Blog Posts

5 Ways Photography is Like Writing Your Best Seller

Welcome back to the Liv Avenida Blog! As we are looking at the end of summer (and the intense heat it brings) fading away, our minds are focused on goals and aspirations that often flood people’s social media feeds. Take when summer ends, for example. One goal that we often see is the pledge to finally sit down and write that best-seller. Did you know that you don’t need to write in order to produce a great work of art? In many ways, writing a best-selling novel is like taking a photograph. We hope that today’s blog post will inspire you to expand your horizons in these coming months as a resident of the Liv Avenida apartment community in Chandler, Arizona. Writers and photographers have at least one thing in common: they’re both artists. But as we’ve stepped a little into both areas, we’ve come to realize that writers and photographers have much more in common than a simple title. We’ve compiled a list of 5 ways photography is like writing a novel. 1. Choose Your Genre — When a writer decides to write a story, they must choose which genre the story falls under. In a similar way, a photographer must do the same thing. They decide what type of photograph they are going to take (Is it going to be a landscape shot, a portrait, or maybe an underwater masterpiece?). Even if the story or photograph comes suddenly and unexpected, it still fits into a specific category. 2. Begin at the End — This is all about having a goal. After choosing the genre, both the writer and the photographer have an idea about how their story or photograph will end; the writer has an idea about the story’s conclusion, and the photographer has an idea about what the final photo will look like. They have a vision of how it will end even if they aren’t sure how they will get there. 3. Create the Characters — What people or objects will you select to tell the story of your photograph? What devices will you use to frame the shot so it’s set just right? Each element in the shot plays an important role in bringing it all together. 4. Write the First Draft — Writing the first draft is a lot like taking those first shots as a photographer, especially if it’s for a type of photo that you’ve never done before. It may be uncomfortable at first, but as soon as you start it gets better. 5. Rewrite and Edit — No one gets it right the first time. There are always mistakes waiting to happen. The beautiful thing is with more practice the mistakes get easier to spot, and therefore, avoid. As always, practice helps us perfect what we’ve been striving for. So take some time to do some writing or take some pictures this month! Feel free to post your work in the comments.

Organizing Your Kitchen

With summer finally here, your cupboards could probably use a makeover. Today, we’re sharing some great ideas to help you keep things organized in your Liv Avenida apartment. Having trouble organizing your kitchen pantry or counter space? We think these ideas can help! Stacy and Charlie have some great organization ideas for the pantry . Did you look at the picture? We can’t believe how great it looks! Storage containers can be perfectly utilized in the pantry, depending on which size you choose. Just be sure to label the containers so you’ll know what’s in them. Use mason jars to store items of all types, from yarn to matchsticks and sewing supplies. The clear glass makes it easy to see what’s inside, and it’s even more convenient because you can fill a whole shelf with the jars. You can also put utensils on the counter in a pretty jar or vase. This will add functionality to your kitchen. Plus, a pretty vase on your counter is always a good idea! If you only use your waffle maker once a year for your holiday breakfast or if your cake platters only get used on birthdays, consider moving these items to a closet or storage space. Put a turn-table in the fridge to make it easier to find condiments or sauces while cooking. Purchase stacking shelves to add almost double the space in your cupboards. Be picky about what goes in your cupboards in the first place. Don’t keep large items that are taking up space. Clean out the pantry and fridge periodically so you have more space for fresh foods.Create a separate space for cleaning products, detergents, and soaps in order to keep them away from other foods and avoid contamination and spillage. Purchase a spoon rest for cooking — this will help keep the kitchen clean even while you might be making a mess. Keeping your kitchen organized will save both time and space. It can even save money! If you can see exactly what is in your cupboards, shopping in Chandler, AZ will be much easier and more effective.

Tips for Making Friends

Anytime is a good time to make friends, but it can seem difficult to know where to start. Now is a relevant time, though, to prepare for making friends. A new school year is approaching, Friendship Day is on August 6th, and Friendship Week is the third week of the month. Today the Liv Avenida Blog has some basic important tips to remember as you go about trying to make new friends, in or outside of our apartment community in Chandler, AZ. Respect others. This is important whether or not you’re actively trying to make friends, every day of the year! Remember that while you’re trying to connect with someone, the other person may or may not actually want to reciprocate — and that’s okay! Respect others’ choices and personal space. Be respectful in how you speak to others. That’s simply the right thing to do, but you’ll also find that people will be more open to being your friend and reaching out if they feel they can trust you. Make it natural. Make an effort to reach out to someone you think could be a good friend, but don’t force it. Start with simple, pleasant conversations and try to find something you can bond over. Be yourself and let others be themselves. If it doesn’t click immediately, that’s ok. You can still be a friendly acquaintance. If you do feel like you want to spend more time with someone, invite them to do something or go somewhere with you, or find a way to do something nice for them. Be open and honest about your intentions so they can know what to expect. Use your resources. Liv Avenida is a great option for a comfortable, convenient apartment living. We also provide a few options for socializing. Our resident amenities and social events can give you a chance to talk to someone you never would’ve before. Invite a neighbor to go with you if you want some company or just an opportunity to do something with them. Take the opportunity to interact with others at our community garden, jogging path, group exercise classes, or weekly social events. Connect with other pet owners at the bark park, too! We hope you have a good time using these and other resources to make the most of our community and the great environment we provide. What are your favorite ways to make friends? Share your wisdom with the rest of us in the comments so we can try them out.

