Blog Posts

Out and About: The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Birthday at Butterfly Wonderland

Welcome back to the Liv Northgate Blog, bringing you topics of interest about apartment living, Well-known and random holidays, and Arizona venues. A while back we shared a post all about Butterfly Wonderland , and today we are excited to add information about a limited-time event that is taking place there that you won’t want to miss! This exhibit is all about the 50th anniversary of The Very Hungry Caterpillar , a delightful book by Eric Carle. According to the website, “Butterfly Wonderland is proud to partner with Penguin Publishing and acclaimed author Eric Carle to bring this one-of-a-kind exhibition that celebrates the 50th birthday of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This limited time exhibition will dazzle and delight guests of all ages with live caterpillar exhibits, larger than life storybook pages, photo opportunities with colorful character backdrops, special character appearances, and storytimes on selected dates, and lots more. See why this lovable caterpillar has captured the hearts of millions of children across the globe as the book comes alive at Butterfly Wonderland!” Special activities included in the exhibit include Live caterpillars (plus other creatures that are part of the story) Enormous storybook pages from the book will be included in the conservatory Take a selfie with character backdrops from the book Storytimes and movies with The Very Hungry Caterpillar (check for selected dates) Get your face painted on a weekend visit Shop an extensive selection of Eric Carle books and merchandise We hope you take time out to visit this fun, interactive exhibit sometime this month. Now for some fun facts about butterflies. Butterfly Facts Did you know that the average lifespan of a butterfly is often just one month? The longest living species in the world is the Brimstone Butterfly – up to thirteen months! There are approximately 20,000 species of butterflies in the world, according to the North American Butterfly Association. During their migration, Monarch butterflies travel up to 100 miles per day! Butterflies don’t sip their food with their proboscis; the long, straw like “tongue” serves to absorb the food instead. Instead of tasting with this “tongue,” they actually taste with their feet where their taste sensors are located. What do you know about butterflies? Have you been to this Gilbert, Arizona exhibit? We love to receive feedback, please feel free to share in the comment section of the Liv Northgate Blog.

Springtime Treats

Welcome back to the Liv Northgate Blog! We are continuing our streak of spring-themed topics with a post on treats that are perfect for springtime before it gets to hot here in Arizona.Get inspired to whip up something sweet this month by reading this post. These treats and desserts would also be just the thing to bring along to a picnic, potluck, or garden party here in Gilbert. Creamy Berry Pie Nothing says spring better than fresh berries! Try this sweet recipe from Parents Magazine sometime this month. Ingredients include unsalted butter, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, unflavored gelatin, water, cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract, strawberry jelly, raspberries, blueberries, fresh strawberries, white chocolate, and vegetable oil. Strawberry Shortcake Trifle This super simple recipe comes from I Heart Naptime and only requires five ingredients. You will need fresh strawberries, pound cake or angel food cake, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Layer the cubed cake, strawberries, and whipped cream in clear glasses or a large clear bowl and serve. Springtime Chocolate Covered Popcorn from Cooking with Curls This pastel colored chocolate covered popcorn is perfect for spring! Munch on it while you watch your favorite spring-themed movie. You will need popped popcorn, white candy melts, decorative sprinkles, candy melts in pastel colors, and spring colors M&Ms. Springtime Rice Krispie Treats from Two Sisters Crafting Are you a fan of rice krispy treats? You will love these adorable and tasty spring-themed ones! Here’s what you will need: Kellogg’s Rice Krispie Cereal, mini marshmallows, butter, food coloring, cookie cutters, and Ghirardelli white chocolate melting wafers. Mini Fruit Tart Cheesecakes from Crazy for Crust These mini cheesecake tarts are perfectly sized for easy consumption. To make them, you will need graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, unsalted butter, cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla bean paste, lime juice, cornstarch, and fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries). What are your favorite springtime treats to make and enjoy? Share your ideas and recipes with everyone in our apartment community by leaving a comments. Thanks for reading our post!

