Blog Posts

Organize Your Apartment

This month the Liv Northgate Blog has a few tips and tricks to help you clean out your apartment before winter arrives. Conducting an annual spring cleaning is pretty standard, but we really like the idea of fall cleaning, as well. Stuff tends to pile up over the summer, as you attend various functions, buy floaties for the pool, and collect a number of T-shirts from races and souvenirs from trips. While saving some of those things is a great idea, by the end of the summer your apartment can start to feel pretty cluttered. Holding a fall cleaning will help you declutter and recenter your apartment home before winter begins and you accumulate, yes, even more stuff. This month were focusing on organizing and decluttering your apartment. Our favorite way to organize is to pick a room of the house and slowly work through it. Come up with a schedule for how you will clean and organize your home. Pick one room and focus on that room (or even just a part of the room) for an afternoon or a weekend. After picking the area you wish to clean, clear everything out. Move the furniture, pull all of your stuff out, and then deep clean the now-empty space. Once your space is spick and span, go through the things in the room what is still useful? What is worn out? What do you love? What do you feel indifferent towards? Use these questions to help guide you as you decide what to keep, what to donate, and what to throw away. Once everything is sorted, things get easier. Sort your items in whatever way makes most sense to you, using baskets, bins, and other storage options from your local, Gilbert home goods store. Make sure everything looks neat and tidy and then move on to the next room/space. This is just our favorite way to organize. Whats your favorite way to organize your apartment? Do you have any tips or tricks for us? Leave us a comment and let us know. Thanks for reading!

Fall Desserts

In our last post, we featured five different fall recipes to help bridge the gap between summer and fall. This week we’ve got five fall desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth as the weather begins to cool down. How to Make Pumpkin Spice Truffles from Sally’s Baking Addiction These pumpkin spice truffles take a little patience, but it’s all worth it. Sally’s Baking Addiction recommends waiting a little while before enjoying this dessert — the pumpkin flavor becomes stronger with a little bit of age. No Bake Oreo and Pumpkin Cheesecake Parfaits from Garnish with Lemon No bake oreo and pumpkin cheesecake parfaits are a great dessert option for a small dinner party with friends. Not only are they easy to make, they also are the perfect combination of flavors and textures. We didn’t know oreos and pumpkin could taste this good. Three Layer Pumpkin Brownies from Back to Her Roots This is definitely the sweetest treat on our list. If you love chocolate and pumpkin, this is the treat for you. You’ll love how sweet and fudgy this recipe is. The real star of the show is the pumpkin middle of these brownies — it’s just like pumpkin pie...only creamier. Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies Recipe from Chef in Training These cinnamon roll sugar cookies disappear quickly, so make sure you make enough for you and all of your friends! While traditional cinnamon rolls are delicious, they are also time consuming. Cut down on cook time with this untraditional take on a classic recipe. Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Spread from She Wears Many Hats For a side dip at any party, sports game, or function, bring this caramel apple cheese spread. It’s delicious, and it takes no time at all to make. If you want to go a little fancier, She Wears Many Hats recommends making your caramel from scratch using this recipe instead of using a store bought option. What are your favorite fall desserts? What desserts do you make every year? Where are your favorite places to get dessert in Gilbert, AZ? Leave a comment and let us know! Thanks for reading!

Fall Dinners

While the weather hasn’t quite caught up with the season, Fall is almost here in Gilbert, AZ! September 22 marks the beginning of a brand new season, and we couldn’t be more excited! This month the Liv Northgate Blog has five recipes for you to enjoy this month. While the weather might be hanging onto summer, we think it’s time to start incorporating fall flavors into your diet. One Pan Autumn Chicken Dinner Introduce Fall into your diet with this healthy (and tasty) recipe. This one pan autumn chicken dinner combines our favorite fall ingredients for a meal bursting with flavor. Replace the vegetables she uses for your favorites for a unique and tasty dish. Chicken Noodle Casserole from Life in the Lofthouse Who doesn’t love chicken noodle soup? This chicken noodle casserole is easy to put together. If you’re someone who likes to make a meal and then eat off it for the next couple of days, this is the dish for you. This recipe is the ultimate in “comfort food.” Parmesan-Roasted Cauliflower from Bon Appetit This is maybe the easiest recipe on this list. This quick recipe is a great throw-together side to put together after work or before a big party. Parmesan-roasted cauliflower tastes great, goes great with many different main dishes, and is definitely seasonally appropriate. Roasted Vegetables Recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen Summer is all about fresh fruit. Fall is all about roasted vegetables. This recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen gives you practical tips on choosing and chopping your favorite fall vegetable, Butternut Squash, before revealing just how she seasons and prepares this fall dish. Chicken, Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup from Simply Stacie This soup is definitely a special occasion meal. It’s comforting, warm, and the perfect blend of textures and flavors. We recommend serving this dish to anyone you want to impress. It’s time intensive and a few of the ingredients might be a little harder to find, but the end product is well worth it. What are your favorite fall recipes? Leave us a recipe in the comments, and we’ll check it out. Thanks for reading!

