Blog Posts

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!

Emergency Preparedness Kit

The Liv Ahwatukee apartments want to make sure that you’re prepared for the worst. So in order to help, we’re sharing a checklist of things that you’ll want to add to your emergency kit in order to make sure that you’re planning ahead for emergencies. The Red Cross has a great checklist you can print out and post in your apartment where you will regularly see it. Water Make sure you have set aside one gallon of water per person per day for up to three days. Water is an essential item in an emergency kit. Following an unexpected disaster, clean water may or may not be available for use. The water you set aside for your kit is one of the most essential items you will need, as it will be used for drinking and sanitation. Food When getting your emergency kit together, store enough non-perishable food that will last for three days. While you’ll want to choose food that you enjoy, try to avoid foods that make you thirsty — add things like salt-free crackers and canned foods that have plenty of liquid. If you have any special dietary needs, keep those in mind when getting this food supply together. Also, if you pack canned food, make sure you have a can opener or a way to open them. First Aid Kit Some of the items that you’ll want to add to your first aid kit are latex gloves, antibiotic towelettes, antibiotic ointment, burn ointment, adhesive bandages, pain reliever, scissors, and prescription medications. For a full list, look at these recommendations from American Red Cross. Flashlight and Extra Batteries In the case of a power outage during a disaster, a flashlight will help you see when it gets dark. Be sure to test the batteries before you put them in to make sure you didn’t mix them up with any dead ones! Whistle Whistles provide a very loud sound for little blowing effort. If you’re stuck or need assistance, blowing a whistle will alert people, particularly rescue personnel. For a more comprehensive list of things to add to your emergency kit, we recommend visiting www.ready.gov . Prepare now for a disaster by putting together your very own emergency kit in your apartment for any disaster that may come here in Phoenix, AZ. Thanks for reading!

Summer Movie Time in Phoenix

Spider-Man has been around in various incarnations for years, with a history beginning with a 1962 comic book — as the first teenaged comic book hero in fact — and morphing into movies , most recently as a part of the team in Captain America: Civil War last summer. Coming up in July, Spider-Man hits the big screen once again, this time in Spider-Man: Homecoming . As Movie Insider puts it, the plot goes like this: “Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine - distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man - but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened.” While you are waiting for this new movie to open, we have some suggestions for some other summer action movies to watch in your Liv Ahwatukee Apartment in Phoenix, AZ. Summer Action Movies Jaws (1975) In a summertime classic, Amity Island is preparing for its busy 4th of July weekend, and no killer Great White is going to get the beach closed. Right? Dog Day Afternoon (1975) This is an intense, masterfully done thriller that uses the summer setting as an example of the flaring tensions that emerge over the course of the day when a little bank in Brooklyn is held up by two gunmen. Apollo 13 (1995) "Houston, we have a problem." Those infamous words were immortalized during the tense days of the Apollo 13 lunar mission crisis in 1970. Based on real events, this movie recreates an epic historical drama at the hands of director Ron Howard. Things are going smoothly until halfway through the mission, when an exploding oxygen tank threatens the crew's oxygen and power supplies. Will they make it back? Edge of Tomorrow (2014) Think Groundhog Day meets Independence Day . An alien race is assaulting Earth. Major William Cage (Tom Hanks) finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop, forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over. 12 Angry Men (1957) The jury box is a sweatbox, and eleven jurors have let the soaring temperature go to their heads. Thank goodness for juror number eight (Henry Fonda), who is determined to make sure justice is done. What is your favorite summer action movie? Please share in the comments section so we can all enjoy it!