Blog Posts

Taking Stock for the New Year

January is a good month to take stock — a personal, financial, and physical inventory — to see where you’re at. Today, the Liv Northgate Blog has some tips on how to take a look at where you’ve been so you can plan on where you want to go during the coming year. Personal Take some time to write down the highlights of 2017, including your thoughts about your successes and failures. Think about and jot down some of the things you may want to accomplish in 2018. Reflect on how you have made personal improvements and how you can maintain them as you go forward. Make appointments with the eye doctor, dentist, and your primary care physician for an annual checkup. Knowing your health needs are taken care of will help give you peace of mind as you begin a new year. Financial Review your annual budget from 2017, and note where you may need to make changes. Decide how much money to save and invest. Review your insurance coverages and determine whether anything needs to be changed or if you want to shop for a different insurance provider. Gather together the paperwork you will need for taxes. Determine if there are major purchases you will want to make this year, or costs for travel you will need to take into account. Consider setting up a holiday fund to contribute to monthly, so at the end of the year, you can pay cash for gifts. Physical Take a good look at your apartment. Check your apartment’s first aid kit, add needed supplies, toss and replace expired medications. (And if you don’t have a first aid kit for your apartment, get one.) Be sure to have some bottled water set aside in your pantry, and check to make sure you have flashlights that work too, in case of a power outage. Put new batteries in smoke detectors and clocks. Check the filters for heating and cooling. Check for any leaks in the plumbing. Make note of any needed repairs and submit a maintenance request. It’s a good time to also take a look at your car and provide any needed maintenance, update your emergency car kit (or get one if you don’t have one), and do a detailed cleaning. We hope that these tips will help you feel safe and secure here in Gilbert, Arizona as we head into a new year. Thanks for reading today’s post, and if you have any tips for taking stock for the new year, please share them in the comments.

Bring a Bit of Winter to Your Arizona Apartment with Paper Snowflakes

Bring a touch of wintertime to your Liv Northgate Apartments Blog with snowflakes! Today we are bringing our apartment residents ways to celebrate Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day (December 27th) with suggestions, patterns, and sources for craft supplies at local craft stores like Michaels, JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts, and Hobby Lobby. Read on to learn more about this winter favorite in today's blog post. Making Snowflakes How to Make 6-Pointed Paper Snowflakes If you’re a little rusty when it comes to making paper snowflakes, this clear, concise tutorial will help you create beautiful snowflakes in 11 illustrated steps. It all begins with a square of paper and a pair of scissors. 3D Paper Snowflakes with directions from Wikihow These snowflakes take the fold, cut, and unfold concept a step further. With a little more work you can have a 3D masterpiece. Make some of various sizes to hang in your windows or from the ceiling. Snowflakes from Cardboard Tubes From the blogger: “The process is pretty easy. Each of the tubes are flattened, cut into 1 inch segments of different lengths, and then spray-painted white (or whatever color you prefer). The different size loops are hot glued together to make the snowflake shape.” This Fun and Facts with Kids post has nine, count ‘em, nine different snowflake patterns to create. Try your hand at the Flying M, Stars and Diamonds, Acorns and Hearts, and more! Paper Snowflake Window Curtain Paper snowflakes can look beautiful in your windows as holiday curtains. Follow this tutorial to create a winter wonderland to hang in your window — a curtain of ice — without the chill. Clothespin Snowflakes by Stephanie Lynn These snowflakes bring an old-fashioned feel to holiday decorating. They can be made as a plain and simple ornament, or you can add glitter, feathers, or other bits and pieces to jazz them up. Use them as gift toppers, tree ornaments, or even hang them on the wall. Lace Snowflakes from the Aunt Peaches blog Lace is lovely to look at, but we don’t often get out grandma’s lace tablecloth for everyday use, so perhaps it’s time to use it as the basis for a family heirloom. This blog teaches you how to make beautiful snowflakes from lace (get yours from a thrift shop if you can’t bear to cut up grandma’s tablecloth!). Frosted Pipe Cleaner Snowflake Ornaments Frosted snowflakes make beautiful ornaments for your holiday decor. All you need to make these is white pipe cleaners, spray adhesive, Epsom salts, fishing line, and acrylic sealer. These snowflakes sparkle — just like the real ones! Local Craft Stores Michaels “At Michaels, we believe anyone can make, and we’re on a mission to inspire and encourage everyone to unleash their inner maker. With helpful store Team Members and a broad selection of merchandise, combined with compelling in-store events and online content, we believe we offer the most complete arts and crafts experience and are the preferred destination in the industry.” Michaels is about 6 minutes from Liv Northgate Apartments. JOANN Fabrics and Crafts “JOANN Fabric and Craft Store in Gilbert offers a great offering of fabrics, floral, yarn, beads, scrapbooking, and crafts. It’s located at 2753 S. Market Street.” When it comes to paper, they have the best selection around. JOANN Fabrics and Crafts is about 11 minutes from Liv Northgate Apartments. Hobby Lobby From the website: “Hobby Lobby is primarily an arts-and-crafts store but also includes hobbies, picture framing, jewelry making, fabrics, floral and wedding supplies, cards and party ware, baskets, wearable art, home accents and holiday merchandise.” Hobby Lobby is about 14 minutes from Liv Northgate Apartments. We hope members of our apartment community at Liv Northgate enjoy creating some “wintertime” crafts this month! Please share your favorites in the comments.