Check It Out Western Spirit

In this post, the Liv Northgate Apartments Blog is featuring Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West. The Western Spirit Museum is just a thirty-minute drive from the Liv Northgate Apartments. Here are seven exhibits that the museum is currently putting on: Lone Wolf (Hart M. Schultz): Cowboy, Actor, & Artist June 21, 2016-August 31, 2016 From the website: “This retrospective highlights the compelling career of artist Lone Wolf (aka Hart Merriam Schultz, 1883-1970), whose artwork bridged the diverse cultures of the Old and New West. Through both paint and bronze, Schultz’s artwork creatively depicts his personal knowledge of his tribe, his firsthand acquaintance with the American West and the stories of his Blackfeet elders.” Inspirational Journey: The Story of Lewis and Clark January 15, 2015-October 31, 2016 From the website: “Charles Fritz chronicled the historic early 19th-century expedition of Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.” The A.P. Hays Spirit of the West Collection Ongoing From the website: “A selection of saddles, spurs, and other quintessentially western items from the collection of Scottsdale gallerist Abe Hays.” Will James: Cowboy Artist and Author Ongoing From the website: “Paintings, drawings, etchings, books, and ephemera illuminate the life and work of the prolific western American writer and painter.” Courage and Crossroads: A Visual Journey through the Early American West Ongoing From the website: “The story of America’s West in the 19th and early 20th centuries.” Confluence of Cultures in the American West: A Selection of Contemporary Artists Ongoing From the website: “The stories of friendship, tension, and conflict that arose during cultural contact in the history of the American West are explored through artwork that depicts mountain men, American Indians, buffalo, cavalry, and settlers.” Heritage Hall Ongoing From the website: “Inspiring images of people, past and present, who have made contributions to the American West, together with biographical data that guests can explore.” Have you ever been to the Western Spirit Museum? What was your favorite exhibit? Let us know in the comments!

Summer Movies

It’s another hot Gilbert, AZ summer. Stay cool by enjoying a movie marathon in your air-conditioned apartment. This month the Liv Northgate Apartments Blog has five movie recommendations to add to your summer movie binge list. Say Anything … (1989) Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) is a recent high school graduate who has no idea what he’s going to do with his life. Diane Court (Ione Skye), the class valedictorian, has it all figured out. Lloyd and Diane fall in love in the pause between high school and “real life.” Meanwhile, Diane’s father, Jim Court (John Mahoney), deals with a devastating scandal. What About Bob? (1991) Bob Wiley (Bill Murray) is having a hard time right now. When his psychiatrist, Dr. Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss), goes on vacation, it sends Bob into a tailspin. Bob follows Dr. Marvin on vacation, determined to get the therapy he needs—even if it means driving his doctor crazy. The Parent Trap (1961) There’s nothing like an original summer classic. Susan and Sharon (Hayley Mills) meet at summer camp, discover that they’re twins, and resolve to get their parents back together. The only thing standing in their way? Vicky Robinson (Joanna Barnes), their father’s new fiancee. Grease (1978) Danny (John Travolta) and Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) meet and fall in love over the summer. Going back to high school complicates their relationship as ex-girlfriends, T-Birds, Pink Ladies, and dance-offs get in the way of their love. Because of Winn-Dixie (2005) India Opal Buloni’s (AnnaSophia Robb) summer gets a lot more exciting when she meets Winn-Dixie, a Berger Picard, at her local supermarket. Winn-Dixie helps new-in-town Opal meet the quirky characters living in her small town. What are your favorite movies to watch during the summertime? What should we watch this summer? Give us your favorite summer movie recommendations in the comments, and we’ll check them out!

Make Time For Reading

Last week the Liv Northgate Apartments Blog in Gilbert, AZ covered the Maricopa County Library District. This week we’ve got five book recommendations for you to check out and read this summer. We encourage all of our residents to add a book or two to their reading list this month! A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare Hermia’s father wants her to marry Demetrius, but she’s in love with Lysander. Helena is in love with Demetrius, but he’s determined to have Hermia. Oberon is upset with his queen, Tatiana, so he comes up with a humiliating plot to embarrass her. Shakespeare’s comedy celebrates the fickleness of love in all its many shapes and forms. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde Algernon Moncrieff and Jack Worthing take on the name “Ernest” to impress the women they love. When their fiancees declare that they couldn’t possibly love anyone not named Ernest, they rush to have themselves rechristened as Ernest. Identities are assumed, swapped, and confused in this classic play. Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie Peter, Wendy, John, Michael, and the rest of the Lost Boys go on the adventure of a lifetime in Peter Pan . While in Neverland they go on fantastic adventures and battle the treacherous Captain Hook. Emma by Jane Austen Emma can’t help but get in the middle of things. Pretty, popular, and witty, she’s decided to amuse herself by matchmaking the people closest to her. Emma muddles through the matters of the heart and makes mistakes in Emma . Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Jane falls in love with tempestuous Edward Rochester, owner of Thornfield Hall. His dark past threatens to come between them and everything they hope to have together. Jane must choose—does she go with her heart or her head? We hope you take some time to read this summer! What are some of your favorite summer reads? What books do you read every summer? Let us know what books we should read this summer in the comments, and we’ll check them out!