Blog Posts

How to Make the Most of Your Storage Space

Here at Liv Avenida our residents enjoy plenty of storage space in our apartments — but is your storage space being used to full advantage? Today we have some ideas to help you do just that at your apartment here in Chandler, AZ. Take some time now to get your apartment ready for the holidays by following these tips. First, go through your things. Storage space is always a helpful amenity, but don’t just shove every extra item you have but you’re not using in there! A more effective tactic for any storage space is to only put things in there that you know you need. Prioritize by putting seldom used items up high or down low, and things you use often in the most accessible storage areas in your apartment. Take the time now to go through your things to decide what items are necessities in your life, either because they’re useful or sentimental to you. If you don’t have a very strong need for an item but you appreciate the memories associated with it, consider taking a picture of the item so you can give or throw away the actual physical item and free up space. Create an organization method that works for you. As with any storage space (like a closet), extra storage space should be easy to navigate so you can access your things when you need or want to. Consider creating a list in a notebook you won’t lose or in your phone of where things are, how they’re sorted, and what boxes specific items are in. You can organize your things according to their corresponding season, similar colors or uses for items, or any other organization method that you can easily remember. Make it easy for you and it’ll be easier to remember later! Try out furniture storage options. Sometimes no matter how well we organize or how often we purge, we accumulate things that crowd up our space. Take advantage of the dual-functionality aspect of furniture itself! For example, ottomans that open up are great for storing pillows or blankets that you may use while lounging on the couch. Bookshelves are obviously great for books, but they’re also great for displaying small trinkets or pieces of art. And you can use cabinets, wardrobes, and armoires to store scrapbooks, movies, CDs, or fragile collectibles. These all can free up space and pull the design of your home together nicely. We hope you enjoy making the most of the storage space available to you here at Liv Avenida, and that you find useful, creative ways to make your space your own. Thanks for reading!

Spooky Halloween Treats

It’s October, and Halloween is right around the corner. We’re sure you’ve got a lot of events and parties coming up here in Chandler, AZ, so we’ve put together a list of tasty treats themed for the holiday that you can make yourself in your apartment here at Liv Avenida. Give them a try and let us know in the comments which are your favorites! “Poison” Candy Apple Candy apples are a traditional fall and Halloween treat, but this version just makes them a little bit more creepy for the holiday. A little dye in the candy coating creates a creepy-looking black “poisonous” appearance to the treat. Try other dyes to create bloody or ghostly apples, too! Meringue Ghost Tartlets These little tartlets are a perfect surprise for anyone looking for a sweet treat. This Halloween dessert is made from a graham cracker crust, chocolate ganache, and egg whites to make a meringue-ghost-topped, delectable sweet. Graveyard Chocolate Cheesecake Dip This dessert dip is anything but a downer. Make the chocolate cheesecake dip in just 20 minutes. Decorate with crushed chocolate cream sandwich cookies and form the tombstones with Milano cookies or a similar cookie you can decorate for a dessert to impress everyone you share it with. Mini Mice Cakes With a little bit of care and some skill in the kitchen, these spooky mice cakes will look real enough to scare anyone! Use fondant, red velvet cake filling, white candy coating, and a mouse chocolate mold to create this eerie snack to give anyone the chills. Melted Witch Bark Everyone knows that wicked witches melt when they come in contact with water. Well, this treat is what they look like afterward! Use candy melts to create the effect. Do you have any favorite spooky treats of your own? Let us know in the comments so that everyone at The Vault at Statesboro can try them out!

Halloween Movies to Watch this Month

We hope you’re having a great start to October here in Chandler, AZ. Keep the spirit of Halloween alive all month long by watching some movies inspired by the holiday in your apartment at Liv Avenida! Today we have spooky suggestions (with descriptions from IMDb ) to put on your watch list. Beetlejuice — Comedy, Fantasy (1988) “A couple of recently deceased ghosts contract the services of a “bio-exorcist” in order to remove the obnoxious new owners of their house.” Sleepy Hollow — Fantasy, Horror, Mystery (1999) “Ichabod Crane is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate the decapitations of 3 people with the culprit being the legendary apparition, the Headless Horseman.” The Phantom of the Opera — Drama, Musical, Romance (2004) “A young soprano becomes the obsession of a disfigured musical genius who lives beneath the Paris Opéra House.” Hocus Pocus — Comedy, Family, Fantasy (1993) “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 the witches’ reign of terror once and for all.” Teen Witch — Comedy, Family, Fantasy (1989) “High school misfit Louise, at a loss for romance, discovers magical abilities, but the teenage witch finds that she cannot conjure herself true love, so what?” Young Frankenstein — Comedy (1974) “An American grandson of the infamous scientist, struggling to prove that he is not as insane as people believe, is invited to Transylvania, where he discovers the process that reanimates a dead body.” Practical Magic — Comedy, Drama, Fantasy (1988) The wry, comic romantic tale follows the Owens sisters, Sally and Gillian, as they struggle to use their hereditary gift for practical magic to overcome the obstacles in discovering true love. What are your favorite Halloween or scary movies to watch around this time of year? Let us know in the comments! Enjoy!

