Here at The Crossing Apartments, we encourage public transportation. Public transportation is now made easy thanks to the OCTA’s open data initiative. This provides free service data to developers to create cool mobile and web applications. Here are a few cool applications designed to help you with your commute whether you are traveling by bus, train or bike.

Get Me There On a Bike – Are you looking to view all the existing bikeways in Orange County? The Orange County Transportation bikeways map gives users a detailed depiction of Orange County’s existing bikeways. It generates bike friendly routes with turn by turn directions from your current location to any address you specify.  You can also create custom routes and save to your phone for future use. Get me there on a bike can be purchased through iTunes.

MyStops – MyStops enables users to check their most frequently-used bus and transit schedules on the iPhone and iPod Touch. Quickly flip through your most recent stops by entering a stop number, locating the nearest stops or searching for the intersection. Mystops can be purchased from the app store.

Dadnab – Use Dadnab to send transit information via text message.  Let others know your departure and arrival time or your exact location.

Railbandit – Railbandit allows you to track train schedules from your smart phone. If you have a GPS feature on your phone, you can track yourself while on the train and find out if your train is on time. Railbandit is available on IPhones, Android, and Blackberry.

Pothole Agent -   Wish you had hindsight for locating potholes? Well now you can. The Pothole Agent application uses your phone’s accelerometer and magnetic field sensors to automatically detect potholes, speed bumps, or impact events as they happen. These events are saved on a map which you can view directly from the phone or email to yourself. You can also email these files to the Department of Transportation.

While all of these applications seem to enhance the traveling experience in Orange County, The Crossings Apartment nor the OCTA endorse the apps listed, we encourage you to read reviews and research the apps that work best for you. Please remember do not text and drive.

Source: OCTA

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Did you know that the city of Anaheim has an application for smart phones? Now at your own fingertips The Crossing apartment residents can access an up to date listing of the all the fun events going on in the city, as well as contact information and even a map. Residents can request city services, learn more about volunteering opportunities and request services based on their precise location by either uploading a photo or selecting the location directly from their GPS. Need to leave a comment or ask a question? Do so with ease, simply submit your email address along with your comment or question and someone will respond to you. Looking for city services such as the location of the nearest community center? Need Information on how to pay your bill online? The City information screen will answer your questions. If you have a question for city hall and need to speak with a live person, you have that option as well. Simply touch the 311 button to be connected with a representative.  This application is available for both iPhone and Android users.  Save time with My Anaheim. Download it today to get started!

Source: City of Anaheim

Photo Credit: City of Anaheim

Going on this weekend is the wonderful A Taste of Greece Food Festival in Irving, and it’s a weekend event that you just can’t miss. This popular festival, sponsored by the St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church, features food and fun for everyone and it’s going on this very weekend, starting on Friday, June 24th and running through Sunday June 26th.

Every day at the festival is a party, with lots of different events going on. Come and attend food demonstrations where you’ll learn how to cook authentic, tasty Greek food at home. There will also be lots of dancing and music, where you can learn traditional Greek dances as well. Enter their drawings for special prizes, too, or come tour the church and learn more the Greek Orthodox tradition.

There’s no entry fee to the festival, so this makes for a fun and inexpensive way to entertain the family this weekend. Don’t hesitate to attend this unique and fun event and get a taste of the real Greece!

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Have you visited Kickstarter.com yet? This revolutionary, fantastic web site is geared towards helping people find money for all sorts of interesting and compelling projects. Visitors to the site can browse through all sorts of different projects from video games to books and movies to inventions and gadgets.

There are thousands of projects going on in the Orange County area, and you can check them out and make a donation. Look at some of these neat projects that you can donate to:

• Three Goats Gruff: A children’s book being written by a local author
• Canvas by Callas: This artist is trying to start a small business making canvas for painting and other arts at an affordable price
• Metal Soldiers: Sci-fi short animation film featuring robots and lots of action

These are only just a very small sampling of the projects you can find on Kickstarter, so head over there today and find a project that interests you and consider making a donation today!

