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Here’s What’s Open Now!

Now that Louisiana is in Phase Two of re-opening, you’re probably wondering which restaurants, stores and parks are finally open! See our list below and let us know if you have any spots to add! 

Photos provided by Pixabay.com

Restaurants:  

Metro New Orleans Area –

Andrea’s Restaurant, currently offering indoor/outdoor seating

Bobby Hebert’s Cajun Cannon, currently offering indoor/outdoor seating

The Ruby Slipper Old Metairie, currently offering indoor/outdoor seating

Saba, currently offering indoor/outdoor seating

Superior Seafood, currently offering indoor seating

Copper Vine, currently offering indoor/outdoor seating

Bistro Byronz, currently offering indoor/outdoor seating

Coffee Rani Covington & Mandeville, currently offering indoor/outdoor seating

Here are the full lists of open St. Tammany, Jefferson and Orleans Parish restaurants 

Baton Rouge Area –

Bistro Byronz, currently offering indoor seating

Superior Grill, currently offering indoor seating

Here is a full list of open Baton Rouge restaurants 

StockSnap provided by Pixabay.com

Shops:

Metro New Orleans Area –

Lakeside Shopping Center, several stores open & offering curbside pickup with reduced hours

Riverwalk New Orleans, several stores open & are currently offering curbside pickup

Canal Place, several stores open & offering curbside pickup

River Chase & Fremaux Town Center, several stores open & offering curbside pickup

Pinnacle Nord du Lac Shopping Center, several stores open & offering curbside pickup

Baton Rouge Area –

Perkins Rowe, several stores open & offering curbside pickup

Mall of Louisiana, several stores open & offering curbside pickup

Outdoors:  

Metro New Orleans Area –

Audubon Nature Institute

Grand Isle State Park

Lafreniere Park

Fountainbleau State Park

See which St. Tammany, Jefferson and Orleans Parish campgrounds & parks are currently open

Baton Rouge Area –

BREC’s Bluebonnet Swamp Trail

BREC’s Dog Parks, several locations open

See which Baton Rouge campgrounds & parks are currently open

Stela Di provided by Pixabay.com

Travel:  

Metro New Orleans Area –

Louis Armstrong International Airport 

See which St. Tammany, Jefferson and Orleans Parish hotels are currently open

Baton Rouge Area –

Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, currently operating with reduced flight frequency

See which Baton Rouge hotels are currently open


Giving Back to Our Community

Our 1st Lake team is committed to helping our Greater New Orleans community by working with and donating to local non-profits.  Over the past few weeks, we’ve continued to serve alongside Second Harvest Food Bank, Jefferson Chamber, and Pigeon Caterers to provide food for families and frontline workers in our community.

Since January, we’ve also had the privilege of working with local groups like Wounded Warriors and ARNO. Our teams raised  $4,417.42 for our veterans and we raised $5,433.16 for the animals of ARNO. 

This week, we participated in Bites for Knights by donating $1,000 to provide meals to the frontline workers at Ochsner Hospital! In 2020, we’ve provided over 20,000 meals through Second Harvest and we’ve donated over $5,123.42 to help feed those in need! Each dollar donated provides four meals!

Frontline workers receiving their meals from Bites for Knights Photo Credit: Jefferson Chamber

We’re looking forward to continued partnerships with these organizations, so we can keep strengthening our community from Jefferson Parish and beyond. 

 


Business Resources for 1st Lake Commercial Tenants

1st Lake Commercial Properties is committed to being a resource to our tenants, especially now. If you need anything from our commercial team, you can continue to contact us phone or email with any questions or comments.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of resources for you that can offer further assistance during this time. 

Business Resources:

Open Safely – Louisiana Protocols for reopening 

BizNewOrleans

Greater New Orleans, Inc.

Jefferson Chamber of Commerce

Entergy Charitable Relief Foundation – “Entergy shareholders are committing to $700,000 to the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund to help qualifying customers  with basic needs such as food and nutrition, rent and mortgage assistance, and other critical needs until financial situations become more stable.”

 

Resources for Financial Assistance:

Coronavirus Loan Comparison Chart

Small Business Loans

Louisiana Unemployment and Benefits

Louisiana Restaurant Associations (LRA) For Employee Relief Fund

La. Workforce Commission helping those with reduced hours or not working, email:  EmployerServices@lwcla.gov

American Jobs Center: 1801 Airline Hwy, Ste F, Metairie, LA 70001, 504-838-5678

 

Government Resources:

Centers for Disease Control

Centers for Disease Control Corona Virus disease

US Dept of State Travel Advisory

Louisiana Government  

Jefferson Parish Council on Aging  

Jefferson Parish 

 


Thrifty & Romantic Valentine’s Day Ideas

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and seemingly everyone with a significant other is looking for that perfect gift! While there are the tried and true go-to gifts such as chocolates or roses, sometimes it’s good to try something a little different.

A gesture that veers away from the classic gifts can show that you care even more, as it requires a bit more thought! There are several things you can do to show that special someone how much they mean to you while sticking to a budget as well. With finances being tight for a lot of people, there’s no need to break the bank just to make a sweet gesture on Valentine’s Day!

