Fall Foliage

You can decorate and pad your basket with bright fall leaves. Cloth leaves are available at local craft stores. If you have a little patience, you can also pick your own fresh leaves and seal them with a craft spray. Press colorful leaves, and they can be glued to greeting cards and thank-you notes, creating a charming keepsake.

Harvest Season

Harvest season is a colorful and delicious time of year. Swing by your local farmer's market to see what's seasonal and eye-catching. You may be able to find tiny heirloom squashes to pop into each gift basket. Other options might include bunches of grapes, pumpkin-spice treats, and roasted spiced walnuts.

Homemade Treats

Did that last paragraph make your mouth water? A number of seasonal treats can be made by even beginner cooks. Tuck a few of these into the basket to give a sweet personal touch:

Mulled Cider

Heat for 10 minutes in a large pot:

• 3c cider
• 2c red wine
• 1/2c maple syrup
• Thinly sliced apples and oranges
• 1 cinnamon stick

Pour into jars and seal tightly.

Roasted Walnuts

You'll need:

• 1 bag raw walnut halves
• 1 tbsp oil
• Cinnamon and sugar to taste

Toss well, spread on a baking sheet, and bake at 375 degrees until golden brown. Cool and share!

Pumpkin Spice Bites

Ice premade sugar cookies with homemade pumpkin spice frosting.

Easy Frosting:

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2c brown sugar
• Pumpkin spice mix, to taste

Beat well until fluffy and spread generously on the cookies.

Space for Everyone in the Windy City

Presidential Towers, our apartments in Chicago, IL are perfect for people looking to entertain from the comforts of their own home. We offer a wide range of floor plans including studios, one bedrooms, and two bedrooms. Ready to schedule a tour? Visit our website to find out more.

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Delicious Candy Cane Cocktail

This Sandra Lee inspiration is a good way to incorporate peppermint schnapps into a cocktail recipe for a nice holiday twist. Each serving should take around five minutes to prepare.

Ingredients list:

• 1 single shot of vanilla rum
• 1 single shot of peppermint schnapps
• 1 single shot of your preferred white chocolate liquor
• Candy cane for garnish

Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake well, then strain the mixture into a martini glass, adding the candy cane as a garnish when serving.

Santa’s Sleigh Eggnog Cocktail

Enjoy this new take on your typical eggnog drink. The ingredients listed below should produce four servings for your guests, and the recipe takes about seven minutes to prepare.

Ingredients list:

• 2 cups of chilled, store-bought eggnog
• Coarse white sugar crystals
• ½ cup of amaretto liquor
• ½ cup of brandy
• 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream
• 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• 4 sticks of cinnamon

Dampen the rims of four martini glasses, then line each glass with the sugar crystals. Place everything except the cinnamon sticks into a blender, processing until you get a smooth consistency. Pour the mixture into the martini glasses, adding a stick of cinnamon in each.   

Festive Pomegranate Sangria

Your guests won’t be able to get enough of this delicious vegetarian drink. You should be able to get four to six servings from the ingredients list below.

Ingredients list:

• ½ cup of brandy
• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• ½ cup of triple sec
• 1 bottle of your preferred fruity wine
• 1 large orange, cut in half and thinly sliced
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 cup of halved red grapes
• 1 green apple that’s been cored, cut in half and thinly sliced
• ½ cup of simple syrup (made from equal amounts of water and sugar that have been heated and cooled)

Place all ingredients in a pitcher, cover, and refrigerate for four hours before serving.

Enjoy a Safe Holiday

We want all community members living in our Presidential Towers Apartments in Chicago, IL, to enjoy a safe and happy holiday. Let us know what else we can do for you by calling us at (866) 273-0973.

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Visit the All Seasons Orchard

All Seasons Orchard in Woodstock allows families to enjoy the orchard and fun activities from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday to Friday each week. Saturday hours at the orchard allow your family to stay from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., so you have a little extra time.

Enjoy picking from 11 varieties of apples, and check out the additional activities when you want a break. Get lost in the corn maze or try out the barnyard activities during your visit to the orchard. All Seasons Orchard offers races, a petting zoo, and a kitchen with a full menu and bakery.

Stop By Apples on Oak for Apple Picking

Apples on Oak in Joliet offers free admission for apple picking. It does not have the wide array of activities as other orchards, but it does allow you to pick apples with your family and enjoy the time with loved ones. Visit the orchard on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for apple picking. 

Get a Variety at County Line Orchard

County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana, may require a bit of driving from our apartments in Chicago, but it offers a larger variety of apples to fit your taste. The orchard has 30 different varieties of apples for picking. You can also enjoy the corn maze, the antique tractor rides, and the Kid's Farm. The orchard is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day.

Fall is apple picking season, and you have a variety of options available in the Chicago, Illinois, area. When you want to enjoy family fun and you hope to bring home your favorite variety of apples, you should start by visiting a nearby orchard. For more information about our excellent community and apartment amenities or to see an available floor plan, contact us today.

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