Blog Posts

Swimming Pool Tips

The weather is getting warmer, signalling the perfect time to jump into the nice cool water of a swimming pool! When the sun beats down on Arlington, VA, find solace in a day at the pool with your friends and family. Before you head out to enjoy a day of splashing and diving, make sure you’re safe! In this week’s Cherry Hill Apartments Blog, we’ve got a few safety tips for you to consider before you spend a day at the local pool. Understanding these tips will keep you safe and will allow you to make the most of the warm day! Put Safety First This may be a no brainer, but always consider safety first. Have fun as much as you can, but be mindful of others. It’s important to not get too caught up with playing around in the pool and forget that your actions could be harming someone else. Teach younger children to walk around the pool and to be careful of slips and falls caused by running or reckless behavior. Safety starts with you, so be vigilant and take care of yourself! Hygiene Personal hygiene keeps the pool clean and helps prevent the spread of illnesses. Shower before you jump in the pool to avoid adding sweat or dirt to the mix of the pool. Get out of the pool to use the bathroom, and rinse off each time you do so before re-entering the pool. Take frequent restroom breaks to help keep the pool clean! If you are taking little ones into the pool, be sure they are wearing a swim diaper. After use, dispose of swim diapers properly. Don’t Swim Alone Accidents happen. Even if you’re an experienced swimmer, they can happen to you. Taking a friend or family member reduces the risk of injury or drowning. Not only can they help you in case of an emergency, they’re also around for you to have fun with. If you’re at the pool with children, you should also always be present and stay aware of where they are at all times, encouraging them to follow swimming safety rules.

National Hot Dog Month

Did you know that July is National Hot Dog Month? The hot dog has become an American staple and a regular at barbecues all over the nation. You can find these delicious foods at a baseball game concessions stand, at the food court in the mall, or even at Costco for cheap! In this week’s Cherry Hill Apartments Blog, we’ve got a few hot dog recipes for you to try out this National Hot Dog Month! The month is long, so you can try all these recipes and more when you have a barbecue here in Arlington, VA! Pizza Dogs 8 hot dogs 8 hot dog buns 1 cup pizza sauce 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced Mini pepperoni Do you love pizza as much as you love hot dogs? If you do, then this recipe is for you! The combination of pizza and hot dogs makes for a delicious end result. Thankfully, this recipe is easy, so we suggest giving it a try and let us know how it goes! Jalapeno Popper Hot Dogs 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened 1 tablespoon freshly minced jalapeno or to taste 3 tablespoons cooked bacon crumbled (or to taste) 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded and divided salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 8 hot dogs cooked 8 hot dog buns cilantro for garnish optional Give your hot dog the kick it deserves by trying out this jalapeno popper hot dog! Brace yourself for a flavor-packed treat filled with cream cheese, jalapenos, bacon, and cheese. This gourmet hot dog will be a hit at your next barbecue. Oven Baked Chili Cheese Dogs 8 hot dogs 8 hot dog buns 2 cups prepared chili 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ½ red or yellow onion, chopped mustard, ketchup, relish Chili dogs have been around for a while. Enjoyed by many, the chili cheese dog gives your plain hot dog a kick with some delicious chili and the savory cheese. Try out this simple chili dog recipe and worry about the mess later!

Have a Picnic!

International Picnic Day is June 18th, and since the weather is getting warmer, we recommend taking advantage of the day to enjoy the nice weather. Picnics are a good opportunity to get your family and friends together to enjoy a meal. In this week’s Cherry Hill Apartments Blog, we’ve got a few tips on how you can have a successful picnic. Pack the Essentials The last thing you want is to get excited about spending a day in the sun then realizing you’ve forgotten something. To avoid this situation, we suggest making a list of the essentials you’ll need for a fun picnic, then slowly cross of the items that you’ve gathered. Once you’ve gotten all you need, keep them all packed and within reach of the door so you don’t forget it on the way out! Get Some Exercise Because you’re going to be outside, take advantage of it! Get some exercise by bringing some sports equipment like a football, spikeball net, or even a frisbee! Invite your friends and family to play while you’re out, even if for just a short time. This is a perfect way to help children work up an appetite and expend some energy before eating. Clean Up Regardless of where you are, you’ll want to leave the picnic spot cleaner than you found it originally. This means removing the trash that you’ve created and even going the extra mile and pick up some additional pieces of garbage that were left behind. Pack additional trash bags so you’ll have some place to put trash. Don’t be afraid to invite the guests at your picnic to lend a hand and clean up, as it makes the work go much faster. Enjoy the weather here in Arlington, VA by getting out of your apartment and enjoying a picnic with your loved ones. Thanks for reading!

