Blog Posts

Must-see Cinema This Holiday Season

The holiday season is consistently packed with anticipated new movie releases, and this year is no different! Whether you are in the mood for a Christmas-themed cinematic experience or you are just looking for a Blockbuster hit, this November and December selection of new releases will not disappoint. Here are are a few that we at Liv Avenida Blog think you might enjoy. The Nutcracker and The Four Realms Drawing inspiration from E. T. A. Hoffman’s classic Christmas tale, The Nutcracker and The Four Realms follows a young girl named Clara as she finds herself in a magical and mystifying parallel world in search of a key that will unlock a special gift. On her journey, she enlists in the help of a soldier named Phillip, a group of mice, and the leaders of the various realms. Don’t miss this holiday hit! Coming to theaters on November 2nd. The Grinch You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch! In this computer-animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s beloved story, the Grinch brews up a plot to steal Christmas away from the cheerful town of Whoville. Along the way, he comes across Cindy Lou Who, a sweet young girl trying to meet Santa Claus, and she unknowingly throws a wrench in his plans. See it in theaters on November 9th! Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Here comes a new installment of J.K. Rowling’s “Fantastic Beasts” series. In this chapter, dark wizard Grindelwald has suddenly escaped custody, and the beloved magizoologist Newt Scamander is called upon to help stop his plans. You will not want to miss the most recent tale in the Harry Potter Universe! Coming to a theater near you on November 16th. Robin Hood This holiday season brings you the latest adaptation of the tale of Robin Hood. Come see a well-known riveting rebellion against the crown on the big screen, and this time in live action! It was produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, starring Taron Egerton as Robin and Jamie Foxx as Petit Jean. See it as soon as November 21st. Mary Poppins Returns Don’t miss the most magical return of the century! Long after she came to town the first time, Mary Poppins makes a grand re-entrance into the Banks children’s lives. This time, Michael and his children are facing troubled times, and everybody’s favorite magical nanny is here to help them get through them. Coming to theaters on December 19th We hope this post got you in the movie-going spirit! Find a showtime near your Chandler, AZ apartment to ensure that your holiday season be merry, bright, and of course, digital.

Get Your Turkey Trot On!

Looking for a Thanksgiving morning activity? Consider running in a turkey trot this year! After the dinner itself plus snacks and dessert, a typical American is likely to consume around 4,500 calories on this one holiday alone! This week on Liv Avenida Blog, we’ve got answers to all questions you may have as you’re preparing for your pre-feast calorie burn at a turkey trot near your Chandler, AZ apartment. What? As its name suggests, a turkey trot is a family-friendly race that takes place either around or on Thanksgiving Day. While turkey trots may have gotten popular as a way to shed a few calories before indulging in the year’s largest feast, they have evolved into a fun and lighthearted event. Many runners even dress up in funny Thanksgiving-themed costumes to invite the Thanksgiving spirit. How Far? The standard distance for a turkey trot is five kilometers, but depending on where you run, you might find a bit of variation. There are, however, a number of races up to eight miles long. At one point, there was even at one point in time a marathon in Atlanta on Thanksgiving, making it the longest race in turkey trot history! Why Run? If burning calories doesn’t motivate you to participate, know that many turkey trots partner with both local and national charities to provide families in need with Thanksgiving dinner, as well as other hunger-related needs. Some even donate 100% of their proceeds! The turkey trot is a great way to build a sense of community as it is not only a way to commemorate a holiday together as a city, but it helps the local hungry as well. Where? Looking for a turkey trot near you? The Strut Your Stuffing 5K takes place Thanksgiving morning in Chandler, and the race is partnering with the local Harvest Compassion Center to fill an on-site truck with donated food. If you’re closer to Gilbert, the Gilbert Turkey Trot has agreed to donate 100% of the proceeds to local charities AzBrainFood and Families Fighting Blindness . Whether you decide to run or come along to cheer others on, attending a turkey trot this year is a great way to start off your Thanksgiving Day. Thanks for reading!

Five Tips For a Better Night's Sleep

Happy November to all in our Chandler, AZ apartment community! Since this month is National Sleep Comfort Month, we here at Liv Avenida Blog are sharing our best suggestions for getting better sleep. Keep reading for some of our top tips. Put Away The Screens It has become quite normal these days to fall asleep with our smartphones in hand. But did you know that the blue light your screen emits is significantly affecting the quality of your sleep? For a better night’s rest, we suggest powering down smartphones, laptops, and tablets at least one hour before you crawl into bed. Consider a New Mattress When was the last time you bought a new mattress? They are made to last 7-10 years, assuming the one you have is right for you. When shopping for a new mattress, look for a nice balance between comfort and support. A soft mattress may feel like a cloud, but chances are it isn’t providing your body with the support it needs. An extra firm mattress may offer ample support, but is likely to keep you up from discomfort. Try to find something in between! Stay Active Not only will only getting enough exercise help your body remain physically fit, but it will also help you sleep better. Perhaps you enjoy swimming laps at the pool, or maybe you prefer running around the block a time or two. Regardless of how you exercise, developing a regular workout schedule is sure to contribute towards a better night’s sleep. Regulate Temperature and Light Most of us have probably trained ourselves to fall asleep to an array of light levels and temperatures, but regulating both of these will seriously improve how well you sleep. Make sure your room is neither too hot nor too cold, and that you set a temperature that will keep you comfy throughout the whole night. As far as light, the darker the room the better. Close your shutters at night, and if you still find it hard to block out all the light, consider buying a sleep mask for a few dollars from a local department store. Develop a Pre-bedtime Ritual Though most people have developed a daily morning routine that their body has gotten used to, adding one at night could work wonders for your sleep time. Implementing a pre-bedtime ritual, like drinking a calming tea or practicing meditation or dimming the lights, will let your body know that it is time to wind down and climb into bed. We hope you’ll benefit from these five tips for a better night’s sleep. Thanks for reading, and may you sleep well tonight!

