Blog Posts

Make Your Own Virtual Reality Glasses

Enjoy rock climbing on the other side of the world, skydiving, and deep sea fishing—all without leaving your apartment in Phoenix, Arizona. Virtual reality is an incredible experience that’s entering homes all across the country. It’s available for mobile devices, video game consoles, and there are even virtual reality centers that you can visit to experience it around the country. No matter what your choice to experience this new or alternate reality is, a world where in the blink of an eye you can be in the middle of an ocean or desert, there’s always cost to factor in: How much are you willing to pay to put yourself inside of a 3-Dimensional world? There are actually a few affordable options when it comes to virtual reality. Today, Liv Ahwatukee Blog is sharing information on how you can make your own pair of virtual reality glasses. You’ll need: Two 45mm biconvex lenses Four strips of VELCRO A Cardboard shoe box Scissors Glue stick For full instructions, a print-out design, and detailed images, check out instructables.com . After you’ve made your pair of glasses, download the Google Cardboard App for an awesome experience. Virtual reality is becoming more and more popular, and each year it’s getting better. With new and improved technology every year, better graphics, and more affordable solutions, it’s a great time to take advantage and enjoy this ground-breaking experience. Virtual reality puts us inside of an environment, an experience, that seems so real it’s as though we are actually there. Whether you’re using it for entertainment purposes or training for a new job, it looks like we’ll be seeing this technology around a lot more often and for years to come. What’s your favorite thing about virtual reality? Have you made your own virtual reality glasses? Thanks for reading!

How to Avoid Losing Things

Is it difficult for you to lose things? We’re not talking about weight. If you’re used to losing things — keys, wallet, phone, television remote — then you’re no stranger to the frustration and anger that it can cause. Unfortunately, losing things, especially in an apartment, is an all too common occurrence. But what if this was different? What if the idea of “losing things” could be lost altogether? There are easy tips to help you keep track of your possessions, and Liv Ahwatukee Blog wants to share them with you! Following these simple ideas may prove the difference between losing your possessions and saving your time and money. One of the best ways to avoid losing something is to choose a spot for them. This should be a place specifically chosen for this item — perhaps a place you know you’ll look at every day. A good way to remember this place is to visualize it in your mind. Before you place your keys or your wallet, take a few seconds to create the scene in your head. Doing so has been proven to help improve memory, which can help keep you from losing items. Designating a single place where you always keep your items is a great way to remember where they are. When we keep something in multiple places, it can be hard for our brains to remember. If there is one place, however, made solely for one item, it will be easier for our minds to keep track of. If you want to keep all your important items — keys, jewelry, and wallet — in one place together, only keep those things there. Don’t add other items into the mix, or else it might become a mess. Another great tip to avoid losing things is to keep a clean apartment. If you’ve ever had to dig through a trash bin to find an old receipt or search through a pile of dirty clothes for something that might be in one of the pockets, then you know the pain that such an experience can be! The cleaner you keep the apartment, the easier it will be to find things you might have lost (or may lose in the future). If you find yourself losing important items more often than not, then learning to clean on a regular basis, putting important items away immediately, and organizing things so that important items have a designated space are just a few tips that might help you in the future. Do you have a habit of losing things? We’d love to hear about any tips that you might have. Share in the comments so that other people of our beautiful community in Phoenix, AZ can benefit. Thanks for reading!

Five Benefits of Prescription Eyeglasses that May Change Your Perspective

Buying prescription eyeglasses for the first time can be a daunting and challenging moment. While it’s very common to be afraid of what people think, or that the glasses won’t improve your vision at all, you might be surprised about some of the incredible benefits of prescription eyeglasses that we’ve compiled. Looking at the benefits may be just what you need to change your mind, and will hopefully relieve any worried thoughts you have about wearing prescription eyeglasses in our out of your apartment in Phoenix, Arizona. It’s no surprise that one of the first things we think of when getting prescription eyeglasses is how good they’ll look on us. What you should be wondering is how they can make you look even better than you already do. Prescription eyeglasses have the power to highlight some of the best features of your face, providing an overall balance while adding your own personal style. Whatever the frames, the prescription eyeglasses you choose should not only be ones that feel comfortable, but they should be ones that make you feel confident. If you’ve never worn prescription eyeglasses, then it can be hard to understand just how much they help your vision. While not in any way a permanent solution, prescription eyeglasses provide a temporary correction for vision problems you might be facing. Prescription eyeglasses correct vision by focusing light in just the right spot on the retina. The lenses in the glasses are curved, bending the light so that you can see clearly. A good way to understand this is by learning how the eye functions. At the back of the eye, the retina reacts to light. When you look at something, the light focuses inside the eye. People who don’t need prescription eyeglasses, or those with perfect vision, experience the light as it focuses directly on the retina’s surface. Both the pupil and cornea shrink, focus, and curve the image, making it possible for your brain to translate the image correctly. If there is any unevenness, or there are irregularities with the pupil or cornea, the image will appear blurry. When the light focuses in front of the retina, the person is nearsighted. This means that distant things appear blurry. When the light focuses behind the retina, the person is farsighted; things near appear blurry. Prescription eyeglasses have curved lenses that help light focus on your retina - convex for nearsighted individuals, and concave for farsighted. Perhaps you have the choice between contacts or prescription eyeglasses, and you aren’t sure why one would be considered better over the other. Prescription eyeglasses offer some great benefits when compared to contacts. In addition to less cleaning and maintenance, wearing prescription eyeglasses is cheaper in the long run and decreases risk of getting eye infections; this is due to less touching of the eyes. At Liv Ahwatukee, we care about your well-being. Your comfort is important to us. If you’re facing the decision to get prescription eyeglasses, we hope that the benefits we shared today help. Thanks for reading today’s post!

