Blog Posts

Clever Halloween Costume Ideas

Dressing up for Halloween doesn’t have to just be for the kids! If you’re not already a fan of putting together a costume, read today’s Liv Avenida Blog. Today we have ideas for clever costumes you can throw together or put a little bit of extra time in for a look you’ll love. Man Cut in Half This mind-blowing costume is sure to be a show-stopper at any Halloween party you attend! Give everyone around town something to scratch their heads over by simply buying a few extra items of clothing and the other material listed in this tutorial. Then practice how you’ll wear the costume so you can perfect the look. Instagram Filter Make your Halloween getup Instagram-ready by dressing up as your favorite filter! With cardboard, construction paper, and a bit of artwork, you can make this and have fun posing for your social media post at the same time. Hairy Potter Sure, donning your best wizard’s robes and grabbing a wand to dress up as a Harry Potter character will definitely be a hit. But if you don’t have the materials for that, try this variation for a punny costume. You’ll just need a spare apron you can splatter with paint (or clay) and a wig. Use some old eyeliner to draw strokes to make your face or arms look extra hairy. Costumes with Makeup If you’re handy with a makeup brush, you can make a truly outstanding costume without too much fuss. Check out how this person channeled Scar , try this pop art makeup tutorial , follow the directions for this mermaid makeup tutorial , or get inspired by this pixelated image art for a look everyone will be fawning over. What are your favorite clever Halloween costume ideas? Share them with the rest of the apartment community by leaving a comment! Then head out into Chandler, AZ to a craft or thrift store for the supplies you’ll need to put together a winning costume.

Essentials for Throwing a Halloween Party

Welcome back to the Liv Avenida Blog! For the next few blogs of the month, we’re here to help you figure out and plan your Halloween celebrations! If you’re hoping to throw a Halloween party in your apartment here at Liv Avenida, remember these tips for making it one everyone will enjoy. Decorations It doesn’t take much to turn your beautiful apartment into a temporary haunted mansion. Head to your favorite craft store for some orange, black, and white party decor. A few colored streamers, balloons, and tablecloths can set a great tone for a rockin’ party. Hang up some stretchable spider webs for a finishing touch. Games and Activities Depending on what you’re hoping to do for your party, you can be as creative as you wish. Play some classic board games or card games, make it more socialize-friendly by keeping the music down, or try some of the many Halloween games from Pinterest to involve your guests in some fun. If you think your games, activities, music, and chatter might bother your neighbors, make efforts to accommodate them and their comfort. Check in with them and let them know your plans. Be willing to end the party at a reasonable hour or keep the music low. Treats Treats aren’t just reserved for the trick-or-treaters! Whether you just want to put out a bowl of Halloween candy on your table or you want to go all out, your guests will appreciate the effort. Try these Halloween muddy buddies for a cute twist on this delicious snack. You can also easily add a bit of Halloween fear into your refreshments by making these chocolate chip spider cookies or these adorable mummy pumpkin cookies . Costumes Encourage your guests to come in their best Halloween getups to make it extra fitting for the holiday. Have a costume contest and give away treats or prizes for the best costumes for extra incentive. Or you can simply have a cowboy hat, feather boa, or other props handy for those who don’t have a costume. Next week on the blog we’re going to offer you a few clever last-minute Halloween costumes, so if you’re not sure what you want to be, stay tuned for some ideas! What are your best tips and tricks for throwing a great Halloween party? Share them with the rest of us in the comments. Have fun!

Fall 2017 Fashion Trends

We hope you’re having a great season getting ready for the upcoming holiday. The weather in Chandler, AZ can stay pretty warm, even during these fall months, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of some of the season’s best fashion trends. Today the Liv Avenida Blog has some suggestions for fall fashion essentials you can incorporate into your outfit around the apartment or as you go about the city. Fluted-sleeves Whether you call them fluted sleeves or bell or ruffle sleeves, these add a ton of flair to any outfit. Look for a shift dress or a loose top with this style incorporated into it and you’ll instantly feel like you’ve given your whole look a step into the latest trends. We also love how they come in a variety of shapes and styles so you can make your choices unique to you. Midi skirts and dresses Make the transition from summer to fall transparent in your wardrobe by opting for longer hems this month. This timeless style can be pulled off any time of the year, but it’s a nice way to give a nod to the cooler months. Choose a dress or skirt with a color palette you love (or a warm colored one) and pair it with a fitted top for an outfit you’ll love to dance, sit, or walk around in. Stunning velvet Velvet is definitely a big trend this year, and we understand why! From crushed velvet to a patterned gold one like Cosmopolitan’s choice, this versatile fabric can be formal or casual enough for any occasion. Just dress it up with some stunning shoes or layer it over a sharply cut top for fun contrasting textures and shapes. Gold fabrics Cosmopolitan also points out that gold is the color of choice for this year’s looks, so keep an eye out for some stunning fabrics in this hue. Whether it’s in a metallic Converse high top or in the fabric of a slip-on, heel, or even a belt buckle, gold shoes add instant glam to any outfit and bring a modern vibe to the fall outfits already in your closet. Of course, if none of these trends fit your style, you can make it feel like fall with classic pieces such as scarves, hats, oversized sweaters, and warm tones. What are your favorite fall fashion essentials? Let us know so we can look for them! We hope you enjoy these suggestions.

