Blog Posts

Easy Ways to Conserve Water this Summer

Summer in Arizona gets hot — there’s no denying that! But you can still conserve water and stay cool and hydrated by including good habits into your daily routine, in or outside of the apartment here at Liv Avenida. Today on the blog we’re featuring a few easy ways you can conserve water in your home. Don’t ignore leaks. One drip at a time, leaks don’t seem like a big deal. But drip by drip, they add up! You probably know this if you’ve ever experienced one. Report any drips you notice by sending in a maintenance request to our management so you can get the problem fixed and protect your apartment — and the earth — as best as you can. Use single rinses. Double rinses are good to use for those dishes, clothes, stains, and buildup that need more heavy rinsing to get and stay clean. However, most the time you could do just as well with a single rinse. Opt for that and see if you like the results. If you’re washing dishes by hand, cut down on the water you use to rinse by only turning on the tap when you’re washing each dish. Be mindful about bathroom water use. The bathroom is a place full of opportunities to use water — and that’s great! Water washes away the dirt that naturally accumulates, and we love modern plumbing. However, it’s easy to waste water. So make it a point to cut showers short, even by a few minutes, to save gallons of water. Turn off the faucet while you’re brushing your teeth. And save water every time you flush the toilet by filling a plastic water bottle with rocks or water and placing it in the toilet tank. This displaces water in the tank and cuts out on how much is used each time you flush! What ideas do you have for how to conserve water or otherwise save energy in your apartment? Let us know in the comments!

Ideas for Decorating Your Patio or Balcony

Depending on the floor plan of your apartment here at Liv Avenida, you may get to enjoy a private patio or balcony that extends your home into the great outdoors of Chandler, AZ. Make the most of it this summer by creating an environment you can relax in with these useful and beautiful decorating ideas. Add seating. Relaxing in a rocking chair out on the balcony can be so refreshing after a long day. Also consider camp chairs, stools, a bench with some comfortable cushions, or even a small couch or ottoman. Add plants. There’s something soothing about plants. They bring a touch of the outdoors (nearly) inside. Use a variety of plants that you love, or perhaps even plant an herb garden to get extra use out of your greenery. Add decor. Think of the walls of your balcony or patio as a giant canvas. Decorate with something colorful like a kite collection, add a butterfly motif to the patio or balcony, or maybe hang up your fishing rod on the wall to make a statement. Think storage. Use a weatherproof container to store some of those bulky, oddly shaped things that don’t really fit inside a cupboard or a closet. Or store items you typically use outdoors in a tote. Create. Make a play area. A balcony or patio makes a great place to store a mini-car collection or a family of stuffed animals. Especially if you frequently have visitors over, this can be a fun area for some of them to enjoy without crowding the apartment. Plan a date night. Use your balcony or patio to your advantage and Romeo and Juliet won’t have anything over on you. Perhaps create a scavenger hunt through the city that ends with flowers and chocolate (or a decadent dessert) on your patio or balcony. Relax. And of course, balconies and patios are perfect for taking a few minutes to kick back at the end of the day and simply enjoy the warmer weather here in Chandler. Make a soothing environment by including decorations, colors schemes, and patterns that you love so you can enjoy your home as best as you can. What are your favorite ways to decorate your balcony or patio? Leave your suggestions in the comments! Thanks for reading!

July Events to Attend in Chandler

Stay on top of all your summer plans this month by first figuring out what’s going on in town here in Chandler, AZ! Today the Liv Avenida Blog is highlighting a couple events, including an Independence Day celebration, you can check out this month. July 4th Fireworks Spectacular July 4th, 2017 from 5 pm to 10:30 pm Independence Day is tomorrow, so if you don’t already have plans, celebrate by attending this annual city event. Visit Chandler calls it Chandler’s Largest summer event , so it’s not something you want to miss! Head over to Tumbleweed Ranch Park for family-friendly activities all day at the event, including live music and assorted food and beverage vendors. Bring cash for parking ($5 per vehicle). And be sure to stay long enough that you can catch the fireworks show starting at 9 pm. See the city website for information about a VIP area and specific parking directions. Jonny Lang July 21st, 2017 at 7:30 pm If you like music, discover a great American blues, gospel, and rock singer, songwriter, guitarist, and recording artist later this month in this concert at the Chandler Center for the Arts. If you’re not familiar with this artist, brush up on his debut album, Lie to Me, which gave him a breakthrough at the age of 16. He started in local Minneapolis clubs and has since shared the stage with The Rolling Stones, B.B. King, Aerosmith, Sting, and Buddy Guy, who he continues to tour with today. Of course, if you’d rather stay in and enjoy this month’s holiday at your own apartment, don’t be afraid to invite some friends over for your own party. Whip up your favorite traditional summer meals and sides for a great way to make the most of the season. What events are you most excited to attend this month? Let us know what else is going on outside of our apartment community by leaving a comment! Thanks for reading. Happy Independence Day!

