for a hardy little plant to bloom during summer months!

2)      Tomatoes – So you want to grow a vegetable. Though they often require more maintenance, sometimes, you can get lucky with a plant that’s got a will of steel. It’s not unheard of to walk into a roughly unkempt backyard and find a vine of tomatoes growing where there otherwise would be weeds. Tomatoes are extremely low maintenance and, with just a little thought and probably even less effort, you can have some fully functioning fruits (yep, they’re fruits!) popping up in your garden. However, if you want to be sure they come in right, take some advice from those who’ve been doing it awhile: Top 10 Tomato Growing Tips.

3)      Herbs– Not much room? No problem. Herbs are extremely hardy little plants that can produce quite a plant in a very small space. As long as you provide them a spot with a decent amount of sunlight, they should give you great cooking usage in no time. Rosemary bushes can get to be quite big, so if you’re looking for something easy and a little smaller, try something like basil or chives.

4)      Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)- Alright, so you’ve tried growing everything outside and it turned into a bust of disease ridden-plants and unsightly pests. Want-to-be-gardeners can rejoice that there are indoor options for the green-thumb impaired! Like the Chinese Evergreen, which needs light, a watering every few days, and to be kept away from drafts. Other than that, this plant is sturdy, hearty, and quite pretty, since it can bare flowers that look similar to a calla lily!

Worried there’s no hope? Don’t fret! You can always check out the EasyBloom plant sensor that can actually tell you why you suck at gardening (just kidding, it lets you know why plants are having trouble in certain places in the garden!) through USB connectivity. A very cool tool that can help even the most gob smacked grower.

Are there any plants that you love to grow and find really easily flourish in your garden? Share with us in the comments below! 

Mortgage Interest Deduction:

If you bought a home or refinanced your home, you’ve spent a lot paying off the mortgage interest. Deduct it! You need to file form 1040 and itemize the deductions, only if they’re greater than the standard deduction. How much you can deduct will depend on the date of the mortgage, the amount of the mortgage, and how you use the mortgage proceeds.  Form 1098 that you got from your lender will explain exactly how much you can deduct and it will serve as proof in case you get audited by the IRS. Another important thing to know about this deduction is that you can get it for your mortgage, second mortgage, line of credit on your home, or home equity loan. To learn the details, click here.

Real Estate Tax Deduction:

It seems odd and is sometimes forgotten but you can actually deduct the local and state property taxes you’ve paid from you federal income tax. You can claim them on form 1040 as an itemized deduction. If you pay these taxes directly, you’ll need to locate the bills and record the amount. If you pay these taxes out of an escrow account, the information you need can be found on form 1090.

Points:

Points are essentially prepaid interest on your mortgage, line of credit, or home equity loan. They can also be called loan origination fees, maximum loan discount, loan discount, or discount points. One point is equal to one percent of the loan. Points can actually save you money on your loan over time and you can deduct them from your taxes. How much can you deduct and when? This chart will help you determine whether you can fully deduct your points this year or if you need to deduct it over the life of the loan. For the full run down on how much you can deduct and when click here.

Mortgage Insurance Premium

If you have qualified mortgage insurance, which means it was provided by Veterans Affairs, Federal Housing Administration, Rural Housing Services, or private mortgage insuranceyou can deduct your premium on your taxes. There are of course limits on your deductions based on your income level, this information can be found here and instructions on how to calculate the deduction amount are on form 1040.

We hope these tax tips help you save this year! If you have any other tips for saving on your taxes this season, let us know in the comments!

Paint

Paint can go a long way when transforming a room and since it’s for the kids you can have fun with it! You can go crazy and paint a mural like this Super Mario Brothers room or this princess castle for a girly girl. You can also keep three of the walls a simpler color and paint one of the walls with chalk paint and even magnetic paint. This way your kids can display their artwork with magnets and draw on the walls without getting in trouble!

Wall Décor

If you don’t want to make any murals on the playroom walls you can always liven it up with the wall décor. One great idea is to frame board games without the glass and then put the pieces in a plastic bag taped to the back. When you want to play it, just take it off the wall and put it back when the game is over! What about all of those electrical outlets? Dress them up with these adorable decals, kids and guests will love it. Looking for a different look for your shelves? Transform your old wagon into a cool and rustic shelf!  Is your little girl a fan of Disney princesses? (Yes, that’s rhetorical!) Try printing silhouettes of the princesses on colored paper and framing them, like this.  You can also print a photo of your child, cut it out, and paste it to the arms on the clock for this funny and personalized piece of functional décor! Legos are a favorite of every child so check out this super cool Lego wall!

