I know I’m kind of an Internet nerd, but one of my guilty pleasures has always been reading about home tours. For those who aren’t super familiar with home tours, it’s just a quick tour of someone’s (usually) unique space and their décor style. For instance, here’s a plant-filled sunny Manhattan loft, and how the couple decided to decorate and utilize the small space.
Eventually I’ll give you a tour (maybe) of my actual one-bedroom Montrose apartment, but I still have my Christmas tree up, so that’s going to have to wait. For now, I’ll take you on a small tour of my new Montrose apartment community, highlighting all the amenities!
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I live alone in my one-bedroom, one-bath 800-square-foot apartment, unless you count my extremely old and grumpy Chihuahua, Denali. I choose the Montrose neighborhood because it’s central to every part of Houston and I love the bright and eclectic vibe – not only of Montrose as a whole, but the complex itself. I also work from home, so needed a little nook area that I could make a home office (more about my tips for working from home here).
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Montrose Encore is four floors and has a boutique-community vibe. Lots of med students and doctors, business professionals, newbies to Houston and work-from-home folks like myself. I only know a handful of neighbors, but they do a great job of hosting resident events, and I can’t wait for the summer, which leads me to the next part of the community….
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The pool is by far one of my favorite parts of living here and is a must for any Houston apartment. Our infinity-edge heated pool boasting city views is probably my favorite part of this Montrose community. (I also love looking down at 59 and seeing all the traffic, while I’m hanging out at the pool!) Along with that, there’s an outdoor poolside grotto, pool table, TV, outdoor kitchen with grills and much more. I can’t wait to have a few friends over this summer – play your cards right and maybe you’ll be invited too!
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The gym(s) at Encore Montrose are perfectly outfitted with everything you need for a good sweat-sesh. You have your typical cardio machines, free weights, cable machines, spin bikes and more, plus a boxing machine and my personal favorite (also least favorite) – Jacobs Ladder. If you don’t know about Jacobs Ladder, it’s basically a stair master on all fours, that 20 seconds in you are pretty much huffing and puffing and need an inhaler – even if you don’t have asthma. There is also a separate spin and yoga studio on the fourth floor so you’ve got two different areas to get your workout in.
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Pretty much every apartment boasts views for days of Houston. I absolutely love my courtyard view with the bright flower wall and fire pit but you can also choose from stunning views of downtown Houston, the Med Center or overlooking the brightly-lit Graustark Street Bridge (pictured, and that is definitely one of my favorite views - if I did it all over again, I may have picked that view, but still love mine!).
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Enjoy dog-friendly apartment living at its finest. I’ve mentioned before, finding a place my pup feels at home and is easy and safe to walk him at all hours is a necessity. Not only is there a large dog run and “Paw Spa,” but there are dogs everywhere so he feels right at home. I have the options to walk him around our Montrose/West U neighborhood, only about a mile from the Rice Loop, or let him run wild in the dog park, connected to our complex. Of course they also have free dog treats in the lobby, so we make a pit stop pretty frequently so he can say hi to all the gals (and Brent!) in the lasing office too!
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The common areas for residents are decorated beautifully and always available for use. The conference room is probably the one I utilize the most as a break from working in my apartment, but I love the Resident Club House almost equally as much. Residents can utilize it at any time as well as rent it out for a private party to give you more space. Of course the gym, pool, “man cave” outside, multiple courtyards, dog park and other areas mentioned on previous slides give you additional space to hang or entertain outside of your apartment.
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Montrose Apartments in Houston Offer Champagne Tours
(Yes, I realize the picture shows us toasting with wine, not champagne, but you get the idea.) This is part of a sponsored blog series with Encore Montrose. Encore Montrose is currently offering some incredible leasing specials, including look and lease gift cards and a few weeks free rent, so don’t miss out. Personally I think touring apartments can be a daunting task, but not this Montrose apartment – ask for the champagne tour! If you are interested in touring or stopping by Encore Montrose (4508 Graustark Street), shoot me a note and be sure to tell them Jayme (or The Blonde Side) sent you! Cheers!