Summer Playlist

Sometimes it’s just nice to sit back, turn on your favorite music, and relax in your apartment. This week, the Liv Ahwatukee Blog is focused on music! Yes, here are five different songs to add to your playlist as you enjoy the next two months of summer and beyond. Shrink the Giant - “Fast and Far” A band that’s been building its fan base since 2010, Shrink the Giant started in Provo, Utah. In 2012, they released their first album. They toured the California Coast, won Best Alternative Band at the Utah Music Awards, and played with groups such as Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees, and Awolnation. Enjoy listening to this unique style of alternative pop rock. Miles Arnell - “Give You the World” His sound is almost as stylish as his wardrobe. Miles Arnell has excelled in songwriting, singing, and instrumental talent. He’s won several awards in music competitions and has received positive reviews in magazines. Rostam - “Gwan” This American songwriter and composer grew up in Washington, D.C. His style is a perfect blend of indie and pop music. In each of his songs you’ll find an array of instruments to listen to, which makes each track refreshing. His solo “Gwan” was released just earlier this year and has already gained popular recognition. Lord Huron - “Lost in my Mind” Lord Huron is one of those bands that gained rapid success. What started with the recording of three songs quickly transformed into something huge! With their first album selling over 3,000 copies in the first week of release, and their second hitting number 10 on the Top Album sales chart, Lord Huron is a force to be reckoned with in the musical world. Jónsi - “Gathering Stories” If you watched We Bought a Zoo (2011) , then you’ll be familiar with Jónsi’s music. Each verse of this song is so packed with emotion that it’s hard not to feel inspired when listening. Enjoy Gathering Stories , along with the rest of the movie’s soundtrack. We hope you enjoyed listening to these five songs! What are some of your favorite titles to listen to in your apartment here in Phoenix, AZ? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading!

Recipes for National Hot Dog Month

At Liv Ahwatukee Apartments, we’re excited to celebrate National Hot Dog Month here in Phoenix, AZ. Hot dogs are a classic summer treat with lots of different ways to prepare. Enjoy trying out something new this year by making your hot dogs a little different. Here are a few of our favorite hot dog recipes! Southwestern Guacamole Hot Dogs Guacamole is already an impressive topping for many different foods, but it’s quite possibly the best on a hot dog. What’s not to love about this combination of ingredients? Better yet, what is there to love? Our answer: everything. Pineapple, Bacon, and Teriyaki Hot Dogs These hot dogs are packed with flavor. Just top grilled hot dogs with fresh pineapple, crispy pieces of bacon, and then drizzle with teriyaki sauce. You might not be used to adding fruit to your hot dogs, but this one is a definite need! Crunchy Nacho Crescent Dogs Three things: Crescent rolls, cheese, and tortilla chips. This is a dinner that’s as delicious as it looks, and one that we definitely recommend trying. Hot Docos Mix it up this month by switching out the hot dog bun with a crunchy taco shell! Add guacamole, sour cream, lettuce, jalapenos, or whatever you’d like. One word: delicious! Italian Hot Dogs Featured on the Food Network television show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives , these delicious hot dogs are complete with potatoes, onions, and peppers. Loaded Buffalo Hot Dogs Top your hot dogs with buffalo sauce, crumbled blue cheese, and mozzarella. It’s a great combination that you don’t want to miss the next time you’re making hot dogs. With so many flavorful options available, there are plenty of ways you can celebrate National Hot Dog Month! How will you be celebrating? Did we leave any of your favorite recipes off the list? Which of these recipes made it to your kitchen this month? Comment below and let everyone in the Liv Ahwatukee apartment community know which hot dog recipe is your favorite.

Tasty Lemonade Recipes

It’s perfect weather for lemonade here in Phoenix, Arizona. The Liv Ahwatukee blog is excited to share with you some lemonade favorites. In your apartment, enjoy the refreshing sip of these flavorful creations. There’s nothing quite like a good cold glass of lemonade to make your day all the better! Blackberry Lemonade This refreshing drink is packed with flavor and sweetness. Just one taste will have you reaching for your glass over and over. But don’t worry — with such a simple recipe, it’s easy to make more. Raspberry Peach Lemonade Fresh raspberries and peaches are a wonderful combination. Enjoy making this flavorful and fruity drink in a matter of minutes. We think this all makes it a go-to summer treat. Carrot Lemonade Just one drink and you’ll be surprised how well carrots pair with lemons. The overall sweetness and flavor of the carrots is toned down by the lemons perfectly. It’s hard to think of a better combination. Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade Before you raise your eyebrows at the idea of adding pop rocks to your lemonade, you might want to consider it. While the strawberry lemonade is classic and refreshing, the pop rocks add an element of sparkle and fun to the finished drink. Yes, the candy simply lines the rim of the glass, but just wait till you take a sip. Yum! Red, White, and Blue Frozen Lemonade Frozen drinks are perfect for our Phoenix weather. To add to the fun, this drink displays a perfect patriotic theme for this month of July. It’s got cherries, blueberries, and lemon juice. What else could you need? Sparkling Kiwi Lemonade Kiwi not only spruces up desserts, it’s a high source of vitamin C and a great source of fiber, and it helps your skin appear youthful. Simple yet delicious, this refreshing drink is a great addition to the summertime drink menu. What are some of your favorite lemonade recipes? Let everyone know in the comments below. Head back to the blog next week for some great hot dog recipes to pair with these lemonade ones for a perfect summer barbecue. Thanks for reading!