Solving the Gift-Giving Dilemma

December is here, and along with a busy schedule, it heralds in the season of gift giving, which is the topic the Liv Northgate Blog is covering this week. If you have planned ahead and are already prepared with your gifts wrapped and ready for the intended recipients, good for you. If, however, you still have the majority of your shopping to do, read through these tips before you head out to the Gilbert, AZ, shopping scene. They will come in handy for planning purposes. Plus, we have some ideas for those last-minute gift needs that always crop up! Keeping It Simple If you are planning on giving multiple gifts to someone, we think this is a practical way to keep gift giving under control — give these four gifts: Something they want, Something they need, Something to wear, And something to read. A few ways to tweak this list could include a gift to share (a game, family movie night kit, food gift basket, etc.), a gift to a charity, a gift of service, or a handmade gift. The basic premise is simple, so have fun with creating the perfect mix of four gifts to fit your needs. Last-Minute Gift Ideas It happens every year: suddenly you need a gift for someone you either forgot or didn’t think about getting a gift for — ooops! But with a little planning and creativity, you can be prepared ahead of time. Food is always a good option, whether it’s a gift basket filled with cheeses and crackers or fruit or a mix-in-a-jar for cookies or homemade soup, it’s a fun way to share. Movie passes or tickets to a concert, theater, or sporting event are easy last-minute gifts to consider. Passes to a recreation center or museum may be just the thing for someone on your list. Lessons or classes make a great gift, too. How about fencing classes, painting lessons, or cooking lessons? So many things are available, you’ll surely be able to find something that matches your recipient’s interests. Other Resources We found these sites too, with some holiday-specific ideas for gift giving: 35 Inexpensive Gifts for Friends & Neighbors The Best Hanukkah Gift Ideas Gifts for Winter Solstice 25 Exciting Picks for Kwanzaa What are your gift giving strategies during the holiday season? We’d love to hear about them; please share in the comments. Thanks for reading today’s post, and happy holidays to everyone in our apartment community!

Tips for Sending Greeting Cards this Holiday Season

During this time of year, it’s always exciting when mail arrives at Liv Northgate, in Gilbert, AZ, just for you. Starting shortly after Thanksgiving, holiday greeting cards begin to make their appearance with warm greetings and news from family and friends. If you’re receiving them, we’ve got some ideas about how to display them in your apartment. If you haven’t already sent yours, it’s probably time to get them dropped in the mail! Whether you spend hours looking for the perfect card for each person on your list or you grab a box of greeting cards from a dollar store, we have some tips on getting them out or displaying them in today’s post. Tips for Sending Season’s Greetings Include your return address on your card; if cards are returned, you will be able to update your address list for next year, accordingly. If you are not certain whether a Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, or Christmas card is appropriate, stick with Season’s Greetings or Happy Holidays to be on the safe side. But don’t worry too much about being politically correct. These are your friends, after all, so feel free to personalize your cards. Photos of your family are a nice touch to show changes from year to year, but don’t include photos with cards you send to business acquaintances. Add a personal, handwritten note to your card, and keep your message brief and legible. If you have more to say than can be written in a note under the printed greeting, you may want to consider writing a newsletter or including one with the card. Displaying Holiday Cards Cards begin to arrive shortly after Thanksgiving and on through the month of December in their brightly colored envelopes and fancy fonts, but once you’ve read them and thought of the sender with fondness, what do you do with the cards? We’ve got some ideas about that! Make a holiday card garland. String garland or even a string of miniature lights across a wall or mantle and use clips or clothespins to attach Christmas cards. Use magnets to position cards on the refrigerator or any other metal surface in a pleasing pattern. Put the cards in clear plastic covers in a decorated binder and leave it in a convenient place for people to browse. Put the cards among the branches of your tree. They can add a festive touch with their holiday colors. For more ideas, check out these 15 ways to display your Christmas cards . What are your best tips for sending and displaying holiday cards? Share with us in the comments! Thanks for reading today’s post. We want to wish everyone in our apartment community happy holidays!

