Blog Posts

Classic Romantic Movies for a Valentine's Day Date Night

February is here, heralding in Valentine’s Day soon, and the Liv Northgate Blog has some suggestions for a classic romantic movie* night. It’s a perfect way to celebrate this day focused on love! Make a Valentine’s Day treat to eat during the movie or stop by your favorite Gilbert, AZ chocolate shop for a box of your favorites, and settle in for an evening of classic romance and comedy with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars from decades ago. Classic Romantic Movies Roman Holiday (1953) Starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn, this story of an overwhelmed, bored and sheltered princess who escapes her guardians and falls in love with an American newsman in Rome is a wonderfully funny, romantic tale. Houseboat (1958) Cary Grant stars as a government attorney who can’t seem to shake his bad fortune. Living on a houseboat, widowed and left with three unruly kids, he hires Sophia Loren as a governess; and the sparks fly in this cheeky, urbane comedy. Father Goose (1964) Cary Grant stars in one of his funniest roles as a boozy beachcomber sitting out WWII in peace until the Allies recruit him to be a lookout on the South Pacific isle. During an enemy attack, he answers a distress call and discovers a beautiful French schoolmarm (Leslie Caron) and her seven girl students. And so begins a hilarious battle of the sexes between the messy American, the prim mademoiselle, and seven mischievous little girls. Who will win is anybody’s guess, but you can be sure that Father Goose delivers plenty of romantic fun and adventure along the way. Teacher’s Pet (1958) Movie legends Clark Gable and Doris Day headline a comedy with class! Gable plays Jim Gannon, a school-of-hard-knocks newspaperman who despises journalism schools. . . until he sees who’s doing the teaching. Attracted to the lovely professor Erica Stone (Doris Day), he masquerades as a novice in her class. Soon he’s her prize pupil, all the while trying to make her his own prize. Who will come out on top? If old fashioned movies aren’t your idea of a good time, may we suggest heading out to your favorite theater and catching the latest on the big screen? Movie Insider will provide you with the latest updates on what’s opening when. Don’t forget the drinks and the popcorn! Thanks for reading today’s blog post. Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone in our apartment community. *Movie descriptions are from the original marketing materials.

Car Cleaning Tips from Liv Northgate

Cars can get dirty and cluttered very easily, especially if you’ve been taking any road trips during the recent holiday season. Clean out your car this month with the tips we’re sharing in today’s Liv Northgate Blog. We hope you enjoy a clean car and a great month at your apartment or while you’re out and about here in Gilbert, AZ! Organize with Boxes Certain items need to be kept in our cars, so rather than letting them roll around in the back seat or in the trunk, use plastic bins or cardboard boxes to keep things organized. Storing a garbage bag in your car is another way to keep things organized. It will keep trash off of the floors and maintain a clean car for longer. Shampoo Regularly Whether you want to take your car somewhere to get it shampooed or do it yourself, shampooing your seats and floor mats regularly will keep things looking and smelling fresh. Check out these ways to shampoo your seats from WikiHow. Clean Your Headlights You can purchase headlight cleaners to keep them shiny or you could try using toothpaste as an alternative cleaner. Toothpaste is a mild abrasive cleaner that works well to make your headlights shine again. Use a cloth to rub the toothpaste around, then wipe it clean. Dust Surfaces Your car can get very dusty, especially if you’re using the air conditioner or heater frequently. First, wipe off surfaces with warm water and an interior car cleaner. Dust may still be lurking from the cloth you used or from dust in the air. Use a coffee filter to wipe up that dust. They’re lint-free and can catch the dust easier than you might think! Keep them in your car to dust when necessary. For those small spaces in your car like the vents or in between seats, use a can of compressed air to blow away the dust. What other tips or ideas do you have for cleaning out your car? Share them with us in the comments below! Thanks for reading.

Checking In On Your Financial Health

It’s the beginning of the new year here in Gilbert, AZ and for many, that means taking the time to review the past year and set some goals for the new year. One topic that is often overlooked in all of the reviewing is a financial review. Yet our finances play a huge part in the kind of lifestyle we enjoy, from the apartment we live in to the vacations we take to the food we eat. Today, the Liv Northgate Blog has some ideas for taking a look at finances and planning for the upcoming year. If you don’t already know where you stand, financially speaking, find out. Before you can move forward, you have to know where you are currently. Start by reviewing last year’s bills, expenses insurance, investments, retirement funds, and then build a budget based on that information. If you have tried budgeting in the past and it never seems to work, try tracking your spending for several months to see where you are actually spending. This takes dedication. Track everything, down to the soda you stop for on your way home. Once you have the data on what you are actually spending your money on, build your budget. If you need to make changes, you will be able to more accurately see what can be adjusted. Having a way to track and build a budget is important. We like this article which takes a look at five budgeting apps that are designed for that purpose. Make it a point to get out of debt and to save every month. A good rule of thumb is to have an emergency fund that will cover at least three month’s expenses (six months is even better!). Having an emergency fund also relieves stress related to unexpected financial needs cropping up, and saves money that may have otherwise gone to interest payments on a loan. First build up an emergency fund to cover one month’s expenses, then turn your focus on getting out of debt. Once you are out of debt, continue to build your emergency funds until you have money for at least six months’ worth of expenses. Learn how to live on less than you earn. If you follow this advice, no matter what your income is, it will be enough. It takes discipline, planning, and hard work, but the resulting peace of mind is worth the effort. What are your tips for staying in good financial health? Please share in the comments so we can all be enlightened.

