Well, if you are in the Washington, D.C. region, the summer is a great time to root for the home baseball team – The Washington Nationals. And what a great time to have a Nationals game watching party! When living in apartment communities consider the following tips for your event:

1. Advise your property management staff that you are having a gathering to make sure this is acceptable at your community. They may even suggest renting out a room in the community clubhouse for it.
2. Decorate the room where the event will be watched in the colors of the team you are rooting for.
3. Invest in some foam “bad-call” baseballs for your guests to throw at the TV. This can be fun without causing damage to your home or the gathering area. An important tip — remove any fragile or breakable items from the room before the game begins.
4. If you have guests rooting for a different team, establish an imaginary line and decorate one side in the opposing team’s colors.
5. You may want to buy team branded plates, napkins, cups and utensils. This is definitely not a necessity, but can be fun. You can also buy these items in the team’s colors.
6. Consider the menu. If grilling or barbequing, consider timing it perfectly so the food is done right as the game starts. Hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken are all-time favorites during the summer. Also planning how to keep the food warm should be considered. Cold cut plates, vegetable platters or even pre-made sandwiches are also a viable option.  As always, consider the environment.  Regular plates, utensils, and glasses don’t cause waste, they can be washed.  If you use paper or plastic, please recycle.
7. Keep a cooler close buy to avoid anyone having to run to the refrigerator at exciting moments of the game. The cooler can be stocked with a variety of beverages such as sodas, beer, water, etc. (Be sure to have a designated driver on-hand in case your guests have too much fun).
8. Finally, enjoy the game with your guests and welcome Stephen Strasburg to the Washington Nationals.

Stephen Strasburg recently joined the Washington Nationals as a starting pitcher. Strasburg was selected by the team in the first rounds of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft. He signed a record $15.1 million contract with the Nationals on August 17, 2009 and made his debut in the2010 season.

And with a lineup including Kenny G, Laura Izibor, Rachelle Ferrell, Brian Simpson, Down to the Bone, Mint Condition, and appearances by Gladys Knight and Sinbad, you’ll never find a better opportunity to enjoy immersing yourself in the jazz experience.

At the Festival Marketplace, you’ll discover craftsmen, businesses, and food vendors waiting for you to find them.  Take your time to browse – you never know what treasures you may find!

The Capital Jazz Fest is held at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. Located between Washington and Baltimore, Merriweather provides an unrivaled event venue combining theater-style seating and picnic-style seating for those so inclined.  Just make sure you’re aware of all the rules before you head out.

Don’t think you’ll be able to attend?  Don’t despair!  March your computer over to Capital Jazz Radio for an enticing mix of contemporary jazz, instrumental funk, and acid jazz.  Visit http://www.capitaljazz.com/radio for more info.

One of the benefits of living in the Washington DC metropolitan area is the opportunity to attend cultural events like these.

The Blairs is a green, pet-friendly apartment community located in Silver Spring, MD.  This convenient location provides easy access to the events and opportunities of the greater Washington DC area.

Feeding

It’s important to regulate your pet’s eating schedule.  Dogs should be fed at a time that correlates well with a bathroom break following soon after, and both cats and dogs that are left home alone all day with a full bowl may develop weight problems, increase the incidence of bathroom accidents in the apartment and let your pets grow bored.  For water, the problem is the opposite – you should always make sure that water is available for your pet.

Luckily, today’s modern world provides a variety of tools that let us regulate our pets’ feeding environment.  Automatic feeders allow you to program times to feed your pet, and more advanced models will even allow you to specify how much food to release at specific times.  Automatic water dispensers work the same way, and pet water fountains make sure that water is always flowing for your cat or dog.

Entertainment & Exercise

The best way to keep your pet entertained while you’re not around is to have some really great toys.  For dogs, Kongs are a great toy that provide hours of entertainment.  By sticking a treat (such as a spoonful of peanut butter), you can entice your dog to bite, lick, and roll around with a Kong for hours.  Cats will respond well to a scratching post and some catnip toys – and a scratching post will pull double duty by providing an alternative to furniture and carpet for your cat to scratch at.

Another great tactic to make sure your pets don’t become bored with their toys is to make sure that you have a variety of toys that you put out on an alternating schedule.  This will keep toys fresh and new, and keep your dog or cat’s interest for a longer period of time.

And of course, the most essential tool you need to keep your dog healthy and entertained is a leash.  Your dog will need regular walks around the apartment community or neighborhood for exercise and to go to the bathroom.  A good, quality leash will let you lead your dog while giving him the option to run around and enjoy the outdoors.

