The Living Room

Fall is an excellent time for family and friends to cozily gather in your living room, making it one of the hardest places to keep clean. From disheveled throw blankets to squashed couch cushions keep your living room neat with these few tips.

• Remove any unwanted smells from your furniture by lightly sprinkling baking soda on the upholstery. Let it settle in your couch and chairs for twenty minutes, and use a vacuum hose to get the powder off your furniture.

• Spot clean any spills or stains that have set into your cushions or pillows.

• If able, gently machine wash your pillow covers with cold water.

  The Kitchen

Cold weather means less grilling in your backyard and more cooking in your kitchen. The kitchen is where most of your family gatherings happen throughout the day, making it, even more, messier during the fall and winter months. Make a little time after dinner to complete easy tasks that can be worked into your dinner clean up.

• Clean off and wipe down the countertops and kitchen appliances.

• Sweep and vacuum those hard to reach corners to dust away any hidden crumbs. Underneath the refrigerator should be the first spot!

• Give your sink a deep clean with these Stainless Steel Sink cleaning and care tips.

The Bathrooms

Keeping your bathroom sparkling clean is essential no matter the season. Our Forty West master bathroom is where homeowners freshen up for the start and end of their days. Keep your cleaning space clean and make sure the bathroom is prepped for the cold months approaching!

• Clean off the countertops and organize any toiletries you have in your bathroom cabinets.

• Wipe down the mirrors with a simple glass cleaning solution.

• Use Tilex to clean and wipe down your showers and tubs for a fresh finish.

• Wipe down the bathroom baseboards.

The Bedrooms

The bedroom is the designated room for sleeping! With the days growing shorter and the nights get colder you’ll want to cozy up in your bed on those brisk fall nights. Make sure your bedroom is the ideal spot to unwind after dinner and gently doze off to sleep.

• Change your bedding from the lightweight linens of summer to heavy-duty comforters you’ll need for winter.

• Dust off your ceiling fan with a microfiber cloth and set the blades to move clockwise to circulate heated air.

• Pick up and put away and clothes and other belongings. Now would be the best time to store all your summer and spring clothing and hang up this winter sweaters and jackets.

The Howard County Youth Football parents and children are gearing up for their 2018 Mid Maryland Youth Football and Cheer League!  The Elkridge Hurricanes are ready for a high impact season on the turf this year. The Hurricane coaching staff is dedicated to providing opportunities for the boys and girls of Howard County and local communities to develop fundamental skills of football and cheer, while under competent leadership to put the skills together as a team playing against other teams in the same age division.

Representing our Montclair community in Ellicott City, the Ellicott City Patriots enjoyed great success last season! The Howard County team is home to the 10U Division II State Champions and two MMYFCL division II Super Bowls! Don’t count out the lovely ladies of the Patriots Cheer team either. They’ve been racking up quite a few trophies at their 2017 competitions.

Touchdowns and field goals aren’t the only things our Forty West families are after! The Howard County Recreation and Park’s Fall Warhawks Recreational Field Hockey League play under the Maryland Youth Field Hockey League and is open to players of all levels. Warhawks Field Hockey Club is a Maryland-based club, supported by Howard County Recreation & Parks, that offers a premier level of field hockey opportunities, through expert-level coaching, to young, female athletes looking to play at the club level, while foremost, ensuring sportsmanship, player development, and teamwork. Good luck ladies!

]]> https://fortywest.com/back-to-the-turf-in-howard-county/feed/ 0 https://fortywest.com/hosting-your-summer-backyard-bbq/ https://fortywest.com/hosting-your-summer-backyard-bbq/#comments Wed, 18 Jul 2018 20:12:17 +0000 meganmcswain https://fortywest.com/?p=648 Summers are for pool parties, beach trips, and barbecues! It’s grilling season, and we’ve got the tips you’ll need to host a summer backyard BBQ in your Forty West Home.

