Blog Posts

Swimming Pool Safety and Games

Penrose Square features a host of amenities that make every month here in South Arlington, VA enjoyable. Today we’re focusing on one: our apartment community swimming pool! Have a great time every time you visit by following some basic pool safety guidelines and even playing a game to switch things up. Today’s post features the basics to help you out! Safety and Etiquette Know your limits. Remind children to stay in shallow ends of the pool, and avoid wading into deeper waters if you’re not comfortable doing so. Toeing the line is tempting, but it can lead to disaster quickly. Brush up on your CPR basics, swimming skills, and your physical abilities so you can act accordingly. Always swim with a buddy. Swimming alone is not a good idea. Accidents can happen even to young, strong, healthy people who are good swimmers. Bring a friend and stay present especially if you’re in charge of little ones. Always know where they are and intervene to help them be safe and have fun. Be conscious of others. It’s easy to feel like the pool is your domain when you’re having a great time in it, but it’s important to remember that this space is for everyone to share. Stay aware of others and encourage children to stay out of other swimmers’ personal spaces, to avoid splashing when others are within the line of fire, and to speak politely when interacting with others. Swimming Pool Games Dolphin Relay Race Each team (or two individual racers) receives a beach ball. At the starting signal, each player works to move the beachball across the pool — with just their nose. This game may be played as a relay race with two teams. Anyone who uses their hands has to return to the starting line! Popsicle A variation of land-lubbers freeze tag, this game consists of one person being and remaining ‘it.’ They swim after others, freezing them with a touch. Frozen players must remain immobile. However, if a player is underwater they cannot be tagged ‘it,’ and if they swim past a frozen swimmer (otherwise known as a ‘Popsicle’) while underwater they unfreeze them. What other swimming pool safety and etiquette tips would you add to our list? What are your favorite games to play in the pool? Share your thoughts with the rest of us by leaving a comment! Thanks for reading. We hope you enjoy your time at our swimming pool this summer.

Tips for Working Out in the Summer

Summer may not officially be here in South Arlington, VA for another month or so, but the weather will be warming up soon enough! Stay active at Penrose Square by using our 24-hour fitness gym just steps from your apartment. Stay cool, inside or outside, by remembering these important tips for working out in the summer. Dress for the occasion. Working up a sweat, even in an air-conditioned indoor gym, in the summer can put extra strain on your body. But wearing lightweight, breathable fabrics in clothes that fit you (not too loose or too tight) can aid in the cooling down process. Opt for lighter-colored clothing and sunscreen to reflect and protect yourself from the sun’s rays, whether you’re near a window or you’re actually outside. Refuel properly. Staying hydrated will regulate your body temperature and keep you energized, so have a water bottle handy and refill it often to ward off dehydration. But also be aware of what foods you need to eat pre- and post-workout to stay healthy. Active.com points out that higher temperatures mean more sweat and major electrolyte loss . Supplement your water intake with foods that make up for sodium loss. Choose healthy sources without added sugars to keep the energy high. Adjust your expectations. Conditions may drastically affect your performance, and that’s ok! In fact, that’s to be expected if you’re to feel good about your efforts in any condition. Acceptance will lead to a productive, healthy, and fulfilling workout because it lets you embrace your abilities as they are and challenge yourself appropriately, instead of denying reality and overworking yourself. So manage the strain that comes on your body well by realizing that an air-conditioned gym is different from the great outdoors (or even a hot area near a window). Give yourself a break and adjust your efforts to match reasonable expectations. What other important things should people remember when working out in the heat? Let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks for reading! We hope you have a successful summer workout at our apartment community!