Creative Space

You want your children to be able to explore their creativity in the playroom, so pick a corner and let them use it for art! This corner can be where you paint the wall (or half of the wall) with chalkboard paint, you can add shelves to store the chalk and colored pencils, and mount a large roll of paper on the wall so they can keep their art. If you’re not excited about the idea of your child drawing on the wall, try repurposing that old or recalled crib into a desk, you can even use pads of paper instead of chalkboard paint for the desk’s surface or put tape on it to make a race track! You can also cover old or dollar store cookie sheets with cute fabric and use them to display artwork with magnets. Don’t forget about the floor! You can create race tracks, hopscotch boards, and giant game boards on the carpet by using colorful tape!

Storage

This is the play room, but that doesn’t mean it should be a mess full of toys! You can create functional storage and seating out of an old bookcase, use old drawers to roll stored items under a daybed or sofa, or try one of these great ideas.  What about Legos? Stepping on them is the WORST! Try this genius idea…the play mat cinches up into a bag!

Just plain awesome

These rooms definitely don’t fall under the décor on a dime theme but they’re super awesome so I had to share just in case you’ve got the budget. This room is perfect for your active boy who loves sports with a basketball hoop, punching bag, and rope ladder that leads into a loft!  Rock wall with a crash pad…in your room?  Amazing! What about a rock wall that leads to a secret playroom in the attic? Even cooler! This bed nook with secret passage up to a balcony reading nook/play area is super original. This castle bed is an awesome space for your little princess.

Do you have any other great playroom ideas that won’t break the bank? Let us know by commenting!

Adam’s Rib Co. started serving Gainesville delicious BBQ in 2005 at their restaurant on NW 13 ST. Adam’s recently opened a second location on SW 13^th ST that’s got more seating and serves beer! While the meat dishes at Adam’s are delicious, I’m the kind of person who loves sides! Whenever I go, all I want are the corn nuggets, broccoli bites, and mac n cheese because they’re amazing but my boyfriend always has a hard time deciding between the brisket, ribs, and pork. Pretty much everything on the menu is good so it just depends on what you’re in the mood for. I haven’t tried their breakfast yet, but the menu items look like an awesome way to start your day and I can’t wait to stop in and check it out! Adam’s Rib Co. is a great Gainesville business not just because of their friendly staff and good food at a reasonable price but because they care about this community and are passionate about giving back to it. Adam’s purchases their food from local vendors, donates to local charities, and donates the leftover food to nonprofits.

Go for a Climb!

Are you looking to try a new activity that will get you in shape? Then head over to the Gainesville Rock Gym (GRG) and give rock climbing a try! The gym has 8,500 square feet of rock climbing routes ranging from novice to expert so don’t be intimidated if you’ve never been! Each person will go through safety training, learn how to belay, and get equipment. Day passes include everything you’d need to have a great day climbing and will cost you about $20. The gym also offers memberships so you can go more frequently at a lower cost! Memberships include: week of free rentals, unlimited climbing during business hours, discounted rental gear, one free guest pass per month, reduced rates on classes/events and a 10% discount on all pro-shop purchases. Pricing for their memberships and gear can be found here. GRG also offers group packages, hosts a summer camp, and hosts birthday parties! Visit Gainesvillerock.com to learn all about the gym and what they offer… you’ll see why we love ‘em!

Enjoy a Day at the Zoo

Did you know that Gainesville has a zoo? Santa Fe College has a teaching zoo on campus! With an array of animals to see, it’s a great activity for you and your friends or family! The zoo is just $5 for adults, $4 for children 4-12 and seniors, and it’s free for kids under 3 and for current SFC staff or students.  The teaching zoo was created for the SFC zoo animal technology students to learn how to handle animals in captivity. This real world training helps them find jobs at zoos around the country. The zoo has over 200 animals of 75 different species. You can view the animals from the ¼ mile wooded trail that is wheelchair and stroller accessible. For the list of species at the zoo, click here. For directions, parking, and other information about the zoo, visit SFC Zoo’s Visitor Information site.

WHY?

Most people lack the vision to see potential in a room and home. If you have a large living room but the sofas are over sized, it will make the room look small and uninviting. That mantle full of knick knacks makes the room look cluttered, those flower drapes make the room look dated, and the closet stuffed full with junk makes your home look like it lacks storage space.  You want your home to look big, clean, and inviting so people are enticed to want to make it their own.

HOW?