Celebrate National Soup Month at Your AZ Apartment

January is National Soup Month, so let’s celebrate! In today’s Liv Northgate Blog we have soup recipes for you to try in your apartment. Invite some friends over and enjoy warm homemade soup. We hope you enjoy your month here in Gilbert, AZ! Super Soup Recipes from Your Gilbert Apartment Cabbage, Sausage, And Potato Soup This soup is full of comfort and tasty veggies. If you want a twist on a classic veggie and broth soup, then try this one out. The recipe comes from Gimme Some Oven . Gather up these ingredients: kielbasa sausage, extra-virgin olive oil, leeks, carrots, celery, green cabbage, cloves garlic, chicken or vegetable stock, red potatoes, Italian seasoning, a bay leaf, and salt and pepper. 20 Minute Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup If you love cheesy, chicken-filled soups, try out this quick and easy chicken enchilada soup. You’ll need olive oil, diced white onion, cloves garlic, flour, chicken stock, cooked and shredded chicken, red enchilada sauce, black beans, diced tomatoes, ground cumin, sharp cheddar cheese, and salt. Loaded Potato Soup This soup pairs great with toasted French bread and lots of cheese and bacon. If you love creamy soups, this one’s for you. The recipe comes from Butter Your Biscuit . Throw it together with these ingredients: Russet potatoes, chicken stock, milk, carrots, celery, onion, cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, butter, flour, cloves garlic, green onion, bacon, and salt and pepper. Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup Tomato lovers, you need to try this soup! It’s filled with veggies and it’s so tasty. The recipe is from Cafe Delites . Put together these ingredients: Roma tomatoes, grape tomatoes, cloves garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, yellow onion, red bell pepper, potato, tomato paste, vegetable broth, and fresh basil leaves. What’s your favorite soup recipe? Share it with us in the comments below so we can try it out!

Volunteer for MLK Day of Service

Volunteering is a great way to give back to the community where you live. There are so many different ways that you can volunteer here in Gilbert, AZ and the surrounding area. Find a cause that you are passionate about and get involved! Our Liv Northgate Blog is sharing a few of the benefits that come along with volunteering in today’s post just in time for the Martin Luther King Day of Service coming up on January 21st. Tips for Serving from Your Gilbert Apartment Making Connections Volunteering allows you to connect with others around you in a meaningful way. You will make new friendships, improve your social skills, and expand your network. You will also have the satisfaction that comes from being a part of something bigger than yourself. New Skills You often learn and develop new skills when you volunteer and these new skills can be beneficial for furthering your career. You can gain experience in an area that interests you through volunteering and then add that experience to your resume. Health Benefits You feel good when you serve others, but there may be even more health benefits behind volunteering. Volunteering may also help you stay physically and mentally healthy. Serving others is helpful in combating depression, as well as counteracting the effects of stress, anger, and anxiety. Boost Your Resume Having volunteer experience on your resume is a good sign to potential employers. It shows that you care about something and that you are self-motivated. While we don’t recommend volunteering only to put it on your resume, it can act as an extra motivator to help you take the leap. What is your favorite thing about volunteering? What benefits have you seen in your own life from volunteering? Share your thoughts and experience with the rest of our Gilbert, AZ apartment community in the comments. Thanks for reading our post. We hope you enjoy getting out of your apartment and volunteering this month!

Finish the Year Strong with These Activity Ideas

It’s nearing the end of the month, and one would think there’s nothing left to do or celebrate, but we’ve done some digging, and it turns out there is plenty to keep you occupied at your Liv Northgate apartment or out and about in Gilbert, AZ for the rest of the year. In our post today, we’ll share a sampling of things to do during the remainder of December. National Thank You Card Day (Dec 26) December 26th is National Thank You Card Day, and we’ve got some tips for doing it up right. Be sure to choose the right card. This may seem like just a minor detail, but it’s actually a significant one! Cards can come in all sorts of designs with all sorts of greetings written in them. Keep your card appropriate for the person you’re writing to and the purpose you’re writing for. Make your own on a site like Shutterfly or Minted , or buy some boxed ones at a place like Papyrus . Once you’ve found the right card, follow these tips from Hallmark for writing a thank you note . Make a Cut Out Snowflake Day (Dec 27) Bring a touch of winter (without the cold temperatures) to Arizona and celebrate Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day! We are including directions for a couple of different ways to make snowflakes for an afternoon or evening of fun at your apartment. This Fun and Facts with Kids post has nine, count ‘em, nine different snowflake patterns to create. Try your hand at the Flying M, Stars and Diamonds, Acorns and Hearts, and more! National Bacon Day (Dec 30) Whether you like it crispy, chewy, or somewhere in between, bacon is a tasty addition to any meal, particularly breakfast. Celebrate National Bacon Day this month by trying a recipe or two featuring this American breakfast staple. The Food Network Magazine will have you knee-deep in bacon-inspired recipes: 50 Things to Make with Bacon . What will you be doing the last days of the year? Let us know in the comments! Thanks for being a wonderful member of our apartment community here in Arizona.