Blog Posts

Romantic Stroll: Parks in Vancouver, WA

Life is full of simple pleasures! Sometimes a refreshing walk in the park is all you need for a wonderful date. Breathe the fresh, crisp winter air, and lock arms to stay warm and cozy. The best parks in Vancouver are a lot closer than you think, read on for a list of our top 3! Leroy Haagen Memorial Park Maybe we’re biased, but we really love this park. It’s right next to us, the grass is lush, the paths are clean, the trees are tall and beautiful! There are also tons of picnic tables, and a covered area to escape the wet weather. It’s the perfect place for a refreshing walk and a cute little picnic with your Valentine, Galentine, or paw-lentines! Fort Vancouver and Officers Row The fort itself is absolutely stunning, but walking along Officers Row is probably our favorite part of this giant park near downtown Vancouver. The gorgeous architecture speaks to another time, with widows walks, wrap-around porches, and lovely gardens. The trees lining the paths are beautiful any time of year, but especially during the fall and winter when it snows! Check it out on Instagram here. Esther Short Park Right in the heart of downtown Vancouver is Esther Short Park. This popular gathering place is wonderful for a romantic stroll, with a gorgeous salmon run clock tower, fountains to splash in during the summer, a covered bandstand for the occasional live entertainment, and benches dotted along the paths to just sit and enjoy the moment. There are also tons of fantastic restaurants and coffee shops surrounding the park to visit before or after! Learn more here.

Date Night in Vancouver, WA

Whether you’re trying to figure out something to do this weekend or your planning ahead for Valentine’s Day, we’ve got you covered on date night ideas. Vancouver is a buzzing city, with tons of stuff to do nearby and in our thriving downtown. Read on to find out some of our favorite winter date night ideas around Vancouver, WA. Vault 31 This popular video game bar in Vancouver is one of our greatest hidden treasures! They’ve got awesome prices on drinks and food, super friendly bartenders, a laid back atmosphere, and all the video games you could want. There are screens everywhere and games of all kinds from classic arcade games like Pacman to XBox to boardgames. You’ll feel like you’re a kid again playing Gran Turismo in your best friend’s living room, but better because you can have mojitos now. They’ve also got a vast select of local brews on tap. They will be reopening February 17th as Clark County re-enters Phase 2! Visit their website and Instagram , and start planning your date night! This hidden gem is less than 5 minutes from Acero Haagen Park. La Bottega Enjoy a romantic date night at La Bottega , a charming Italian restaurant and deli. This beloved Italian restaurant has a distinctly European feel, and is tucked into a great location on Main Street in downtown Vancouver, about 15 minutes from home. Dine on authentic Italian fare made from scratch using fresh local ingredients. Sip on Italian wines from Tuscany and Alto Adige as well as local favorites from the Willamette Valley and beyond. After you enjoy dinner, you can shop their attached deli for meats and cheese to create a beautiful charcuterie board at home. Visit their Instagram for some food inspo! Cooking Class! Have a fun night learning how to make a delicious meal for you and your Valentine! Class Cooking is a wonderful cooking class adjacent to the Burnt Bridge Cellars winery in downtown Vancouver - another fantastic date night destination! They specialize in small group, hands-on gourmet cooking classes. You can find out all their upcoming schedules on their website and on Instagram . They’ve got an Indian Dinner class on February 17th, and a vibrant Spanish Paella class on February 21 that should be amazing! That’s it for this week! Come back next week for more food and fun in Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR.

Flower Shops in Vancouver, WA | Acero Haagen Park

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! Every day is a good day to show people that you care, but especially on Valentine’s Day. Plan ahead for the holiday and order a beautiful bouquet from one of these local flower shops in Vancouver, WA! Fine Flowers Fine Flowers flower shop is the closest to Acero Haagen Park, about 8 minutes away on Mill Plain Blvd. This family owned and operated flower shop has been serving the Vancouver area for over 15 years! They are seriously talented, creating gorgeous arrangements and bouquets for every occasion. They are open for business, but if you feel more comfortable shopping online they have a very user friendly website. Check out their website to order online for pick-up or delivery! The Flower Express A little further north on Fourth Plain is The Flower Express . This flower shop is about 11 minutes from our apartments. They offer classic arrangements and contemporary designs. When you order online through the website they have a promo code right now to get $10 off an order of $100 or more. Go big or go home! Visit their site today to find the perfect bouquet. Garside Florist Garside Florist is a little closer to downtown Vancouver with a shop on Mill Plain about 12 minutes away. The extra drive is worth it, as they have been voted “Best Florist” seven years in a row by the readers of our local newspaper, The Columbian . Browse their website and you’ll find all kinds of beautiful bouquets for pick-up or delivery. That’s all for this week! Come back next week for more food and fun dates for Valentine’s Day in Vancouver, WA!

