Blog Posts

Stay Healthy This Month

The Liv Northgate Blog has several ideas to help you stay happy and healthy this month. Our tips will help you become a healthier person. Whether you want to change your diet, get some exercise, or get out of the house this month, we have a couple of tips for you. We hope you enjoy our post! Change your diet slowly It can be tempting to want to completely overhaul your diet as soon as you decide you want to eat healthier, but a sudden change in your diet can be difficult to sustain. Consider changing your habits slowly, instead. Get rid of that bowl of ice cream after dinner, stop drinking sugary drinks, or replace your chips with snap peas. Making small adjustments to your diet over a long period of time will eventually change your lifestyle drastically. Remember to drink plenty of water and to make changes that fit easily into your daily routine. Consult your doctor to find out healthy ways to lose weight. Exercise in a way that fits your lifestyle Exercising can be a great way to have a healthier lifestyle. Choose exercise that fits your activity level and lifestyle. Getting more exercise can be as simple as choosing the stairs instead of the elevator. The Liv Northgate has a 24/7 Liv Fit fitness center for anyone who would like to workout. Remember to exercise (if you choose to exercise) in a way that feels good. Talk to your doctor before you take on a strenuous workout routine. Get out of the house There are many wonderful places to visit in Gilbert, AZ. Visit Freestone Park or Discovery Park for a stroll sometime this month. Freestone Park has a skate park, sand volleyball courts, tennis courts, basketball courts, lake areas, softball fields, and more. You can find even more details about Freestone Park here . Discover Park has several multi-use fields, basketball courts, and more. Visit either park this month for a fun day out in the sun this March. Do you have any health tips for us? Leave us your best advice in the comments. Thanks for reading our post!

Celebrate St. Patricks Day

The Liv Northgate Blog has several ideas to help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th! Dress up in your greenest outfit, head out on the town for a St. Patrick’s Day event, and make a green shake to celebrate. We hope that you have a very happy St. Patrick’s Day this month. Whether or not you’re Irish, there are plenty of fun St. Patrick’s Day activities that anyone in Gilbert, AZ can participate in! We found a wonderful guide to various places to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Phoenix here . Phoenix is home to many different pubs, restaurants, and more that have special dishes on St. Patrick’s day. Head out of town for a delicious meal on St. Patrick’s day. Phoenix also holds a St. Patrick’s Day parade each year. You can find more details about the parade by following the parade’s Facebook page . Not in the mood to go out on the town? Make your own St. Patrick’s Day shake at home. Cincyshopper has an excellent copycat shamrock milkshake recipe and Studio DIY! makes a delicious rainbow cereal milkshake . For a fun snack on St. Patrick’s Day, try these shamrock shake macarons from Baking a Moment or these leprechaun hat s’mores from The Cake Blog. Deck out your apartment with green streamers, balloons, tablecloths, and more. Landeelu has a wonderful guide to decorating your Liv Northgate apartment for your St. Patrick’s day celebrations. (We especially like the DIY Pot of Gold ). Invite some friends over, make snacks, and celebrate with the people you know and love. We have a couple of fun facts about St. Patrick’s Day from Mental Floss. You can find the original article here . —The original color of St. Patrick’s Day was blue. — Leprechauns earn their own gold. What are your plans for St. Patrick’s day? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading our post!

Dentists Day

Celebrate clean teeth and white smiles on March 6th. Today is Dentist’s Day and the Liv Northgate Blog is helping you keep your pearly whites bright with a few tips. We hope that you enjoy our post! It’s important to remember to brush your teeth everyday. Set an alarm or reminder on your phone to help you remember to brush your teeth. Experts recommend brushing two to three minutes a day; we recommend playing a song while you brush. Once the song is over, you can finish brushing. Use alcohol-free mouthwash (alcohol dries out your gums) after brushing. Mouthwash is NOT a replacement for brushing your teeth, but it can be a great way to strengthen your teeth and freshen your breath. Floss at least once a day before or after brushing. Schedule an appointment with a local dentist here in Gilbert, AZ at least twice a year. Visiting a dentist twice a year can help you fight cavities, strengthen your teeth (especially if your dentist offers fluoride with each cleaning), and keep your teeth healthy and clean. During your appointment, a dental hygienist will clean your teeth and take X-rays before the dentist comes in to see you. The dentist will run over any problems he sees and give you a few tips on how you can take better care of your teeth. Visiting the dentist is an easy way to keep your smile healthy. Whiten your teeth professionally by asking your dentist about their methods. You can also whiten your teeth at home with whitening kits and toothpastes. Not a fan of store bought products? Everyday Roots has an article on 3 Natural Ways to Whiten Teeth at Home . Avoid foods that stain teeth (like coffee, red wine, and cranberry juice) or brush your teeth right after you eat. You will probably need to whiten your teeth every couple of months to keep them pearly white; keep this in mind while you decide how you will whiten your teeth. Do you have any teeth tips for us? Leave them in the comments. Thanks for reading our post!