Photo by Leonardo Wong on Unsplash

Breakfast in Bed

We think there’s no better way to start this love-centered day than by waking your boo up to breakfast. One gesture that goes a long way without having to spend a lot of money is to make a simple and delicious breakfast spread. Stacked pancakes, hot coffee, and a side of scrambled eggs–what more could we ask for? Plus, breakfast food is the least expensive of all so you won’t break the budget. 

Even if you’re no expert in the kitchen, looking up a special pancake recipe or giving homemade french toast a shot might be a sweet idea. Even if you come up a little short in your attempt to be a gourmet chef, the effort involved will certainly prove how much he or she means to you! Try finding a recipe that isn’t too heavily involved, and a meal that can be relatively mess free (since you’ll be eating it from the comfort of your sheets).

Here are 45 breakfast in bed ideas. 

Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash

Gifts From The Heart

Another way to show that you care on a budget is to create your own gift. Sometimes these gifts are the most meaningful, because they require genuine time and thought. Do you have a special talent that you can utilize? Perhaps you’re a great singer, photographer, or artist.

Take an inventory of the skills you can use to create a gift that shows you really care. If you can play a guitar or sing, try singing a song about your loved one.

Another idea that most anyone can do is to create a scrap book of your time together. You could include photos you’ve taken together, movie ticket stubs from your first date or dates thereafter, small mementos from trips you’ve taken together, and other sentimental scraps. The more thought and effort you put into your scrap book, the more special it will be.

Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash

A Sweet Retreat

Sometimes, the best gift you can give is a simple escape from everyday life. Take a brief trip with your loved one for Valentine’s Day. Perhaps you can manage a day off of work together and take a day trip to a close-by destination that you both enjoy. If you or your significant other isn’t able to take off of work, book a hotel room in your city or town! Even if it’s close by, simply being able to stay somewhere else, have someone else pick up after you, and be away from the normal stresses and tedium of home can be huge! Some hotels run specials, and you might be able to find a room fairly cheap. Try using one of our favorite apps/sites, Hotel Tonight to see day-of hotel specials in the area. In their own words, Hotel Tonight “partners with top-rated hotels, they give us their unsold rooms, and we show you each day’s best deals. You check out those deals, book the one you like and boom! You’re on your way to a great stay.” 

Photo from the Eliza Jane Hotel

Get a little creative this Valentine’s Day, and you may find that not only can you save a little money, but the added sentiment of creativity can go a long way! Here’s to a safe and happy Valentine’s Day for everyone!


6 Tips to Help You Downsize

Did you know most people only wear 20% of the clothes they own 80% of the time? Keep this factoid in mind as we talk about tips for downsizing from a house to an apartment. No matter why you’re downsizing, the transition can seem daunting without these quick tips.

1. Determine What You Already Have

Once you’ve figured out exactly how much square footage you have in your new apartment, you can tackle the task of sorting through what you already have and then choosing what items are moving with you and what items are not.

2. Organize Your Belongings

It’s important to prioritize in the early phases of downsizing. Identify the most important items you have which will most likely be key furniture such as your bed, sofas, dining table, bedside tables, and chairs. Start planning out where you will put these items first as they are the most important. Then you can begin to plan around with decor or smaller items.

3. Consider Lifestyle Changes

Getting into the mindset of your new life will be extremely helpful to your downsize project. Consider how your everyday activities will change in your new surroundings. For example, according to a long distance moving company in Dallas, if you are moving to a city without good public transportation, you need to restructure your budget to allow more spending on gas.

Think about your lifestyle changes as you go through your possessions and determine which ones make the cut, and which ones are better left behind. Consider things that may be useful to you now but won’t be useful in an apartment and a different environment.

4. Choose Your Supplies Wisely

As you start packing, it may be helpful to designate boxes: items you’re taking with you, items you’re giving away, items you’re putting in storage, items you’re throwing away. Remember, long-term storage can be expensive, so if there are items you don’t want to get rid of but don’t have space for (like a piano, for instance) ask a friend or family member to store those for you.

5. Deciding What to Give Away vs. Keep

Many people find it hard to discard their belongings even if they haven’t used them in a long time. While there is no getting around the sentimental value an item might have you should ask yourself two important questions when sifting through your things. One: how useful is it? And two: does it have aesthetic value?

Remember the stat we threw at you in the beginning of this post? Your downsize project may seem intimidating but the fact is most of the items we accumulate in our homes are not particularly useful. While you won’t want to bring a rarely used kitchen mixer, you may want to bring a rarely read book. Why? Because books are great accent pieces that can add aesthetic appeal without breaking the budget.

6. Declutter Your Life

Making the most use of your available space will be very important when downsizing. For many, this means minimizing clutter. No matter how organized you are, we all have clutter and moving is the perfect time to declutter your life.

One helpful hint for minimizing clutter is using wirelessly connected devices like printers and laptops so you don’t have a bunch of wires creating an eyesore in your new place. Plus, if you’re relocating to a new office, you may consider bringing some home items to your new space (i.e. small plants, notepads, etc.) Also, utilize the space under your bed and behind your doors (door-mounted shoe racks and underbed storage are great sources of organization).

A Great Opportunity

In reality, downsizing is a great opportunity to simplify, de-stress and reprioritize your life. It’s a chance to reinvent yourself and your living space. So we hope this post has given you a positive perspective of the whole ordeal. Ready, Set, Go!

Guest blog by North Dallas Moving and Storage