1. First thing is first, walk your home from the point of view of a potential buyer. You probably don’t notice the pile of mail on the coffee table or dying plant on your mantle because they have become the background clutter of your everyday life. Take a pad of paper and pen and enter your house as if you were seeing it for the first time. Make a point to notice all the details and write down problem areas – be it repairs or styling. If someone is going to spend a large amount of money purchasing your home, what are they going to notice?
2. De-clutter: Now that you’ve noticed the desk’s overflowing piles of paper, the bookcase is overrun with figurines, and shoes are strewn all over the closet clean it up! You can probably get rid of most of that paper and put the rest in folders in the drawer. You do not need shelves full of figurines so pack them in box. As for your closet, donate the clothes you haven’t worn in over a year and devise a better storage system for your shoes, like this one.
3. Paint: Most people don’t want to worry about repainting your daughter’s hot pink bedroom because that’s added work and expense. Do them the favor and paint your walls a neutral tone, like white or beige. While I am in love with my lime green kitchen, that’s a personal preference that most people aren’t going to warm up to! So if I were to sell my home, I’d paint my kitchen a neutral earth tone like white, beige, or gray. You don’t want to paint everything white and make your home look like a hospital, so add accent wall colorsin another neutral tone. It’s amazing how a simple coat of paint can transform the look and feel of a room, so choose wisely.
   1. Accent Colors: Since your walls are now very simple, try livening up the room with your accessories. For example, if your living room is tan with brown couches, entertainment center, and coffee table add color with an area rug, table décor, and throw pillows. Brown and tan are colors that will match with an array of colors such as green, pink, red, blue, yellow, and orange (pretty much everything!) Check out our Pinterest board for color inspiration.
4. Furniture: If you’ve already moved out and are trying to show a vacant home, it will take much longer. Give people some furniture so they can visualize how they’ll live in that space. If your furniture is bulky or old, swap it out for something new and chic.

The reason you are staging your home is to make the space look large, clean, and like you want to live in it! If you still need help solving some of your staging problems check out AOL Real Estate’s solutions!

Do you have any must do staging tips? Let us know in the comment section!

Parking:

Make sure your car(s) are tucked away in the garage to maximize your driveway space. Then talk to your neighbors. Are you the only one having a Superbowl party or is the person next door throwing one too? No one wants to get stuck in the driveway so many will end up parking on the street, but if you are having 20 people over and your neighbor is having 20 people over, then parking could be tight. Devise a plan with your neighbor so you both aren’t being negatively impacted by the car situation. Ask your friends to carpool! Let them know that parking is limited and it would be beneficial for everyone if they could just ride over together.

Food:

Food is a crucial part of any party so what are the essentials for the game? Finger foods! You could try to make that food stadium pictured on the left but lets be honest, “ain’t nobody got time for that”! Everyone likes to snack during the game so having chips and dip, lil smokies, veggies and dip, tortellini skewers with a pesto dipping sauce, chicken wings, mini tacos made in muffin tins, pizza bites, or any of these adorable football shaped items will go over very well with your guests. If you want to serve more than just finger foods you can fire up the grill and have burgers, grilled chicken, hot dogs, and ribs! Not much of a chef? Then plan ahead and get take out from your favorite BBQ joint or Publix’s event planners. If you’re feeling lucky you could even win a Superbowl party for 20 from Adam’s Rib Co. if you’re in Gainesville. Don’t forget about dessert! You can always make football shaped cookies or cake pops, these adorably decorated cupcakes, or decorate a cake half 49ers and half Ravens colors!

Drinks:

You can’t very well have a fun Superbowl party without the drinks! Stock up on beer, alcohol, and mixers for your guests. But if you’re looking to have something that will stand out, make drinks for the teams! You can make pitchers full of two different punches – one red and one purple – and your friends can show off their team spirit! You can also add some dye to the beer if you want to keep it simple. So what should be in your 49ers punch? You could make a simple cranberry margarita, be exotic with a pomegranate caipiroska (substitute vodka for cachaca), or get fancy with this spicy bay martini! Your Ravens fans are going to need a punch of their own as well. You can keep it simple with this Ravens Cocktail, try one of these purple concoctions, or this Raven-tini! Don’t forget about the kids! Give them Shirley Temples and grape juice so they can join in the fun!

Safety:

Since you’ll be serving alcohol, safety is key! Don’t let your friends drink and drive! You should take keys at the beginning of the game and only let those with a designated driver have them back. If your friend is unable to drive call them a taxi or take advantage of AAA’s Tow-to-go program!

Not throwing the party?

Lucky You! If you’re just attending a Superbowl party, be sure to be an awesome guest so you get invited back! I know you’ve all learned your party manners already but it doesn’t hurt to have a little refresher! So, be sure to bring something to contribute to the party! Whether it’s alcohol, dessert, an appetizer, or even flowers for the host it’s always appreciated when you do more than just show up!  During the game, don’t overdo it on the drinking, nobody likes the sloppy guy/girl who can get obnoxious. Help with the clean up! You don’t have to stay late after the game, unless you want to, but when you see cups/plates lying around, throw them away. If you see that the appetizer platter is empty, take it to the kitchen and give it a quick wash. The host will have a lot of cleanup to deal with after the game, so every little bit will help make his/her life much easier!

