Blog Posts

Fresh Recipes for National Salad Month

Welcome back to Liv Avenida Blog! Every May is National Salad Month, and since we’ve noticed that a bad salad can taste really bad, we decided to share some recipes with you that will taste better than you could have imagined. While it’s not quite summertime yet, the weather is starting to warm up, and a cool summer salad can serve as the perfect meal or side dish. This month, when you’re stumped on what to fix for dinner, we suggest you try one of the following recipes out in your Chandler, AZ apartment; when you find that perfect recipe, you might just want to make it all summer long. Steak with Tangy Sauce and Watercress Salad by Bon Appetit If you love steak, then it’s impossible not to love this delicious protein-packed salad. Starting with a base of watercress lettuce, Persian cucumbers, and mint leaves, top this salad with medium-rare rib eye — or skirt steaks if you want something simpler — and a delicious vinaigrette. Avocado, Orange, and Jicama Salad by Food and Wine Are you looking for a fun twist on a side salad to add an exciting touch to your meal? Make sure to test out this recipe with a delicious Mexican flare. This salad’s main ingredients are oranges, jicama, avocados, cilantro, and lime juice, and the combination creates a salad that is creamy, citrusy, and crunchy, all at the same time! Charred Corn Salad with Mint, Parsley, and Cilantro by Food and Wine Bring together lots of exciting ingredients with this charred corn salad from Food and Wine. The corn itself has a fun new flavor after it has been grilled and charred. By adding mint, cilantro, parsley, jalapeno, onions, and maple syrup, you’ll have multiple distinct flavors combined in one salad that turn out to be surprisingly complementary. Which of these salad recipes caught your eye the most? Do you have any other favorite salads you will make this month? Let our apartment community know by leaving a comment below!

Fitness Center Tips

If you haven’t yet succeeded at implementing a consistent exercise routine, we imagine that from time to time you think about how to make room for one in your busy schedule. Luckily enough for you, living in our Liv Avenida apartment community means that you have access to a complimentary fitness center. We think the best way to implement more working out into your daily life is to start with the resources in front of you! Today, our blog has a few simple tips for using the fitness center more efficiently: Find a Gym Buddy We suspect that the convenient location and the scaled-down size of our fitness center will make your experience exercising a little less intimidating, but it’s never a bad idea to bring a friend along with you to make it even better. Having a person to interact with that you have chosen in advance eases the tension and pressure of doing things the “right way” at the gym. Chances are, there are plenty of people right here within our community who are looking for a fitness buddy as well! Don’t Overlook the Weights For someone new to working out at the fitness center, it can seem appealing to stick with the familiar and intuitive equipment like the treadmill, the stationary bike, and the elliptical machine. Don’t get us wrong, cardio is an important component of a fitness routine, but it’s a mistake to replace strength training with more cardio out of convenience or familiarity. You may not intend to get ripped or to gain a noticeable amount of muscle, but a moderate amount of weight training using both free weights and weight machines will help keep your body in healthy working order. When combined with cardio, it’s also the optimal way to burn calories! Unplug It’s true that phones can, in theory, be a helpful tool at the fitness center, but they can also get in the way of you having productive exercise time. Apps like timers and music might enhance your workout, while messages and social media will slow it down. We recommend putting your phone in airplane mode while at the fitness center! Include Something Fun Last but not least, we think that in order to sustain a lifestyle of fitness and exercise, it’s crucial to include something you love doing in your mix. If shooting hoops is your style, make sure to scope out a place to play and a group of people to play with so that you have some more exciting form of exercise in the mix each week. If not, find a way to make your time in the fitness center more fun. You could watch a movie while you run, lay down a mat and follow along to an upbeat workout routine, or create an energetic playlist. Even more, you could incorporate another sport or physical activity you love to do somewhere in Chandler, AZ outside of the fitness center into your weekly schedule! We hope these simple suggestions will help you know how to take better advantage of our fitness center. Thanks for reading!

Tips for Biking to Work

Welcome back to Liv Avenida Blog! May is National Bike Month, and it’s the perfect month to start using your bike again since the cold season is over. From Bike to School Day on May 8th, Bike to Work Week from May 13th-19th, and Bike to Work Day on May 17th, this month is filled with different events you can participate in nation-wide if you choose to. Whether this month marks the beginning of a new bike commuting habit or whether you just decide to join in on this month’s activities for a few days, we’re here to bring you some tips that will make your bike riding a little more enjoyable and safe this month. Consider the following when you bike near your Chandler, AZ apartment: Plan Your Route Because your route to a given location could vary depending on your mode of transportation, it’s a smart idea to plan your bike route before you head out the door. Thanks to helpful apps like Google Maps and MayMyRide, you can find the most efficient bike-friendly route for any given location you choose. Whether you plan to memorize the route beforehand or use the GPS feature as you go, it’s a good idea to at least look over unfamiliar routes so you can focus most of your energy on biking safely and not on figuring out where to go. Be Prepared Bicycle commuting can be unpredictable, and because of that, you have to be ready for whatever might come your way. Because bike tires lose air more quickly than car tires do, get in the habit of setting aside enough time to check your air pressure before you leave. On top of that, it’s smart to have a simple bicycle repair kit and a travel pump with you on your commute so that if your tire gets a hole in it or goes flat unexpectedly, you have the right tools to address the problem. Also, because biking to work typically takes more time than driving does, make it a goal to get your work bag ready either before bed or right when you wake up so that your day starts off less hectic. Remember Why While commuting might seem really fun on National Bike to Work Day, when you choose to do it on a more consistent basis, there are times when it is more appealing to drive. For moments like these, it is to your advantage to prepare a few reasons as to why you’re doing this to be able to remember when you need to get excited again. One of the biggest reasons to commute, in our opinion, is the number of benefits it has for your personal life. If you bike to work, you’re saving a significant dollar amount on gas, car repair and maintenance, and even insurance. Simultaneously, the exercise you get by biking will benefit your physical and mental health. At the same time as you’re getting these personal rewards, you’re also contributing to a fresher air and a happier planet. We hope you have a successful and safe National Bike Month! Stay safe, and thanks for reading.

