For the environmentally-conscious and plain-old foodies alike, farm-to-table restaurants are one of the best ways to get a bite that makes your heart sing. Luckily, Austin is home to some incredible farm-to-table eateries at a variety of price points! Here are a few of our top picks that are close to our communities of luxury apartments in Austin!

Emmer & Rye

It may be on the pricier side, but Emmer & Rye is a must-visit in Austin, if you ask us. Make a reservation for your next special occasion and prepare to enjoy a completely unique menu full of unexpected flavor combinations, unforgettable small plates, and incredible service that you’re certain to rave about. Their combination of traditional table and dim sum-style service will impress you with variety and ensure you never have to wait long between incredible bites. This restaurant is located on Rainey Street, so it’s an easy choice for those living in Downtown or East Austin luxury apartments.

Hillside Farmacy

Not far from some of our East Austin luxury apartments, Hillside Farmacy is a quaint farm-to-table restaurant with incredible brunch and excellent lunch and dinner options too. In addition to New American classics, you’ll find fresh oysters, delicious desserts, and a great cocktail menu with a few unique options. Make a dinner reservation or arrive early to their walk-in only brunch to make sure you get a spot without having to wait!

Geraldine’s

Not far from Emmer & Rye, Geraldine’s is another Austin classic serving up delicious farm-to-table eats. Come here with a friend (or a few) for New American fare, craft cocktails, shareable plates, and incredible service paired with great ambiance. Like Emmer & Rye, Geraldine’s is on the pricier side, so it’s a great pick for special occasions and date nights. It’s also the perfect spot to catch a gorgeous view of Lady Bird Lake and Downtown Austin.

Dai Due

Carnivores will love the selection at Dai Due, an East Austin restaurant and butcher shop on Manor Rd. Locally-sourced meats are their speciality, so vegans and vegetarians will only find a few items on the menu that are suitable, but everything found at Dai Due is delicious. When in doubt, order a meat board and a cheese board for the table and mix and match bites to your heart’s content. Then on your way out, grab some delicious baked goods to eat for breakfast the next day (if you can wait that long)!

Odd Duck

Odd Duck is a must-visit for residents of our luxury apartments in South Austin. Located on South Lamar, Odd Duck offers yet another incredible farm-to-table menu paired with great service that is ideal for special occasions or date nights. Consider making a reservation during their happy hour (5-6pm Sunday through Thursday) to grab some palomas while you peruse the menu of locally sourced New American fare.

That’s it for our favorite farm-to-table restaurants near our Austin luxury apartment communities! Don’t forget, if you want to shop our luxury apartments in Austin and other RPM communities across the US, check out our Communities page.

Did you know that the average American generates 4.4 pounds of waste per day, or that the average American home uses 867-kilowatt hours per month? Regardless of how many people share your apartment or what your personal energy needs are, there are little things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint and be mindful about your impact on the earth. You could even reduce your utility costs in the process! Today we’re going over some tips that can help you do just that.

Use Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs and Appliances

Every time you buy new light bulbs, appliances, or other electronics, take a moment to see if there’s an energy-efficient option available. For example, LED and fluorescent light bulbs use less energy and last longer than incandescent bulbs. You can also find labels on many products that make a special note if they were manufactured using renewable energy.

When it comes to appliances, look for an Energy Star label as a quick way of discerning more energy-efficient appliances from less energy-efficient ones. It’s also worth noting that newer freezers, stoves, dishwashers, and clothes washers and dryers are considerably more energy-efficient than older models, so just by virtue of living in an RPM Living apartment, you’re wasting less energy than if you lived in an older or less recently updated unit.

Be Mindful of What You Eat

Eating locally and organically can reduce your carbon footprint as can reducing the meat and dairy you eat and focusing more on plant-based options. It takes a lot of resources to transport food, fertilize produce, and raise animals. Clearing space for large farms can also contribute to deforestation. If possible, try buying organic produce from smaller, local farms and reducing your use of beef and dairy products.

Use Public Transportation Or Carpool

Whenever possible, hop on the bus or train to get where you’re going. Public transportation has the benefit of reducing the number of cars on the road since it can transport more passengers at a time.