Halloween Treats

Get ready for Halloween here in Chandler, AZ in a fun and tasty way by making some themed treats! The Liv Avenida Blog is sharing some of our very favorite Halloween-themed foods that you will enjoy making at your apartment almost as much as you enjoy munching on. Halloween Popcorn Pumpkins from All Recipes These tasty popcorn balls are made to look like pumpkins with just a little bit of food coloring and a green licorice stem. To make them you will need popped popcorn, candy corn, chopped salted peanuts, butter or margarine, miniature marshmallows, red and yellow food coloring, and green or black licorice. Frankenstein Rice Krispie Treats from Big Bear’s Wife With the help of some green food coloring, edible candy eyes, and melted chocolate, ordinary Rice Krispie treats can be made to look like Frankenstein’s monster. Use Rice Krispie cereal, marshmallows, butter, green food coloring, semisweet chocolate, and candy eyes. Spiced Chocolate Bat Cookies from Country Living Use a bat-shaped cookie cutter to make these spice-filled chocolate cookies that are a perfect addition to any Halloween party. What you will need to make them: flour, cocoa powder, ground cardamom, ground cinnamon, fine sea salt, baking soda, baking powder, dark brown sugar, unsalted butter, an egg, unsulphured molasses, granulated sugar, and silver edible sugar pearls (for eyes). Mini Pretzel Pumpkins from Taste of Home With a little-added flair, these white chocolate covered pretzels can be made to look like pumpkins! Gather up white chocolate, miniature pretzels, orange colored sugar or sprinkles, and sliced green gumdrops to make them. Butterbeer Fudge from Delish Inspired by the butterbeer from Harry Potter, this butterbeer fudge is so incredibly sweet that it must be made with magic. Ingredients you will need include butter, sweetened condensed milk, butterscotch chips, pure vanilla extract, white chocolate chips, and mini marshmallows. Share your favorite Halloween-themed treat recipes with us in the comments. Thanks for reading our post. Have a great month filled with tasty treats!

Pet Costumes to Try this Year

Including your pet in your festivities is a great way to give them the exercise, love, and attention they need and deserve. Put in quality time with your pet this Halloween by dressing them in something sweet or clever, whether you’re receiving trick-or-treaters in your Liv Avenida apartment, going out on the town in Chandler, AZ, or heading to a pet-friendly home for a party elsewhere. Raptor Dinosaur Dog If you’re a fan of dinosaurs, help your pet embrace their wild side by dressing them up in this costume! Do as @trisarahtops137 on Instagram did and dress up as your favorite character from Jurassic Park to complete the look. Beetlejuice Turn your dog into one of Tim Burton’s iconic movie characters. We have to admit, this costume is much more adorable than the actual character! Beanie Baby Pet This costume is super simple, smart, and sweet! Throw it back to your childhood this Halloween by cuddling up with your favorite life-size beanie baby. Just fold up some cardboard, cut out a heart shape, and paste some colored paper cutouts to form the classic tag. Tie it to your pet’s collar or tie a makeshift collar around their neck to secure it. You could even do this with the Scooby-Doo tag , if that’s where your heart lies! A Purrrfect Queen Is your cat the one in charge in your apartment? Well, now they can be with this adorable Queen Robe Pet Costume. This crocheted cape and crown are the perfect outfit to match your cat’s “royal” attitude. Just be sure to find yourself some comfy servant clothes to wear while hand feeding them! Are you planning on dressing up with your pet? Leave your favorite pet costume ideas in the comments! We’re excited to see you and your pets and loved ones having fun this Halloween.

Halloween-Themed Movies for October Viewing

Halloween is almost upon us, and we hope you’re excited! Get in the spooky spirit by having a party or watching a few movies in your apartment! Today the Liv Avenida Blog has suggestions for magical or Halloween-themed movies you can watch this month if you don’t want to venture too far out into Chandler, AZ to celebrate. Hocus Pocus (1993) — Comedy, Family, Fantasy “After three centuries, three witch sisters are resurrected in Salem, Massachusetts on Halloween night, and it is up to two teenagers, a young girl, and an immortal cat to put an end to their reign of terror once and for all.” The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) — Animation, Family, Fantasy “Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home cause confusion.” It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) — Animation, Short, Comedy “The Peanuts gang celebrates Halloween while Linus waits for the Great Pumpkin.” Beetlejuice (1988) — Comedy, Fantasy “When a recently-deceased ghost couple find their now-vacant home invaded by an obnoxious family, they hire a sleazy ghost who gets rid of humans to help them.” The Addams Family (1991) — Comedy, Fantasy “Con artists plan to fleece an eccentric family using an accomplice who claims to be their long-lost uncle.” Practical Magic (1998) — Comedy, Drama, Fantasy “Two witch sisters, raised by their eccentric aunts in a small town, face closed-minded prejudice and a curse which threatens to prevent them ever finding lasting love.” What are your favorite Halloween-themed movies? Share your recommendations — whether they’re funny, scary, or simply festive — with the rest of the apartment community by leaving a comment. Thanks for reading! We hope you enjoy these and any other movies you watch this month in celebration of fall and the holidays.