Blog Posts

Laundry Day Tips

There will come a time when you need to do your laundry. It’s normal to get busy while you’re waiting for your clothes to finish their wash or dry cycle and even more normal to have to rewash clothes you forgot to remove the smell forgotten, wet laundry leaves behind. In this week’s Virginia Square Towers Blog, we’ve got some tips for you to help you make the most of laundry day. Avoid rewashing and leaving your clothes in the dryer with the help of these tips. Set an Alarm How many times have you thrown your laundry into the washing machine only to forget about it while you get caught up doing something different? Forgetting your laundry in the washing machine for an extended period of time can cause your clothes to gain a mildew smell that can be off-putting to yourself and others! Setting an alarm can snap you out of your groove and remind you that you need to switch your laundry. Fold Immediately Getting things done immediately is the best way to not get overwhelmed with laundry. There will be times when the wash and dry cycle has finished, you’ve taken the clothes out of the dryer and just left it in the hamper. Doing this will cause excessive wrinkling. Taking the time to fold your clothes immediately will reduce the wrinkles in your folded/hung clothes and reduce the amount of clothing clutter in your room and home. Separate Colors If you lived on your own during your college years you’ve probably shoved all of your clothes (darks, whites and colors) into the washing machine without regard for any of the consequences! You also probably haven’t received any serious consequences. Separating your colors, darks, and white clothes can help your clothing retain colors and prevent whites from becoming gray or worse turned into pink or blue! New jeans, and other new items of clothing have a tendency to bleed their color, so avoid mixing them with your whites. Laundry day can be difficult. People are busy. If you follow our tips, you can make laundry day a little easier all the way around. If we missed any crucial tips, let our Arlington, VA apartment community know by leaving a comment! Thanks for reading!

Activities for a Night In

What do you do when you’ve got a free night for personal activities but have no desire to go out? Staying in isn’t as bad as it’s made out to be! This week in the Virginia Square Towers Blog, we’ve got some great activities that are perfect for those nights you opt to stay home at your Arlington, VA apartments, but still want to socialize. Binge on Hulu/Netflix There are a variety of streaming services available, the most popular being Hulu and Netflix. These services offer hours upon hours of entertainment without you even needing to even get up from your couch! Even though sitting down and spending hours watching the television isn’t the best thing to do on a weeknight or weekend, it’s an option for you if you don’t intend on leaving your apartment. Puzzles Do you enjoy putting things together? Puzzles are a great way to spend some time without being connected to the screen of your television or cell phone. If you’re looking for something to get your mind going, head to your local board game store or Target to pick up a 500-1000 piece puzzle. The great thing about puzzles is that you can find a puzzle of just about anything! If you have a particular theme you wish to find, you should be able to find it in the stores or online! Find anything from Disney themed puzzles to scenic landscapes! Board Games This suggestion only works if you’re with another person or group of people. Board games can be a fun time for you, your friends, and loved ones as well. Choose from games that are inclusive and relatively easy to learn. If you’re going to be making game nights a regular thing, you can try picking up a game like Dungeons and Dragons, a tabletop roleplaying game that can span the course of months or even years! What are some of your favorite things to do on a night in? We’d love to hear from you, so leave a comment for us below!

Restaurants to Try in Arlington

Put the pots and pans down, pick up your wallet, and head out of your apartment for a delicious meal in Arlington, VA. In this week’s Virginia Square Towers Blog, we give you some suggestions on restaurants to try to expand your culinary palate. Pho 75 Vietnamese cuisine is delicious, and pho is one the of the most popular dishes! Pho 75 offers traditional vietnamese noodles in a savory broth, garnished with green onions, regular onions, and cilantro. On cold and hot days, Pho 75 is an excellent stop to get a great meal! Just a 7-minute drive from your apartment at Virginia Square Towers, it’s a perfect destination for a meal! Cava Mezze From the website: “Cava Mezze serves a modern take on traditional Greek recipes in a casual, neighborhood setting. With four locations in the DMV, Cava Mezze offers shared plates, an expansive wine and beer list, and handcrafted cocktails. Menu staples include hand-rolled Grape Leaves and Spankopita, tableside flambéed Saganaki, and braised Elysian Farm lamb shank. Founded in 2006 by local childhood friends Dimitri Moshovitis, Ike Grigoropoulos, and Ted Xenohristos, Cava Mezze is open in Rockville, MD; Capitol Hill, DC; Clarendon, VA; Harbor East, Baltimore, MD; and Olney, MD” Pupatella If pizza is what you’re craving, Pupatella is the place to go! Pizza maker Enzo Algarme was born in Italy, and since his move to the United States, has used his Naples pizza making training to open Pupatella and bring his version of Neapolitan pizza to Arlington. At this establishment, you’ll find the traditional Neapolitan style pizza like the Margherita Doc, as well as unique flavors like Eggplant & Red Pepper. If red sauce pizza isn’t what you enjoy, they also offer white sauce! With so many great restaurants in the area, it’s difficult to choose one! Do you have a favorite restaurant you frequent? Let us know about what we’ve missed by leaving a comment below! Thanks for reading!