Refreshing Summer Smoothies

Last week on Liv Avenida Blog, we shared with you some of our top suggestions for staying hydrated this summer. This week, we’re here to help you feel relaxed and refreshed by bringing you some smoothie recipes fit for the season! Consider making one of these delicious drinks in your Chandler, AZ apartment — either alone or with others! Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Breakfast Shake This recipe is one of our favorite ways to pack in the nutrients and make a quick, easy, tasty meal you can take out the door. It pairs the classically delicious combination of chocolate, peanut butter, and banana to make a sweet but healthy shake. If you have a few overripe bananas you’re hesitant to throw away, this is a great way to make use of them and naturally bring out the sweetness. Healthy Pineapple Smoothie with Banana With only five ingredients, you can make a healthy and vegan smoothie recipe that anyone is sure to love. All you need is fresh cut pineapple fruit, bananas, carrots, orange juice, and water for a smoothie that looks like sunshine! The sweet and tangy flavors of orange, pineapple, and banana balance out the healthier carrot taste, so it’s a good way to sneak something healthy into your day. Raspberry Peach Smoothie This thick and creamy smoothie is a perfect addition to any picnic or summer barbeque. Another healthy way to fill you up and cool you down, this smoothie just requires frozen raspberries, fresh peaches, vanilla Greek yogurt, and vanilla almond milk. Metabolism-Boosting Blueberry Smoothie The blogger of this recipe says she likes to start her day off with this smoothie because she gets the nutritional benefits of the antioxidant blueberries, and there’s only one kitchen appliance to clean! Throw in the fact that it’s delicious and it’s a perfect breakfast. Invest in some protein powder for this shake and others you make in the future so you can get yourself ready for many days of clean eating. We hope you enjoy these smoothies! Let us know of any other great ones we should make by leaving a comment with the recipe.

Swimming Pool Safety

Last week on Liv Avenida Blog, we shared with you some of our favorite games to play in the pool. In today’s post, we’re featuring a few important swimming pool safety tips everyone should follow! Invite your friends and family to have an afternoon of fun while swimming, chatting, or relaxing on the sundeck just outside of your apartment here in Chandler, AZ Horsing around may be fun, but there are plenty of ways it can lead to getting hurt or bothering someone else, especially in a crowded pool. Remember that there are other people in the pool, so keep the splashing to a minimum if you’re close to someone, and practice having fun without getting into a stranger’s personal space. This not only is polite, but it can help you avoid accidents. Even if you’re an experienced swimmer, there’s never a better time than now to brush up on your knowledge of CPR and basic swimming first-aid procedures . Know the importance of wearing sunscreen , and make it a habit! If you have kids or will be looking after any kids who will be swimming with you, take the time now to teach them the basics of what you’re learning! Having this crucial knowledge will help you and the little ones conquer fears and approach the pool with confidence. Of course, there are also many small ways people can get hurt at the pool. Wet pavement can lead to slips, bruises, and scrapes — if not worse — so practice walking, and not running, with your kids. Teach them to stay away from suction outlets and drains to avoid getting hair or clothing caught in them. Always swim with a buddy, and know where those you’re swimming with are at all times. If you know the potential for danger, you and your children can easily avoid it. Accidents, however much we try to prevent them, sometimes do occur. Helping yourself and anyone else around you feel calm, even if an accident happens, is important because it will ease the stress and allow everyone to think clearly and react responsibly. Chaos can often make people prone to even more accidents, so let your preparation come in handy and help you stay empowered to be safe. This month, we hope you can be smart and avoid accidents at the swimming pool by making safe decisions. Let us know what you love most about swimming by sharing a comment below. Thanks for reading!

Summer Swimming Pool Games

Into the pool everyone! It’s time for some summer fun, and we’ve got some games to liven things up. Our guess is that everyone has participated in Mermaid Races, Dolphin Races, or any other names there might be for swimming underwater to see who can go the furthest, but have you tried any other games? We here at Liv Avenida Blog have some other game suggestions to keep your summer pool time exciting: Shark in the Pool How about a tag game? Shark in the Pool is a favorite. The shark is “it” and tries to tag the other players when they are in the water. When the shark does successfully tag another fish (swimmer) that fish becomes the shark. Another variation is to have the fish line up on one side of the pool with the shark out in the water. The goal for the fish is to reach the other side of the pool. The goal is for the shark to catch the fish. Once a fish has been tagged by the shark, that fish becomes a shark too, and then together they try to capture the other fish. Wash, rinse, repeat. Treasure Hunt You can never go wrong with a round of this game. Simply get a roll of quarters, or even dollar coins if you are feeling generous, and toss them in the pool a few at a time. Swimmers compete to get to the coins first, and the winners keep whatever treasure they get to first. Another variation of this game is to gather a collection of diving toys, each one with a corresponding prize. Prizes can be listed beforehand, or they can be a surprise. This is a fun pool party game. Marco Polo What kind of pool party would it be without a game of Marco Polo? The game is essentially Blind Man’s Bluff, played in the pool, with the person who is “it” closing their eyes and calling out “Marco,” to which the other players answer “Polo” while the blinded Marco tries to find them. For anyone who can’t remember the specifics of gameplay, take a second to glance over these Marco Polo rules . Thanks for reading this week’s post. May your summer afternoons at the pool be filled with fun here in Chandler, AZ! It’s time to get out of the apartment and enjoy the sun!