• Plan a picnic in the living room. It may be too cold to head outside for a picnic, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the romantic experience indoors. Lay out your picnic blanket on the living room floor, light a few candles, and serve up a beautiful charcuterie platter and some other simple finger foods.
• Make a meal together. In the mood for something more gourmet? Make the date about the process of cooking instead of just enjoying the meal. Pick a new recipe, gather the ingredients, and set up your cook station with everything you need to get going (and maybe a glass of wine or two).
• Have a movie marathon. Do you and your significant other love romcoms? Pick your faves and set up the living room for a romantic movie marathon! Make sure you have plenty of cozy throw pillows and blankets, your favorite snacks and drinks, and your top films all queued up and ready to go.
• Set up a spa night. One way to show that you care is by pampering that special someone. If you’re not comfortable going to the spa for a couples’ massage, bring the spa to you! Diffuse a calming scent, like lavender, and dote on your significant other with a neck or foot massage.

16 Stay-at-Home Valentine’s Day Date Ideas [The Spruce]
Celebrate Valentine’s Day With a Stay-at-home Date Night [HGTV]
Stay-at-Home Date Ideas for Valentine’s Day [Organized Mom]

The post How to Have a Romantic Valentine’s Day at Home appeared first on Riverside Blog.

1. Stow spices on a turntable. Turntable, Lazy Susan, whatever you call it, these contraptions make it simple to quickly locate the spice you’re looking for! You can also use them for go-to baking supplies like flour and sugar. A mini turntable should fit neatly and easily into any spare cabinet.
2. Quickly boost your storage space. There’s probably some spare space in your cabinets that you don’t even realize is there! That’s the dead air above your canned goods and spices. Double your storage space instantly by adding wire shelving, which sits right on top of your permanent shelves. Similarly, small drawers under the sink or in other underused spots can work wonders.
3. Stash your cookie sheets differently. Instead of keeping your cookie sheets in a haphazard pile, use tension rods to get them in order. Line up tension rods from one side of a cabinet to the other and store your cookie sheets vertically.
4. Use the back of your kitchen cabinets. Did you know that parchment paper tubes are super easy to hack? Stick a wooden dowel through the hole in the center of the tube, and you can hang it instead of trying to stuff it in a drawer alongside cling wrap and aluminum foil. Just affix two temporary hooks to the back of a cabinet door, thread the dowel through them, and voila! Parchment paper at your fingertips.

The 52 Best Kitchen Cabinet Organization Ideas of All Time [Apartment Therapy]
The 35 Most Brilliant Organizing Ideas of All Time [The Kitchn]
22 Smart Storage Tricks for a Small Kitchen [Good Housekeeping]

The post Set Yourself Up for Holiday Cookie Success With These Kitchen Organizing Tips appeared first on Riverside Blog.

With the holidays upon us, the movie selection just keeps getting better. Check out seasonal favorites like The Grinch, Love Actually, and more throughout the month of December, in addition to family-friendly classics and action/adventure features. Both single- and double-feature nights are available, along with onsite food trucks to make sure you’re well-fed from the coziness of your car. Weekly rotating trucks include DC Slices, Chix N Stix, and Lattimore’s Funnel Cakes.

So gather up your quaran-team, find your favorite flick, and pile into your car for a safe and fun way to spend an evening this winter.

The post Catch a Holiday Flick at the Alexandria Drive-In appeared first on Riverside Blog.

1. Fresh citrus fruits and herbs galore. Love the fresh produce that pops up locally every summer? You can actually incorporate it into your decor. For instance, a cute planter full of fresh basil or mint would make the perfect centerpiece for your dining room table. A bowl filled with lemons and limes would also make a colorful statement!

2. Printed pillows. One of the easiest things to change up at home are your throw pillows. For summer, consider going with bright, bold patterns in the shades you associate with summer. Yellow chevron; orange checks; bright green gingham. You can also play around with nature prints—maybe lemons to match the bowl on your table!

3. Nature-inspired materials. Take summer as an opportunity to bring different textures into your space. Maybe a jute rug, a few pieces of wicker furniture, or even just some new houseplants.

4. A framed map. Dreaming of all the places you’ll be traveling to next summer? For now, satisfy your wanderlust with a physical representation of your travel plans. Frame a map of your favorite vacation destination and hang it in the living room or dining room as a reminder of the fun times to come!

5. Nautical or beachy accents. In place of your seaside vacation this year, spruce up your space with natural objects and nautical-themed decor like seashells, coral, or throw pillows in lobster or anchor motifs.

The post How to Make Your Apartment Feel Like a Summer Oasis appeared first on Riverside Blog.

Raspberry Mojito [A Sweet Pea Chef]
Fresh mint leaves and raspberries take center stage in this refreshing drink. You start by muddling them with simple syrup to create a sweet base for your beverage, then add a layer of ice. Add in raspberry or cran-raspberry juice, a few tablespoons of lime juice, and a generous pour of club soda or sparkling mineral water, and then enjoy!

Watermelon Coolers [An Alli Event]
This mocktail is mostly watermelon, so it’s basically like sipping on summer. To begin, cube and chill about four cups of seedless watermelon. Once they’re nice and cold, toss them into the blender with ice, freshly squeezed lime juice, and about a quarter-cup of creamy coconut milk. Serve the summer slushie in a glass with sugar around the rim and a fresh lime wedge!

Sparkling Cucumber Limeade [Taste & Tell]
If you love the refreshing taste of cucumber water, this is the mocktail for you. It features a thinly sliced English cucumber, which creates a crisp and subtly sweet taste. Before you start sipping, create a lime-infused simple syrup with sugar, water, and lime zest on the stove. Add fresh mint leaves and let everything mingle for a while, then strain the syrup, add fresh lime juice and the cucumber, and top with chilled sparkling water and ice.

The post Toast to the Summer Solstice With These Refreshing Mocktails appeared first on Riverside Blog.

1. Lightweight, sweat-wicking layers. Since spring bridges the gap between winter and summer, its weather can be somewhat unpredictable in terms of temperature. Make sure you’re ready for whatever awaits you outside by dressing in breathable layers, including a lightweight spring jacket. That way you can simply shed layers if it ends up being a warmer run, but you won’t be left shivering if it’s a little chilly on any given morning. Make sure your layers are sweat-wicking to avoid skin irritation.

2. A hat or sunglasses. You’ll probably want to enjoy as much of that spring sunshine as possible! But maybe not when it starts to make you squint. Keep the sun off your face by donning a sweat-wicking hat or tossing on a pair of athletic sunglasses. Make sure the glasses fit well so they don’t slide down your nose as you run.

3. Waterproof sunscreen. Before you put on those glasses, make sure you apply a layer of sunscreen! Even when it’s not particularly hot, your skin can still be damaged by the sun—and who wants to deal with a sunburn before summer even hits? Find a waterproof sunscreen that can withstand sweating, and stick with SPF 30 or higher.

4. A handheld water bottle or water belt. Staying hydrated is super important any time you exercise, but even more so as the temperatures begin to rise. Make sure you take along plenty of water for your journey! Opt for a handheld water bottle, a CamelBak you carry on your back, or a water belt outfitted with several smaller water flasks.

5 Hot Weather Running Gear Tips [Active]
Outdoor Products to Promote Safety While Exercising [Very Well Fit]
The 7 Best Handheld Running Bottles of 2020 [Very Well Fit]

The post Must-Haves for Your First Warm-Weather Run in Alexandria appeared first on Riverside Blog.