Blog Posts

Outdoor Games to Play in Arlington, VA

The weather is warming up and it’s a great time to get outside here in Arlington, VA. Check out these outdoor games that we’re sharing in today’s Quincy Plaza Blog. Have a great month and enjoy some fresh air outside your apartment! Corn Hole Corn hole is a great outdoor game that is perfect for all ages. You can make your own set or purchase one online if you don’t have one. If you want to make one yourself you’ll need a jigsaw, measuring tape, a compass, plywood of different sizes, and a few other items. Visit DIY Network in the link above to find out how to make this game and everything else that you’ll need. Pool Noodle Games Pool noodles can be used to play all sorts of outdoor games — and not just in the pool. One game is called Target Station. In this game, you’ll turn the noodles into circles by taping the ends together. Make 6 of these circles then lay them next to each other to make two rows — three on top and three on the bottom. You’ll then tape the circles together. Follow the tutorial above to continue making this fun and simple noodle game. Giant Jenga This outdoor game is becoming more and more popular and it’s perfect for a summer afternoon in Arlington, VA. You can purchase Giant Jenga online or make an even more giant version yourself. We like the idea of this DIY giant version. To make it you’ll need 54 feet of 2x4s, measuring tape, a pencil, a chop saw, a sanding block, 100 or 120 grit sandpaper, a damp cloth, and stain of your choice. This game will create a lot of fun for you and your family and friends. Do you have a favorite outdoor game? Let us know what it is in comments below. Be sure to visit us on the blog again soon!

Decorate Your Balcony with These Tips

Take some time this month to decorate your balcony. In today’s Quincy Plaza Blog we’ll be sharing a list of tips and ideas on how to decorate. Enjoy making this space your own here in Arlington, VA! Start an Herb Garden Living in an apartment means you don’t have your own plot of earth for gardening, but you can create a container-based herb garden on your balcony. We like these herb garden ideas from DIY & Crafts . Create Comfortable Seating Having a comfortable place to sit is a key ingredient to making your apartment patio or balcony inviting and relaxing. When you’re looking for patio furniture, test it out — sit in it and make sure it’s comfortable. Is the furniture sturdy? Does the design reflect your personality? Answering these questions will help you determine what will work best for your balcony. Be sure to add a table as well. You’ll definitely need a place for drinks and snacks. It’ll also allow you to play a game with friends outside. Hang Lights Add a string of lights to brighten up your balcony space and make it a great evening hangout spot. Consider buying battery powered lights so you won’t have to struggle with finding an outlet to plug them into. Also, consider some cool solar powered outdoor lights to save energy and harvest the natural power of the sun. Add Color Colors can affect our mood. Depending on the colors you use, your balcony or patio may be high in energy or calming. Fabrics, flowers, and objects can have a dual function to add both color and texture. Textures can also be added by using braided rugs, bamboo shades, or wicker furniture. Adding cushions is an easy way to add splashes of color and texture to your seating area as well. Do you have any other balcony tips or ideas? Share them with us in the comments below. Thanks for reading and enjoy your month!

Celebrate National Peanut Month with These Recipes

March is National Peanut Month. In today’s Quincy Plaza blog, we want to share a list of tasty peanut recipes to help you celebrate. We hope you have a great month at your apartment here in Arlington, VA! Candied Peanut Recipe from David Lebovitz For a sweet peanut flavor, you have to try these candied peanuts. They’re perfect to snack on while watching a movie or to serve to guests at a party. To make these you’ll need the following ingredients: raw or roasted peanuts, sugar, water, coarse sea salt, ground cinnamon (optional), and chili powder (optional). Butterscotch Blondie Bars with Peanut-Pretzel Caramel from Bon Appetit Another sweet treat to munch on, these Blondie Bars are the perfect mix of sweet and salty. To make the blondies you’ll need all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, unsalted butter, light brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. For the peanut-pretzel caramel that’ll top the blondies you’ll need roasted unsalted peanuts, sugar, honey, unsalted butter, heavy cream, and pretzels. Strawberry Honey-Peanut Salad from The National Peanut Board This salad is refreshing and so tasty. To make it you’ll need strawberries, broccoli, honey-roasted peanuts, Greek yogurt, and balsamic vinegar. Chocolate Peanut Delight Recipe from Taste of Home This rich and creamy dessert will give you all the chocolate and peanut butter you crave. To make it, gather up these ingredients: a chocolate cake mix, butter, milk, an egg, chopped peanuts, cream cheese, peanut butter, powdered sugar, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, frozen whipped topping, and semisweet chocolate chips. Peanut Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables from Eating Well Try out this healthy dish that is perfect for a fairly quick and easy dinner. You’ll need the following ingredients to get started: dried multigrain spaghetti, frozen sugar snap peas stir-fry blend, creamy peanut butter, sugar, soy sauce, water, vegetable oil, minced garlic, crushed red pepper, Shredded Chicken Master Recipe , chopped peanuts (optional), and sliced green onion (optional). Do you have a favorite peanut recipe? Share it with us in the comments below. Thanks for reading and visit the Quincy Plaza Blog again soon!

