Blog Posts

Get Ready for Fall Cleaning

This week the Liv Ahwatukee Blog is focused on cleaning! Yes, a good spring cleaning is always a good idea, but things get cluttered all year long, not just in April and May. Thats why in this post were featuring a few cleaning tips to help you with fall cleaning! After all, theres no point in keeping punctured floaties and broken spatulas until spring. The first, most important thing to keep in mind is not to overwhelm yourself. With every big project, theres the temptation to do everything at once. While we think its a great idea to set aside a weekend to do your cleaning, you could also break up your cleaning into sections do one room or closet this week and another the next. Cleaning should not be something that you dread. We wouldnt call clearing out your drawers and organizing rooms fun, but it should at least be stress-free. Start your cleaning by deciding which room or closet youll tackle first. Once youve decided where youre beginning, clear out everything (and we mean everything) from your shelves and drawers. Wipe down and vacuum your now cleared space. With all of your things out of your space, you can now evaluate what is useful and what is not. Throw out anything that you dont envision yourself using in the next six months. If you know you should get rid of it but cant quite bring yourself to throw it away, just remember less stuff means more storage. Sort your things. Come up with an organizational system that makes sense to you, whether that means sorting by use, color, or even shape. Once youve finished, put your items in bins and baskets and place them back into your space. Youre all done! Time to tackle your next project. We hope that youve enjoyed our fall cleaning tips. What are your tips and tricks for cleaning and organizing? Leave us some advice in the comments section, and thanks for reading!

The Phoenix Symphony

This month the Liv Ahwatukee Blog wants to highlight the wonderful Phoenix Symphony! The Phoenix Symphony is committed to bringing the arts and music to Arizona. Their mission “is to provide the joy of music as a catalyst in helping Arizona to become the best place in America to work and live.” We think that they’re doing a pretty great job at accomplishing their mission. Here are two performances going on this month and one going on in October — we’re featuring the October performance, because we think you’ll want to get your tickets now! Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 — The Phoenix Symphony September 16, 2016 From the website: “The 2016/17 Season kicks off with the epic grandeur of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. Tito Munoz, in his third season as Virginia G. Piper Music Director, leads The Phoenix Symphony in a masterful interpretation of Beethoven's ever popular and powerful "Victory" symphony. Joining this program is 2009 London International Piano Competition winner, Behzod Abduraimov performing Rachmaninoff's technically challenging and compositionally brilliant Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Maestro Munoz continues his tradition of highlighting young American composers by featuring Nina Young and her "sonic experience" composition, Remnants, which invites listeners to perceive the orchestra as one giant instrument - a resonating body. $23 - $84.” Bravo Broadway — Music of the Night — The Phoenix Symphony September 30, 2016 From the website: “Tip your hat to Broadway as this popular program returns to Symphony Hall featuring music from The Phantom of the Opera. Under the baton of guest conductor, Robert Franz, The Phoenix Symphony is joined by three world-class Broadway soloists to perform your favorite Broadway tunes from Rodgers and Hammerstein, Les Miserables, and more. $33 - $83.” Halloween at Hogwarts October 7 - 9, 2016 From the website: “ The Hogwarts Express returns to the Valley this October. Muggles, witches and wizards are welcome to attend this popular annual tradition. Join The Phoenix Symphony for this year's musical potion featuring nearly 90 minutes of seasonal selections, memorable music from the Harry Potter films and a spooktacular dose of magic. Come dressed as your favorite Hogwarts character or wear your Halloween costume. Get your tickets early, Halloween at Hogwarts is sure to sell out.” You can find a full list of the performances that the Phoenix Symphony is putting on this month here . Are you planning on attending any of these performances? Leave us a comment and let us know! Thanks for reading!

Decorate Your Apartment

While there are plenty of things to love about living in a rental, decorating is not one of them. When you’re living in an apartment, decorating can be difficult due to restrictions in your rental agreement. Painting, changing hardware, and hanging too many things on the wall is usually discouraged. This week the Liv Ahwatukee Blog is making expressing yourself a little easier by giving you four apartment-safe ways to decorate your apartment. It’s possible to let your personality shine through and keep your rental agreement. Curtains Curtains are a fun and easy way to add some personality to your space without breaking the budget. We recommend going with a different color scheme in each room, letting your style show through the different themes and colors you choose. Bedding Brightening up your bedroom can be as easy as changing up the sheets! One easy way to switch up your room’s look is to buy a new comforter and add a few new throw pillows to your bed. We recommend that you get creative with your throw pillows, especially. Throw pillows often have memorable quotes, fun patterns, or even the portraits of historical figures on them. Find pillows that you feel express your unique, quirky style. Plants Breathe a little life into your space with a few plants. Plants add color and life into an apartment, making it feel a lot more homey and personal. Growing a herb garden is a great way to decorate your apartment and save money on seasoning. If you don’t have much of a green thumb, we recommend growing succulents or cacti. Pictures Make your space personal with photos of your friends, movie posters, and your favorite works of art. Pictures will liven up the space, and they also serve as great conversation starters. “Wait, you love Rothko’s No. 14 ? Me too!” We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about apartment-safe ways to decorate! Do you have any decorating tips for us? Feel free to leave us a comment with your best decorating advice. Thanks for reading!

