Blog Posts

Warm Drinks for Fall

Fall brings with it cooler weather, which can sometimes make it difficult to stay warm. The Cavalier Court Blog is here to help with a few recipes for fall drinks that will not only warm you up but that will also taste amazing. Try them all out at your apartment and let us know which recipe is your favorite! Apple Pie Spiced Cider Spice up your apple cider with the same seasoning you would use in a pie! What you will need: apple cider, light brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, ground allspice, ginger, ground cloves, grated nutmeg, and salt. Make an alcoholic version by adding some brandy. Nutella Hot Chocolate The delicious chocolate hazelnut spread you love is now in a warm and rich liquid form. To make this ingenious concoction, you will need milk, Nutella, unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, and any desired toppings. We suggest topping your drink with marshmallows, crushed hazelnuts, chocolate chips, whipped cream, and extra Nutella. Mulled Cranberry Apple Cider If you’d rather have something light and citrusy instead of something rich and creamy, give this cranberry apple cider a try. You will need cranberry juice, apple cider, orange peel, a piece of ginger, cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, and whole cloves. Use honey or brown sugar for some additional sweetness. Then use cinnamon sticks, orange slices, and fresh cranberries for a garnish. Apple Crisp Tea A relaxing cup of this apple crisp tea from Fresh Bites Daily just before bed will prepare you for sweet dreams to come. To make it, you will need dried apple slices, cinnamon sticks, lemon peel, sprigs of lemon balm or a squeeze of lemon juice, honey, and cream. What is your favorite warm drink to enjoy during the fall season? Share your own drink recipes with our Fairfax, VA apartment community in the comments below.

Fall Decorating Tips

Fall has officially arrived here in Fairfax, VA and we love the beautiful colors that are starting to pop up! If you haven’t already decorated your apartment to reflect the season, now is the perfect time to start! We are sharing a few fall decorating tips in today’s Cavalier Court Blog. Incorporate Fall Colors One of the easiest ways to bring the season indoors is to decorate with warm colors, like deep red, yellow, orange, and browns. These warm colors will make your home feel more inviting and help to increase the cozy vibes. The easiest way to do this is to add decorative pillows, rugs, throw blankets, and other colored or themed decor. Bring the Outdoors Inside Bring the natural beauty of fall into your apartment by adding some fall flowers and plants to the rooms in your apartment. Fall flowers, an indoor garden, faux leaves, potted plants and trees, and pine cones — all are great decorative touches that will bring life and color into your apartment. Use Pumpkins Over the years, pumpkins have become one of the most recognizable symbols of fall. Add some decorative fall pumpkins to your home. Make a fun centerpiece with miniature pumpkins or make a pumpkin vase . Better Homes & Gardens has a huge collection of pumpkin decorating ideas if you need some inspiration. Light Fall Scented Candles Candles bring warmth and light into a room. Scented candles can also bring a pleasant aroma. Scientific studies have shown that scent is one of the most powerful triggers for memories and emotions; learn about the science behind this study in this article from Psychology Today . What are your best fall decorating tips? Feel free to share them with the rest of our apartment community in the comments. Thanks for reading our post. Have fun decorating this month!

Savory Soups for September

The first day of fall is September 22nd and we couldn’t be more excited! To celebrate the arrival of this new season, the Cavalier Court Blog is sharing a few savory soup recipes for you to make at your Fairfax, VA apartment. Give these recipes a try and then let us know about your experience in the comments. Creamy Potato Soup from Cooking Classy This rich and creamy potato soup is loaded with russet potatoes, yellow onions, chopped carrots, diced celery, chicken broth, salt, ground black pepper, butter, flour, milk, and sour cream. Serve with crumbled bacon or chopped cooked ham, shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped green onions or chives. Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons from Delish With fall comes a landslide of pumpkin recipes for everything from desserts to soup. This creamy pumpkin soup is a must try this fall and the grilled cheese croutons are absolutely delicious! Soup and grilled cheese where two foods that were meant to go together, no doubt. Egg Drop Soup from Kitchn This type of soup is normally served at any Chinese restaurant, but you don’t need to go to a restaurant to enjoy it! Make it in your apartment with the following ingredients: chicken or vegetable stock, eggs, salt or soy sauce. You can also add in extra ingredients for some additional flavor. 20-Minute Chicken Parmesan Soup from Chelsea’s Messy Apron This easy 20-minute chicken parmesan soup is perfect for those stressful days after work when all you need is an easy meal. We love the textures and flavors in this delicious, mouth-watering soup. Yellow onion, minced garlic, dried parsley, Italian seasoning, dried oregano, paprika, basil, salt, and pepper season this soup. What is your favorite type of soup? Let us know in the comments. Feel free to share your own soup recipes with us in the comments as well. Happy fall!

