Thanksgiving Dinner Is Served! Essential Hosting Tips for Renters
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, you’re probably starting to make your holiday plans. And if those plans include hosting the big meal at your apartment, you might also be panicking about how you’re going to accommodate everyone. But don’t worry—just a few of these small tweaks will get your apartment ready for the crowd.
Stash your superfluous stuff. Extra clutter will always make your space look smaller, but it can actually become a physical barrier to your guests’ comfort in this case. Clear out the pieces of furniture that serve no functional purpose and stow them in the bedroom or office, and get rid of any knick-knacks or decor that are taking up what could be valuable space for food and drinks.
Find some extra seating. Unless you really want to mix things up with a cocktail-style dinner, you’re going to need enough seating for everyone on your guest list. But it doesn’t all necessarily have to be at the dining room table. Keep things casual and invite guests to take their plates to the living room, where they can get comfy on the couch, or set up some extra folding chairs wherever you have space.
Create a more modest menu. It’s probably tempting to go all out with the menu the first time you’re hosting Thanksgiving, but if you fight that urge, you’ll be happy you did. When you’re working with a smaller kitchen and less serving space, a full-sized Thanksgiving turkey might not be your best option. Instead, opt for a smaller main dish—maybe even chicken or a turkey breast—and keep the sides simple. Consider cutting casserole recipes in half to free up space in your fridge and on the table.
Invite your guests to pitch in. Or better yet, let your family and friends do some of the work. Chances are people will be clamoring to help out by bringing their own dish, so let them! Invite dinner guests to take care of the appetizers, salads, sides, and desserts, and then you can really pay attention to making the main dishes and the setting perfect.
How to Host Thanksgiving in a Small Space [Williams-Sonoma]
How to Host Thanksgiving in a Small Space [The Good Stuff]
How to Host a Huge Thanksgiving in a Small Space [Realtor.com]
Pore Over the Inventive Cocktail List at Dos Mamis
Open since July, Dos Mamis has been capturing hearts and taste buds with every meal served. The women entrepreneurs who started Dos Mamis have extensive experience in the restaurant industry and you can tell by the sophisticated menu and incredible ambiance they have put together! The restaurant is a self-proclaimed wine garden and cocktail bar, which you feel the moment you walk in with all the bright colors and lush greenery.
The menu definitely focuses more on the libations with a great selection of wine and hand-crafted cocktails with truly unique flavors. The food menu serves up nibbles like mini-empanadas, smoked salmon jerky, soft serve (topped with sherry, of course.) and charcuterie plates.
They serve up happy hour daily from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with discounts on cheese plates and some house drinks, as well as “bottoms up” from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on weekdays and 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on weekends where you can grab half-price bottles of wine! Salud!
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Save the Date for the Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade on Nov. 23
Silver Spring residents know that the weekend before Thanksgiving is when the holiday fun begins, thanks to the Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade. Starting at 10 a.m. on Nov. 23 and moving down Ellsworth Drive onto Georgia Avenue, the parade features live music from area marching bands, festive holiday floats, giant balloon characters, and Bolivian dancing groups, before Santa brings up the rear and ushers in the December holiday season. Want to get a front row seat? Plan to arrive early to stake out your spot along the parade route, and if you want to get an even closer view of the parade floats, consider signing up to be a volunteer (event organizers are looking for folks to help as inflatable balloon handlers).
Prefer to see the parade while staying warm and cozy inside your apartment? The parade will be broadcast live on News Channel 8 (and if you miss it on the 23rd, you can tune in for a rebroadcast on Thanksgiving day).
Quick and Easy Ways to Decorate Your Apartment for Autumn
Cozy sweater season is finally upon us, and it’s not just your wardrobe that deserves a makeover. Your apartment should be ready for autumn, too! If you need some seasonal design inspiration, here are a few decor tips for fall.
Toss up some twinkle lights. What could be simpler than stringing up a few strands of lights? Twinkle lights instantly create a cozy vibe within your home, transforming a simple space into something almost magical. You’ll love curling up on the couch with the softly glimmering lights hanging overhead.
DIY a dried herb and flower wreath. If you want to adorn your door in a way that doesn’t involve autumn leaves, try this DIY wreath instead. In place of the fall foliage, it showcases dried herbs and colorful flowers to create a more contemporary look.
Stock vases with pumpkins. When it comes to fall decor, you can’t go wrong with the classic pumpkin. But if you want to elevate the simple gourd, find pint-sized pumpkins in a few different shapes and hues and pack them into large glass vases. The result will be a stunning centerpiece for your dining room table or a chic vignette for the living room.
Create a “get cozy” station. ‘Tis the season to snuggle up! Encourage your guests to do so by stacking some soft throw blankets in plain sight, perhaps capping them off with a plump pumpkin or a small chalkboard sign that actually instructs them to, “Get cozy!”
The Ultimate Fall Decorating Guide: 30 Ideas to Try This Weekend [Apartment Therapy]
8 Fall DIY Decor Ideas [Noelle’s Favorite Things]
DIY Fall Home Decor We're Dreaming About [Southern Living]
Tap Into Your Creative Side at Color Me Mine in Silver Spring
Children love to color, paint, sculpt and draw, even if they're not accomplished artists, and adults can take a cue from those kids at Color Me Mine in Silver Spring. Whether you come solo or rent the place out for a private party, you work at your own pace and in your own way, supported by the staff members who can help you manage the process, suggest techniques for decoration, or just leave you to your own devices.