March Movies to Check Out

Check out this list of new movies that are coming to theaters this month. We hope you get a chance to get out of your Quincy Plaza apartment to enjoy a movie with friends. Enjoy your month here in Arlington, VA! Death Wish (March 2) “Dr. Paul Kersey (Bruce Willis) is a surgeon who only sees the aftermath of his city's violence as it's rushed into his ER -until his wife (Elisabeth Shue) and college-age daughter (Camila Morrone) are viciously attacked in their suburban home. With the police overloaded with crimes, Paul, burning for revenge, hunts for his family's assailants to deliver justice.” Red Sparrow (March 2) “Ballerina Dominika Egorova is recruited to 'Sparrow School' a Russian intelligence service where she is forced to use her body as a weapon. But her first mission, targeting a CIA agent, threatens to unravel the security of both nations.” A Wrinkle in Time (March 9) “After the disappearance of her scientist father, three peculiar beings send Meg, her brother, and her friend to space in order to find him.” The Strangers: Prey at Night (March 9) “A family staying in a secluded mobile home park for the night are visited by three masked psychopaths, to test their every limit.” The Hurricane Heist (March 9) “Thieves attempt a massive heist against the U.S. Treasury as a Category 5 hurricane approaches one of its Mint facilities.” Gringo (March 9) “GRINGO, a dark comedy mixed with white-knuckle action and dramatic intrigue, explores the battle of survival for businessman Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo) when he finds himself crossing the line from law-abiding citizen to wanted criminal.” Midnight Sun (March 23) “Based on the Japanese film, Midnight Sun centers on Katie, a 17-year-old sheltered since childhood and confined to her house during the day by a rare disease that makes even the smallest amount of sunlight deadly. Fate intervenes when she meets Charlie and they embark on a summer romance.” Acrimony (March 30) “A faithful wife (Taraji P. Henson) tired of standing by her devious husband (Lyriq Bent) is enraged when it becomes clear she has been betrayed.” Are you excited to see any of these movies this month? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

Valentine's Day Decor

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and we want to help you celebrate at your Quincy Plaza Apartment. In today’s blog post, we have a list Valentine DIYs to get you in the spirit for the holiday of love. Enjoy your month here in Arlington, VA! DIY Floral Hearts from Design Improvised This is a fairly simple project that requires just a few items. You’ll need five to six bunches of artificial flowers, a grapevine wreath heart form, wire cutters, and a hot glue gun. Cut the flowers off with about an inch remaining of the stem, then stick them into the wreath. Use hot glue to keep the flowers in place. Valentine’s Day Hot Chocolate Bar from Clean and Scentsible It’s a great time to bring out the hot chocolate and continue to celebrate the winter season. Click on the link above to see images of how to put together this setup. Use some heart bowls filled with marshmallows, glass jars filled with chocolate and candy, festive mugs, and a menu. Candy Heart Valentine Bouquet from Smart School House This is a great DIY that you can keep set up throughout the month. To make this project you’ll need a large vase, a smaller vase that can fit inside the larger one, 2 bags of candy hearts, pink ribbon, water, flowers, and scissors. Love {Yarn} Letters from My Sister’s Suitcase This is a fun DIY because you can easily store these letters to be used year after year. You’ll need these supplies to put it together: hollow cardboard letters (an “L”, “O”, “V”, and “E”), 3 shades of pink yarn, hot glue, and scissors. Sweater Heart Pillows from Eighteen25 These fun pillows are a great way to make your apartment cozy for the month of February. Gather up these supplies: a sewing machine, an old sweater or two, fiberfill, and a needle and thread. How do you decorate for Valentine’s Day? Share any DIY ideas you have with us in the comments below. Thanks for reading the Quincy Plaza Blog.

Books to Read This Month

Do you need a few book suggestions to check out this month? You’re in luck because in today’s Quincy Plaza Blog we’re sharing a list of books that we think you’ll enjoy. Cozy up on your couch at your apartment and enjoy a quiet afternoon here in Arlington, VA. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (2007) “An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of star-crossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932 illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. Winner of the 2007 Book Browse Award for Most Popular Book.” Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward (2017) “In Jesmyn Ward’s first novel since her National Book Award winning Salvage the Bones, this singular American writer brings the archetypal road novel into rural twenty-first-century America. Drawing on Morrison and Faulkner, The Odyssey and the Old Testament, Ward gives us an epochal story, a journey through Mississippi’s past and present that is both an intimate portrait of a family and an epic tale of hope and struggle.” The Call of the Wild by Jack London (1903) “ The Call of the Wild , considered by many London's greatest novel, is a gripping tale of a heroic dog that, thrust into the brutal life of the Alaska Gold Rush, ultimately faces a choice between living in man's world and returning to nature. Adventure and dog-story enthusiasts as well as students and devotees of American literature will find this classic work a thrilling, memorable reading experience.” To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960) “The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.” The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (1895) “Here is Oscar Wilde's most brilliant tour de force, a witty and buoyant comedy of manners that has delighted millions in countless productions since its first performance in London's St. James' Theatre on February 14, 1895. The Importance of Being Earnest is celebrated not only for the lighthearted ingenuity of its plot, but for its inspired dialogue, rich with scintillating epigrams still savored by all who enjoy artful conversation.” What books are on your to-read list? Let us know in the comments so we can check them out!