Blog Posts

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!

Valentines Day, Part I

Craft a few fun gifts for your friends and decorations for your apartment on Valentine’s day. The Liv Northgate Blog has several Valentine’s day DIYs for you to craft this Valentine’s day. Deck out your Gilbert, AZ with seasonally appropriate DIY decorations on February 14th. XOXO Rice Krispie Treats from Two Sisters Crafting This sweet treat is a Valentine that we think anyone would be happy to receive. All you need to make this treat is Kellog’s rice krispie cereal, mini marshmallows, butter, red food coloring, and X & O cookie cutters. Click the link for the recipe. Strawberry & Chocolate Fudge Solid Scrub Bars Recipe from Soap Deli News Gift your friends strawberry & chocolate fudge solid scrub bars for Valentine’s day. Include a Valentine’s day card and message with your gift. Head to your local craft store for gift boxes and tags for your gifts. DIY Home Decoration Ideas for Valentine’s Day from Living Locurto We especially love the doily mason jar decorations, cards fireplace garland, Valentine tree, and the paper heart chain. Deck out your apartment with Valentine’s day decorations to celebrate your February 14th. DIY Valentine’s Day Wreath from Frugal Musings Make a Valentine’s day wreath for your Gilbert, AZ apartment home. This heart-shaped pinecone wreath is easy to make, beautiful, and will look great decorating your Liv Northgate home. We think a heart-shaped wreath is a great way to greet guests to your home. Easy DIY Valentine’s Day Cards from DIY Network Make Valentine’s day cards for the people you care about this February 14th. Personalize your cards with images, sayings, and quotes that remind you of the person you are making the card for. Write a small poem or message to let the person know how much you care. The DIY Network’s guide to Easy DIY Valentine’s Day Cards is a great resource for anyone who wants to make their own cards this year. What are your favorite Valentine’s day DIYs? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading our post!

Get a Good Nights Sleep

The Liv Northgate Blog has a few sleep tips and tricks for a better night’s sleep in this post. These tips will help you get to sleep and just as importantly, stay asleep this month. We hope that these tips help you fall asleep and stay asleep all year long! Sleep Apps Sleep apps are an easy way to improve your sleep and find out more about how you sleep and how much you should sleep. There are several popular sleep tracking apps, and you can find a list of the most popular apps here . Two of our favorite apps are Sleep Cycle and Sleep Genius . Sleep Cycle measures the quality of your sleep and wakes you up at the optimal time for your body and your personal habits. This is the perfect app for anyone who wants to get better at waking up in the morning. Sleep Genius helps you figure out the best time to go to bed, facilitates relaxation, times your naps, and gathers data on your sleep habits. Either of these apps would be great aides for anyone who wants to improve their sleep. Turn Off Your Electronics The Huffington Post recommends turning everything off an hour before you go to bed. Resist the temptation to turn on the TV, check your Facebook, or open any of the apps on your phone. Set your alarm and read until you have to go to bed. Light can make it difficult to go to bed on time. Optimize Comfort The National Sleep Foundation says that the right mattress and pillows can make going to sleep and staying asleep much easier. Find the right fabric, firmness, softness, and material for you. Some people enjoy using down pillows; other’s prefer memory foam. Make sure that you are using the right pillows, mattress, and sheets for your body. Be consistent The Mayo Clinic advocates for a nightly routine and for going to bed at the same time each night. This will help your body get ready to sleep and know what to expect each night. Falling asleep at the same time each night will become an easy ritual once you’ve gotten used to it. Let us know about the best mattress and pillow stores in Gilbert, AZ in the comments. Thanks for reading our post!

Soups and Stews

In this post, the Liv Northgate Blog is featuring a few soup and stew recipes for you to try out this month. We hope that these recipes help you have a month full of delicious dinners and plenty of good company. Taco Stew from Oh, Sweet Basil Switch up taco night with this taco stew! Taco stew uses a diverse set of ingredients to make a dish that will make your mouth water. The texture of this soup (plus the awesome blend of spices) is really what makes this dish unique. Creamy Red Potato Soup from The Recipe Critic For something hearty, try this creamy red potato soup. This soup is one of the more complicated recipes on our list, but we think that you’ll love having it for a night in with friends. This recipe is plenty warming. Even though it doesn’t get that cold in Gilbert, AZ, that doesn’t mean that we can’t cozy up with a delicious cup of soup on a January night, right? This is sure to become one of your favorite recipes. Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Chili Recipe from A Spicy Perspective Roasted red pepper chicken chili is fresh, hearty, and bursting with flavor. The chopped celery, red bell pepper, onion, red peppers, and kidney beans give this chili a very unique texture. We recommend topping this soup with tortilla chips, sour cream, and cheese. Creamy Mushroom Soup from Chef in Training This creamy mushroom soup lives up to its name. You’ll love how the butter, heavy cream, flour, and half and half mix for a decadent soup base. Add your favorite mushrooms, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and dry minced onions to complete this easy meal. Top with cheese or croutons for added flavor and texture. Spanish Chickpea and Spinach Stew from Lazy Cat Kitchen This spanish chickpea and spinach stew uses spices like cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt to make one of the best stews we’ve ever tried. For a healthy dinner in, try this tasty stew. It takes a little while to make, but you’ll love the mix of salty, spicy, and sweet in this unique (and delicious) flavored soup. What are your favorite soup recipes? Leave us your best recipes in the comments. Thanks for reading our post!

Herbs and Houseplants

In this post, the Liv Northgate Blog is featuring a few houseplant care tips and tricks. Living in Gilbert, AZ means that we get year round sun. Take advantage of that sun by placing a few beautiful houseplants by the windows in your Liv Northgate apartment. We hope that you have the chance to add a few houseplants to your apartment this month. Add a splash of color to your apartment space Houseplants are a great way to decorate your apartment. They add a breath of life to your apartment space, and the greenery makes any room in your apartment pop. You will love how peaceful a room with a couple of houseplants in it can feel. Place some English Ivy on your bookshelf or a Snake Plant on your bedroom floor. There are plenty of ways to decorate with a few well-placed houseplants. Pick a plant you know you’ll be able to take care of Once you’ve decided to bring a couple of plants into your Liv Northgate apartment, it’s important to remember to choose plants that you will be able to take care of. If you have a green thumb, feel free to pick a plant like the Hibiscus or the African Violet. If you are less confident in your planting abilities, plant Jade or a Peace Lily. Just make sure that you will be able to give your plant the love and care it needs to thrive! Double Check Growing Conditions Make sure that your plant is getting proper care. You don’t want to overwater a plant that thrives in dry soil, and you don’t want to place a plant that thrives in low light in the brightest room in your apartment. Use The National Gardening Association’s Plant Care Guides to find out what is best for your houseplants. Have your plants do double duty An herb garden is a great way to decorate your apartment, celebrate your space, and make your dinners even more delicious. Plant an herb garden in your kitchen; season and spice your food with the plants sitting in your own apartment. Houseplants can also improve your apartment’s air quality . The gerbera daisy and the red-edged dracaena are two plants that can make your apartment feel fresher and help you breathe easier. Do you have any houseplants? Do you have any tips for us? Let us know in the comments. Thank for reading our post!