Here's how it works: after you arrive and check in, select a pottery piece that strikes your fancy. Then choose the colors and techniques that you'd like to use to decorate your piece--it could be brushes, stencils, sponges, or stamps. Once you're done (usually after a couple of hours), you pay for your pottery and the studio fee ($10 standard, less on discount days), and get a pickup date for your piece to be fired and ready.
No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating DIYs for Grown-Ups
Carving a jack-o-lantern may have been fun when you were a youngster—but that was before you were the one in charge of cleaning up. Times have changed, and so have your tastes. So here are a few sophisticated DIY projects you can try with your pumpkins this year.
Chalkboard Pumpkins
Chalkboard paint isn’t just for the walls. If you cover a pumpkin in the black matte paint, you can actually scrawl fun fall messages across it with chalk. Start by finding a faux pumpkin at the craft store that’s smooth enough for the chalkboard paint, and then coat the entire thing with it. Add a stripe of glittery paint—and maybe add some glitter to the leaves, too—for a bit of extra flair.
Glitter Pumpkins
If you firmly believe that Mother Nature got the color scheme right, but you still want to punch up your pumpkins, these glittery gourds are for you. Grab a few faux pumpkins and smother them with Mod Podge, then coat the entire exterior with orange glitter. Let the pumpkin dry and nestle it among some artificial fall leaves on your coffee table or dining room table.
Paint-Dipped Pumpkins
Maybe you prefer decor that’s slightly less sparkly, in which case these simple paint-dipped pumpkins are probably your best bet. This craft requires an actual trip to the pumpkin patch to grab a real gourd. Then wrap a strip of painter’s tape around the center of the pumpkin, turning it upside down and perching the stem firmly in the roll of tape. Use a brush to coat the bottom half with paint in your favorite autumn hue (you might need to do two or three coats). Once it dries, peel off the tape and reveal your masterpiece.
15 Glam Pumpkin Designs For A Glitzy Fall And Halloween Décor [homedit]
12 Glitter Pumpkins That'll Add Some Glamour to Your Porch This Halloween [House Beautiful]
DIY Paint-Dipped Pumpkin [Erin Spain]
Save the Date for the Silver Spring Arts & Crafts Fall Fair on Oct. 20
Don’t fight the impending fall and holiday season – kick off the start of crisp fall weather with the best that Silver Spring has to offer at their yearly Arts & Crafts Fall Fair. The event is set for Sunday, October 20 in Veterans Plaza from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and promises to offer plenty of shopping, tasting, and family-friendly fun. Explore the arts and craft vendors to give your home a refresh for the season, or discover the rare finds that will make impressive gifts this holiday. Both fall décor and holiday displays will bring Veterans Plaza to life and get you in the mood for autumn and the last few months of 2019. There will be hot apple cider, rich cocoa, and plenty of other flavors of fall, plus kids can decorate tiny pumpkins just in time for Halloween.
Admission to the Silver Spring Arts & Crafts Fall Fair is free, and no advance registration is required. Don’t miss it!
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Save the Date for the Silver Spring Arts & Crafts Fall Fair on Oct. 20
Don’t fight the impending fall and holiday season – kick off the start of crisp fall weather with the best that Silver Spring has to offer at their yearly Arts & Crafts Fall Fair. The event is set for Sunday, October 20 in Veterans Plaza from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and promises to offer plenty of shopping, tasting, and family-friendly fun. Explore the arts and craft vendors to give your home a refresh for the season, or discover the rare finds that will make impressive gifts this holiday. Both fall décor and holiday displays will bring Veterans Plaza to life and get you in the mood for autumn and the last few months of 2019. There will be hot apple cider, rich cocoa, and plenty of other flavors of fall, plus kids can decorate tiny pumpkins just in time for Halloween.
Admission to the Silver Spring Arts & Crafts Fall Fair is free, and no advance registration is required. Don’t miss it!
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Oct. 5 at Wheaton Regional Park: Strut Your Mutt DC Metro!
Strut Your Mutt DC Metro is a charity dog walk taking place 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 5 at Wheaton Regional Park. This incredible event will help Best Friends Animal Society to better partner with animal welfare groups to help save the lives of homeless cats and dogs.
The day is sure to be a fun one, packed with activities for dogs and their owners. The walk is your chance to show off the amazing bond you have with your pet. Afterward, take a photo with pet celebrities on the stage. Then head over to the event activity tents. In the Pooch Pavilion, your four-legged friend will have the chance to do some paw painting. In the Best Friends Experience Tent, the two of you can take a picture in the photo booth. Raffles and a silent auction will feature excellent prizes. Don’t forget about the Splash Zones, where your pup can cool off!
Admission to this dog walk is $25 onsite, or $20 if completed beforehand. This year, Best Friends has a goal of raising $100,000, so every little bit helps.
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Put on Your Dancing Shoes for the Health Expo & Dance Fitness Festival
Want a free and fun way to break a sweat? Get moving to the Health Expo and Dance Fitness Festival on Sunday, September 29th at Silver Spring Civic Center: Veterans Plaza.
The mission behind this family-friendly event is to build a healthier and stronger community. The program will run from 1pm until 9pm, and features a variety of dance-based fitness classes. On this day, you’ll get the chance to learn how to salsa, with lessons and demonstrations happening twice during the day. Find out what Grooversize Fitness is when Mike takes the stage at 4pm. Then, take part in “nonstop” Latin dancing, where you can show off your new salsa and bachata moves. Food vendors and other exhibitors will be on hand to serve and educate you in between dance sessions. This is your chance to cut a rug with the community! While the event is free, donations will be accepted. The proceeds will go to the Global Health Fitness Initiative, which is a non-profit charitable organization. The Silver Spring Civic Center is located at 1 Veterans Place.
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