When you can’t take public transportation, carpooling is also a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Instead of meeting your friend somewhere, consider picking them up on your way there. Or, when the weather is good, opt to bike to your favorite local restaurant instead of driving.

During times of social distancing, simply reducing the number of trips you take (something you may already be doing anyway) can make a big difference. But be mindful of how the positive benefit of fewer car trips on your end may be offset by greater reliance on delivery services like food and grocery delivery, which can result in car emissions and extra packaging waste. When ordering items online, you may have options to reduce the amount of packaging used and/or consolidate items into a single shipment, which is easier on the environment.

Reduce Your Water Usage

Besides shaving off a few minutes from your shower time and turning off the water between steps when you brush your teeth and wash your face, there are a few things you can do to reduce your water usage. Wash your car less often. Have only climate-appropriate plants at home to avoid the need for extra watering. Maximize the efficiency of your dishwasher and washing machine by not running them when they are partially empty.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

We’ve already touched on a few areas where you can reduce the waste you create by eliminating extra packaging or reducing your water use. But the classic three R’s are the golden rule of early environmental pedagogy for a reason. Whenever you safely can, reuse products as many times as possible before tossing them and if you’re able, always recycle instead! Many of our RPM Living communities make it easy with a community recycling program.

That concludes our tips for reducing your carbon footprint! We strive to make it as easy as possible for our residents to make energy-efficient choices that are good for our community and the planet! If you found this post useful or interesting, we encourage you to share it with your friends and colleagues! If you want to find your ideal home at one of our RPM communities across the US, check out our Communities page.

Modern, energy-efficient appliances are a must-have for renters, but in order to enjoy consistent functionality for all your appliances, regular cleaning is also a must. Residents are often unsure how often they should clean their apartment’s major appliances or what method works best. That’s why we put together this blog post on how to clean the top home appliances at our luxury apartments AND how often you should do it. Let’s jump right into it!

Washing Machine

Regular cleaning helps clear out residue and keep your washer running smoothly. To clean a washing machine, run an empty load once per month with hot water and about a cup of distilled white vinegar to sanitize the basin and wipe out any lingering germs.

Dishwasher

Your dishwasher should be cleaned once a month to rinse away food residue and ensure your dishes are optimally cleaned every single cycle. To clean the dishwasher in your apartment, run an empty load with a cup of white vinegar placed in the top rack of the washer (inside a dishwasher-safe vessel). Use hot water. Leave the dishwasher open to fully air dry.

Microwave

There’s no hard-and-fast rule when it comes to how often you should clean your microwave; just be sure to do it whenever it’s dirty in order to avoid stains and stuck-on food that just gets worse over time. When cleaned regularly, using plain old dish soap, water, and a sponge will typically suffice. For stuck-on particles, microwave a cup of white vinegar or water in a microwave-safe dish for 5-10 minutes, then clean as normal.

Refrigerator

The refrigerators at our apartments should be cleaned once every few months or whenever dirty. To begin, remove everything from the refrigerator, including drawers and shelves. Clean everything with soapy water or diluted vinegar. Don’t use surface cleaners with non-food-safe chemicals. Make sure to clean the gasket around the fridge door (the part that makes the door seal) with soapy water. If even with regular cleanings, you experience problems with a smelly fridge, baking soda can be kept in the fridge to help eliminate fridge odors.

Stove & Oven

If you cook at home, your stovetop is likely the item on this list that should be cleaned the most often. Clean your stove and oven whenever dirty, especially because leaving them dirty can create smoke or even fire AND make stains and stuck-on food harder to clean later. If the stovetop is cleaned regularly, warm water, dish soap, and a sponge should do the trick. To clean your oven, place an oven-safe pan filled with water on a rack in the middle of the stove and heat to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Wait 15 minutes, then turn off the oven. When cool to the touch, mix remaining water with dish soap and use a sponge to clean out the oven.

That’s it for our tips on cleaning your household appliances! As always, if you’re looking to live in a community that makes it easy to care for your apartment, you can always shop RPM communities across the US by checking out our Communities page!