Blog Posts

Must-Read Fiction Books

Reading is a great way to escape reality and to keep your brain active and healthy. Another great thing about reading is that it is something that you can do just about anywhere. To encourage reading, our Randolph Towers Blog is sharing a few highly recommended fiction books to read without leaving the comfort of your apartment. Read our post and then head to your favorite Arlington, VA library to checkout one of these awesome books! Exit West by Mohsin Hamid In a country teetering on the brink of civil war, two young people meet—sensual, fiercely independent Nadia and gentle, restrained Saeed. They embark on a furtive love affair and are soon cloistered in a premature intimacy by the unrest roiling their city. When it explodes, turning familiar streets into a patchwork of checkpoints and bomb blasts, they begin to hear whispers about doors—doors that can whisk people far away, if perilously and for a price. As the violence escalates, Nadia and Saeed decide that they no longer have a choice. Leaving their homeland and their old lives behind, they find a door and step through. The Drifter by Christine Lennon A compelling debut novel about a group of friends on the cusp of graduating from college when their lives are irrevocably changed by a brutal act of violence. The Drifter is an unforgettable story about the complexities of friendships and the secrets that can ultimately destroy us. Perfect Little World by Kevin Wilson Funny, disturbing, heartfelt, Perfect Little World is the story of a single mom who joins the Infinite Family Project, a futuristic commune that really revolves around a newfangled approach to alloparenting , where all the adults raise the kids collectively. It’s a fun and fast read, and does an excellent job of calling into question exactly what it means to be a parent. A Separation by Katie Kitamura A young woman has agreed with her faithless husband: it's time for them to separate. For the moment it's a private matter, a secret between the two of them. As she begins her new life, she gets word that Christopher has gone missing in a remote region in the rugged south of Greece; she reluctantly agrees to go and search for him, still keeping their split to herself. In her heart, she's not even sure if she wants to find him. Adrift in the wild landscape, she traces the disintegration of their relationship, and discovers she understands less than she thought about the man she used to love. Have you read any good books lately? Share them with us in the comments. Check back soon to see what is new on our blog!

Parks and Trails in the Area

Living here in Arlington, VA, we are surrounded by the beauty of nature! Get outdoors and take advantage of the warmer weather by visiting one of the many local parks and trails in the area. In this Randolph Towers Blog post, we are highlighting a few parks and trails in the area that you will definitely want to check out if you haven’t already. We are including a little about each park or trail and the distance away from our apartment community. Get out of your apartment and enjoy some fresh air! Lumber Run Park and Trail (1.1 miles away) This park has loads of fun things to enjoy! Shoot hoops on the basketball court or practice your serve over the volleyball net, have a meal outdoors under the picnic shelter, use the charcoal grills, relax under the gazebo, check out a show at the amphitheater, or use the paved path and nature trail! There are also public restrooms and drinking fountain available, and a playground. There are both paved and unpaved trails along the stream through a wooded setting. Bluemont Park (1.6 miles away) This beautiful 70-acre pastoral park offers a cornucopia of activities including biking, jogging, hiking, basketball, disc golf, baseball and softball fields, grass fields for soccer, lacrosse, football, tennis and volleyball courts, tennis court practice wall (can be rented), a school-age playground, healthy vending machines, picnic areas, multi-use paths, and natural areas with streams. The park is home to a myriad of fitness-based community events, including the annual Turtle Trot 5K race and the Animal Welfare League of Arlington’s Walk for the Animals. Windy Run Park and Trail (2.3 miles away) This 14-acre park is complete with a stream and wooded nature paths. The park is open to the public from sunrise to sunset. The nearly half-mile trail offers a brief, scenic jaunt with four creek crossings, culminating at the base of one of the Washington, DC area’s best waterfalls. Fort Bennett Park & Palisades Trail (3.7 miles away) This 11-acre city park and green space includes a nature trail and a historic covered spring house. The park is free and open to the public from sunrise to sunset. Do you have a favorite park or trail in the area? Let us know in the comments! Thanks for reading our post. Enjoy some time outdoors this month!

Healthy Meals You Can Make in a Jiffy

Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month? Celebrate this month by choosing to eat better. The Randolph Towers Blog is sharing a few recipes in this post for healthy meals that don’t take much time to make! Try one of these healthier recipe options at your Arlington, VA apartment this month. Omelette in a Cup from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom Coat a mug with olive oil or cooking spray, add eggs, diced ham, salsa, shredded cheese, salt and pepper, and whisk all the ingredients together. Microwave for just two minutes and breakfast is ready to go! Mediterranean Panzanella Salad from The Noshery This Mediterranean salad includes baby cucumbers, vine ripe tomatoes, yellow pepper, red pepper, red onion, parsley leaves, salt, crushed red pepper, minced garlic, feta cheese kalamata olives, sprig of rosemary, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, dried chilies, and toasted pita bread cut into strips. Butternut Squash Ramen Bowl with Rice Noodles from In Pursuit of More Need a healthy lunch in 10 minutes? This meal is a great solution! You will need vegetable stock, butternut squash soup, salt, soy sauce, rice noodles, medium soft tofu, scallions, sambai oelek, toasted sesame oil, fresh pea shoots or fresh spinach, and black sesame seeds for garnish. Tomato Salad-Stuffed Avocado from Taste of Home Avocados are a great source of healthy fats. Try out this recipe, which includes chopped small tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, chopped red onion, minced fresh parsley, olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced fresh oregano, salt, pepper, and medium ripe avocados. Black Bean and Corn Quesadilla from Babble When you don’t have a lot of time to make lunch, try this healthy and flavorful quesadilla that can be made in just 10 minutes. Ingredients include olive oil, black beans, frozen corn, onion powder, garlic powder, salsa, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, shredded monterey jack cheese, and flour tortillas. Do you have any quick, healthy recipes to share with us? Leave them in the comments so we can try them out. Thanks for reading. Happy National Nutrition Month!

