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Dear Residents,
For those residents celebrating Easter and Passover this past week, we hope that your holiday was a good one despite the inability to be in the physical presence of many loved ones which is traditional around this time of year. Mayor Garcetti had a wonderful and inspiring holiday message, which many of you may have seen, but in case you haven’t, we are attaching it here. We wish you a belated happy holidays and hope you enjoy this weeks newsletter.
This week we will share ways you can help those in need, tips for self-care, fun for the kids, a few culinary options, and talk about the importance of organization.
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"We begin each day with gratitude. Serving food, one of life’s essentials, helps remind us that the little things matter. When you focus on what you’re grateful for, the other stuff becomes secondary."
-Edgar Fernandez, Food & Beverage
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1. How Can You Help?
Many local and national nonprofits are struggling to meet the needs of those less fortunate as COVID-19 continues to impact our communities. With the forced layoffs and nationwide containment efforts many of the following organizations have had to cancel upcoming fundraising events tightening resources further. Here is a list of charitable organizations worth considering for donations during this time:
Boys & Girls Club of America: Raises funds to provide food and virtual academic support for the children who participate in their programs. Donate HERE.
Direct Relief: Providing healthcare professionals with protective equipment and medical resources world-wide. Donate HERE.
Food Banks: Providing food to the most vulnerable communities nationwide. Donations go directly to their COVID-19 response fund. Donate
HERE.
First Book: Donations to this organization will help deliver millions of books to children who don’t have access to new material, internet access or a collection of their own. Donate HERE.
Meals on Wheels: Delivering food to the elderly population nationwide. Donations will go to providing transportation and food supplies. Donate HERE.
Ronald McDonald House: Providing support, housing, and meals for children who have chronic or terminal illnesses. Free spaces will be made available to healthcare professionals on the front lines. Donate HERE.
Salvation Army: Providing drive-through food pick-ups, shelter, community-based food delivery through their nationwide facilities. SA also provides snacks and drinks to first responders. Donate HERE.
LA Animal Services: Providing shelter and food for dogs and cats in need of adoption or foster care. You can visit their site and provide something from their Amazon wish list HERE.
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2. Raise Your Vibe
Now that many have some time, sans commuting to and from the office, investing in our self-care routine can help maintain positivity and elevate your mood. There are many options from exercise to meditation. Below you’ll find a list of our top 3:
a. Meditate.
You can log into the fitness tab on the Crescent Heights app and enjoy a live guided meditation via Zoom. If you have difficulty meditating, or are a beginner, try an Instagram Live sound bath with famed practitioner Ana Netanel. Bathe in acoustic healing while you reach a deep meditative state.
b. Exercise.
Login to the Ten Thousand YouTube Channel and check out the latest pre-recorded videos from our team:
Beginner Mat Pilates with Kat:
Form, precision and no equipment necessary! This class will challenge you to move mindfully, while you stretch and strengthen your body.
Introductory Yoga with Natalie:
Integrate your breath with movement through Sun Salutations A and B and explore poses such as Warrior 1 through Warrior 3. Build heat and flexibility with backbends and surrender into hip openers and resting poses for a deep stretch.
c. Sleep.
Develop a sleep “routine”. Train yourself to wake up at the same time everyday and go to bed at the same time each night. If you’re healthy, aim for a maximum of 8 hours of sleep per night. Check out Sleep.org’s four categories of sleep health for up-to-date recommendations from the National Sleep Foundation.
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3. Kid’s Crafts Activities:
Each week we will send you some fun ways to keep your kids entertained. This week we are focusing on DIY arts & crafts that our little residents can do at home.
a. Marbling with nail polish.
Feeling obligated to put up everything your child makes? Here is an activity that is sure to make you frame the result.
b. Washi tape race car track.
Use one color tape or a dozen different kinds and let your child loose taping the tracks through an area of the house.
c. Foam Paint.
It doesn’t get better than painting. Try this super easy, 3-ingredient recipe for foam paint to make it extra fun.
d. Mini volcanoes.
Want to mix a bit of learning into the craft game? Try making mini-colored volcanoes and have your ‘student’ hypothesize the outcome of each one.
e. Nature art bugs.
Extend the learning into this DIY project that involves taking a walk, collecting pieces of nature and crafting either make believe bugs or challenging your child to create sub-species of different insects.
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4. What’s for dinner?
Last week we sent out a list of our favorite local restaurants offering black-glove curbside pick-up and delivery. This week we wanted to provide you with a few additional options to keep your palette entertained.
a. Heirloom LA Catering:
Featuring organic, vegan, and gluten-free options, this catering company offers made-to-order healthy, prepared meals for pick-up or delivery.
b. Spotted Hen Catering:
Catering company offering heat-and-eat meal delivery for the whole family.
c. Spago:
Offering black-glove pick-up and delivery in late afternoon only.
d. Katsuya:
Offering curbside pick-up and delivery with 20% Off.
Whether you opt for frozen meals, prepared meals or a sushi night – these take-out options are sure to satisfy.
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5. Organize your space
The experts weigh in and all agree that decluttering your space both outside and inside has serious health benefits. According to the Mayo Clinic, extra stuff can keep you from living your best life, and decluttering your physical space may lead towards a healthier and happier life. What about your internal space? Turns out that is just as important! According to the Chopra Center, a cluttered mind is wasting physical energy. It can prevent you from prioritizing, making decisions, being productive, and focusing. Try these simple tips and begin clearing your inner ‘space’:
- Make a list.
Create a mental inventory list of the things you must do, the things you should do, and the things you want to do.
- The “Why”.
Consider the why behind each of the things on your list. Why are you doing each of these things?
- Ask two questions.
Does it matter to me or someone I love? Is it essential?
- Divide & Conquer.
Take the remaining items from your list and separate them into the essential category (the things you MUST do) and the things that matter to you or someone you love.
Your list will have hopefully shrunk at the end of the above exercise, adapted from the Bullet Journal. At this end, what’s left is how to live an intentional life complete with things that are both productive and meaningful. We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
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