Selfcare Sunday! Spa Day in Vancouver WA

Selfcare is more important than ever with the extra stress of these unique times. Take a day to treat yourself this weekend, and book an appointment for a relaxing spa day at one of these local spas and wellness centers in Vancouver, WA. Lao Shan Massage https://www.instagram.com/p/BWEHTOhBqK7/ Lao Shan Massage is an incredible spa and wellness center in Vancouver. They specialize in massages and facials rooted in Ancient Chinese Acupressure Medicine. Their massages are especially effective in relieving pain and tension, using the same principles as acupuncture by focusing on body meridians and pressure points. They have a resourceful COVID-19 info page to ensure your comfort. You can book an appointment for a massage or facial on their website, they’re open 7 days a week! 22 Changes Salon and Spa https://www.instagram.com/p/CBg5s83prd4/ 22 Changes Salon and Spa is dedicated to helping people become the best version of themselves! They have an impressive portfolio of hair transformations, but they have a whole suite of services beyond the salon chair. This spa also does massage in their Relaxation Room , along with facials, rejuvenating treatments, and waxing. They have everything you need for a total glow up, plus their super friendly staff! Check out their website to book an appointment! Monastic Wellness Center Monastic Wellness Xpress is a chain of wellness centers that offer services following their Personal Recovery System. This system is for the treatment of muscles, to enhance the immune system, improve blood circulation, and the respiratory system. Their treatments include chiropractic care, massage, salt tourmanium, infrared therapy, and magnetic therapy. This wellness center is especially great if you’re looking for long term pain relief. All of these day spas and wellness centers are within 15 minutes of Acero Haagen Park. How do you like to spend your #SelfcareSundays? Snap a photo and share your routine with us on social media. See you next week for more Vancouver living!

New Year, New Goals

Kick-off the new year by setting some goals for 2021! As we look to the future, it’s always easier to stay focused and achieve our goals if we write them down and track them to stay accountable. There are many methods people have created to stay inspired and track their goals. Read on for a quick list of different methods to help you stay inspired, and for a list of craft stores near our Vancouver, WA apartments to pick up art materials to create dream boards, bullet journals, and goal boards. Dream Board A dream board is basically a large poster with visual representations of your goals. The more accurate and focused the image is, the more helpful it will be. That being said, it can be more abstract if you prefer symbols and images that will inspire you over more literal interpretations. If you’re looking to create a dream board you can pick up a large poster board at Craft Warehouse. You can also find magazines to cut out images from at nearby stores like Winco, Safeway, and 7 Eleven. All are within a couple of minutes of Acero Haagen Park! Bullet Journals Bullet journals are a mixture of day planners and diaries. It allows one to keep track and log their daily to-do list and activities as well as jot down goals, intentions, and takeaways from the day. Some bullet journaling techniques allow you to draw out your planner and tasks in a free form manner. There are also pre-structured bullet journals sold in stores as well. You can always find them in the stationary and journals section at stores like Target just down Mill Plain. You can also find materials to make one yourself at Craft Warehouse! Goal Boards Goal boards, unlike dream boards, are more specific and less visual. A goal board helps you track the small goals you have that build up to your larger goals. The idea is to write down on sticky notes the big tasks and goals you want to achieve for that month. Stick them on the wall from easiest to hardest, or really any arrangement you desire. When you complete a goal, you get to take the sticky note off the wall. It’s super satisfying peeling them off as you crush your goals! This is perfect for keeping yourself accountable and tracking your progress. Examples of small goals for this method: make a dentist appointment, make a doctor's appointment, walk 10,000 steps a day this month, go bungee jumping, etc. You can find sticky notes at any of the aforementioned stores. Let’s start the year off on a good note! Hope this article helps in your goal setting! Come back next week for more food, fun, and vibrant living in Vancouver, WA.

Hello 2021 | Celebrating the New Year in Vancouver, WA

This has been a unique year full of challenges, but we are grateful for the growth and learning that came along with those challenges. With that said, we are ready to say goodbye to 2020 and hello to 2021! There’s not as much going on around town this year due to Covid-19 restrictions, but there’s still plenty of ways to celebrate the New Year in Vancouver, WA and nearby in Portland, OR. Pink Martini Virtual Concert Bring the holiday cheer to your living room at Acero Haagen Park! Dress up in your fanciest cocktail attire and pop a bottle of champagne while you tune in to this virtual event. Portland’s favorite Little Orchestra is performing a virtual New Year’s Eve concert in Portland that you can stream via the Wonder Ballroom . Enjoy old fan favorites and new songs like “Good Riddance 2020!” The virtual show starts at 6pm online. Rose City Rollers Winter Skating at Lloyd Center Spend time this weekend skating with the Rose City Rollers! Tickets sell fast so get yours asap. They have a truck where you can rent skates and gear from, with enough space for 50 people at a time to skate in this open air parking garage skating rink at the Lloyd Center in Portland. Click this link to learn more! Urban Adventure Quest in Portland Participate in an epic urban scavenger hunt brought to you by Urban Adventure Quest ! This city-wide scavenger hunt is the perfect way to spend a lowkey but fun weekend close to home. All you need is a smart phone to guide you on this three hour tour of iconic landmarks in Portland. Bring a good camera for fun selfies and impromptu photoshoots too! Death to 2020 Cozy up in your living room at Acero Haagen Park and watch Death to 2020 on Netflix. This mockumentary takes a look back at some big moments in 2020 with a comedic twist. Brought to you by the creators of Black Mirror, it’s bound to get weird but so was this year! That’s all folks! We hope everyone has a fantastic time celebrating the New Year with lots of love and laughter this weekend. Come back next week for more PNW living!