Comics to Read

With so many superhero movies coming out in the theatres, it’s a good time to catch up on the comics that these superheroes are derived from. In this week’s Virginia Square Towers Blog, we offer suggestions on comics to read between Marvel and Detective Comics to get you caught up or educated on these superheroes! Detective Comics Batman Though without superpowers (unless you consider incredible wealth a superpower), Batman has become one of the most prominent heroes of the Detective Comics universe. Due to the popularity of the blockbuster movies, the Dark Knight has exploded into a household name. As you read through the comics, you can glean insight into how Bruce Wayne came into being Batman. Learn his history, the villains he fights, and his main goals. Wonder Woman Portrayed by Gal Gadot in the latest movie, Wonder Woman burst into the mainstream more so than ever before. The first major female superhero, Princess Diana of the Themyscira (as she’s known in her homeland) is a hero that stands up for justice and truth, using her goddess-level strength, intelligence, and her Lasso of Truth to battle for the fate of the world. Alongside her fellow heroes, she’s a founding member of the Justice League. Marvel Comics Spiderman Also known as Peter Parker, Spiderman has been around since 1962. Since then he has captured the attention and hearts of many people. As a kid from New York, he gains his powers through being genetically mutated after a bite from a radioactive spider. Learning how to be a hero on his own, it takes him a while to understand the nuances of what it means to be heroic. Beyond the Movies, Spiderman’s story is full of interesting villains. Explore the Marvel universe through the eyes of a young superhero, his love interests, interactions with other heroes, and even death. Black Panther If you wanted to know the story behind the successful box office hit, the comics of the Black Panther are a great place to start. It follows T’Challa, the King and protector of the nation of Wakanda. After his first appearance in 1966, the Black Panther comics were not as popular as some of the other Marvel publications. However, that doesn’t mean they were any less amazing! These comics are an excellent portrayal of the kinds of diversity you can find in their respective comic universes. And they’re all well-written! As much as the movies have done most of these heroes justice, their stories come or take inspiration from the many published editions of the comics. Do you have a favorite comic? Let our Arlington, VA apartment community know of some by leaving us a comment below. Thanks for reading!

Tips for Planning Your Summer Vacation

Summer is approaching quickly and here in Arlington, VA it’s time to start planning your summer festivities if you haven’t already. Read this week’s Virginia Square Towers Blog post for tips about getting out of your apartment and vacationing in your dream destination. Decide what type of vacation you want to have. Determine whether you want a vacation spot within driving distance of Arlington, VA or if you want to get out of the state. This will determine how you should go about making plans. It will affect how long you’ll be gone, how much money you should save, where you’ll stay, how you’ll get there, and what sorts of items you should pack. With the world at your fingertips, this can be a fun part of vacation planning. Think of where you’ve always wanted to go and see if you can do it! Odds are someone’s already gone there, so look it up and see how you can benefit from their tips. Be mindful of airfare and busy travel times. When choosing a date, remember that summer is the busiest travel season , so don’t fly on Fridays if you want to avoid especially high crowds. Also consider shopping for plane tickets on the cheapest days. Busy travel times can also mean higher hotel rates, so look into both things as you’re choosing the dates for your vacation. Start saving money now. Planning for vacation months in advance is important so you can have the time to save for housing, travel, and entertainment expenses. Look up menus and entrance fees to any attractions online to see how much these things will cost before you get there. Then give yourself a daily budget to stick to, but of course, be reasonable and allow wiggle room. Decide how much cash you’ll take with you and what credit or debit cards you’ll use while you’re there; then leave the rest at home . Prepare for emergencies. Keep emergency contacts available in your phone or your wallet and make sure those people know you’ll be gone in case you need them. Take your car in for a checkup, but keep your insurance card in your car, just in case. And of course, stock your car with the essentials. The confidence that comes with being prepared will help you enjoy your vacation stress-free. We hope you find these tips useful. Good luck, and have fun preparing for your vacation!

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Mother’s Day is on May 13th. Celebrate here on the Virginia Square Towers Blog by checking out our list of Mother’s Day gift suggestions. Show your mom how much you care. We hope you have a great month here in Arlington, VA. Echo Spot An Echo Spot is the perfect gift for you mom. If she doesn’t already have something similar, this is a must-have. It’s especially great if your mom isn’t all that tech-y. It gives her a hands-free way to make calls, video calls, turn on music, set alarms, control a smart home, and so much more. Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering For the mother who loves to cook, this recipe book is perfect. “Magnolia Table is infused with Joanna Gaines' warmth and passion for all things family, prepared and served straight from the heart of her home, with recipes inspired by dozens of Gaines family favorites and classic comfort selections from the couple's new Waco restaurant, Magnolia Table...” Personalized Necklace For a personalized item, check out the link above! It’s a list of personalized necklaces that you can purchase on Etsy . Find one that fits your mom’s style and make it hers. You could also choose a word that she lives by or a phrase that fits her instead of using her name. S’Well Patterned Bottle As a practical gift, this cute water bottle is functional and fun. Pick out a bottle in your mom’s favorite color and purchase it today. These particular bottles will keep your drinks cold for 24 hours or hot for 12 hours. Check them out! Brussel's Dwarf Jade Bonsai If your mom loves greenery, then check out this beautiful plant that you can buy on Amazon. “Thick, round, dark green leaves and delicate pink flowers sit atop fleshy stems and branches. These succulent features hold water for long periods of time.” Do you have any other Mother’s Day gift ideas? Share them with our apartment community in the comments below. Thanks for reading!