Apartment Care

While all the above will help you keep your apartment in good shape while living with a pet, there are two tools that will really help you control your apartment’s appearance.  A good pet brush and a litter box.  The litter box is essential if you have a cat – and daily upkeep will keep smells out of your apartment.  As with feeding, there are litter boxes that will automatically clean themselves, but you will still have to maintain the removal process.

Regularly brushing your pet will help prevent your cat or dog’s fur from ending up on your clothes, sofa, and carpet.

Conveniently located near the Silver Spring Metro, an apartment rental at The Blairs lets you enjoy pet-friendly living near Washington, DC.

One other reason for concern about smoking in apartments is the increased risk of fires.  Smoking is the #1 cause of residential fires in Maryland, causing more damage overall than most other types of fires.  Visit Maryland Smoke Free Apartments for more information on how a smoky environment can affect your lifestyle.

Some residents may also haves serious breathing disabilities or allergies that cause smoke to have a more drastic affect on their lives.  If you can’t or don’t want to live with cigarette smoke, you may have had difficulty finding a non-smoking building.  This is because many landlords are not aware that they can designate whole and partial buildings as non-smoking areas.

At The Blairs, we care for your health and safety.  As a non-smoking community, we offer entirely smoke-free, eco-friendly apartment rentals in Silver Spring, Maryland.  You’ll enjoy a pleasant atmosphere that you control completely, making your apartment a private sanctuary.  And, with our convenient location near the Silver Spring Metro, you’ll enjoy easy access to both Washington DC and downtown Silver Spring.

This annual tradition is a two-week celebration of springtime in Washington, DC, as well as the 1912 gift of the cherry blossom trees and the enduring friendship between the people of the United States and Japan. Each year, tourists and residents alike descend on the Tidal Basin to tour the spectacular display of blooming cherry blossoms and enjoy a myriad of events throughout the city.

This year, check out the Opening Ceremony at the National Building Museum on Saturday, March 27th from 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM. Green thumbs will enjoy the Samurai Orchids at the United States Botanic Garden on March 31st, and while Anime fans will rave about the Eighth Annual Anime Marathon Film Festival on Saturday April 3rd. If you’re a baseball fan, make sure to check out the games on April 3rd, 7th, and 8th – a percentage of ticket sales benefits the National Cherry Blossom Festival when you purchase at www.nationals.com/cherryblossom.

And, of course, no one should miss the National Cherry Blossom Parade and Sakura Matsuri in the heart of DC. Get in touch with the culture of Japan as you browse booths and exhibits dedicated to sumo, taiko, J-POP, and more. If it’s Japanese, it can be found at the Sakura Matsuri!

The Blairs, located at the Silver Spring Metro Station just outside DC’s border, offers residents an easy home base from which to enjoy not only the National Cherry Blossom Festival, but all the opportunities of living near Washington DC.

While there’s no doubt that Downtown Silver Spring offers a plethora of entertainment options, our vicinity to DC gives all residents to embrace the international flair and magnetic draw of the city. With our convenient location at the Silver Spring Metro Station, life at The Blairs provides you with quick and easy access to the festivities and events of Washington DC.

From a variety of shops to nearby entertainment, downtown Silver Spring offers a plethora of opportunities sure to entrance everyone, young and old.  Crafters will love ArtSpring, the Pyramid Atlantic Community Arts Store.  This store is dedicated to promoting the local arts community.  Stop by to browse a wide selection of handcrafted art, jewelry, accessories, pottery, and more.

Another of our resident’s local favorites is the Silver Spring Farmer’s Market.  This fun tradition is a local source of goats’ milk cheeses, tree and field fruit, vegetables, honey, eggs, meat, pies, preserves, salsas, cut flowers, breads, pastries and much more.

For movie and culture fans, the AFI Silver Theatre & Cultural Center is a center of American and world cinema and a source of literacy, learning and vision for the future.  During film festivals, the AFI theatre is a haven for international film fans.

The nearby Downtown Silver Spring Shopping Center give shopaholics the opportunity to enjoy a variety of shops and restaurants.  Highlights include Whole Foods, Borders, Ann Taylor Loft, DSW Shoes, Metamorphosis, Ulta, Gymboree and Pier 1 Imports.  Frequent diners will love the proliferation of restaurants, from casual dining and upscale dining.  When you rent an apartment in Silver Spring, you won’t have to decide between Macaroni Grill or Redrock Canyon Grill.  For a quick lunch, stop by Panera Bread, or Potbelly Sandwich Works.

An apartment rental at The Blairs in Silver Spring gives you easy access to all this and more.  You won’t even have to leave the block to find a Giant, a dry cleaner, CVS, Mamma Lucia, and more.  And with high-rise apartments, garden apartment, and town-home style apartments, you’ll find the lifestyle you desire in Silver Spring.