Dog Park Etiquette

Penrose Apartments is pleased to be a pet-friendly apartment community here in South Arlington, VA. We even feature an on-site dog park for you and your furry friends to enjoy. Try these ideas and tips for dog park etiquette to make it a great experience for everyone. Get your pet ready. Community areas are great because they allow you to get to know others while participating in an activity you’re both interested in (in this case, giving your pet a breath of fresh air). But this also means your pet should be prepared, physically and socially, for being around others. So know your pet and prepare them for being around other animals and humans. Always keep your pet up-to-date on vaccinations and keep them home if they’re sick! Know when to hold back and stay in or away from others if your pet is anxious. Exercise elsewhere. It may seem like the perfect spot to give your pet a run, but a dog park should actually be a supplement to a pet’s daily activity, not the sole source of exercise or socialization, according to Jaymi Heimbuch on MNN’s article about 15 things humans do wrong at dog parks . She points out that dogs are best behaved when they are already exercised, so adjust your routine so you take a walk or run elsewhere before putting your high-energy pup near another high-energy one. Clean up after your pet. Messes are inevitable, but our pet park can stay a clean, healthy space for all to enjoy if everyone stays self-aware and cleans up messes as they occur. Plus, there’s nothing wrong with throwing away a piece of trash you happen upon. Carry disposable wipes to use as you do and you’ll make it that much more of a clean place for all. What other dog park etiquette tips would you add to our list? Let us know in the comments so we can all strive to continue making the apartment community a safe and comfortable place for everyone. Thanks for reading!

Unique Pies for Pie Day

Welcome back to the Penrose Square Blog! We hope you’re excited for good things to come, in the blog and at your apartment here in South Arlington, VA. Today, we’re hoping to add some sweetness to your life. Pi Day is coming up on the 14th, so we’re excited to bring to you a few recipes you can try in your kitchen to celebrate right at home, all month long. Samoas Cookie Pie from Averie Cooks You don’t have to wait for the girl scouts to come to your door to indulge in your cravings. Turn your favorite Girl Scout cookie into a delicious pie. You’ll love the blend of chocolate, coconut, and caramel in this recipe. This is one of the richest recipes on our list, and we recommend having it with a large glass of milk. Peach Hand Pies from Shugary Sweets If you’re looking for a quick recipe to feed a few people without the hassle of cutting up a pie, try these hand pies! You’ll just need two boxes of refrigerated pie crust, a can of peach pie filling, cinnamon, powdered sugar, milk, and an egg white to put them together. Once they’re out of the oven and cool, glaze and enjoy! Unicorn Pie with Sprinkle Crust from The Sugar Sand Box If you’re not over the “unicorn everything” trend, this is a must-try recipe. Perfect for anyone who loves colors and sprinkles, this cream pie requires you to make a sprinkle-infused graham cracker crust with a colorful filling and a whipped cream topping. It will be just as fun to make as it is to show off and eat! What are your favorite ways to eat and make pie? Share any baking tips or treasured recipes you have with us by leaving a comment. Thanks for reading. We hope you enjoy these recipes and have a great March full of sweetness!

Welcome to the Penrose Square Blog

Welcome to the new blog for our apartments at Penrose Square! We are excited to share blog posts about what it means to be a part our apartment community every day. In our monthly blog posts, you can expect to read about the South Arlington, VA area, notable events nearby, and apartment living ideas, including recipes, apartment decorating, DIY projects, holiday ideas, and general tips for making a fulfilling life. There are plenty of things to explore in this exciting life, after all, so we will probably also throw in some history about the area and highlight different hot spots, shopping areas, and various places to go for entertainment. We might also feature local restaurants so you can take full advantage of the best places to get certain local foods and tastes that are both unique to our state and other parts of the world. Whatever we post, it's sure to be fun, so check back often to see what’s happening. For this month’s first post, we want to let you know a little more about our apartment community. Apartment Amenities We are pleased to bring our residents the apartment amenities that make life easier as well as more refined. Our apartments feature unique interior touches like granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, crown molding, designer-inspired track lighting, garden soaking tubs, and premium wood flooring (in select apartments). Revel in the modern conveniences we provide like spacious walk-in closets, in-home washers and dryers, and kitchens equipped with dishwashers and refrigerators. Relax on a private balcony and enjoy enchanting views of the Virginia landscape while you sip a cup of tea. Community Amenities Our community amenities bring comfort and convenience just steps from your front door. In addition to living space, we have a lovely selection of on-site retail and restaurants including Giant Food and Starbucks Coffee. Foodies will love the happy hour specials and impeccable dinner menus. Bring your furry friends along! Our pet-friendly community welcomes your fur-babies with an on-site private dog park. Other community offerings include a 24-hour fitness gym, a relaxing resident clubhouse and TV lounge, a swimming pool, concierge services, and more. Take advantage of our monthly resident events and get to know your neighbors, or hold a weekend get-together in the BBQ courtyard. If you live here, stop by and leave us a review . If you don’t, contact us today to schedule a guided community tour.