Arizona Springtime = The Perfect Time for Outdoor Adventures

Springtime is upon us, and that means more time outdoors before it gets to hot here in Arizona, lighter fare for dinner, and staying out later. In today’s blog post we will be featuring some great outdoor lawn games, summer salads, and picnic fare to take to the park. So pack up the croquet set and your picnic basket, and head on out from Liv Northgate for an adventure at a nearby Gilbert park. Lawn Games Croquet Croquet can be played by two or four players. The object of the game is to hit your ball through a course of six hoops in the right sequence in each direction and finish by hitting them against the centre peg. A portable game, it’s perfect for taking along on a picnic. Bocce Bocce, or lawn bowling as it is sometimes called, was brought to America by Italian immigrants in the 19th century. The game dates back to 4000 B.C. Early versions of the game were believed to have been played in Egypt, Asia Minor, and Rome. Every region has different rules for the game, but these guidelines focus on rules for playing backyard bocce . Summer Salads To get you started, we like this super-easy summertime Tomato/Avocado/Cucumber Salad. 1 avocado cut into small chunks 1 cucumber peeled and cut into chunks 1 basket cherry tomatoes 1 bunch of green onions minced Mix together and let chill. Just before serving, add a garnish of chopped cilantro and 4-8 oz of a hard cheese, cubed. This salad is delicious — but if reading the recipe doesn’t whet your appetite, check out these 25 Summer Salad Recipes from Country Living. Picnic Fare For a simple but filling picnic that you can get at the grocery store on your way to the park, grab a loaf of French bread, a package of American cheese slices, and a cluster of grapes. Instant picnic. Add your favorite beverage, and if you’re wanting to splurge and go all out, get some fried chicken from the deli. However, if you want to do a full-fledged, old fashioned picnic, it will take some preparation. All of these recipes can be prepared a day ahead of time: Fried Chicken , Potato Salad , and Chocolate Cake . Add some buttered rolls and a beverage, and dinner is served. Enjoy the spring weather while you can, the temperatures will rise to sweltering all too soon. Please feel free to share your springtime adventures with our apartment community in the comments.

3.14 - Lets Celebrate Pi Day

Some Star Trek fans may fondly recall how Mr. Spock stopped an evil entity that had taken over the Enterprise’s computer system, ordering it to “compute to the last digit the value of Pi.” We are pretty sure the crew must have celebrated the victory by enjoying a slice of pie! So as not to be outdone by a fictional crew, The Liv Northgate Blog invites residents of our apartment community here in Gilbert, AZ to celebrate Pi Day, coming up this week on the 14th, with a slice of pie. If you’re not certain what all of the fuss is about, the Pi Day website has plenty of information about the number π — which is a mathematical constant, the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, approximately equal to 3.14159, which goes on to infinity and beyond. We take the first three digits, 3.14, and read them as a date: Pi Day, March 14th. Pie Recipes to Try for Pie Day Grandma’s Lemon Meringue Pie . What’s not to like? This blend of sweet and tart is a great way to enjoy pie. And bonus: there is no milk in the recipe, so it can be served to people who are lactose intolerant. Cinnamon Crumble Apple Pie This recipe offers step-by-step directions for the crust, filling, and topping, and it’s full of cinnamon apple goodness. We recommend serving it with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream. Banana Cream Pie from Bon Appetit is the perfect pie to complete your Pi Day celebration. Filled with creamy richness, a hint of chocolate, and piled on top with whipped cream, this pie will be a hit. Peanut Butter Cup Pie You get the best of every sweet world with this peanut butter cup pie. The vanilla wafer crust is a new way to experience a homemade crust. The ganache and peanut butter cup layers are just the tip of the iceberg to this scrumptious pie. Once you dip your fork or spoon into the finished product and the melted chocolate and peanut butter cups ooze out, you’ll be smitten! Of course, if you don’t have the time or the inclination to make a pie, head on out to your favorite Gilbert area bakery or grocery store and pick up a pie to bring home! What is your favorite kind of pie? Please share your recipes in the comments so we can all enjoy the goodness. Happy Pi Day everyone!

