Hosting for the Holidays at Westlake Meadows Apartments

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Celebrate Thanksgiving in style at Westlake Meadows in Lake Oswego! With spacious apartments and a welcoming community, hosting a holiday gathering has never been easier. Whether it’s an intimate dinner or a cozy gathering with friends, your space can transform into the perfect setting with a little preparation.

Planning Ahead

The secret to stress-free hosting is planning ahead. Start by writing your guest list and creating a menu. Choose a mix of classic dishes and easy-to-make recipes. If cooking isn’t your thing, consider adding some delicious picks from local Lake Oswego spots.

Prepare your space by rearranging furniture to create flow and comfort. Add cozy layers like throw blankets and decorative pillows. Your dining or coffee table can become a centerpiece of holiday charm with candles, small pumpkins, and a table runner in warm tones.

Lighting can set the mood. Use string lights or flameless candles to add a soft, inviting glow. It’s a quick and simple way to create a welcoming atmosphere.

Top 3 Tips for Hosting

Create the Vibe
Welcome guests with soft background music and seasonal scents. A simmer pot of cinnamon, cloves, and oranges adds warmth and sets the tone for a festive evening.
Simplify Serving
A buffet setup keeps things relaxed and easy. Use stylish serving trays and bowls to elevate the look of your meal. Keep drinks separate to make things flow smoothly.
Make It Interactive
Add a gratitude jar or a quick holiday-themed trivia game. It’s a fun way to connect and keep everyone engaged.

At Westlake Meadows in Lake Oswego, hosting feels effortless. With thoughtful touches and a welcoming space, your Thanksgiving celebration will be unforgettable!

Irresistible Thanksgiving Games, Appetizers, & Decor For A Cozy Gathering

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Thanksgiving is here, which means plenty of pumpkins, turkey, dips, spritzers, martinis, and zinfandel. Our residents at Westlake Meadows Apartments will be gearing up to redecorate their homes and reunite with family members to celebrate.

We have plenty of modern apartment-friendly amenities, including a BBQ and fireplace, outdoor pool, sundeck, and dog park. Let’s look at some top apartment trends in Thanksgiving meals, games, apps, décor, and more:

Fantastic Appetizers and Drinks

You need appetizers and Thanksgiving drinks before serving roast turkey and mashed potatoes. Our apartments feature spacious balconies, fenced decks, and patios. All so you can set up your family diner table while enjoying great views of the scenic Westlake neighborhoods.

Some appetizers to consider include hot and sweet dips, green bean casseroles, born, sweet potato casseroles, relishes, soups, chips, salads, and honey-glazed Brussels sprouts. Cranberry sauce and fried finger foods are also Thanksgiving apartment staples.

You can go for anything from classic zinfandel to vanilla espresso martinis for the drinks. Other fantastic Thanksgiving drinks include spiced bourbon sour, cranberry rose spritzers, old-fashioned apple butter, fruit punches, hard cider, sangria, and thyme spritzers.

Games, Shows, and More

Thanksgiving dinners are a wonderful experience, but the fun games make the holiday unforgettable. You can enjoy so much, from traditional Thanksgiving parades, feasts, and football matches to indoor movies, I Spy paper trails, and trivia questions.

Popular Thanksgiving games include decorating the house with fall items like pumpkin lanterns, sunflower and rose, scented candles, and baskets. Consider hunting for mini pumpkins and writing thankful notes. You can also get a classic Thanksgiving movie to watch after dinner.

If you prefer to leave the apartment, Lesser Park and Westlake Village are some of the best nearby locations. If you’d rather stay in, we have a sparkling pool with a sundeck, a nearby walking trail, a BBQ, a fireplace, a clubhouse, and other top apartment living amenities to enjoy.

More Apartment Trends for Thanksgiving

Westlake Meadows offers you modern conveniences and amenities to make sure your apartment holidays are well-spent. We have top amenities, so you don’t have to leave the complex. Our apartments are also near top-rated hangouts, including shopping malls, parks, restaurants, and clubs.

Celebrating Thanksgiving in Lake Oswego

Thanksgiving is only weeks away and you may find yourself spending Thanksgiving in Lake Oswego instead of traveling to family and friends. If you are looking for a nutritious and delicious side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner at your Westlake Meadows apartment, why not consider winter squash.

Here is a guide to everything you need to know about winter squash.

Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash is probably the most common winter squash, it is great roasted, pureed, or in a soup. The most common variety is bell-shaped with a light butterscotch colored skin, bright orange flesh that is sweet and nutty. It is a good choice for butternut ravioli because of the firmness of the flesh.

Cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and either roast the halves in the oven (with a bit of brown sugar and butter) or cut it into even-sized shapes and steam. It is a good-for-you vegetable that is high in Vitamins A and C.

Delicata

This sweet potato squash is loved for its creamy flavor and texture. Delicata squash typically weighs from 1 to 2 pounds and has pale yellow skin with dark green pinstripes. It is delicious light orange flesh is creamy and is a combination of butternut and sweet potatoes. It is perfect for roasting and the skin is edible, so no peeling is needed.

Acorn Squash

Named for its shape, this small dark green and orange skin has a ribbed rind and a yellow/orange flesh. It is perfect for roasting and/or stuffing with apples, figs, currants, and chestnuts. It is tough to peel so it is the best cut in half and roasted. It is a great source of fiber, vitamins A, and C.

Kabocha Squash

Kabocha squash is a squat little round squash is nutty and flavorful. It looks a bit like a short green pumpkin and sometimes has bumps, but don’t let its exterior sway you from trying it. The yellow-orange flesh is mild and nutty. It is rich in beta carotene, vitamin C, and potassium.

It can be roasted, steamed, or used in a pie!

Turban Squash or Turk’s Turban

Turban squash is a colorful squash with a nutty, deep flavor. It derives its name from its bright color and fat base with a thinner top half that looks like a head turban. It is good for roasting, mashing, and boiling, but be careful the flesh turns soft when overcooked and goes mushy and wet.

Enjoy celebrating Thanksgiving in your Lake Oswego apartment this year.

These Apple Pie Recipes Will Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

17. Nov
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apple pie photo Apple Pie is a classic Thanksgiving treat, but if we’re being completely honest, it’s great all year round. With the holidays quickly approaching, it’s time to start thinking about baking! Whether you’re in charge of bringing the desserts this year or you just want to treat yourself, we have some recipes you ought to know about. Here are some variations on this traditional dish.

Deep Dish

You’ve heard of deep dish pizza, right? Well, how about some deep dish apple pie? This recipe combines Granny Smith apples along with citrus-flavored ingredients for a tasty, savory dessert. Get the recipe.

Cranberry

When the smell of cranberries is in the air, you know it’s the holiday season. Combine this traditional ingredient with your apple pie recipe for some deliciously sweet flavor. Get the recipe.

Bourbon

Who said you weren’t in the holiday “spirit”? This recipe that combines the full-flavored taste of bourbon! Just make sure you don’t add too much. Get the recipe.

When it comes to apple pie, you especially don’t want to forget to add your favorite toppings. You can add a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you’re feeling indulgent or a whipped topping if you want to keep the calories low.