Crayon Drip Pumpkins [Good Housekeeping]
This customizable craft gives you tons of artistic license over your pumpkin. You can leave the pumpkin in its natural orange state or paint it white, black, or really any color. Just make sure the color of the pumpkin canvas goes well with whatever crayons you have on hand! After the paint dries, unwrap the crayons (leftover stubs work, too) and situate one near the stem of the pumpkin. Use a hairdryer to melt it and send the wax drips artfully cascading down the pumpkin. Repeat with as many crayons/colors as you want!

Yarn-Wrapped Pumpkins [Two Shades of Pink]
Here’s a fun way to put extra yarn or twine to good use: wrap your pumpkins in it. This tutorial showcases a few different ways that you can swathe pumpkins or gourds in any shade of yard. Simply loop the yarn around the pumpkin horizontally, continuing to stack up layers until you reach the stem, or twist the yarn vertically and weave it back and forth from bottom to top. Then wrap the stems in some string of a different color as the final flourish.

Gingham Painted Pumpkins [Kelly in the City]
If you love the sweet, classic look of gingham, this might be the DIY for you. In true farmhouse-chic fashion, the tutorial creates checkered pumpkins that are much more stylish than a jack-o’-lantern. Start by painting the entire pumpkin white. Once the white base dries, add vertical stripes in the hue of your choice. Choose a darker shade of the same color to create vertical stripes and achieve that cute gingham effect.

The post The Best Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin, No Carving Knife Necessary appeared first on Riverside Blog.

Pluck a pumpkin from the assortment to take home with you, or head into the retail store to pick up other fall decorations! Grab a houseplant or a mum to amp up your apartment’s style. You can also find fresh, local produce in the market. Note that masks are required inside of the market and in any outdoor space where you may come within six feet of someone outside of your party, including Pumpkin Hill.

The post Scale Pumpkin Hill at Nalls Produce appeared first on Riverside Blog.

With iced or slush options, Spill the Tea’s drinks are as aesthetically pleasing as they are delicious. From their namesake “Spill the Tea” (a blend of oolong tea, passionfruit, and dragon fruit) to other fruity varieties like “Appley Ever After” (green tea with lychee and green apple). Alternatively, you can opt for a milk tea or a drink from The Butterfly Collection, which highlights particularly eye-catching colors thanks to organic butterfly pea tea leaves. Add in boba or your other favorite toppings for the perfect sip. 

Spill the Tea doesn’t stop at drinks, though. Their “Bites” menu gives you options to eat while you enjoy your bubble tea, from spring or summer rolls to beef stew. They even offer vegan options, like pho and banh mi, so dietary restrictions won’t spoil the fun. 

If you stop by Spill the Tea for a drink, a bite to eat, or a little of both, one aspect remains the same⁠—you’ll want to take a picture before you take a taste. From that first bite, you won’t want to stop once you’ve taken your first bite.

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1. Gather your materials. Before you get started, take stock of what you need. Maybe bins for your sweaters would be helpful, or perhaps a shoe organizer to hang over the back of the closet door would cut down on the chaos. Make sure you have everything on hand before the organization begins.

2. Trim the excess. Next, sort through your clothing. Pack away anything you won’t need until spring, and donate items you don’t wear on a regular basis. A good trick to discern what is and isn’t essential in your wardrobe: turn all of your hangers in the same direction, and then when you wear something, place it back in the closet with the hanger pointing the opposite way. Then you’ll easily be able to suss out the obsolete pieces.

3. Put together grab-and-go outfits. Now that you’ve either donated or packed away anything that won’t be an autumn essential, it should be easy to put together a few cool-weather outfits. Aim for a mix of styles so you always have something easy to throw on, regardless of the occasion—from a stroll in the park to a day at the home office. Having these outfits ready to go eliminates stress when you’re in a hurry.

4. Organize everything else by category. Whatever doesn’t fit into your collection of fall ensembles should be stored in an organized fashion. For example, fold all sweatshirts and put them in bins next to each other. Do the same for jeans. Hang blouses or buttondowns together, corral skirts or suits in the same spot, and shuffle dresses to one side of the closet.

How to Get Your Closet Ready for Summer [Pottery Barn]
7 Simple Steps: How to Get Your Closet Ready for Summer [California Closets]
4 Tips to Get Your Closet Spring and Summer Ready [Creative Homekeeper]

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That brunch experience is just a glimpse into what The Warehouse, led by Culinary Institute of America–

trained chef Sert Ruamthong, has to offer. The menus span brunch, lunch, dinner, and more, with additional daily specials and dessert options. And, with online ordering available for pickup, you can have a delicious meal waiting for you in no time. 

The offerings go well beyond what’s available at brunch. Some particularly popular customer favorites include crabcakes, New Orleans French toast, and, of course, Surf and Turf. In addition to steaks and seafood, they offer a variety of sandwiches and salads, as well as soups, like their ever-popular sh- crab soup. 

Be sure to arrive hungry to enjoy the appetizers and desserts, too. From calamari and beignets to cheesecake and pecan pie, there’s an option for everyone.

The post Where to Have Brunch This Weekend Near Riverside: The Warehouse in Old Town Alexandria appeared first on Riverside Blog.

Neighborhood runners often make use of the trail on their jaunts through Vienna, as the trail affords a bit of shade in the summer months and traffic-free crossing from from Nilblick Drive to Ninovan Road. And if you're looking to take a longer trek either on foot or on a bicycle, the Wildwood Park Trail also links with the Washington and Old Dominion Trail, one of the crown jewels of the area's trail system.

The post Wildwood Park and Trail: Explore Fairfax County on Two Wheels appeared first on Riverside Blog.

If you prefer to drink your morning cup of coffee from the silence of your kitchen, couch, or bed, you don’t need to miss out on the expert brews roasted by the team at Swing’s Coffee. Rather, you can bring the same flavor home with you—if you’d rather, you can even order online for an even more convenient option. Best of all, enjoying your coffee from home doesn’t make for a less eco-friendly, educational experience. Each item in their online store details information on the bean itself, its source and background, and, in some cases, even the exact farm that produced it. 

Swing by Swing’s Coffee for yourself for the ultimate coffee experience or brew your own at home for a delicious cup of joe that’s as good for the environment as it is for your energy levels. 

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