Spring Cleaning Your Liv Northgate Apartment

March 20th is the first day of spring this year. Get a headstart on your spring cleaning by putting these tips from this Liv Northgate Blog post into practice. You will love how your apartment sparkles! Declutter. Stacks of mail, toys, and other things in our apartments can clutter up the counters, floors, doorways, tabletops, and more, making your whole home feel messy and a bit stifling. Clear these things from spaces they don’t belong quickly by taking a walk through your apartment with a large basket (like a laundry basket) and removing anything that doesn’t belong where it currently is. Start putting items away once your basket is full. This makes it so you don’t have to take a bunch of tiny stops and detours around the house while you’re trying to just clear the table! Deep clean. Remove stale scents and keep everything looking and feeling vibrant with a little detailed cleaning. Dust blinds, fans, smoke detectors, and vents. Clean out your sink and disposal. Disinfect doorknobs and other touch points in your home. Throw away items, papers, and decorations you no longer use, want, or enjoy. This can be a bigger undertaking, but if you do small things when they’re convenient (or if you put in the time all in one go), you’ll be grateful you did! Clean Your Appliances Spend some time this month wiping down and cleaning your appliances. Take everything out of your fridge and wipe down the inside. Throw away items that have gone bad. Clean out your dishwasher , clean your oven, and wipe down your microwave. While you’re cleaning everything, make sure that you remember to wipe down your sink and other appliances around the house, as well. Clean Out the Closet Clean out your cabinets and linen closet. Get rid of items you know you will no longer use. Donate old items to your local thrift store. Try to come up with a system of organizing your things, whether that’s through using removable shelves, bins, or baskets. Wipe down the shelves and the walls of each closet. There are plenty of ways to organize your closets to make them clean, neat, and organized. The idea of cleaning your apartment in preparation for spring might seem like a daunting task, but if you break it down and begin one task at a time each week this month, it becomes doable. What spring cleaning tips do you have for us? Share them in the comments. Good luck cleaning your apartment here in Gilbert, AZ!

Create a DIY Escape Room Adventure

The end of the month is here, which is the perfect time to plan a party — an antidote to the post-holiday letdown that sometimes happens in January. Why not go all out and turn your Gilbert, AZ apartment into an Escape Room for a group of your closest friends. Yes, you could go to a local escape room, but if you are creative type, there is great satisfaction in coming up with a unique adventure. In today’s Liv Northgate Blog we’ve got the scoop on what you need to take into account to create your own escape room. Consider the theme. Whether you want to go with a whodunit, a time-pressure escape, or the seemingly impossible, coming up with a theme is the place to start. Is there something unique about your community that you can build a theme from? What about ghost stories or local landmarks? Do you have a favorite book or genre? All of these could be a springboard for your escape. This list of Wacky Escape Room Theme Ideas may get your creative juices flowing. Gather the supplies. Next, take a look at the layout of your home as well as checking to see what you may already have on hand that you could use for your escape adventure. Do you have a locking briefcase or other lockable containers? What about locks? Because, of course, you will need several different kinds of locks to use for your escape room — from alpha-numeric locks to combination locks to padlocks, and even a hasp lock. Other supplies you need are the items that will create your escape room staging. Choose items that speak to your chosen theme (or choose a theme based on the items you have on hand). What about a clock, a map, or a globe, an old-school camera, an old-fashioned ornate key? All can be a part of your set. Clues can be highlighted for each one of these items. Some other items you will want to include a set of pens to write clues that will show up with a UV flashlight and notepads for your guests to keep track of everything. Puzzles work well for an escape room, put the puzzle together, flip it over and write your message/clue on the back. Use normal things in a new way. Have fun figuring out your set pieces and how they fit into the escape. Come up with the riddles, puzzles, and clues. Once you have all of the pieces, it’s time to put it all together. Figure out clues that lead your detectives from one clue to another, or to another key or riddle. In the end, once they solve everything, they will have all the pieces they need to escape the room or solve the main riddle/question. Do a test run-through. After you’ve done the run through (invite a select group over to do a test run), refine your experience and send out invites for your escape room party! If a complete DIY is not your cup of tea, another option is to purchase an escape room kit that has everything you need to do an escape room party. Have you been to a commercial escape room? What was your favorite thing about it? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for taking time to read our post.