Eagle Ridge Is Where The Wild Things Are

One of the many great attractions of Eagle Ridge is the wildlife we see around our community grounds. With our location right across from Eagle Lake, we have many wildlife visitors on our property, including geese, ducks, turkey and deer! While they are cute and very fun to observe from a far distance, we want to remind you that they should not be fed . While we may think that feeding the ducks bread crumbs is fun and an easy way of getting rid of stale bread, this is actually unhealthy and potentially dangerous for the birds. So please remember to keep a safe distance and do not feed the wild life!

Here's a link to an article from The Telegraph on the harms of feeding bread to ducks, for a little more information on the topic:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/9783928/Bloated-ducks-in-danger-after-over-indulging-on-white-bread.html

If you love observing animals and want to see even more, visit Como Zoo - it's free and just over a 20 minute drive from Eagle Ridge. This Saturday there are opportunities to meet the zookeepers and ask questions! Check out events at the Como Zoo at this link: 

http://www.comozooconservatory.org/events/events-calendar/?cy=2013&cm=08&cd=03. 

You looking at me? A deer staring through the fence at Eagle Ridge Apartments.

A duck paying a visit to the Eagle Ridge pool.

Sunset at Eagle Lake - we're right across the street from this wonderful gathering place for wildlife.

Some 'Pretty' Incredible Displays

As you walk around the beautiful grounds here at Eagle Ridge you'll notice some of your neighbors have great looking balconies. We love it when residents beautify their balconies with beautiful flowers, furniture and decorations. Below you'll find some awesome balconies here at Eagle Ridge. If you've decorated your balcony - thank you! And if you would like to decorate, there's still time - summer is not over yet! 

Remember, balconies and patios are considered common areas of the property and should be maintained in a manner that is non-offensive and non-hazardous to all other residents. We encourage you to decorate with appropriate patio furniture, plants, flowers, and other decorations.

If you're looking for some ideas for decorating, read these articles for some cool tips:

http://www.houzz.com/balcony-garden
http://www.permacultured.us/2010/08/beautiful-and-productive-balcony-gardens/
http://www.ask.com/explore/apartment-balcony-gardening-ideas

What's The Best Restaurant Patio In Maple Grove? The Eagle Ridge Staff Puts It To A Vote.

One great way to get some fresh air and sun during these pleasant summer evenings is to grab a table at your favorite restaurant's patio. We polled our staff and found out their top picks. They had plenty of opinions, but they all agreed that life at Eagle Ridge is great because of how many wonderful restaurants are close to home. It looks like Wild Bills took first place, with Malones coming in second. Check out their recommendations!

Wild Bills - 12730 Elm Creek Blvd N, Maple Grove, MN 55369

Cindy: “It has a fireplace out on the patio!”

Gary: “It has excellent service and food!”

Coty: “It has a fireplace for cold nights!”
Kelsey: “Great drinks out on the patio with live music on Wednesdays!”

Malones - 12635 Elm Creek Blvd N, Maple Grove, MN 55369

George: “Good food and a lot of specials!”

Danielle: “It has a great happy hour!”

Pittsburg Blues - 11900 Main St, Maple Grove, MN 55369

Ginny: “Super cheap appetizers at happy hour!”

Olive Garden - 12520 Elm Creek Blvd N, Maple Grove, MN 55369

Ashley: “Always has great food!”

Famous Daves - 7825 Vinewood Ln N, Maple Grove, MN 55369

David: “Amazing Ribs!”

T.G.I Fridays - 11830 Fountains Way, Maple Grove, MN 55369

Jesse: “ Love the food!”

Redstone - 12109 Main St, Maple Grove, MN 55369

Tim: “Great food with great service!”

Dairy Queen - 13770 83rd Way N, Maple Grove, MN 55369

Scott: “I love the Blizzards!"

McDonalds - 13595 83rd Way N, Maple Grove, MN 55369

David: “Always a good price!”

Eagle Ridge Grills - 7020 Magda Dr, Maple Grove, MN 55369
Samantha and Chris: There's nothing better than a home-made meal using the grills on the beautiful and peaceful grounds at Eagle Ridge!