Close and Lock Cabinets

Cats especially are notoriously curious when they encounter closed cabinets and doors, although many dogs find it difficult to resist the temptation to explore.  Unfortunately for Fido and Sylvester, low cabinets are typically home to dangerous cleaning chemicals.  To keep your cats or dogs out of cabinets, a child-proof latch will typically do the trick.  These inexpensive latches are easy to install, and can be found at your neighborhood ACE or online at Amazon.

Hang Up Plants (Or Avoid Altogether)

Animals love to chew on green, leafy plants and grass, whether indoors or out.  In fact, given their love of chewing on plants, you’d be amazed how dangerous these plants are for them to eat.  Some plants are downright poisonous (click here for a PDF of plants that are toxic to domestic pets).  Even non-poisonous plants can cause vomiting and worse.  If you have a green thumb, ensure that your animals don’t run foul of your greenery by hanging your plants from the ceiling.

Unplug Cords

By unplugging electrical cords, you can ensure that if your pet does manage to chew through the cords, they won’t get a nasty shock.  You may also want to train your pets to leave these cords alone by coating them with a hot sauce or a non-toxic ointment/spray, or placing them in a cord protector.

Hide Fragile Objects

Cats loving jumping, climbing, and exploring.  Dogs routinely bump tables and shelves that are set low enough to be an obstacle.  Prevent damaged objects (and broken ceramic or glass on the floor) by either placing fragile items where pets can’t reach them, or packing them safely away until you can safely display them.

Get a Heavy Duty Trashcan with a Lid

Cats and dogs are drawn to smelly objects.  The items they find in the trash can be extremely hazardous to their health.  Make your apartment more pet-friendly by getting a heavy duty trashcan with a lid.  A step trash can works well by making the trash can more accessible for you, and less accessible for your pet.

Your apartment can be a jungle for cats and dogs, but with a little bit of planning and upkeep, you can tame that jungle to be a safe and engaging environment for your furry family member.  For more information about how to keep your pets happy and safe, visit The Humane Society of the United States.

Re-Use
With a little creative thinking, we can re-use many of the products we come across on a daily basis.  By re-sing old items and not purchasing new, we can help green efforts overall.  If you still use plastic grocery bags to carry your groceries home, you can use those bags to line small garbage cans.  Old wine bottles work well as sophisticated vases and candle holders.  Take your daily newspaper and use it as wrapping paper, or use it to wrap packages.  Use plastic butter, sour cream, and take-out containers as a Tupperware alternative.

Unplug
Most appliances continue to use energy even when turned off – this phenomenon is called “phantom load”.  By unplugging your appliances (such as TV, DVD, and computer), you can reduce this phantom load and easily make your apartment more green – and reduce your energy bills!  If you don’t think you can remember to unplug all your appliances, consider plugging them into a surge protector that you can remember to turn off when you’re not using it.

Recycle
If your apartment has a recycling program, recycling can be as easy as sorting your items into the appropriate bin.  If your building doesn’t already have a recycling program (we hope it does!) you can bring the idea up to your property manager.  Otherwise, you can pick up your recyclables (and maybe recruit your neighbors, too) and drop them off weekly at a recycling facility.

Reduce
Cut back on your overall energy consumption. Change your thermostat to 68 degrees in the winter, your AC to 72 degrees in the summer. Or, let nature do its work and open a window or two.

Clean
Instead of buying highly processed cleaning agents, learn to make your own green cleaning agents.  These products will work just as well, and are a lot friendly to the environment.  As an essential, all-purpose cleaner, combine 1 tbsp white vinegar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp Castile soap, and1 tbsp Borax.  If you want to deodorize your carpet, combine 1 cup Borax, 1 cup baking soda, and 10 drops essential oils.  These will leave your carpet refreshed.

By following these simple steps, you’ll be on the road to living a green lifestyle, no matter where you live.

Finishes:

• 35% Recycled Silestone Countertops
• Full Glass Tile Backsplash
• Self Closing Maple Drawers & Cabinets
• GE Clean Steel Appliances
• Gas Range
• Breakfast Island
• Wood Blinds
• European Style Eco Cabinets
• Large Floor Plans & Oversized Cabinets

Green Features:

• Built-In Recycling Center
• Formaldehyde-Free Cabinets
• Paints & Carpets have No Volatile Organic Compounds
• High Recycled Content Flooring, Carpets, Cabinets & Countertops
• No Solvent-Based Stains & Coatings
• EnergyStar Appliances
• Kohler WaterSense Fixtures
• Set Your Budget & Monitor it 23 hours a day with SmartMeter

Community:

• Onsite Grocery, Restaurants, & Retail
• Premier Services & Amenities
• 100% Wind Powered
• At The Red Line Metro
• Zipcar Onsite
• Non-Smoking Building

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