Patios, Parks, and More: Outdoor Places to Enjoy in Manassas this Spring

Spring is here in Northern Virginia and we couldn’t be more excited! While we have fun outdoor spaces right here at Arcadia Run, our location in Manassas, Virginia positions our community just minutes from some amazing outdoor spaces for entertainment and fun. Check out some of our favorite outdoor activities and places to visit this spring right here in Manassas, VA!

Old Town Manassas

Take a day to stroll the streets and pop into cute boutiques when discovering Old Town Manassas! The Visitor’s Center will have any information you may need and is great starting point for your day. Walk around the historic streets and check out the local museums, galleries, and turn of the century architecture at every corner.

Farmer’s Market

Once April comes around, head on over to one of Northern Virginia’s longest running farmer’s markets! Pick up fresh fruit and vegetables, or browse different crafts and home goods. Check out their website for a full list of locations and times.

Ben Lomond Manor House

If you want to take in some history while exploring beautifully manicured grounds, head over to the Ben Lomond House! Built in the 1830’s and used as a hospital after the Battle of Manassas in 1861, Ben Lomond is a treasure trove of rich history and information about the Civil War in Manassas. Spend a perfect spring day walking the grounds and be sure to see their beautiful Old Rose Garden, home to one of the largest collections of Old Garden Roses in the DC Metro area.

Manassas National Battlefield

Listed as the #1 ‘Thing to Do” in Manassas on Trip Advisor, these battlefields were the site of some of the most important battles during the Civil War. Take a walk through time while traipsing across the open battlefields of Manassas, which offer over 40 miles of hiking trails. Stop in the Henry Hill Visitor Center for maps, information, and souvenirs!

Okra’s Louisiana Bistro

After working up an appetite from all your outdoor activities, head on over to Okra’s in Old Town! Serving up authentic creole cuisine straight from the bayous of Louisiana, you wont want to miss out on their crawfish etouffe or alligator bites. Spend a warm spring Saturday evening at one of their outdoor tables listening to some great live local music. Check out their website for a full list of events.

CJ Finz Raw Bar

Nothing says warm weather and springtime like fresh seafood! Located right in Old Town, CJ Finz is the go-to place for seafood and local coastal fare. Sip a local draft beer while catching a baseball game, or soak up some rays on their second level deck area, the only one in Manassas! Bring the family or some friends for a fun afternoon and evening at Finz.

Jiffy Lube Live

There’s nothing better than a warm evening surrounded by friends and listening to live music! One of Virginia’s premier music venues, Jiffy Lube Live is located just minutes from Arcadia Run. Check their list of concerts and events for the spring and summer months, and get your groove on!

For more information about our great apartment homes, visit Arcadia Run online.

Sources: https://www.virginia.orghttp://visitmanassas.org, http://www.livenation.com

Your One Stop Spring Cleaning Checklist

It’s that time of year again at Arcadia Run: spring-cleaning! The snow has melted (hopefully), the days are getting longer, and warm weather is right around the corner! Spring forward into cleaning your apartment home with our one stop spring cleaning checklist, covering everything from supplies to lists to what to do first (and what not to do). We want to help make spring-cleaning as painless as possible for you, so check out our tips below!

 

Plan of attack: Make a list of the rooms you want to tackle, and in what order, before you get started. If your roommate is helping, the best idea is to divide and conquer. Assign each person a room and focus on your room before helping someone else with a larger space. If you are cleaning by yourself, give yourself a realistic timeline to get everything done.

 

Supplies: Figure out the supplies you will need to clean each room and if you need extras. Pick up larger quantities of items that you will get used up faster, such as paper towels. For larger items such as vacuums, determine who will need it the most and let them use it first. Tip: Try to use as many cleaning items as you can before they run out and you need to replace them. If you have small children, be sure to keep all cleaners out of their reach.

 

One thing at a time: Work your way around each room by focusing on one thing at a time, for example, start with cleaning your stove, then move to the fridge, then cabinets, etc. If you know that you REALLY need to organize your cabinets, start there! Taking care of the item that gives you the most stress right away will make you feel even better about spring-cleaning.

 

Keep, Toss, Donate: Almost everything you are going through during spring-cleaning, such as clothing, shoes, or even small pieces of decor, can fall under one of these three labels. Clothing items and shoes that you have not worn for the last year can be donated (no, you don’t really need that denim skirt from college) and some miscellaneous clutter can be tossed. Keep things that you know will withstand some wear, but toss those grimy sponges and dish towels that have seen better days. Getting rid of space-eating clutter will leave your apartment home feeling light and organized!

 

Wash: Now is the time to wash everything, and we mean everything! Wash all of your bedding, including duvet covers and blankets. If you are donating any clothes, be sure to wash those as well. For those who are going an extra step and organizing their closets/drawers, when in doubt, wash it again. If you read our last blog, you may have already washed your dishtowels and bath towels, but if not, don’t forget about your smaller linens!

 

Disinfect: We won’t get into the gross details about all of the germs that inevitably float around, but they get everywhere, including inside your apartment! Pay special attention to places in your apartment home that you touch often, such as doorknobs, remote controls, faucets, and the refrigerator door handle. Rubbing those down with a disinfectant wipe will reduce your chances of getting sick or breathing in allergens, and no one wants to be sick when spring comes around!

 

Take your time: Don’t stress about getting everything done at once. If you start feeling overwhelmed, take a break. Figure out what you WANT to get done, and do those things first. Save some smaller tasks for later or even another day. Going at your own pace will make cleaning less stressful and give you a chance to do a thorough job, instead of rushing through everything.

 

These are just a few of our spring-cleaning ideas, and feel free to add yours to our checklist! For more information about our apartment homes, visit Arcadia Run online.

4 Easy Ways to Freshen Up Your Apartment Home

ThinkstockPhotos-623280506

Even though spring-cleaning is right around the corner, there is no need to deep clean your apartment home at Arcadia Run just yet! However, there are a few easy things you can do to freshen up your living area in anticipation of the warmer weather. For those of you who like to get a head start, following some of these easy tips will make you feel more prepared for when you do start your spring-cleaning! Check out some of our favorite ways to refresh your apartment home this spring.

Air it out

Even though it may still be chilly outside, open your windows for just a few minutes in the morning or during the day on the weekends. One of the best times to open your windows is when you are cleaning up or vacuuming. Let some of those dust particles out and let in some fresh air! Shake out rugs outside and try placing them in different places for a quick new look in your apartment home.

Clear the clutter

Were you feeling lazy this winter? Don’t worry – we were too. But now is the time to go through that stack of magazines and post-holiday sales catalogs you stockpiled and save only the ones you are absolutely going to use. Take the holiday cards down off the mantle or fridge and store them away, and clear any excess mail or clutter from your counter spaces. Tip: if you have not used or looked at something in the last month, then it is probably safe to toss or put away.

Let there be light

We know we aren’t the only ones who are happy that it is staying lighter out later in the evenings! Open your curtains and blinds throughout the day and evening to let natural light in as long as possible. If you are feeling more ambitious, change out all of your old light bulbs that have gotten dim during the winter. Be sure to keep light bulbs out of reach if you have small children in your apartment home.

Wash up

Take all the extra linens and cloths, such as dishtowels and blankets, and wash them. Chances are you probably didn’t do this a lot during the winter (no judging here), so now is the perfect time to freshen up your linens! Change out your bathroom towels and hand towels as well, and store winter linens away until next year. Once you start your spring-cleaning, you’ll be able to check this small task off of your list already!

These ideas may seem small, but they will make a big difference in your apartment home! Check out http://www.arcadiarun.com/ for more information about living at Arcadia Run.