Get Jazzed For This Free Festival - This Saturday On The Nicollet Mall

One of the wonderful things about living at Eagle Ridge is our proximity to so many great events happening in the Twin Cities, such as the Dakota Street Fest in Minneapolis this Saturday. There's no end of interesting things to do! Here's the scoop on the Dakota Street Festival:

Need something jazzy to do this Saturday, July 27th? Head over to the Dakota Street Fest! This event is FREE and runs from noon to midnight taking place on Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis. There will be four music stages with over twenty bands, fantastic food, drinks and activities for all ages. Come celebrate and listen to some local, Minnesota tunes.

For your kids, the event will have instrument demonstrations by the MacPhail Center for Music, instrument building for kids to take home, a goody bag of Del Monte gifts, face painting, Mr. Fun the clown and much more.

According to the festival's website, finding parking on Saturday near the festival is fairly easy. Follow the link below for more info, and have an amazing time! http://www.dakotacooks.com/home/dakota-street-fest/

Introducing Norm - Your New Neighbor Here At Eagle Ridge

Please join us in welcoming Norm to Eagle Ridge. He's one of our newest residents and he moved here at the end of June. Norm says that he loves the spacious floor plan of the end-unit (an apartment that is at the end of a building) that he selected. Recently Norm started a new business and he's finding that the spacious apartment and Eagle Ridge's great location is perfect for his work-from-home position.

His favorite amenity here at Eagle Ridge? The pool! That's not surprising considering the heat wave we're experiencing.

If you see him around be sure to say hello. Welcome to Eagle Ridge, Norm!

Ginny handing Norm the keys to his apartment at Eagle Ridge.

Happy Birthday Ginny And Danielle - This Delightful Duo Share A Birthday!

Yesterday was a double-birthday kind of day. Ginny, our Community Manager, along with her daughter Danielle, our clubhouse caretaker, both celebrated their birthdays together. This Mother-Daughter duo share the same birthday! How cool is that? For their birthdays they got an awesome looking cake. Please help us keep the celebration going by wishing them a very happy birthday!

Happy birthday Ginny and Danielle!

Whew, It's Hot Out! Here's Some Tips For Keeping Your Apartment Cool.

What hot couple of days we've had! The air conditioners are working hard to keep each of our apartment homes cool, but there are a few things you can do to help your AC do its job better. We recently talked with Shawn, our maintenance supervisor, and he shared these tips for keeping your home cool:

• Run your ceiling fan or a floor fan to keep the air circulating. Fans are the cheapest way to keep an apartment cool. 
• Clean the filter for your air conditioner at least once a month with warm soapy water.
• Keep your home closed up during the day and turn off the lights. Close all the blinds and curtains to limit sunlight coming; sunlight will heat up your home quickly. Making sure your apartment is sealed up will help keep out the midday heat.
• Do not block the vents or place lamps or televisions near your air conditioner’s thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from those appliances, which can cause the air conditions to run longer than necessary.
• When the humidity is high, you’ll be more comfortable with the air conditioner's fan on high and dial the thermostat to a lower setting to prevent coils from freezing. 
• Limit your use of the stove. Using your stove can make your home extremely warm. Consider using the outdoor grills around Eagle Ridge.
• Take a dip in the pool! Stay cool and have fun.
• After following these tips, if you notice that your air conditioner is not working properly, please call the office at 763-533-7303.

Borrow A Tennis Racket From The Office And Have Some Fun!

Our tennis courts saw some action lately - we've posted some photos below of a resident enjoying a game of tennis. Did you know that you can check out tennis rackets, basketballs, and other sports equipment from the office? It's just one more way that we strive to go 'Beyond The Expected' here at Eagle Ridge.

We have a great tennis court for our residents to use, and there's a basketball hoop inside the court as well. If the tennis court happens to be occupied by other players, just one block south from Eagle Ridge is a park with another tennis court, a baseball diamond, and a playground. Have fun getting some exercise and sunshine!

Cameron's 2nd Birthday Is Today!

This past Saturday there was a whole bunch of fun going on in the Party Room at Eagle Ridge - Cameron, who is two years old, celebrated his 2nd birthday! His actual birthday is today, so Happy Birthday, Cameron! The pre-birthday party was a big success, and you'll notice from the photo below that the cake features a big blue elephant - that's because he likes Horton the Elephant.

Cameron also loves to swim in the Eagle Ridge pool, and his favorite cartoon is the Busytown Mysteries. He moved to Eagle Ridge just one month ago at the beginning of June! His parents are Rachel and James.