The Nutcracker Ballet A Holiday Tradition

“All for one, and one for all,” is a commonly known phrase from Alexander Dumas’ “The Three Musketeers,” but did you know that Dumas also did an adaptation of E.T.A. Hoffman’s story, “The Nutcracker and the King of the Mice” as well as write swashbuckling tales? It’s true, Dumas’ adaptation became the basis for Marius Petipa’s choreography for the ballet, The Nutcracker . Traditionally set to music by Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker ballet is a must see for audiences all over the United States, including Arizona. (In fact, the Moscow Ballet returns in Phoenix on its tour this year; see details below). Today the Liv Northgate Blog has a synopsis of the story for those not familiar with it as well as information on performances in the greater Gilbert area — so head out from your apartment one evening this month and enjoy this December tradition. The Story of ‘The Nutcracker’ In a nutshell, The Nutcracker is the story of a young German girl, Clara, who receives a nutcracker as a gift from her godfather and later dreams of a Nutcracker Prince and a fierce battle against a Mouse King with seven heads. Following the battle, the prince comes to life and she explores an enchanting land of sweets visiting the Sugar Plum fairy, before awakening. For a more in depth look at the story, Nutcracker Ballet presents a complete synopsis: The Nutcracker Ballet Story: The Most Common of Many Variations , or watch this Youtube video that captures the story of The Nutcracker in five minutes . The music, composed by Tchaikovsky, “has enchanted audiences around the world for over a century,” according to Classical-music.com author Daniel Jaffe. The music is now world famous, but Tchaikovsky was “discovered” by Ivan Vsevolozhsky, the head of the Directorate of Imperial Theatres in Russia. Vsevolozhsky, “one of ballet’s unsung heroes, . . . not only nurtured Tchaikovsky’s talent for the form, inspiring him to compose Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker , but he also raised ballet to a high art-form.” And thus, The Nutcracker remains perhaps the most popular ballet ever performed. Performances in the Greater Gilbert Area There are several performance options to see The Nutcracker this year in the Gilbert, Mesa, and Phoenix area. Southwest Youth Ballet “Join the Southwest Youth Ballet as they celebrate their eleventh season! Under the artistic direction of renown ballerina, Yen-Li Chen, the Southwest Youth Ballet shares this holiday classic the whole family will love. Enjoy the ballet accompanied with live music performed by the Chandler Symphony Orchestra conducted by Alex Zhang.” Ballet Etudes From the website: “Experience "a royally entertaining show" (The Arizona Republic) and “…an East Valley tradition…and a heartfelt artistic experience,” (The East Valley Tribune) as Ballet Etudes presents its 31st annual production of The Nutcracker. Let Clara's magical journey surround you as she encounters life-size mice, swirling snowflakes, dancing confections and the Sugar Plum Fairy. A feast for the eyes and ears with colorful and imaginative costumes paired with Tchaikovsky's original score, Ballet Etudes' The Nutcracker is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season with the entire family.” Moscow Ballet If you are up to traveling a bit, this performance promises to be amazing. From the website: “All ages are invited to celebrate Christmas with the Moscow Ballet company of almost 40 ballerinas and danseurs on their 25th Anniversary Tour of North America in 2017. Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker is known for its award-winning Principal Dancers , lavish costumes in the style of the Victorian era, many backdrops created by “La La Land’ . . .Adults and children enjoy the special effects of the flapping winged owl on the Grandfather clock, the growing 50 ft tall Christmas Tree, the Dove of Peace with a 20ft wingspan, and of course, the leaps, spins, and extraordinary moves of the company all performed to Tchaikovsky’s complete and incomparable score.” We hope you’ve enjoyed this overview of The Nutcracker! Stay tuned all month for fun blogs about holiday topics! Thanks for reading today.

Upcoming Movie Suggestions from Your Gilbert Apartment

This month, the Liv Northgate Apartments Blog is bringing residents of our apartments details about new movies to check out this month like Thor: Ragnarok , Coco , Wonder , and Murder on the Orient Express . Read on to learn more about these in today's blog post. Purchase tickets in advance at Fandango for your favorite Gilbert area movie theater. Upcoming Movie Suggestions Thor: Ragnarok “Imprisoned on the other side of the universe, the mighty Thor finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against the Hulk, his former ally and fellow Avenger. Thor's quest for survival leads him in a race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela from destroying his home world and the Asgardian civilization.” Buy your tickets today to see Thor: Ragnarok ! Coco “Despite his family's generations-old ban on music, young Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead. After meeting a charming trickster named Hector (Gael García Bernal), the two new friends embark on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history.” Coco is a great weekend movie to see. Wonder “Born with facial differences that, up until now, have prevented him from going to a mainstream school, Auggie Pullman becomes the most unlikely of heroes when he enters the local fifth grade. As his family, his new classmates, and the larger community all struggle to discover their compassion and acceptance, Auggie's extraordinary journey will unite them and prove you can't blend in when you were born to stand out.” Murder on the Orient Express Looking for some weekend plans? We suggest going to see Murder on the Orient Express . “A lavish trip through Europe quickly unfolds into a race against time to solve a murder aboard a train. Everyone's a suspect when Detective Hercule Poirot arrives to interrogate all passengers and search for clues before the killer can strike again.” We hope you enjoy an upcoming movie soon! Thanks for reading today’s blog post.