Set the scene for your summer backyard BBQ with the Fun in the Sun Summer party set from Party City. The summer party kit includes tableware, decorations and everything else you’d need to throw the perfect summer bash. The best fruit is always served during the summer, so serve them to your guest with these festive fruity plates, printed napkins, and disposable cups.

Set the perfect tone for your backyard party with the playlist. Your cookout guest will be dancing all night to these new and classic summer anthems.

Many would argue that the best cocktails are made in the summer. Serve up these seasonal drinks to sweeten up your backyard bbq!

Sunset Punch: This drink has definitely earned the nickname of a “Vacation in a Glass.”

Passion Fruit Mojito Cocktail: Is there anything more summer than passionfruit? Of course not! Guest won’t be able to get enough of this drink.

What’s a summer cookout with a fresh summer salad? This colorful Cobb Salad gets a burst of flavor from the sweet onion and garlic dressing.

Burgers and hotdogs are cookout must! However, shake things up at your cookout with these mouth-watering Grilled Fish Tacos.

Go beyond the usual condiments this year with a Gourmet Burger Bar. BBQ guest will love the endless amount of fixings to top their burgers off.

Yes, the Burger Bar will have the usual condiment culprits, but partygoers will get a kick out of the tasty but unusual burger toppings they get to try.

Open Your Windows At Night

During most summers, evening temperatures can get to an average of seventy degrees. Try opening your windows at night time to allow some of the cool air to circulate through your entire home. You’ll be astonished at how quickly the cold air brings the temperature down!

Closing Curtains And Blinds During The Day

A good amount of heat seeping into our homes comes from leaving the curtains and blinds open throughout the day. And due to the greenhouse effect, this heat is unable to escape, leaving your home feeling like a heat box on hottest days of the summer. Try closing your blinds during the day to block out the suns rays from entering the house. Doing this can lower the temperature of your home by twenty degrees!

Fan Tunnel

We’re getting a little more strategic with how we use our fans this summer! Use a fan to create tunnels of cool air entering your Forty West home. Slightly crack a window on the main floor (preferably the living room). Then, widely open another window on the second floor on the opposite side of your home and turn the fan on in front of your second-floor window.  As the heat begins to rise you’ll quickly get the hot air out and keep the cool air in.

Open The Doors

Keeping your doors open may one of the easiest things you can do to keep the temperatures low. Keeping the doors open in your home allows the cool air to circulate freely through every room in your house.

Planting Shade Trees

The right tree at the right place at the right time can make a world of difference when it comes to cooling your home. No, planting a tree in front of your windows will not immediately provide shade to your house, but tree’s and other plants add color and beauty to the landscape. Over time your planted trees will prove their resourcefulness.

Grill More

Any usage of a stovetop or oven is bound to increase the temperature in your home almost instantly. Keep the heat outside by grilling a little more this summer. No need to stuff yourselves full of hotdogs or hamburgers, try cooking some (or most) of your daily meals on the grill with these everyday grilling recipes!

Backyard Attractions

No need to head to the crowded amusement parks this Memorial Day Weekend! You and the kids will have all the amusement you need with this more than life sized unicorn sprinkler.

Need For Speed

Keep your need for speed close to home! Twenty minutes away from our Montclair community in Ellicott City, is the famed Autobahn Indoor Speedway. This premeir go-kart center offers professionally designed Grand Prix-style tracks that the entire family will love!

Try Something New

This one’s easy! Give that new restaurant in town a try! Try the Peach Melba French Toast for brunch at Rock Salt Grille in Carroll County. In the mood for fresh Chesapeake Bay seafood? Head to Libs Grill of Maple Lawn in Howard County for a Maryland Crab Cake.

Pool Day

What’s a staycation without going for a dip? Make your way to the Hopewell Mini Water Park in Columbia!.This community pool offers a large slide, “sprayground”, shaded structures, and a snackbar! There is a small fee for non-club members

Enjoy your staycation!