Tips for Embracing Your Creativity

Today the Liv Avenida Blog has a couple of ideas to help you discover and harness your creativity. Use our tips to develop your creativity and become a more artistic person this month. We hope you find the chance to get out of your apartment here in Chandler, AZ and make some art before the month is through. Take an art class A great way to unleash your creativity is through art classes and workshops. The Bergstrom Mahler Museum of Glass offers classes for both youth and adults to learn how to create art with glass as the primary medium. The Mobile Museum of Art also offers classes for adults to learn how to create art in a variety of mediums, including pottery, painting, drawing, printmaking, glass fusing, and even puppet-making and shell engraving. These are great opportunities to learn and get valuable tips from professionals. Embrace difficulty Phil Hansen thought his art career was over when he developed a shake in his hands. Instead of giving up, he learned how to “ embrace the shake .” Hansen says, “Limitations may be the most unlikely of places to harness creativity, but perhaps one of the best ways to get ourselves out of ruts, rethink categories and challenge accepted norms. And instead of telling each other to seize the day, maybe we can remind ourselves every day to seize the limitation.” Visit your local craft store Go to your favorite local craft store for paints, fabrics, paper, and other craft supplies. We think to a store like Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store is a great way to get you excited for creating new things and starting projects, especially because the store should have everything you need, and the employees there can also give you tips. Whether you want to paint, make pottery, or design your own clothing, you’ll find what you need at your local craft store. Get inspired Get out of your house to visit a local art gallery, experience a part of town you’ve never visited, or meet someone new. You never know who or what will inspire you. Carry around a notebook to record your ideas and your observations. Your next great idea is out there, so put yourself in a situation to find it! Leave us your most creative advice in the comments. Thanks for reading our post!

Summer Pet Care Tips

You and your pet are probably already feeling the summer heat here in Chandler, AZ, but you can do a lot of things to beat the heat and stay more comfortable in your apartment here at Liv Avenida. Read today’s blog for some summer pet care tips. Stay aware of the effects of the heat. You may be able to know when you’re feeling dehydrated or hot, but sometimes it’s easy to forget to notice the signs that your pet is feeling the same way. Learn common symptoms for dehydration and heat stroke and pay attention to your pet’s health. Always keep plenty of water easily accessible to your pet, and take extra measures to groom and bathe your pet if they need some cooling down. Ask your vet for specific tips on how much you should cut your pet’s fur if you think that could help. Beware of summer insects. Pesky bugs, bees, fleas, and ticks are common in the summer, and they can be bothersome and harmful for your pet. If you’re new to checking for fleas and ticks, ask your veterinarian for advice on how to do it and which flea combs might be best. Your vet can also give you tips for preventing problems with bugs or treating things like bites, stings, and fleas. Take it easy. Make simple changes to your schedule that can help you meet your pet’s needs in a way that is comfortable but still convenient for the both of you this summer. That may mean getting up to walk your pet earlier or later than normal so you can avoid the harshest rays of the sun, or it could simply mean taking more breaks on your walks, especially for pets with shorter muzzles, who can’t pant as efficiently as other animals. Taking it easy also means walking in the shade and avoiding hot, dark pavement that could burn your pet’s paws. Consider getting a pet water bottle to keep your pet in the habit of drinking water even when they’re away from the water dish at home. What are your best summer pet care tips? Share your suggestions with us in the comments. Thanks for reading!

Swimming Pool Games

Last week on the Liv Avenida Blog we covered some important pool safety tips to keep in mind as you’re enjoying our saltwater heated pools just steps from your apartment. Today we want to help you continue enjoying this great amenity at your home here in Chandler, AZ, so we’re offering you some swimming pool games you may love! Marco Polo : In this classic game, one person is the designated “Marco” and everyone else in the group is “Polo.” The Marco must close their eyes and call “Marco,” to which the rest of the group yells “Polo!” Marco will swim around the pool, trying to find and tag the elusive Polos. If a Polo gets tagged, they become the new Marco. Sharks and Minnows : One person is the Shark, lurking in the middle of the pool, and the rest of the players are the Minnows. The Minnows must try to swim past the shark without being tagged. If they are tagged, they become sharks and must help the main Shark capture more Minnows. The last Minnow standing becomes the Shark in the next round. Popsicle : This is freeze tag for the swimming pool. When the person that is “it” tags you, you must stand straight with your hands over your head — like a popsicle. Players who are underwater can unfreeze the frozen players and cannot be tagged themselves. Octopus : This game is a lot like “Sharks and Minnows,” only the players tagged by the “Octopus” must link hands and try to entrap the other players in their snare. If you are trapped, you must link onto the chain. The last player standing will become the Octopus in the next round. It’s going to be a hot summer here in Chandler, so we hope that our residents take advantage of our pool this summer. What are your favorite pool games? Let us know in the comments!