Blog Posts

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.

Tips for Making Thanksgiving Dinner

This week is Thanksgiving, and the Liv Northgate Blog has some tips to help you get the turkey on the table without having major mishaps! This week, it’s time to pick up the perishables, plan the table settings and seating, make the pies (a day ahead of time), and be sure the turkey is thawed if it’s frozen (it can take up to three days!). For a light-hearted look at your Thanksgiving cooking timeline, check out The Pioneer Woman Cooks take on it. For something a little more straight forward, we like this Thanksgiving cooking schedule from Real Simple. Turkey & Sides There are basic directions to roast a turkey and there are directions for a variety of ways to prepare it, including stuffed, unstuffed, roasted in a cooking bag, brined, braised, and even grilled. When your turkey has finished cooking, be sure to let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes, which gives you time to make the gravy. The drippings can be used to make the gravy with just broth, or you can use the giblets from the turkey and make giblet gravy . If turkey just isn’t your thing, perhaps a Thanksgiving ham will do instead. We like this recipe for Golden Clove Glazed Ham from McCormick for a change of pace. This also works well if you will have a large group and want to have a second meat dish. Of course, you’ll need sides, and last November we shared some recipes for sides to go with your Thanksgiving turkey, so check them out. Dessert Pie is the traditional dessert for Thanksgiving, so we’ll share two variations to choose from. Of course, if you’d rather not bake, call your favorite Gilbert bakery to order your Thanksgiving pies (and rolls, too, for that matter). Pumpkin Silk Pie from The Gunny Sack Make the filling for this pumpkin silk pie with cream cheese, powdered sugar, pumpkin, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and whipped topping. We love how light, fluffy, and delicious this pie is. Finish this recipe off with homemade whipped cream. Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Pie from Chelsea’s Messy Apron Pecan streusel pumpkin pie combines our two favorite pies in one. The pumpkin filling is topped with a crunchy and delicious pecan streusel. Finish off this recipe with a scoop of maple whipped cream. You can make maple whipped cream with heavy whipping cream and your favorite brand of maple syrup. We hope that you enjoy your dinner and have a happy Thanksgiving in our apartment community here in sunny Arizona!

Decorating Your Apartment with Autumn Themed Crafts

Today, we’ve got some ideas to spark your imagination for decorating with a fall flair in your Gilbert, AZ apartment. Don’t see your favorite decor ideas on our list? Share them in the comments below for the rest of our Liv Northgate community! Go traditional. The classic cornucopia filled with mini pumpkins, gourds, colorful corn, and leaves and nuts is, of course, a perfectly acceptable way to decorate with a fall theme. We like how versatile Indian corn is when it comes to decorating. We love the ideas we found on the “B. Lovely Events” blog, including a corn husk garland or wreath, candle holders, and bouquets in their Rustic and Chic Indian Corn Decorations . Use lighting. Add some lamps that give off a warm, golden lighting to the make your space feel more relaxing and inviting. You can replace bright fluorescent light bulbs with ones that give off a less harsh light like a warm yellow, red, or orange. Lighting can have a powerful effect on mood and how comfortable you feel in a room. Use the light to spotlight a fall arrangement or centerpiece. Speaking of centerpieces, we’ve rounded up some examples to spark your imagination, or simply make one of these: Wood Block Pumpkins from Kruse’s Workshop These decorative woodblock pumpkins pop with a splash of color and a fun, playful pattern. Add a modern feel to your apartment with this fun fall craft. Fall Leaf Mason Jars from Sugar Bee Crafts These adorable fall leaf mason jars bring both color and light into any room! Follow the tutorial to make them. You’ll need a mason jar, craft or spray paint, a paintbrush or sponge brush, and contact paper or vinyl to make the decals. No-Sew Fabric Pumpkins from A Piece of Rainbow These fabric pumpkins look adorable and you won’t believe how incredibly easy they are to make. All you will need is a roll of toilet paper or two (depending on what size pumpkin you want), some hand towels, and a fun patterned scarf or shirt. Share your favorite ways to bring a fall feel into your apartment in the comments. Thanks for reading today’s post.