Howard County

Sonoma’s Bar and Grill

Located in the heart of Columbia, Sonoma’s Bar and Grill is an established sports bar known for their friendly atmosphere. Enjoy their specials as you watch Nats!

Unplugged Restaurant & Sports Bar

Loaded with flat screen TV’s mounted over the bar, this sports bar is a must for Nat’s fan looking for a fun and lively atmosphere?

Stained Glass Pub

This restaurant & bar offer outstanding entertainment packed with big screen TV’s that are picture perfect when it comes to watching your favorite baseball teams.

Carroll County

The Upper Deck Sports Bar

Wings, flat, screens, beer, and more wings! What else does a sports bar need! Gather your friends for the perfect mix of good food and good times when watching the Orioles game this season.

Glory Days

The Glory Days in Eldersburg provides the perfect  Orioles game day experience. Savor your favorite beer during happy hour paired with Glory Days famous 24 Karat Gold Wings.

Players Bar and Grill

Don’t miss a moment of the Orioles games this season at Players Bar and Grill. The 6 foot HD TV screen allows fans to watch every home run as if they were in Camden Yards!

Watching the game from home? Try these game day tricks and treats to hit a home run with your guest!

DIY Peanut Decorations

Baseball Photo Booth

Texas Tommy Hot Dogs

Timing is Everything

It’s important to have your timing down to a science. Certain plants need to be planted in specific climates during certain times of spring to ensure a full bloom. You can check both at the United States Department of Agriculture’s plant hardiness zone map.

Location, Location, Location!

When it comes to plants (like real estate) location is everything. Some plants require a great deal of sunshine, while some need to be kept cool in the shade. Many plants require partial sunshine and shade for nourishment. Read your plants description to discover what locations fits best. Consider placing your plant on  wheels or a small trolley to easily move it from sun to shade.

Compost

Compost is the key to any successful garden and is considered “black gold” to expert gardeners. Creating your own compost is simple, just save any food waste, especially egg shells, coffee grinds, and apple cores. Allow your food waste to curate for at least three months before adding it to your garden.

Trimming and Pruning

Trimming and pruning is important for getting the most of your garden. This limits the chance of  pest and parasites and allows for increased circulation throughout your entire garden.

Quenching Your Gardens Thirst

Watering the plants in your garden is essential! As your sprouts begin to grow limit your watering to inch of water per week. Make sure your not watering your plants leaves directly as this can cause the plant to mold and rot. Be on the lookout for yellow leaves as they signify your plants may be getting too much water.

Best Garden Plants for Maryland

Here’s a quick list of plants native to Maryland that would bloom beautifully in your garden this spring:

• Amsonia blue ice

• Pickerel weed

• Geranium Macrorrhizum

• Broad-leaved cattail

• Heliopsis Summer Sun

• Northern bayberry

Antique Depot

3720 Maryland Avenue | Ellicott City, MD 21043

The Antique Depot is an antiques, vintage, and collectibles mall housing about 70 different small businesses. New items come in almost every day so you never know what you are going to find!

Cottage Antiques

8181 Main Street | Ellicott City, MD 21043-4929

Cottage Antiques offers furniture, collectibles, china and sports memorabilia, with lots of bargains in an inviting atmosphere.

Retropolitan Fine Antiques and Vintage

8197 Main Street | Ellicott City, MD 21043

Retropolitan’s showroom is filled with unique antique and vintage items, including furniture. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, they’re happy to search and help you find it!

Joan Eve Classics & Collectibles

8069-C Main Street | Ellicott City, Maryland 21043

You’ll find new and unique antique and collectible items each time you visit, including a selection of furniture with dressers, bureaus, tables, servers, chests and bonnets.

Tips for Buying Antique Furniture

Good bones

Look for furniture with good bones. Drawers should slide out easily and upholstered pieces should have sturdy frames.