We hope you have a wonderful year as a two-year-old, Cameron!

Cameron looking pretty excited about his birthday cake and candle!

Fireworks And Bed Races - Maple Grove Days Has It All!

Today marks the beginning of the 25th Annual Maple Grove Days, which runs until Sunday, July 14. The festival kicks off with a performance by "Rocket Club" tonight at 7:00 PM at the Town Green Park. There are lots of fun things to see packed into the next four days. Don't miss out on the bed races, tennis and volleyball tournaments, outdoor movies, bike stunts, and farmer's market! For all the fun events check out the full schedule at http://www.mgco.org/index.php.

Here's some of the fun events ahead:

• Fireworks Behind the Community Center July 13, 10:00 PM.
• Parade July 11 6:30 PM. The route runs along 89th Avenue, starting from Zachary Lane and ending at Elm Creek Boulevard.
• Art Fair Located on Main Street, July 13, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and July 14, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Getting There

Did you know that you can take a walking/bike trail all the way from Eagle Ridge Apartments to the Maple Grove Community Center, where most of the events are being held? Take a nice leisurely stroll or ride to Maple Grove Days and have some fun!

Update 7.13.13

Thank you Brenda for the suggestion of a map. Here it is! Hope it helps. The trail runs along the North/East side of 73rd at first, and then the South side of 73rd. From there it continues along the West side of Hemlock and up to Arbor Lakes Parkway N. Then it's a short trail around the lakes near Town Green Park.

Eagle Ridge Bike Trail to MG Comm CTR by Condor Cor

Wondering Where To Watch Fireworks? Check Out Our List Of Area Independence Day Celebrations

It's Independence week and the celebrations are starting up! How will you spend Independence Day? Below we have a list of some special events, festivals, and fireworks in surrounding communities where you could partake in the patriotic festivities. Not all of these events are on the Fourth, some start early before Independence Day, so take note of the dates listed.

From all of us here at Eagle Ridge, Happy Independence Day, and may you have a fun and safe holiday!

4th of July Celebrations:

COON RAPIDS
July 4  Fireworks at 10:00PM
Sand Creek Park, 1008 Northdale Boulevard, Coon Rapids, MN.
There are multiple days of activities from July 3 to July 7 at Sand Creek Park. Below is the schedule for the 4th of July, but check out the link for other fun events.
2:00 Noon - Midway, Bingo & Pull Tabs open
2:00 p.m. -Bean Bag Tournament
(Learn more and sign up for the tournament here)
7:00 p.m. - The Kill-a-brews
(the band will also play after the fireworks)
10:00 - Fireworks display
http://www.ci.coon-rapids.mn.us/GeneralInfo/July4Celebration.htm

MINNEAPOLIS:
"Red, White, and Boom"
July 3-July 4
420 Main St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: (612) 230-6400

July 3: The celebration on the Minneapolis Downtown Riverfront begins Sunday with a 5K Fun Run at 6:30 p.m. at Father Hennepin Bluffs Park. You can also listen to live music and watch movies in the Nicollet Island Pavilion starting at 7:00 p.m.

July 4: The day begins with a Half Marathon at 6:30 a.m. on Main Street. Then the live music starts at 3:30 p.m., family activities and entertainment start at 6:00 p.m. at Father Hennepin Bluffs Park, and finally, fireworks at 10:00 p.m.

ST. PAUL: 
July 4Watch fireworks at dusk on the 4th of July launched from Harriet Island. City officials say that can be anytime between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

ST. PAUL/FORT SNELLING:
July 4
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Independence Day Celebration
Historic Fort Snelling
200 Tower Ave.
St Paul, MN 55111
Phone: (612) 726-1171
$11 adults/$9 seniors/$6 children; Minnesota Historical Society members FREE
Spend the day celebrating our nation’s independence just like they did during the 1800s!

Eagle Ridge Resident Joins Maintenance Staff - Introducing Dave

Please help us give Dave a warm welcome as he joins the staff here at Eagle Ridge! Dave has been a resident with Eagle Ridge for a year now, and just recently he joined our maintenance staff. You'll see him around the buildings as he helps keep Eagle Ridge in tip-top shape.

Dave owns and operates a vending machine repair business and he grew up in Brooklyn Center. He has a 6-year-old daughter and in his off-time he enjoys skiing, Jet-skiing, and snowmobiling.

Welcome to the team, Dave!