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/encoremontrose8.jpg10801616Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2019-01-28 18:15:462019-01-28 18:17:03Tour an Eclectic and Urban Montrose Apartment
I definitely have a non-traditional job, having created my own niche as a sports + travel + fitness writer as well as corporate copywriter and micro-influencer (no wonder my parents have a hard time understanding what I do), but with that comes the opportunity (and distraction) of working from home.
It’s been a daily struggle for me (going on eight years now) working from home, so I thought the New Year was the perfect time to share some personal tips working from home and how to excel, even if it’s from the comforts of your couch. Because we all know, I love my couch.
If you have the option, choose a house or apartment that is conducive to working from home. I have a one-bedroom at Encore Montrose, but I choose a floor plan with a tiny little nook tucked away in the bedroom that was the perfect office space. Plus, it overlooked the courtyard’s bright flower wall, which was a huge seller for me. Obviously I’d prefer a two-bedroom, but it wasn’t necessary, nor was it in my budget, so the little office nook was more than enough.
Along with choosing the right floor plan (I’m not saying move just for a nook, obvi), I love that my Montrose apartments have a brand-new Conference Room, where I’m able to work when I’m on deadline. In fact, I’ve already had a few friends come over for “co-working days,” which allows me to knock “work harder” and “spend more time with friends” off my New Year’s resolution list all at once. There’s complimentary Wi-Fi, a huge conference table, a latte bar and more.
One of my top tips first thing in the morning is to give myself some time to spend with my dog, do household chores (i.e. empty the dishwasher) and enjoy my coffee. I don’t jump right into work. I also make a reasonable to-do list, and sometimes it may just have one pressing item on it. My to-do list usually has 30-40 pressing items, but being realistic and tackling a few key things works best for me.
Change it up. Once a week, schedule a co-working date with a friend (who also has stuff to get done, not just an excuse to catch up on gossip and boys) or check out a new, local coffee shop. For me, changing the scenery really helps boost my creativity, so it’s something I try to do often.
Along with changing it up, have a go-to reliable spot when you’re on serious deadline or having writer’s block or lack of motivation. For me, that’s the Starbucks by the Galleria. Not sure why the vibe and familiarity there works for me, but it does. I’m not tempted to leave early or walk around the area, I just go and get my work done and leave.
One tip I often hear is to set “working hours” from your home office. While I don’t, I do try to stop working by 6p at the latest, because it takes me a few hours to clear my mind, so I don’t want to get in bed thinking of past-due articles or needy clients. That’s the worst.
Creating a daily work schedule is often helpful, but I’ll be honest – only sometimes. For instance, scheduling breaks to make personal calls or walking the dog if it’s nice out is great, but if I get stuck and need an extra break or if I’m really into whatever I’m doing, I’ll keep going. I like heading to the leasing office and chatting with them – they are always so fun and friendly and it’s a quick and easy walk from my apartment. Black Hole Coffee House is one of Montrose’s best coffee shops and it’s right next door, so that’s another easy, quick break for me during the work day.
For me, the key to working from home is staying flexible. One of the benefits of working for myself and working from home is that I have that flexibility. A friend gets off work early wants to hit up happy hour – I’m game! I’m in a creative rut and want to get in a workout – let’s do it! But that’s the double-edged sword working from home – the flexibility needs to be in moderation. If friends call me every day for a 3p happy hour, I can’t go all the time. Or can I?
Montrose Houston Apartments Offer Champagne Tours
This is part of a sponsored blog series with Encore Montrose. Did you know you can ask for the “champagne tour” while touring these brand-new Montrose Houston apartments? Champagne makes everything better, especially when it comes to moving and a yearlong commitment. Encore Montrose is currently offering major leasing specials, including look and lease gift cards and a few weeks free rent, so don’t miss out. Shoot me an email if you’re interested in touring or stop by Encore Montrose (4508 Graustark Street) and tell them Jayme (or The Blonde Side) sent you! Cheers to your new Montrose home!
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/WorkingFromHomeTips.jpg30244032Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2019-01-17 11:16:322019-01-17 11:16:32Actionable Tips for Working from Home