Blog Posts

Tie-Dyed Turkey Anyone?

All across Alexandria, Virginia, families will soon be sitting down to a Thanksgiving Day feast, complete with turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, a variety of sides, and of course, pumpkin-spice something for dessert. We realize that tie-dyed turkey may not be your thing (but it does create an awesome picture); so today, the Arrive at Alexandria Blog presents information about how to create the perfectly roasted, non-tie-dye turkey. Tips for Preparing Thanksgiving Dinner from Arrive Alexandria This might come in handy: Turkey Cooking Tips ! When your turkey has finished cooking, be sure to let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes, which gives you time to make the gravy. The drippings can be used to make the gravy . If turkey just isn’t your thing (tie-dyed or otherwise), perhaps a Thanksgiving ham will do instead. We like this recipe for a Golden Clove Glazed Ham from McCormick for a change of pace. This also works well if you will have a large group at dinner and want to have a second meat dish. Now that you’ve got the main dish down, you will just need to add the sides. Allrecipes.com has a great selection of Thanksgiving side recipes if you want to try something new this year. Need more suggestions? Women’s Day has 55 Mouthwatering Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Side Dishes to give you a head start. Warm Drink Suggestions A warm drink is welcome, particularly on a holiday weekend. Whether you enjoy it with breakfast or in the evening before you head to bed, we think these drinks will hit the spot. Peppermint Hot Chocolate A festive holiday drink that combines the flavors of chocolate and peppermint that will leave you feeling warm and satisfied inside. Mulled Cranberry Apple Cider If you’d rather have something light and citrusy instead of something rich and creamy, give this cranberry apple cider a try. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone at our apartment community! We hope these recipes and ideas help you out with your Thanksgiving dinner. Thanks for reading today’s post.

It's Pumpkin Spice Season at Arrive Alexandria

Get ready for Halloween here in Alexandria, VA in a fun and tasty way by making some pumpkin-spice flavored treats! Our Arrive Alexandria Blog is sharing some of our very favorite Halloween-themed treats that you will enjoy making at your apartment almost as much as you enjoy munching on them. Pumpkin-Inspired Recipes Soft Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting Just think of how much you love sugar cookies, cream cheese, and caramel, individually. Then imagine putting that all together for a cookie that perfectly complements itself and gives you the happiness of a successful new recipe. The potential is great with this cookie. Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls These pumpkin cinnamon rolls are absolutely heavenly. What you’ll need: active dry yeast, sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, flour, pumpkin puree, heavy cream, sugar, butter, salt, vanilla extract, ground ginger, ground allspice, an egg, vegetable oil, cream cheese, milk, and toasted pumpkin seeds to garnish (optional). Pumpkin Pie Cream Puffs from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles For a light dessert at your next dinner party, try making these pumpkin pie cream puffs. These cream puffs are great bite-sized finishes to any meal. These pumpkin cream puffs are filled with maple whipped cream and pumpkin pie filling — an amazing burst of fall flavor. Turtle Pumpkin Pie This recipe takes pumpkin pie to a whole new level! It combines the classic pumpkin-spice staple with drizzled caramel, chopped pecans, and airy whipped topping. Yum! Although we do love that sweet pumpkin spice flavor in our food, pumpkin isn’t just a one-trick pony. Savory pumpkin dishes pack a flavor burst in each bite, and Huffington Post comes through with 39 Savory Recipes for Pumpkin Because It’s About More Than Just Lattes — but if you’re craving a latte, we’ve got that, too: Pumpkin Pie Latte from Taste of Home . We hope everyone in our apartment community has a wonderful October filled with good eats. Happy Halloween from Arrive Alexandria!

Celebrate National Comic Book Day in Alexandria

Here’s a fun holiday coming up later this month: September 25th, National Comic Book Day. Comic books are seeping into all sorts of media. From movies to television to fine art, the stories and characters are icons of international culture. If you haven’t picked up a comic book since you were a kid (or ever at all), the Arrive Alexander Blog has gathered together some of the greatest titles available for members of our apartment community here in Virginia to enjoy. Check them out soon! Batman: The Long Halloween Taking place during Batman’s early days of crime fighting, this new edition of the classic mystery tells the story of a mysterious killer who murders his prey only on holidays. Working with District Attorney Harvey Dent and Lieutenant James Gordon, Batman races against the calendar as he tries to discover who Holiday is before he claims his next victim each month. A mystery that has the reader continually guessing the identity of the killer, this story also ties into the events that transform Harvey Dent into Batman’s deadly enemy, Two-Face. Deadpool, The Complete Collection When the Merc with a Mouth is hired to rub out Wolverine, sparks will fly! But when both men can regenerate any wound in minutes, how can either one expect to finish off his foe? And whoever wins will have to face Wolverine’s murderous son, Daken! Then: The Skrulls have infiltrated Earth, but nobody warned them about Deadpool! The invaders replicate Deadpool’s healing factor in a new generation of Super-Skrulls - but why is Deadpool himself leading this brigade against Earth? And when Norman Osborn double-crosses Deadpool, the maniacal merc unleashes a full-on assault against Avengers Tower! Norman must pull out all the stops - and that means deploying his new team of bloodthirsty, black-ops Thunderbolts! Brandon Sanderson’s White Sand On the planet of Taldain, the legendary Sand Masters harness arcane powers to manipulate sand in spectacular ways. But when they are slaughtered in a sinister conspiracy, the weakest of their number, Kenton, believes himself to be the only survivor. With enemies closing in on all sides, Kenton forges an unlikely partnership with Khriss -- a mysterious Darksider who hides secrets of her own. White Sand brings to life a crucial, unpublished part of Brandon Sanderson’s sprawling Cosmere universe. The story has been adapted by Rik Hoskin (Mercy Thompson), with art by Julius Gopez and colors by Ross Campbell. Employing powerful imagery and Sanderson’s celebrated approach to magical systems, White Sand is a spectacular new saga for lovers of fantasy and adventure. If you’re new to comics and don’t want to spend money on a comic book you’re not sure you’ll like, check out the Alexandria Library Classic Catalog to see what comic books (and books about comic books and graphic novels) that are available. Happy reading! Thanks for taking time out of your day for our blog post.

