Enjoy An Art Walk At Towles Court Tomorrow

One of the little gems in Sarasota is the artist community that gathers at the historic Towles Court. Each month they have their "Third Friday Art Walk" where you can peruse artists' work in various mediums such as painting, pottery, photography, glass and more. The next art walk is tomorrow, July 20th, from  6:00PM to 10:00PM at Towles Court at 1938 Adams Lane in Sarasota.

For more information about the art walk you can visit their website here.

New Movie Selections At The Rental Office

We have new movies for you to pick from at the rental office! Each month our selection changes so the titles you can pick from are always different and fresh. Stop on in and check one out for your next movie night.

Here's a few of the new releases we have in:

Cool Tips For Hot Weather

Boy is it hot outside! Below are some tips to stay cool and safe from the Red Cross:

• Never leave children in a vehicle for any period of time during heat waves. The temperature inside a car can increase 19 degrees in 10 minutes, and it will continue to rise. 

• Check on family, friends and neighbors, especially those who live alone or who do not have air conditioning. Are we ever lucky to have air conditioning at Gulf Gate! If your air conditioning is not working properly please the office and let us know.

• Stay out of the sun if possible, especially in the middle of the day. Exposure to direct sunlight can increase the heat index by 15 degrees. 

• Drink plenty of fluids, but leave the alcohol and caffeine behind. Drink hydrating liquids regularly, even if you don’t feel thirsty. 

Have a cool and safe summer from your staff at Gulf Gate Apartments!

Recipe For A Perfect Summer: Lemonade And Sun

Hot Summer days are upon us and it's the perfect weather for a cool lemonade! One of our staffers was looking for that perfect home-made lemonade and we thought you'd enjoy the recipe as well. It's the perfect drink to enjoy by the pool at Gulf Gate (in a plastic pitcher and cups, of course!)


Old - Fashioned Lemonade recipe 

Ingredients
6 lemons
1 cup white sugar
6 cups cold water

Directions
1. Juice the lemons to make 1 cup of juice. To make your labor easier, FIRMLY roll the lemons between your hand and counter top before cutting in half and juicing.

2. In a gallon pitcher combine 1 cup lemon juice, 1 cup sugar, and 6 cups cold water. Stir. Adjust water to taste. Chill and serve over ice.

Use in a clear pitcher and add a few slices of lemons for decoration!

For a twist try:

8 cups cubed seeded watermelon
1 cup fresh strawberries, halved
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup white sugar
2 cups water

Directions
1. Combine the watermelon, strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, and water in a blender. Blend until smooth.

Add a strawberry and lemon slice to glass for decoration!

Did You Know? There Are More Holidays in July than Just the 4th!

July Holidays

July 4^th- Independence Day

We all know what this one is, and many of us look forward to it all year! Independence Day is a day to commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.  The Declaration was signed on July 4, 1776, which declared the United States of America’s independence form the Kingdom of Great Britain.  Throughout the USA, there are many celebrations held in most cities which typically include fireworks, parades, armed forces ceremonies and carnivals. How did you celebrate?

July 15- Tapioca Pudding Day

No questions about what you are supposed to do this day, EAT TAPIOCA PUDDING!  Tapioca pudding is a great treat for a hot summer day.  If you haven’t tried tapioca pudding, go ahead and try it today, the most common flavors are vanilla and chocolate.  Fun Fact: Tapioca is made from the starch of a cassava root; the starch forms tiny soft balls in the pudding which gives the pudding a unique texture. 

July 19- Flitch Day

Flitch Day is a holiday that is rooted in an old English custom.  Since the year 1104, any married couple that could prove via a trial that they had been faithful and loving to each other for one year would win a prize of sorts.  The prize was a half of a pig which at the time was called a flitch of bacon.  Supposedly this is where the term “bring home the bacon” originated.  Even to this day they hold flitch “trials” but now they only hold the trials once every four years. 

July 20- First Day of Ramadan

Ramadan is noted as an Islamic tradition.  It is known as one of the 5 pillars of Islam and is a mandatory fasting period.  Muslims believe this month is a month of revelations of God to mankind because the first verses of the Qur’an were written by the Islamic prophet, Muhammad during this time.

July 22- Parent’s Day

Founded in 1994 by Former President Bill Clinton; Parent’s Day was established for "recognizing, uplifting and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children." So celebrate, parents!

Important Days in History for the Month of July:

Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California, 1955

Amelia Earhart and her airplane were lost in Pacific Ocean, 1937

The first All-Star baseball game was played in Chicago, 1933

The first man (Astronaut Neil Armstrong) to set foot on the moon, 1969

Bank robber John Dillinger was shot and killed by F.B.I. agents outside a Chicago theatre, 1934

Benjamin Franklin became Post-Master General and the Postal Service was established, 1775

Staff Spotlight: Meet Heather And Hali*!

Heather (and Hali!)

* Okay, well, technically Hali hasn't been born yet.

This month we'd like to shine the spotlight over onto one of our staff members, Heather! She lives at Gulf Gate Apartments and is the caretaker for the D and F buildings. Heather has worked at Gulf Gate since 2010 and lives with her boyfriend, Daniel. Heather is pregnant with their first child and a name has already been picked out for the baby girl: Hali. The due date is August 26th. If you see Heather around Gulf Gate be sure to stop and say 'hello'!