Photo Courtesy: stock.xchng

Getting ready to hit the links? Got the urge to go outside and enjoy a nice, relaxing round of golf? OK, maybe it’s not so relaxing if you’re swing is off… Well either way, the good news is there are so many bright, beautiful courses in the Anaheim area that will challenge you and offer you unique golfing experiences.

With so many to choose from, though, we thought you might want a little help in deciding where to go. We’ve picked out some of our favorite courses and clubs nearby, and we hope you’ll stop in sometime to any of these great places:

• Black Gold Golf: Favored by national magazine Golf Digest, this club is an absolute classic; book your tee times online!
• Coyote Hills: Highly rated country club offers picturesque holes and quiet, serene play year round
• Dad Miller: This public course is certainly challenging and offers an accessible alternative for the casual player
• Los Coyotes Country Club: Comfortable club that offers all the amenities at an affordable price

All these courses and clubs are no more than a half our drive from The Crossing, and would make a perfect weekend retreat to help you unwind from work. Give one of these fine establishments a call today and set up your tee time.

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Getting bored with the usual supermarket trips? Looking for the freshest, tastiest in organic produce? If this sounds like you, why not check out some local farmers’ markets in the Anaheim area?

Whether you’re looking for fresh lettuce and tomatoes for a tasty salad, or you’re looking for apples and grapes to have a snacks with your lunch, you can’t get better groceries than you’ll find at these great markets.  They’re all located closeby The Crossing, for convenience and ease, as well.

• Orange Country Farmers Market: Located at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, and open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays
• Sam’s Farmers Market: Freshest produce and available at great prices you can’t resist; open every day from 9:00 a.m. till 7:00 p.m.
• Fullerton Farmers Market: A short drive into Fullerton gets you quality produce; open every Thursday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. for evening shopping convenience.

Each of these great locations will provide you with superior produce that you and your family will love, so don’t hesitate to stop by sometime soon.

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Staying fit and keeping active is an essential part of maintaining your health, and luckily there are always lots of great opportunities to make exercising a fun activity as well. Summer is an especially great time to get outside and enjoy the warm weather while getting some intense exercise.

There are plenty or races and marathons being planned all over California, and in particular there are some opportunities nearby The Crossing. So strap on those running shoes and put on your active wear and head out to some of these upcoming races and marathons:

• Villa Park Union Bank Run: This race will kick off on Saturday, June 25th with a 5k race at 7:17 a.m. and a 10k run at 7:55 a.m.  Registration is required, and costs $35.
• Summer Solstice Watermelon Run: Free watermelon for everyone that completes the race, plus prizes given out for different groups. Starts Thursday, June 23rd.
• Peters Canyon Summer Trail Run Series: Evening run through scenic park in Tustin with food and music to follow the race. Come to either the June 9th, July 7th, or August 4th race.

Each one of these great events will help you keep fit and you’ll have a lot of fun attending them, too. So get out there and stay active!

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One of the best parts of summer is getting to spend time outside grilling hot, delicious food for yourself and your family.  Everyone loves a good plate of spicy, sweet BBQ, and luckily there’s a big festival celebrating this delicious food on the way.  Only about a 20 minute drive from The Crossing, the Orange Country BBQ Festival will be on Saturday, June 11th at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.  The party gets kicked off at 11:00 a.m. and lasts into the evening until 6:00 p.m.

You can come out and be a part of all the exciting events going on.  There will be a car show, BBQ eating contests, the “Mr. BBQ” pageant, plenty of live music to enjoy, plus lots of fun activities for the kids.  And of course the main attraction: the State Championship BBQ Contest.

Show up early on Saturday morning to get registered early and pick up your tickets to make sure you get into this once a year event.  You’re sure to find plenty of good food and big fun at the Orange County BBQ Festival, so don’t miss out.

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