St. Patrick's Day Ideas

Welcome back to the Randolph Towers Blog! In today’s post, we are preparing for St. Patrick’s Day on the 17th by sharing some ideas for how to celebrate. Keep reading for an overview for all you might need to celebrate in your apartment or out and about around Arlington, VA! Decorate Your Apartment Break out the green! Add a bit of luck to your apartment with these festive DIY St. Patrick’s Day home decorations from Country Living . Make one of these St. Patrick’s Day wreaths to hang on your apartment’s front door to greet any guests. Bake Goodies Make fun treats to serve at a St. Patrick’s Day party or at a low-key time in your apartment with a friend. Try making these Mint Brownie Ice Cream Push-Up Pops or these Mint Oreo Truffles that you won’t be able to quit eating. Visit Julie’s Eats and Treats for even more ideas! Dress Up A fun and easy way to observe St. Patrick’s Day is to dress up! We aren’t just talking about wearing something green and calling it good. Go all out and dress up as a leprechaun ! Make a trip to your favorite thrift store in the area to get everything you will need to make your costume. Visit an Irish Pub To get an authentic Irish experience, head to one of the many Irish pubs in the area to enjoy some great food, live entertainment, and drinks. The atmosphere in a pub is different than a regular bar and the food is usually much better than bar food. Learn about Irish Culture Expand your knowledge of Irish culture and society by reading up on it! Learn some Irish slang and practice your Irish accent and you will be speaking like a local (or pretending you can) in no time! Spend some time broadening your horizons by learning about another culture. How do you plan on celebrating St. Patrick’s Day this year? Let us know by leaving a comment on this post. Thanks for reading. We hope you have fun, no matter how you choose to celebrate!

Presidents' Day Trivia

Happy Presidents’ Day from the Randolph Towers Blog! In case you didn’t know, Presidents’ Day is a national holiday held on the third Monday of February to honor both past and present presidents of the United States. We thought a great way to celebrate would be to share some fun presidential trivia with residents of our apartment community here in Arlington, VA. Keep reading to learn a thing or two! Q: Who was the first president to live in the White House? A: John Adams. On Saturday, November 1, 1800, John Adams became the first president to take up residence in the White House. Q: Who was the only U.S. president to serve two non-consecutive terms? A: Grover Cleveland. He is counted as both the twenty-second and twenty-fourth president. Q: Who was the first president to appear on television? A: Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president to appear on black and white television in 1939 at the opening ceremonies for the World’s Fair. Q: Who was the only unanimously elected president by the Electoral College? A: George Washington. He remains to be the only president to have received 100% of the electoral votes. Q: Who was the oldest elected president? A: Donald Trump. He was 70 years and 7 months when he was inaugurated into office on January 20, 2017. Q: Who was the first U.S. president to be impeached? A: Andrew Jackson was impeached on February 24, 1868 by the House of Representatives for “high crimes and misdemeanors” in accordance with the second article of the U.S. Constitution. Q: Who was the only president to serve more than two terms? A: Franklin D. Roosevelt. He served in office for over 12 years and died shortly after his fourth term in 1945. Did you learn something new? Let us know in the comments and feel free to share any other fun presidential trivia as well. Thanks for reading and enjoy celebrating Presidents’ Day here at the Randolph Towers!

Valentine's Day Breakfast Recipes To Try

Welcome back to the Randolph Towers Blog! In this post we are highlighting some breakfast recipes for Valentine’s Day on February 14th so that you can get your day off to a great start and enjoy a tasty breakfast at your apartment. Read on to find a recipe you like and then head to your favorite Arlington, VA grocery store to pick up all the ingredients you will need. Double Chocolate Heart Donuts from Hungry Girl Por Vida You can’t go wrong with donuts and chocolate. To make these decadent donuts, you will need cake flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, buttermilk, eggs, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and cooking spray. Cannoli Stuffed French Toast from Two Peas & Their Pod Take an Italian-spin on french toast with this rich stuffed french toast. Ingredients include ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, semi-sweet chocolate chips, eggs, heavy cream, sliced French bread, butter, and powdered sugar. Red Velvet Crepes from Taste and Tell These red velvet crepes are filled with a rich cream cheese filling and topped with a chocolate drizzle. Is your mouth watering yet? Ingredients for the crepes include the following: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, buttermilk, milk, eggs, vanilla, sugar, red food coloring, and butter. Make the cream cheese filling using cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk. For the chocolate drizzle you will need chocolate chips and cream. Eggs Benedict Casserole from Chew Out Loud This casserole is a great option if you are looking for savory instead of sweet. Ingredients needed to make it include the following: chopped ham, English muffins, eggs, milk, onion powder, salt, garlic powder, ground black pepper, paprika, chopped parsley, egg yolks, heavy whipping cream, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and melted butter. Sweetheart Cinnamon Rolls from Pillsbury For a simple and easy to make breakfast, just use a can of Pillsbury refrigerated flaky cinnamon rolls and icing and shape the rolls to look like hearts. You could also do this with homemade cinnamon rolls if you have the time and you’re feeling up to it. Granola Yogurt Parfait Cups from Kirbie’s Cravings Here is a healthier breakfast alternative that tastes great and is portable! All you need is chopped fresh berries, Greek Gods Honey Yogurt, and Corazonas Oatmeal Squares. Do you have any Valentine’s Day-worthy breakfast recipes? Share them with us in the comments. Thanks for reading. We hope you have a fantastic Valentine’s Day at your Randolph Towers apartment!