Courteous Practices to Remember

Being courteous and respectful to others around us is important. Because September is National Courtesy Month, we wanted to share a few basic courteous practices that we all would do well to remember at our Fairfax, VA apartment community. Say “Thank You” When you are the recipient of a kind gesture, service, or other courtesy, show your appreciation by saying “thank you.” It may seem like a small thing but it lets the giver know that their kind act was both noticed and appreciated. Be Polite When Using Common Areas Cavalier Court’s community amenities are there for everyone to use, and your use of them can have a long-lasting effect on how others use it. Be careful and polite when you’re using these amenities. Clean up after yourself, avoid damage and talk to management in the event of an emergency, and be willing to share space. Clean Up After Yourself Your messes in your apartment may not immediately affect anyone else, but think of how they might go out of hand and inconvenience others. For example, leaving bad smells in your home may waft into the rest of the building. Living in a messy environment may make it easier for you to leave messes in common areas, or it may even mean you forget about picking up anything left in hallways. Remember that cleanliness makes living easier for you and everyone every day. Mind Your Manners Minding your manners means thinking of others’ comfort and doing what you can to foster that. Think of the needs and wishes of others and be willing to make accommodations to help everyone feel respected and happy. This means keeping the noise in your apartment down and being friendly to those you interact with, even in passing. Politeness does a lot to foster healthy communication and peaceful living. What other courteous practices would you add to our list? Share them with us in the comments. Happy National Courtesy Month!

Make the Most of Your Balcony

Many of our apartments here at Cavalier Court come equipped with an attached balcony or patio space for you to do your will with. In case you find yourself in need of ideas for how to use this space, we are sharing a few in this post. Enjoy the beauty of Fairfax, VA without leaving the comfort of your apartment by spending time on your balcony or patio. Start a Garden Turn your patio or balcony space into a luscious garden teeming with life. Plants not only look beautiful, but they also help to remove toxins from the air and give off oxygen. Personalize your garden according to your tastes and make it as big or as small as you wish. You don’t have to use your entire balcony/patio space as a garden; you could also designate a small section of it to gardening. Hanging baskets and planters are a great option if you are looking to conserve space. A Place to Relax Turn your balcony or patio space into your own personal getaway. Add a comfortable chair and a small table for a place you can go to eat, nap, have a cup of coffee, or read a book. Enjoy the sunshine as your body absorbs the vitamin D that it needs while you appreciate the good health that comes from being in the outdoors. This is the perfect place to go when you want to be alone when you need to think, or just when you want to admire nature. Hang Wall Decor The blank space of your patio wall could be a great space to display items you wouldn’t necessarily hang inside, like a kite collection to add a splash of color, your favorite fishing rod and net to showcase your interests, a string of lights to add a mystical element to your area, or colorful tapestries to give the balcony more of a sophisticated vibe. The way you incorporate these and other items into your balcony can really make it feel like a home (just steps) away from home, so jot down your ideas and see what you can do! Let your personality shine through your decorations and give passersby a chance to admire this beautiful space that you’ve created. How do you use your balcony space? Share your ideas and creativity with the rest of our apartment community by leaving a comment on this post.

Golfing in Fairfax

Golfing is a great summertime hobby to pick up. There are plenty of beautiful golf courses in the area to choose from as you’re looking for a venue to practice at. The Cavalier Court Blog invites you to visit one of the many golf courses here in Fairfax, VA this month to celebrate National Golf Month! We are highlighting a few nearby courses and clubs near you. We have included drive times from our apartment community. Penderbrook Golf Club (9 mins away) Penderbrook Golf Club is a picturesque 18-hole par 71 championship golf course located within the highly regarded Penderbrook Community. The course is open to the public and boasts some of the most challenging holes in the metro area. The course features tight rye fairways and large greens. In addition, water hazards and numerous mature trees can alter your shots. The terrain is rolling, so expect some interesting lies. This course was designed with the average to advanced golfer in mind. Oak Marr Golf Complex (4 mins away) Oak Marr Golf Complex, acclaimed as one of the finest teaching facilities in Northern Virginia, includes not only the challenging 1,456 yard, 9-hole par three golf course, with holes from 95-200 yards but also a lighted 78 station driving range with target greens and covered, heated tees. Army Navy Country Club (10 mins away) Established in 1924, Army Navy Country Club is a private, member-owned country club. Experience the challenge, versatility, and variety of 54 holes of championship golf. The combined 500-plus acres in Arlington and Fairfax have gone through numerous improvement projects, most recently in 2009, in a committed effort to keep its course infrastructure optimized for today’s modern golf game. From Arlington’s rugged “Golden Age” appeal to the gentler curves of the “Modern Era” course design at Fairfax, the Club’s courses have something for everyone. Burke Lake Golf Center (23 mins away) Burke Lake Golf Center is a slightly wooded 18 hole, par 3 course for golfers of all playing abilities. Beginners and seasoned players alike will enjoy the challenge to their short game. Burke Lake Golf Academy offers classes, camps, clinics, group and private lessons for all levels and ages, taught by LPGA, PGA and USTGF professionals. Where is your favorite place to golf in the area? Let us know in the comments. Feel free to share any of your best-golfing tips or advice with us, as well. Happy National Golf Month!