Quality brands

Research brands of the era you are looking for before you start shopping. It may not be a brand that you’ve heard of but that doesn’t mean you should steer clear.

Don’t be scared of scratches

Don’t let minor scratches put you off. Many products on the market can fix minor flaws, and if you really love the piece, you could get it professionally refinished.

Bargain

If a piece of furniture has a lot of scratches, is not completely sturdy or will require more work, don’t be afraid to ask for a discount. You don’t always have to pay full sticker price.

Visit often

Antique stores are get new items often so if you’re on the hunt for a perfect item, stop by frequently to be one of the first to see the new finds.

Don’t want to wait until Valentine’s Day to enjoy all that these restaurants have to offer? Lucky for you, Howard County Restaurant Week is January 22nd – February 5th and some of the below are participating.

Pure Wine Cafe

8210 Main St. Ellicott City. MD 21043

Pure Wine Cafe offers small plates of fresh, locally sourced ingredients, with a wine list that represents a wide variety of tastes and styles with a focus on small production gems from unlikely places.

Grille620

11099 Resort Road | Ellicott City, MD 21042

Grille620 offers a seasonally inspired menu focused on seafood and steaks, served in an inviting atmosphere that’s the perfect combination of rustic and high-style.

Stella Note

8809 Baltimore National Pike | Ellicott City, MD 21043

Stella Notte brings you a taste of Italy, with not only with our food, but with the ambience of an old Italian villa. There are several areas of the ristorante, each with its own character.

Stanford Grill

8900 Stanford Boulevard | Columbia, MD

The perfect atmosphere for a romantic evening, Stanford Grill offers cozy, large booths and several fireplaces, as well as a live jazz trio nightly in the dining room.

Iron Bridge Wine Company

10435 State Route 108, | Columbia, MD 21044

Opened in 2003, Iron Bridge Wine Company holds true to its goal of creating a place where you could come and enjoy great wines, wonderful food, and lively conversation in a friendly, cozy atmosphere. Enjoy this special menu on Valentine’s Day.

HowardOnTap Craft Brew Trail

The HowardOnTap Craft Brew Trail features 11 destinations, including established brewpubs, up-and-coming farm breweries and exciting start-ups getting creative with their ingredients. A trip to the trail is the perfect holiday gift for the craft beer lover in your life. Receive swag when you visit four or all stops on the trail, and make a weekend out of it by booking a nearby hotel at a special rate!

Jailbreak Brewing Company
9445 Washington Blvd N, STE F | Laurel, MD 20723

Jailbreak’s 16,000 square foot brewing facility is in full view of the tasting room. While sampling one of the brews you can watch the brew team making the next batch of fresh Jailbreak beer.

Seasonal brew: Dusk Till Dawn
A medley of chocolate, fresh pressed espresso from Ceremony Coffee Roasters and roasted malt, this imperial espresso stout offers a balance of bold, bitter and richness

Pub Dog
8865 Stanford Blvd. | Columbia, MD 21045

Pub Dog’s beers are brewed at their original location in Federal Hill in Baltimore. In 2007, they expanded to Columbia, where they’ve been serving their brews and gourmet pizza even since.

Seasonal brew: Maple Pecan Brown
A smooth brown ale brewed with roasted pecans and real Vermont maple syrup

Black Flag Brewing Company
9315 Snowden River Pkwy | Columbia,MD

The first production brewery and taproom in Columbia, Black Flag has 5 signature beers always on tap, and a rotating list of 5 more. Food trucks are also available on Fridays and Saturdays.

Seasonal brew: Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins
This new brew will debut on December 22 at Elf Movie Night & Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest.

Manor Hill Brewing
4411 Manor Lane | Ellicott City, MD 21042

Manor Hill Brewing is Howard County’s first farm brewery, located on a 54-acre working farm in Ellicott City, Maryland.

Seasonal brew: 10
This limited release brew was created in celebration of their restaurant Victoria Gastro Pub’s 10th anniversary