Desserts

The Liv Northgate Blog has five dessert recipes for you to try out this month. We hope you enjoy making (and eating!) a delicious dessert sometime this month. Invite friends over for a dessert party or make yourself a chocolate cake to indulge in after a long day at work. Mint French Macarons with Minty White Chocolate Ganache Filling From Sweet & Savory This recipe is a little more difficult than the other recipes we’ve included on this list, but it’s well worth it. These mint French macarons are light and sweet, and they taste great when paired with a cup of tea or a cup of hot chocolate. Cinnamon Infused Thick Italian Hot Chocolate from Just a Little Bit of Bacon We love Italian hot chocolate. It’s thicker, sweeter, and more decadent than your regular cup of hot chocolate. Use half-and-half (or whole milk), sugar, cornstarch, your favorite chocolate, powdered cinnamon, and your favorite brand of whipped cream to make this dreamy hot chocolate. Triple Dark Chocolate Truffle Brownies from Sprinkle Some Sugar Had a bad day at work? Destress with a pan of triple dark chocolate truffle brownies. These fudgy brownies are loaded with chocolate. You use regular cocoa powder, dark cocoa powder, oreos, and chocolate chips to make this treat. It’s also loaded with a lot of butter (and not very much flour) making for the fudgiest brownies we’ve ever tried. Remember to have these brownies with a scoop of ice cream or a tall glass of milk. Chocolate Mousse Mini Oreo Cheesecakes from OMG Chocolate Desserts These chocolate mousse mini oreo cheesecakes take cupcakes (and cheesecake) to the next level. We love how the oreo crust, cheesecake filling, and chocolate mousse layer for a delicious and elegant treat. Caramel Poke Cake from Yummiest Food This easy dessert is perfect for sharing at a potluck or a dessert party with friends. This recipe makes a generous serving for guests, tastes amazing, and has just the right blend of caramel and chocolate. Use your own caramel or salted caramel recipe if you’d prefer. Where’s your favorite place to get dessert in Gilbert, AZ? What are your favorite desserts? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading our post!

Head Out of Town Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix

The Liv Northgate Blog is heading out of Gilbert, AZ to feature one of our favorite places in Phoenix this month: the Desert Botanical Garden. A traditional botanical garden might be difficult to sustain in Arizona’s arid weather, but the Desert Botanical Garden displays some of our favorite climate-friendly plants. You’ll love walking through the Desert Botanical Garden sometime this month. Head out onto the trails at the Desert Botanical Garden sometime this month. You’ll love traveling the different trails of the Garden. The trails include the Desert Discovery Loop Trail, the Plants & People of the Sonoran Desert Loop Trail, the Sonoran Desert Nature Loop Trail, and the Harriet K. Maxwell Desert Wildflower Loop Trail. Traverse any of these trails before the month is through. Remember to visit the Garden again next month. The Garden is opening an “ expanded, new butterfly exhibit will incorporate a caterpillar nursery and emergence chamber to let visitors view all stages of a butterfly’s life. The exhibit will feature significant educational displays about the butterfly life cycle, pollination and how to create a butterfly friendly garden.” You can find more details on the new butterfly garden here . If you would like to learn more about the Desert Botanical Garden, schedule a tour of the garden. You can schedule group and individual tours or participate in an activity like the Ask a Gardener activities and the Garden Flashlight Tours. Find out more about the different tours available and how to schedule them here . Several events are coming to the Garden this year include: David T. Kessler Music in the Garden Spring 2017: The Louis Landon Trio Follow the links for details and dates. Support the Desert Botanical Garden by becoming a volunteer. Volunteers must be members at the Garden, and will be asked to attend several training sessions throughout the year. You can find the details about volunteering for the Desert Botanical Garden here . Have you ever visited the Desert Botanical Garden? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading our post!

Valentines Day, Part II

The Liv Northgate Blog has several movies that we think you’d enjoy watching this Valentine’s day. We’re featuring several of our favorite classic romantic comedies for you to watch this month. Throw your own Valentine’s day movie night with your good friends. Deck out your Gilbert, AZ apartment with movie posters, film memorabilia, and stock up on popcorn and chocolate for your classic romantic movie night this month! His Girl Friday (1940) Walter Burns (Cary Grant) is an editor determined to get his best reporter — and former wife — back. He puts Hildy (Rosalind Russell) on the story of her career while trying to get rid of her staid fiance, Bruce Baldwin (Ralph Bellamy). Chaos ensues. Holiday (1938) Johnny Case (Cary Grant) is a dreamer about to be married to a beautiful but vain socialite, Julia Seton (Doris Nolan). Julia’s freewheeling older sister, Linda (Katharine Hepburn), falls in love with Johnny. Johnny must decide — should he follow money or his heart? Funny Face (1957) A magazine editor (Kay Thompson) finds her newest face working at a local bookstore in Greenwich village. Jo Stockton (Audrey Hepburn) is resistant to the idea of becoming a model; photographer Dick Avery (Fred Astaire) does his best to change her mind. Top Hat (1935) Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance around each other before falling (of course) into each other’s arms. Top Hat contains classic dance numbers like “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails,” “Cheek to Cheek,” and “Isn’t it a Lovely Day?” Singin’ in the Rain (1952) Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) is a silent movie star who’s having a hard time transitioning to talkies. His friend Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Connor) and his girlfriend Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds) help him put together a new musical, while his costar Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) threatens to tear it all down. What are your favorite romantic comedies? Leave us a movie recommendation in the comments. Thanks for reading our post!