Arizona State Fair — Something for Everyone

Ready to head out from Liv Avenida for the weekend? What better place to go than the Arizona State Fair in Phoenix which is just a short drive from Chandler? Last week we highlighted some of the concerts that will be taking place at the fair this year, and this week we are sharing some of the history behind this epic annual event. Arizona State Fair History The Arizona State Fair has been in existence for over a century. The fairgrounds, established in 1905 house the Veterans Memorial Coliseum which has played host to Elvis, Pope John Paul II, President Obama, and Cher among other celebrities. The focus of the fair, a gathering place for Arizonans from around the state, is a celebration of the diversity found in Arizona. Honoring the past, celebrating what’s happening here and now, and looking forward to the future is all a part of what’s happening. This video provides a quick overview of the history of the Arizona state fair . What You Will Find at the Arizona State Fair In addition to concerts every weekend throughout the month of October, visitors will find wonderful food from a variety of vendors, multiple community stages featuring local talent, and of course competitive opportunities. As the Competitive Entries page of the website notes, “From Chalk Art to Cupcake Decoration Demonstrations, Fine Art Wood Carvings, and the photos of iconic and mesmerizing Arizona landscapes, we bring together the collective creative minds of our community. “ Be sure to visit the livestock exhibitions where you will have the opportunity to see goats, poultry, pigeons, rabbits, cattle, sheep, and swine. At the other end of the spectrum, among the featured attractions of the fair are PC Gaming World, Console Gaming World, and VR world. Choose your favorite avenue to get your game on. There will be a Retro Arcade available, and get excited to attend the Grandstand Series of Monster Truck competition. Don’t forget to plan time for the carnival! For answers about your pressing fair-related questions, check out the Arizona State Fair FAQ . It covers everything from the Code of Conduct to Lost and Found to Guest Services. Have a great time!

Let’s Go to a Concert at the Arizona State Fair

October is here and that means that the Arizona State Fair is too! This week on the Liv Avenida Blog, we are sharing information about the concert series that takes place each year at the fair. The concert series is held at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix and features a broad range of performing artists. This year, more than a dozen artists will be featured. We are highlighting a few of our top picks. Stryper - Wednesday, October 9th “Orange County California’s own Christian rock band, Stryper, known best for hits, ‘To the Hell with the Devil’ and ‘Honestly’ is said by Popular Culture to be the ‘first Christian rock band to be accepted by the mainstream media.’ Inspired by their strong Christian faith, Stryper features clean lyrics with strong rock music.” Lee Brice - Saturday, October 12th “Arizona Lottery Concert Series presents two-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, Lee Brice. Brice is known for his top hits, “I Drive Your Truck” and “Love Like Crazy”, and was inducted into Pandora’s Billionaire Club after reaching more than 2 billion streams!” Becky G. - Friday, October 18th "Singer, songwriter, and actress Becky G was born for the spotlight and her multifaceted career is shaping up to be nothing short of iconic. The twenty-one-year-old star’s achievements include two number one hits on the Billboard Latin Airplay Charts ('Mayores” & “Sin Pijama'), a starring role in 'Power Rangers', and guest-starring in Fox TV’s Emmy-winning 'Empire' series." MC Hammer - Friday, October 25th “We’re taking it back to the 90s with Hammer’s House Party featuring MC Hammer and C&C Music Factory with Freedom Williams! Expect a night full of dancing and reminisce while you make memories to remember decades later. Now ‘Everybody Dance Now’!” Check out the Arizona State Fair Concerts Page for more bios and details about all the entertainers who will be making an appearance. Thanks for reading our post today and being a part of our apartment community.

Get Ready, Get Set with Halloween Costumes for Your Pet

This month on the Liv Avenida Blog we’ve been focusing on pets, and even though it’s still September, we thought it would be fun to share ideas for Halloween costumes for pets — doing it now will give you plenty of time to come up with the perfect costume for your furry friend. Here are four ideas to get you thinking. 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. Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf You don’t even need a person for this couple’s costume. Whether you or a little one dress up as Red Riding Hood, your dog is the perfect companion for this look. All you’ll need is an old T-shirt (the person who did this idea used a purple color scheme), some old glasses with a glasses rope, and a shower cap to make this costume. Unicorn Pet Your pet can look and feel as mystical and magical as a unicorn by dressing up as one. The Live Colorful blog has a great tutorial with the rundown on all the supplies you’ll need for this fantastic costume. UPS Delivery Driver This great costume from Chewy California Costumes is perfect for any of you who do not sew. If you’re taking your pup along for any trick-or-treating you or your kids will be doing, this will be a delightful guest at anyone’s door. You can probably find nearly everything you need for a pet costume right in your apartment. Let your pet be a part of this special holiday by dressing them up for the big day. Then, make your way over to your favorite Chandler, Arizona pet park to show off just how good they look to all their friends.