Keeping Your Cool When Summer Heats Up

In our last blog post, we shared ideas for pool games to enjoy at our Arrive Alexandria pool. Heading to the pool is a great way to cool down when the weather heats things up here in Virginia. Today we have some more ideas about how to cool down when you’re out and about in the summer sun. Check it out. Tips for Staying Cool When the Temperature Climbs Drink water. This is one of the simplest ways to keep your core temperature where it’s supposed to be. Drink enough water to avoid getting thirsty and stay hydrated. Use a refillable water bottle and keep it with you. Ice your pulses. Greatist encourages you to “ pamper your pulses ” if you need to cool down fast. Invest in a few ice packs if you get hot easily and apply them to your pulse areas to decrease your body temperature and relax the heart rate quickly. Gadget or gimmick? Some gadgets do help. Use a spray bottle to mist your face. A personal fan, umbrella hat, or even a thermo-cool neck wrap can make a difference in your comfort — go ahead and use them. Don’t worry about looking ridiculous; at least you will be cool. Dress for coolness. Choose loose-fitting, light-colored, lightweight clothing to assist with your endeavors to stay cool. Natural fabrics that breathe let the heat out; think cotton and linen, and stay away from synthetics. Wear a hat. Keeping the sun’s rays away will reduce your chance of getting a sunburn (which translates into being overheated). Make sure you wear sunscreen too. Seek the shade. Seek out "green" spaces. Find a garden or any patch of green. Ideally, head for one with some trees for shade. Trees block the sun and actually act as living air conditioners. What are your best tips for staying cool, refreshed, and energized during the hottest months of the summer? Share with the rest of the apartment community by leaving a comment. Thanks for reading!

Pool Games for Summer Swimming Fun

Welcome back to our blog! Arrive Alexandria is a great place to live here in Virginia. One of our favorite amenities is a resort-style swimming pool that residents of our apartment community can enjoy. We hope that you get the chance to use it this summer. We ask that our residents follow basic safety rules — no running by the pool, be aware of others in the pool, and no rough horseplay. Please follow all posted signs and be aware that the pool is for resident and guest use only. Now, here are a few pool games for summer fun! Bobbing Heads Also known as Whack-a-Mole for the pool, in this game the person who is “it” must try to ping off bobbing players with a pool noodle when they pop up out of the water. (A sponge ball could also be used.) The last person to become “whacked” becomes “it.” Pirate Bounty For this game, you will need an odd number of diving sticks (around 5 to 11, depending on how many swimmers are playing). The sticks are the “bounty,” which can have varying prizes corresponding with colors, or they could be numbered, or they could simply represent a chest filled with pirate booty. Place players (swimmers) on opposite ends of the pool and toss the diving sticks into the middle. The pirate or team of pirates that retrieves the most sticks wins the pirate booty. Octopus This game is kind of like Red Rover but in the pool. Players try to get across the pool without being tagged by “it.” When a player is tagged, he/she joins it in the middle and they hold hands and try to catch the others. Play continues and a long “octopus” is formed. When only one swimmer is left, he/she becomes the new it. Mermaid Races Also called dolphin or underwater races, this game is all about seeing who can swim underwater for the longest distance. Start the race on one side of the pool and have swimmers race to the opposite side. Strong swimmers may be able to flip around on the side and head back. The winner is the mermaid who stays under the water the longest. Plan a pool party soon and incorporate some of these fun games. Please share your favorite swimming pool games in the comments. We hope you are having a fabulous summer!

4th of July Celebrations

Are you ready to celebrate Independence Day this year? Arrive Alexandria is sharing a few 4th of July celebrations with members of our apartment community in this month’s blog post. Read on to find out about different events and ways that you can celebrate in and around Alexandria, VA. Alexandria/USA Birthday Celebration Join the party “on Saturday, July 7th to celebrate America’s 242nd birthday and Alexandria’s 269th along the Potomac River waterfront at Oronoco Bay Park and enjoy live music by the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, patriotic birthday cake, food vendors and a dazzling fireworks display.” Visit Mount Vernon “Salute the first commander in chief during Mount Vernon's annual Independence Day event! Watch dazzling made-for-daytime fireworks shoot off over the Potomac River and listen to the roar of cannon fire while viewing special military re-enactments throughout the day. “Observe an inspirational naturalization ceremony for new citizens with a special keynote address, daytime fireworks, military re-enactments, and a wreathlaying ceremony. Enjoy free birthday cake (while supplies last), a visit from General and Mrs. Washington, and a performance by the National Concert Band during its "Red, White and Blue" concert. Spend a truly inspiring day at a truly inspiring place.” National Independence Day Parade “Historic Constitution Avenue and the Monuments in Washington, D.C. form the setting for America’s biggest and best Independence Day Parade. Nowhere is there greater excitement on America’s birthday than in our nation’s capital! The parade begins at 11:45 am on July 4th and goes until 2 pm.” George Washington’s Alexandria Tour Take a step back into the past. This tour “covers Alexandria's colonial and revolutionary period from the town's establishment in 1749 to Washington's death in 1799. Guests learn about Alexandria's founding, its role during the French and Indian War, the American Revolution and George Washington's life in the community.” How do you plan on celebrating the 4th of July this year? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading our post.