Blog Posts

International Picnic Day

Saturday, June 18th is International Picnic Day! Putting together the perfect picnic isnt so much about having a fancy meal but about having a great time with friends. We want to make sure that your next picnic is an event to remember. Here are a few tips: Plan ahead of time. Theres nothing less fun than a picnic no one shows up to. Make sure that you get all of your invites out ahead of time. Picnics with just a few close friends can maybe be planned on the flybut, as the saying goes, better safe than sorry. Pick the perfect location. Fortunately, Liv Avenida is located in Chandler, AZ. Chandler has many beautiful parks to choose from, but remember, its best to pick a park that is close to home. No matter how cool that park twenty miles away is, your friends will probably resent being asked to travel far if its not a special occasion. Portable food is key. Your picnic can be simple a pizza from your favorite parlor or a rotisserie chicken from the local grocery store will do. Just make sure that its easy to transport whatever you plan on eating. The last thing you want to worry about is whether or not your dish will make it to the picnic in one piece. Pick the perfect watermelon. There are two ways to check if your watermelon is ready: the first is to look at the yellow splotch on the bottom of the watermelon. If the splotch is a pale yellow, keep lookingthat watermelon is still sour. If the splotch is the color of aged butter, youve got a winner. The second way to judge if your watermelon is ready is to listen to the sound your watermelon makes when you give it a good flick. A hollow-sounding melon is juicy and ready to eat! Be a responsible citizen. Chandler, AZ is a beautiful place. Lets keep it that way. Please remember to pick up after yourself when your picnic is over. Preserving the pristine beauty of our city is everyones responsibility. We hope that our tips have been useful. If you have any picnic tips for us, please leave a comment!

Let's Go Fly a...Hot Air Balloon

Tick another item off of your bucket list by riding in a hot air balloon! Hot Air Expeditions operate from The Deer Valley Airport in Phoenix, AZ, just forty-five minutes away from the Liv Avenida in Chandler, AZ. The view from the balloonsclear sky, the desert stretching beneath youwill make the drive well worth it. The Hot Air Expeditions run both in the evening and in the morning. In the morning, they serve breakfast, and in the evening, they serve hors doeuvresso come with an empty stomach! If this is your first time flying , you will also get to participate in the Balloonists Ceremony at the end of the flight. Remember to dress appropriately for the flight. The website recommends bringing closed toe shoes, a hat, a light jacket, sunscreen, sunglasses and a camera to your expeditionthis is an experience that youll definitely want to capture and remember! Here are a few fun facts about hot air balloons from Mental Floss : The tradition of having champagne after a flight (which, if you decide to fly, you will get to participate in!) began when aristocats realized that farmers disliked having their crops crushed by the aristocrats balloons. Champagne was used to appease the farmers displeasure. Two Frenchmen battled it out in a pair of hot air balloons in 1808. They were in love with the same opera singer. The losers balloon ended up crashing into a building and killing not only the unfortunate dueler, but also the people living in the building. Abraham Lincoln instituted a Hot Air Balloon Corps during The Civil War. The Corps was used to spy on enemy troops. It was pretty short-lived, though, ending in 1863 when the army realized that the Corps were an easy target for enemy gunfire. Would you ever go on a hot air expedition? Have you ever been before? Let us know in the comments!

What's the Apps: Helpful Phone and Web Applications

We're coming up to the tail end of January, folks. The main question that everyone is avoiding asking themselves has begun to crop up: Have you kept up with your New Year's resolutions? It's a difficult thing, changing your everyday lifestyle to go along with a major alteration. Whether you attempted to make a big change or small, there's always ways to keep yourself and your changes on track. We at Liv Avenida have tracked down some great phone and web apps that help in maintaining goals here in Chandler, AZ. Compiled below are some easy ways to help focus (or refocus) those resolutions! 7 Minute Workout Improving health and fitness is one of the most common New Years resolutions. Recommended by many of their reviews, 7 Minute Workout is a very short but helpful app. It is a workout timer that times for seven minutes; these small workouts are the perfect way to spend a break at work or at home. After all, there's no excuses when it comes to such a short amount of time. Trello The perfectly customizable and portable to-do list, Trello is accessible both through their online application and its mobile twin. Provided you have internet access, lists will sync automatically and will be available on the go. Create lists within lists, organized sections, and check off lists that note your progress with this simple-to-use and user-friendly application. RescueTime Finding a work-life balance can be difficult, especially for busier individuals with hectic schedules. With distractions around every corner (especially on a computer) it's easy to wander away from the Trello to-do list. RescueTime is here to do just what the name says: rescue you from the negative time-sucking daily habits that bar productivity. This application tracks the time spent on applications and websites, giving an accurate picture of your day-to-day life and detailed reports on where you're funneling your attention. With such revealing documentation, it becomes much easier to note what's been wasting your time and how to get back on track. Those are just a few well-rated applications used by the productive. We hope they help you to maintain those resolutions even as the first new month ends. Do you have an