Movies About Fathers

Father’s Day is on June 16th! Celebrate Father’s Day this year by watching some movies revolving around fathers! Through the course of Hollywood history, there have been various depictions of fathers, some good, some bad. In this week’s Cherry Hill Apartments Blog, we’ve got a few movies centered around fathers for you to watch in celebration of Father’s Day. Daddy Day Care “While his wife, Kim (Regina King), brings home the bacon, unemployed Charlie (Eddie Murphy) spends his days caring for the couple's young son. With help from a friend, Phil (Jeff Garlin), Charlie decides to start a day care center. Enrollment quickly surges, and, as they add another employee, goofy Marvin (Steve Zahn), Charlie finds himself dealing with endless red tape. Will he be able to keep the business afloat, or will parents defect to Mrs. Harridan's (Anjelica Huston) ]day care center?” Father’s Day “Jack (Billy Crystal) is a straitlaced lawyer with a loving wife (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Dale (Robin Williams) is suicidal about his stalled career as an artist. The only thing they have in common is Collette (Nastassja Kinski), with whom they both had an affair years ago. Unbeknownst to the two men, she had a son, Scott (Charlie Hofheimer), who is now missing. After she tells Jack and Dale that one of them could be the father, the pair set out to find Scott and prove who the real father is.” Parenthood “Perfectionist Gil Buckman (Steve Martin) struggles with the deficiencies of his children, thinking they reflect poorly on his parenting -- and Gil's siblings only add to the stress of his life. One of his sisters (Dianne Wiest) faces difficulty when her teenage daughter (Martha Plimpton) becomes pregnant. Another (Harley Jane Kozak) clashes with her husband (Rick Moranis) when she asks for more children. Gil's immature brother (Tom Hulce) turns up as well, with a young son he can barely handle.” Do you know of any movies featuring fathers? Let our Arlington, VA apartment community know of them by leaving a comment!

National Barbecue Month

How much do you love barbecue? If you thoroughly enjoy it, then count yourself lucky that May is National Barbecue Month. It’s a month to celebrate the delicious food that you can find at your local barbecue restaurants or at a backyard cookout! In this week’s Cherry Hill Apartments Blog, we’ll share some ways you can enjoy National Barbecue Month! Barbecue Restaurants If you don’t fancy yourself a chef, you can head to your favorite barbecue restaurant to indulge in some delicious barbecue fare. You can try out Rocklands Barbecue and Grilling Company and dishes like ribs, sausage, brisket, and other savory delights! Don’t go overboard, it’s a lot of meat! Either way, a barbecue restaurant is a perfect place to go for National Barbecue Month. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from, so take your pick! Remember to bring some extra wet wipes, because barbecue can get messy! Host a Barbecue When you have a free night during the week or on the weekend, we suggest you take advantage of the nice weather here in Arlington, VA to host your very own barbecue. Invite some friends over and take advantage of the grilling stations here at Cherry Hill Apartments to make some delicious barbecue! Understanding that it may be a little expensive to provide all the food for your guests, we recommend making your barbecue event a potluck and invite your friends to bring some side dishes and drinks while you provide the main food. Your menu doesn’t need to be complex and extravagant, burgers and hot dogs can be just as appetizing as elaborate recipes of ribs and wings. National Barbecue Month falls in May when the weather is getting warmer, so take advantage of the warmth and enjoy a day of delicious food and sunshine! Do you enjoy barbecuing? Share your favorite recipes with our Arlington, VA apartment community! Thanks for reading.

Celebrate Mother’s Day

Do you feel like you express your love and appreciation for your mother? Mother’s Day is May 12th and it’s a great opportunity to pamper your mother and show her the appreciation that she deserves. In this week’s Cherry Hill Apartments Blog, we’ve got a few suggestions of ways you can give her a great Mother’s Day! A Handwritten Letter If you’re not a person of many words, you can take to the pen and paper and write your mother a handwritten letter. You can use your words to share with her your gratitude and appreciation for the impact that she’s had on your life. It doesn’t really matter what you say in the letter, just as long as you make your mother the center of it. You can be as sappy as you want, but if that isn’t your cup of tea, you can take a more humorous and lighthearted approach. A Visit If you don’t live near your mother, you can pay her a surprise visit! Schedules permitting, a visit to your mother would be a nice surprise. Make sure the time spent on your visit belongs to your mother, be sure to not schedule any parties or gatherings with your friends, and don’t spend half the time on your phone. Take her out to a nice meal, or pamper her with a day at the spa. Spend your trip to visit your mom catching up and creating new memories! Send Her Flowers Sending flowers are an act of love, which makes it a perfect thing to do on Mother’s Day! Find out what your mother’s favorite flowers are, then get her a bouquet of those flowers! It’s preferable to deliver them in person, but if you don’t live near her, you can order them from a flower delivery service! Do you do anything specific for your mother? Let our Arlington, VA apartment community know of what you do so we can try it out! Thanks for reading.