We hope this Superbowl Party breakdown helps with your party planning! Let us know how your party goes in the comments!

Having friends and family over for a fun gathering is a great way to enjoy each other’s company without breaking the bank, but what if you don’t have an area to serve drinks? Sure you can use the kitchen counter and then put everything away once the party is over, but that’s not a very festive way to display and serve drinks to your guest.

The Shelves:

You can make your own bar by using shelves! All you have to do is choose 2-3 shelves in your budget and style that can hold the weight of bottles and glasses. The top shelf will hold all the liquor so the little ones can’t reach it, the middle shelf will hold the glasses, and the bottom shelf will hold the ice bucket and serve as the mixing area.

The Armoire:

Do you need a cabinet that can lock the alcohol away from your older kids? Try an armoire! You can find a low cost armoire at garage sales and thrift stores. Once you have the piece, you can paint it, sand and stain it, or give it an antique finish to match your other décor. If there are glass doors you can display your glasses and use the bottom shelf for pouring and mixing drinks. Then you can use the cabinets underneath to store the alcohol and lock it up! You can also store other things in the cabinets, like place mats, nice china, and silverware making it your go to spot for party prep!

The Hidden Cabinet:

Your guests will never guess where the bar is with this hidden cabinet! It’s not only chic but a great space saver! Essentially you’ll create a recess in the wall, add shelves that can bear the weight of bottles, add a door, create a frame around the door, put a painting or photograph on the outside of the door, and voila a hidden gem that’s a cool conversation piece.

The Changing Table Cart:

Have your kids outgrown their changing table? Then upcycle it into a bar cart! Add wheels to the bottom so you can roll it out when your guests are over and roll it into a locked closet when it’s not in use! You can repaint it to match your home’s style, fancy it up with mirrors on the shelves, add doors, and do so many more things to make it look great! You can learn how to do it here.

The Picnic Table:

The picnic table bar probably isn’t practical for most people, but it’s such a cool idea, I had to include it! You’re going to take out the middle board of the picnic table and replace it with a rain gutter! When you have a barbecue, fill the gutter with ice and put the drinks directly in the table! Genius? I think so!

Do you have a unique bar that isn’t expensive to put in? Let us know in the comment section!

New Scooters 4 Less (NS4L) is a scooter store located at 118 NW 14 Ave. They have a great space full of new and used scooters at reasonable prices. They’ll buy your scooter or do a trade with you and they also offer repair services and scooter accessories. You can find out information about their scooters, buyback and trade qualifications, accessories, and maintenance packages all on their website, newscooters4less.com. NS4L has been around for a couple of years and is a licensed dealership. They pride themselves on excellent customer service and will beat any competitors’ prices. They’ll even deliver your new scooter to you if you can’t come pick it up!  The staff is very friendly and wants to get you into the perfect scooter. They are very upfront about their pricing, as you can see on their site, which is always appreciated. We love NS4L for their customer service as well as their community service. They are constantly giving back to the Gainesville community through their support of  Balance 180 and their Likes for Tikes program that provides lots of hospitalized children with toys for the holidays.

We Like Sports and We Don’t Care Who Knows!

We all love our sports here in Gainesville, so what better place to go than the ultimate sports complex? Endzone Bar and Grill is on University just east of the UF campus.  They have lots of TVs filling up the restaurant, so you won’t miss a second of the action in your favorite team’s game! The menu is huge! They have the bar food you’d expect such as hot dogs, huge burgers, steak, and wings but they also have something for the health conscious folks, such as salads, wraps, and sandwiches. If you’re feeling hungry you can try the Gator Cup Challenge!  You have to finish the 2 pound burger piled high with 4 patties, 4 slices of cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and it’s topped with 2 onion rings and a dill spear! If you complete the challenge, you’ll get a t-shirt, your name on the in house trophy, and your picture on their website and Facebook page. To view the full menu, click here and get ready to salivate at all the pictures of delicious food!

Soak up the Beauty of Gainesville

Kanapaha Botanical Gardens is a beautiful sanctuary in west Gainesville. The property features an array of beautiful flowers, plants, and trees for you to enjoy. Admission to the gardens for adults is $7, $3.50 for children aged 6-13, and free for children under 6. The first Saturday of every month, for regular admission price, there is a guided tour that takes about 2 hours. The Master Gardner will show you the gardens and share her knowledge about the beautiful plants. You can also become a member of Kanapaha Botanical Gardens. Members receive discounts on events, newsletters, discounts at partner gardens, and more which you can learn about, here. All January and February, Kanapaha is having a bamboo sale and on the 12^th of January there will be a bamboo workshop. To learn more about these and more upcoming events, click here.  Kanapaha Botanical Gardens is one of Gainesville’s best attractions and so don’t miss out!