Local Libraries

Throughout Arizona and the United States as a whole, libraries are an essential part of where we live. They provide free and convenient access to novels and knowledge, movies and music to borrow, and essential studying spots for students and casual learners alike. Chandler has libraries all across town, granting easy access to the tomes stored on their shelves. The closest branch to us here at Liv Avenida is the Downtown branch, only nine minutes away from our community. As a resident of Chandler, you can immediately apply to get a library card at Chandler Public Library. This will allow you to borrow not just from the branch you sign up at, but from all Chandler libraries. To get a card, one simply has to present proof at the library that they're a resident of our town or Maricopa County. Adults must provide a picture ID that has a name and current local address. However, if the ID has an outdated address, simply showing documentation with your new address will work. Checks, voters registration cards, postmarked mail, hunting or fishing licenses, or any other official document that includes the applicant's name and local address will work. For young adults (ages 13-17) to obtain a card, they have to show similar ID. School photo IDs or report cards can act as identification for teens. However, simply having a parent or legal guardian present who can provide their own ID and proof of current address works as well. For the youngsters (ages 0-12), all that's needed with their application is the parent or guardian with the aforementioned required documents. It's incredibly easy to sign up for local libraries. Those with cards have access to thousands of books, newspapers, DVDs, CDs, and the various programs held within the Chandler libraries. The programs and events are always exciting affairs, particularly for younger audiences. Even better, one can utilize the Chandler Public Library website to access accounts, renew books, and reserve books. We highly recommend utilizing the nearby libraries, as they provide a wonderful service to the Chandler community as a whole. Do you have a favorite branch? What's your favorite memory when it comes to local libraries? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Chandlers Celebration of Unity Part Two

Chandler's Celebration of Unity event is ongoing, and thus we bring you part two of our event details. A staple since 1995, the major event of the Celebration is about to take place! The celebration was established to bring the community together for an exciting and introspective day of openness. In an event like this, we are able to experience the rich cultural diversity that exists within Arizona, and our city, in an informed and creative manner. Thus we at the Liv Avenida invite you to the crown jewel of the events, the Festival itself. 21st Annual Multicultural Festival January 16, 2016 - 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM The culmination of the month, and it's 21st annual occurrence, the Multicultural Festival is a free event that focuses on the main aspects of the Celebration of Unity. Diversity of the community is communicated through cultural music, dance, art, and more. The new location for the event will be in the Chandler Fashion Center. The stage is set for two sets of performances, and multiple culturally informative sports areas are set up throughout the event. As their website states, stay tuned for further details on performers, the schedule of events and volunteer opportunities. For inquires on the festival you can contact [email protected]. The Celebration of Unity is brought to Chandler as a joint collaboration between Chandler Men of Action, East Valley Jewish Community Center, Chandler Center for the Arts, Friends of the Library, Human Relations Commission, and the City of Chandler itself. Together, they are proud to present an extensive variety of community events in which over 10,000 people participate annually. We hope you were able to take part in this years events. But if not, next January we'll see the Celebration and Multicultural Festival return once more. Were you able to attend one of the Celebration of Unity events or gatherings? Share your experiences at this year's events in the comments below!

Chandlers Celebration of Unity Part One

Every January, Chandler hosts the Celebration of Unity. This annual jamboree is a series of events to honor the city's diversity and heritage. With a focus on the ideals, life, and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the civil rights movement overall, we as a community reflect on the history of Arizona and its surrounding states. As a member of the Chandler community living at Liv Avenida, you're invited to be a part of the Celebration of Unity. Events are scheduled throughout January, so you have plenty of chances to take part in this month of remembrance. The following are two of the events taking place during the celebration, but stayed tuned for part two next week! 16th Annual Creative Expression Competition The Creative Expression Competition is open to all students living or attending school in Chandler. Students enter the competition in the following categories: Performance, Writing, Visual Art, and Video. This year's theme for the submitted pieces is Peace Through People. More information on the Creative Expression Competition can be found here . Black Violin January 15, 2016 - 7:30 PM Violinists Will B and Kev Marcus have melded highbrow and pop culture through a combination of classical, jazz, hip-hop, blues, and R&B. Joining these classically trained violinists is DJ TK on turntables. Together, the trio entrance with Bach and Beyonce alike. As Wil B. explained, "We encourage kids to think creatively, to take what they love doing and try to come up with something no one has ever done before. And that doesnt just apply to playing violin or even music, but whatever it is you decide to do. Expand your mind. Once we get their attention with the music, thats the message we want to deliver. On the 16th, the Multicultural Festival will take place. We'll share more about that in our next blog post. Is there a celebration you're looking forward to in particular? Share your favorites in the comments below!