Earth Day Ideas

It’s Earth Day! Have you made any plans to observe this special holiday? If you haven’t, this week’s post on Liv Avenida Blog is dedicated to giving you a few simple ideas to help you take better care of our wonderful Earth. Try one of these suggestions out at your Chandler, AZ apartment or wherever else you might be on Earth Day this year: Get a Reusable Bottle Between disposable water bottles, coffee cups, and soda cups, it’s easy to use far too many single-use items without even realizing it. If one of these drinks is part of your daily ritual — water should be if it already isn’t — then why not reduce your carbon footprint by purchasing a reusable bottle or cup? They usually last multiple years, even if you use them every day. Think about how many plastic water bottles you would use in a two-year period if you didn’t have a reusable bottle! One small adjustment like this can make a big difference. Reduce Your Paper Mail Do you ever get a bill or a notice in the mail that could be received in a way that doesn’t involve paper? If so, there’s a good chance that you can request to stop receiving physical paper copies of these messages and get them via email instead. This goes for junk mail as well; if there is mail you receive that you don’t even look at before it’s in the garbage, take a minute to contact these companies and ask to no longer receive their mail. It’s easy to do, and it will save a significant amount of paper at the same time! Hang a Bird Feeder If you see birds out your balcony occasionally, invite them to stick around a little longer by hanging up a bird feeder! You may not have your own private yard here at Liv Avenida, but a simple action like this will make your personal space seem a little closer to the natural world around you. There’s no doubt that it will make the birds happy as well. Do you have any other suggestions for celebrating Earth Day? Let our community know by leaving a comment below.

Spring Egg Decorating Ideas

Hello from Liv Avenida Blog! Since spring is finally here, we thought we’d share some egg decorating ideas to get you excited for the season. In this post, you will find several different ideas for how to decorate eggs in April. Invite some friends over to try out one of these techniques or ideas in your apartment together! Bunny Eggs from Bitte Turn plain hard-boiled eggs into adorable little bunnies! All you will need is hard-boiled eggs, an egg coloring kit, and black and pink crayons or colored pencils. Dip the bottom half of the egg into the dye to be the clothing. Use the crayons or colored pencils to draw in the details on the clothes and the bunny’s face, ears, eyes, and nose. Watercolor Eggs from Craftberry Bush Use watercolor paint, a paintbrush, a little creativity, and some talent to decorate your plain white hard-boiled eggs and transform them into something extraordinary! These floral-themed eggs are just one idea. Glitter Easter Eggs from The Girl Inspired Glamorize your seasonal eggs by adding some glitter to make them sparkle. You will need glitter, white glue, toothpicks, washi tape, a small bowl, eggs, and a poking device. Set your finished shimmering eggs in a bowl and dazzle any guests that visit your apartment. Calligraphy Eggs from Oh Happy Day For this fun idea, you will need tattoo paper, scissors, hard-boiled eggs, a small bowl, water, and a paper towel. Download the text template and print it onto your temporary tattoo paper. You will love the adorable eggs with written messages on them. Marbled Eggs from Alice & Lois For this fun decorating idea, you will need a plastic container, water, nail polish, rubber gloves, and a stirring stick. Add a few drops of nail polish to the container filled with water and lightly stir to create a marbled look. Dip the egg under the water and swirl. Remove the egg and let it dry. The result should be a cool marbled pattern on the egg. Which of these ideas are you most excited to try? Let us know in the comments. Also, feel free to share any of your egg decorating ideas or techniques as well. Thanks for reading. Have a wonderful spring here in Chandler, AZ!

How to Build a Skin Care Routine

With so many opinions out there on how to take care of your skin, it can be confusing to know which advice to follow to keep your skin clean and clear. This week on Liv Avenida Blog, our goal is to help guide you toward the three most essential steps in any skincare routine. While everyone’s skin is different and individual regimens may vary, these three steps serve as a strong foundation. Start implementing these in your Chandler, AZ apartment today! Cleanser Cleansing your face should always be the first step in any skin care routine, and it’s a habit that should be consistently developed before you add anything else to the mix. Since your skin is exposed to bacteria, dirt, chemicals, and other unknowns nearly all day long, it’s crucial to wash it both morning and night. This will help your pores from clogging up and breaking out excessively. Depending on if your skin is oily or dry, the right cleanser may look like a foam or a cream, but there is certainly a product that is fitting for your skin type! Toner While washing your face cleanses your skin, using a toner will help to balance it out. After removing most of the dirt with a cleaner, a toner will typically enhance your skin by adding to it something that might not already be there. For example, a toner with hyaluronic acid will help your skin to retain moisture, while one with rose water and green tea will reduce any irritation and redness you might have. This is a great step to implement once you’ve built a habit of washing your face, and it can be applied quickly afterward with a cotton pad. Moisturizer As its name implies, a moisturizer helps keep the skin soft and hydrated. Facial moisturizers often include sunscreen with them, and they’re recommended to be used at all times of the year. Again, the type of moisturizer you use will depend on what type of skin you have, but there is something that is right for everybody. This step is particularly important to protect your skin in the dry Arizona heat! Implement these products one-by-one. Make sure you’re consistent with them so your skin doesn’t get overwhelmed. For additional information and for further discussion on these three products, check out this guide to building a skin care routine from The New York Times.