Events in Phoenix, AZ

There’s nothing we love more than a good event. In this post, the Liv Ahwatukee Apartments are celebrating all the fun things you can do in Phoenix, AZ. This month we’re featuring five events coming to Phoenix during September. We hope that you can find the time to attend at least one of these events before the month is through. City Lights Movie Nights September 9, 2016 From the website: “Cool down this summer with a movie night under the stars and a mini-winter wonderland in the middle of the summer. Play in real snow while enjoying a free screening of How The Grinch Stole Christmas. 6:30 pm. Free.” 26 Blocks: Phoenix September 18, 2016 From the website: “The only art exhibit of its kind in the world, this 55-person writing, photography, sculpture, and illustration art exhibit is like a secret passage to living in and loving downtown Phoenix. Open 24/7/365. Free to the public” Sriracha Festival September 24, 2016 From the website: “Bag competitions will be played. Relays will be run. Live music will be heard. Chefs will throw down in an epic competition for Sriracha glory. We even have plans for a spicy Sriracha mixology competition! The inaugural Sriracha Festival will be packed with great food from some of the Valley's best chefs and restaurants, all with a signature dish designed with Sriracha sauce for tasting. Every ticket includes unlimited tastings from all of our food vendors. 21+ event. $35-75.” Wine Tasting September 29, 2016 From the website: “Tastings are always free and provide a great opportunity for locals and visitors alike to taste through 4-5 unique, high-quality selections and learn a bit about wine. Details are posted to the tasting calendar every Wed for the upcoming week. Thurs 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm. Sat 12 pm - 3 pm.” What events are you planning on attending this month? Are there any events we should know about? Let us know in the comments!

Watch This Summer

This week the Liv Ahwatukee Blog has five movie recommendations for you to watch this summer. Stay out of the Phoenix heat with a movie marathon in your cool, air-conditioned apartment. Grab some popcorn, a gallon of ice cream, and your favorite soft drink, because it’s going to be good. Ghostbusters (1984) Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) leads a team of parapsychologists who end up getting fired from their university jobs and taking up freelance ghost-busting work. This funny movie delivers on the laughs. Make sure to catch the original before seeing the remake Ghostbusters (2016) this summer. Lilo and Stitch (2002) Alien Experiment 626 escapes from his carefully guarded cell and lands in Hawaii. Lilo (Daveigh Chase) is a young girl living on Kaua’i, and she’s struggling to make friends. Her sister Nani (Tia Carrere) agrees to let her get a dog. That dog just happens to be Experiment 626. She renames him Stitch (Chris Sanders), and things start to get a little strange when his creator Dr. Jumba Jookiba (David Ogden Stiers) comes to retrieve him. The Sandlot (1993) Scotty Smalls (Tom Guiry) learns a lot about baseball and life over one memorable summer. He’s the new kid in town, but he begins making friends once he discovers the local Sandlot and the team of neighborhood kids that play there. Meet memorable characters like Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez (Mike Vitar), Ham (Patrick Renna), Squints (Chauncey Leopardi), Yeah-Yeah (Marty York), Kenny (Brandon Quintin Adams), and, of course, The Beast. Addams Family Values (1993) Wednesday Addams (Christina Ricci) is not happy about having to go to summer camp. Her new nanny, Debbie (Joan Cusack), wants her out of the way so that she can seduce the very rich (and very eligible) Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd). Fester falls hard — too bad Debbie’s a serial killer known for murdering her husband’s for their money. Say Anything… (1989) Diane Court (Ione Skye) can tell her father (John Mahoney) anything. When the over-achieving Diane falls in love with slacker Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) over the summer, it’s the first rift in their relationship. The second rift is the IRS’s investigation into her father’s accounts. Diane grows up and Lloyd Dobbler charms in this classic eighties romance. What are your favorite summer movies? What are you planning to watch at your next movie marathon? Give us your list of summer movies in the comments.

Read This Summer

Last week we gave you our best movie recommendations. This week, we’ve got our favorite books. The Liv Ahwatukee is encouraging our residents to stay in and read a good book this summer. Visit your local library in Phoenix, AZ to find these titles. Middlemarch by George Eliot The lives of the townspeople of Middlemarch intersect in George Eliot’s classic novel. Dorothea Brooke has made a mistake in marriage; her husband tries to exercise control over her even in death. Tertius Lydgate is in deep debt trying to please his wife, and his brother-in-law Fred is desperately trying to woo the kind Mary. Nicholas Bulstrode has a dark past that threatens to destroy his life and the lives of those closest to him. Middlemarch is a dark and funny exploration of small town life. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling Harry Potter discovers that he’s a wizard and his whole life changes. He’s no longer living with his cruel Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and cousin Dudley — instead, he lives at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He and his friends Ron and Hermione try to solve the mystery of the Sorcerer’s Stone during their first year at Hogwarts. Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare Benedick and Beatrice engage in a battle of the wits before falling in love. Benedick’s friends are waiting for their friend Claudio’s wedding to Beatrice’s cousin Hero. Bored, they decide to set up the sparring Benedick and Beatrice for their own amusement. Mistaken identities, scheming brothers, and torn loyalties complicate the whole affair. Matilda by Roald Dahl Matilda is a brilliant girl who isn’t getting much encouragement — not from her TV-watching parents, her bully older brother, or her tyrannical principal, Miss Trunchbull. The only person who believes in Matilda is her kind teacher, Miss Honey. Matilda develops telekinetic powers and decides to use them to change her life. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Boy meets girl and falls in love. Girl meets boy and thinks he’s a pompous rich guy with no personality. Jane Austen’s classic novel has served as the basis for several movie adaptations and almost every romantic comedy in the last twenty years. The plot sizzles under her searing wit. We hope you’ve enjoyed our book recommendations? What are you planning on reading this summer? Give us the title of your favorite book and a short review in the comments!