Ideas for Making the Most of Our Business Center

The amenities and community vibe here at Liv Avenida offer residents with plenty of opportunities to relax, but also to get their work done, right from their apartment community here in Chandler, AZ. Today on the blog we want to highlight a few ideas for how you can make the most of our business center, one of our community amenities, efficiently this year. Come with a purpose. Whether you need to look something up or print something, our business center has equipment for you to use. But make the most of your visit by coming with a goal of what you want to achieve. This will not only ensure you don’t waste your time trying to think of how to get yourself to work, but it will also help you get through it quickly because it enables you to cut out the confusion of rifling through half-finished tasks, trying to figure out where to start. This will definitely lead to higher quality work, too! Use it for a study area. If you’re a student or if you know a student this semester, the business center can be a nice spot to get some studying or work done. Working or studying in a place other than your apartment is a smart idea — preferable, even, to studying in a comfortable, sleep-inducing place like your room. Your home is a place for relaxation and rest, and that means it’s full of distractions and reasons to put aside your work. The business center, on the other hand, is work-focused. Make this your study or work space so you can focus on the task at hand and move on to other things once you’re done. Set a time limit. Especially if you tend to overwork yourself, this is a good idea. Let yourself look forward to going home once the time’s up, and when it is, review the work you’ve done and set goals for next time! What are your favorite things about the business center? Let us know in the comments! Thanks for reading. We hope you find success each time you visit!

How to Beat Your Pet's Messes

Liv Avenida is a pet-friendly apartment community here in Chandler, AZ. We know how important pets can be to our residents — but we also know how messy they can get! Keep your apartment clean and conquer your pet’s messes by trying the tips in today’s blog. Hair Any owner of a cat or dog knows how pesky their animal’s hair can be. It seems to never go away, no matter how much you vacuum or wash your items. So try a few of these ideas to conquer pet hair: Vacuum your furniture or carpet first against the grain to loosen up the fabric and make it easier to vacuum up hair. You can also catch more of the leftover, seemingly always there fur by using a lint roller. You can also try using different materials for removing hair than the typical vacuum, if you’re not finding much success. WikiHow suggests using rubber brooms, soles, and gloves, and even a fabric softener sheet soaked in the softener to remove pet hair . Try what you have, whether it’s a curler or a squeegee, and see how you like the results! Bad Smells Smells can linger just as much as hair does — and what’s worse, it’s easy to become adapted to bad smells and forget they’re even there! So be sure to pay attention to the messes your pets make and clean them up as soon as they occur to avoid letting them soak into the material in your home. Give yourself a cleaning schedule, too, so you can deep clean and catch anything you may have missed. Try some of these three natural homemade cleaners to remove pet stains and odors to completely eliminate bad odors. What are your best tried-and-true tips for beating your pet’s messes? Share your ideas with us in the comments so we can all try them out. Thanks for reading!

Events to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month With

In addition to September being Baby Safety Month, it’s also Hispanic Heritage Month! Have some fun with this monthlong holiday by celebrating and attending these great Hispanic Heritage Month events near your apartment at Liv Avenida in Chandler, AZ. 6th Annual Rockin’ Taco Street Fest September 16th from noon to 9 pm Tacos aren’t just for Tuesdays or even Hispanic Heritage Month, but they are a classic, delicious Mexican food staple. Try some great ones at this event in Downtown Chandler. Bring your friends along to sample a range of some of the fest’s best vendors. To make a weekend of it, prepare yourself to enjoy the tacos and the culture of the great country they come from by checking out the Chandler Art Walk the day before from 6 pm to 9:30 pm. The month’s theme is Hispanic Heritage Month Art Walk, so you’re sure to get some great perspectives and art from local artists. 18th Annual Mariachi & Folklorico Festival September 30th at 7 pm End the month right by getting some quality entertainment at this festival. Here you can “enjoy a vibrant journey of the music and traditional dances of Mexico,” according to last year’s event description . This year’s event will feature esteemed groups such as Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuellar, Mariachi Sonido de Mexico from Tucson, AZ; Mariachi Juvenil de Mi Tierra (a local youth group); and dancers from more groups from Arizona. Support local artists and those sharing their talents by checking out what they have to offer at this event. If you went last year, come back and see what they have to offer this year. It’s sure to be a great new tradition for you to continue or start! What other ways do you celebrate Hispanic heritage, this month or in the other months of the year? Let us know in the comments! Thanks for reading. Enjoy!