Source: irkengirdib (MorgueFile)

Here at our pet-friendly Woodside Lorton Apartments we understand the importance of an animal companion. If you’re looking for animal shelters in Lorton where you can add a canine companion to the family roster, there are three spots nearby where you can find a wonderful companion and new family member.

• The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria works to match dogs with owners according to temperament and lifestyle. There are several dogs available at the Animal Welfare League, and they update their adoption page frequently.
• Fairfax County Animal Shelter will help you get the dog you like. Their adoption process goes through Pet Harbor online. Simply input 22035 for the search zip code, and it will pull up their shelter as the first choice in the list. You can view the dogs there for the perfect pet.
• SPCA NOVA has a number of dog fairs available when you’re looking to add a dog to your family.

Giving a dog a good home from one of these animal shelters in Lorton and the surrounding area is not just good for them, it’s good for you, too. Make a “pawsitive” addition to your family with a canine companion!

Journey out of the house by connecting with one of these Lorton trails.

One trail you can begin your journey outdoors in Lorton would be BWI Trail. At 12.5 miles in length, you will have a chance to have a terrific recreational ride especially when traveling through the Friendship Park’s pine forest.

Another trail you will find rewarding to travel on is Anacostia River Trail which has a nice asphalt surface. The trail is approximately 2.6 miles and you can head near the shoreline of the five through forest as well as some open areas.  It is short enough so that you will not become winded, but it’s long enough to get a nice workout in on your ride.

You should also check out the Capital Crescent Trail. The surface of this trail consists of gravel, asphalt as well as some crushed stone along its 11 mile length. Once you are done, your journey will complete itself in Georgetown.

For more fun things to do in Lorton, make sure to check out Woodside’s blog!

Catch a stunning pyrotechnic display this summer at these July 4th celebrations in Lorton.

July 4th in Lorton is a fun time for our beautiful community. If you’re looking for great fireworks displays in order to celebrate our nation’s Independence Day, we’ve found a few that are nearby our Fairfax County neighborhood that you won’t want to miss.

• Fairfax will be enjoying an all-day celebration with a parade at 10am downtown, a concert at Fairfax High School starting at 7pm, and then a fireworks display as soon as it’s dark.
• Alexandria will be putting their display on a bit after Independence Day to combine it with Alexandria’s ‘birthday,’ so it’s a great opportunity to enjoy even more fireworks. The celebration will be held on July 13th from 4pm to 10pm at Oronoco Bay Park. The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra will start their concert at 9pm with fireworks following at 9:30pm.
• Manassas is putting on their Independence Day celebration at the Visitor’s Center starting at 4pm with food, children’s activities, live music, and a fireworks display starting at 9:15pm.

For more opportunities to celebrate July 4th in Lorton and the surrounding area, check out about.com.

Enjoy this Independence Day with a wonderful fireworks display that’s close to home!

Slide into the Stanley Cup at one of these sports bars in the Lorton area.

One of those great sports bars has to be Glory Days Grill over on 9459 Lorton Market St. in Lorton.  It has an excellent selection of food and drinks that will carry you and your buddies throughout the evening as you watch the NHL playoff action.  Take a bite out of their great burgers and share their popular chicken wings with your friends.

Another place to consider is Morgan’s Sports Bar & Lounge located on area favorite 3081 Golansky Blvd in Woodbridge.  This is a wonderful destination when you have hockey on your mind, and it’s also great for a game of pool while you watch.

One more destination for sports bar seeking to watch NHL playoff action is Grevey’s Restaurant on 8130 Arlington Blvd. in Falls Church.  It has the best pub-style sandwiches, great homemade soup and 50 LCD and plasma TVs.

For more local bars and restaurants, check out our Woodside Apartment Homes’ blog!

Follow these hosting tips when you’re planning a summer picnic this year.

International Picnic Day is June 18 and the location of our Woodside Apartments makes us a great place to enjoy this holiday in style. There are some things which every picnic should have. Follow these picnic tips and make your picnic awesome.

• Location: Your picnic has got to have a legitimate location to be a success. If your aims are too remote or unknown, then people might get lost. If they are too central, then it will be like being at a shopping mall. You have to have the Goldilocks metric of “just right” for you location to be a hit.
• Food: BYO really works for picnics, but you should coordinate the food so that you’re sure you have enough of what you need.
• Drink: Dry or liquored up is something you should decide. If there will be kids, then no alcohol could be wise. In either event, you have to remember those who don’t want spirits.
• Activities: What kind of games or other things are you going to have for folks to do?
• Guests: Your picnic is only as good as your least happy guest.

A successful picnic from our Woodside Apartments is within your reach if you plan. Enjoy the beautiful weather that comes with living here in Lorton!

Removable wallpaper can add a personal touch to any drab home.

At our Woodside community, adding a little extra pizzazz is something residents are encouraged to do. Adding your own touch using removable wallpaper adds an extra layer of individuality and comfort to your home.

Here are the benefits – and there are many – when it comes to using removable wallpaper versus traditional roll and glue products.

• The paper looks and feels like standard rolled wallpaper
• No glue, no mess and hardly any clean-up.
• Uses a non-toxic adhesive with no fumes
• Paper can be unstuck and re-stuck in case it’s crooked or you want to place it triangularly versus square
• Use the wallpaper on a variety of areas including walls, door fronts, closets, backsplash, cabinet fronts and tabletops. Just about any surface except those with a heavy texture
• Lasts for a long time
• Custom colors are available by special order

Spicing up the atmosphere is an affordable an easy project that doesn’t take a lot of time to do and results in a high “wow” factor when visitors stop by to see your creative endeavors at your Woodside apartment!

Stop by the Summer Art Party at Workhouse for a weekend full of music and culture.

Being able to bask in the fascinating conversations of local artists and learn about their artwork is just one quality of Summer Art Party on the Quad. The other benefit is being able to appreciate the community’s various arts education programs as well. One of the great benefits of the day is the fitness walk which begins at the Quad at the Workhouse Arts Center.

After the 3 mile walk, stay and take part in the various fun-filled activities and enjoy the music. You can also help out the needy of the community by bringing a food item that is nonperishable which will help the work of the Lorton Community Action Agency.

Bring the kids out to the many exciting activities designed for them like kite making and flying workshop,  as well as Children’s Snickerdoodle Story Time!

Enjoy other exciting seasonal activities by heading to our Woodside’s blog!