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Our Top Reads for National Read a Book Day

National Read a Book Day falls on September 6th each year. Whether you’re a voracious reader or just trying to get into the habit, it’s a good reminder to slow down, carve out an hour, and spend some time alone with a book. To Fall in Wonder Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt If you haven’t read this under-celebrated classic, you’re in for a bittersweet treat. Join 10-year-old Winnie Foster in meeting the Tucks, a family who stumbled into immortality by drinking from a freshwater spring. We won’t spoil the rest, but it’s a journey filled with wonder from beginning to end, and perfect for a reader who doesn’t mind a bittersweet conclusion. To Learn Something The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie Kondo If you already know Marie Kondo’s name, you know what you’re in for: A gentle, personalized approach to our connections with objects and environments. You don’t have to be ready to commit to an apartment deep-clean to read Kondo’s therapy session of a book. When you are ready to apply your newfound knowledge, Kondo even offers an accompanying journal, to use with the book and document your journey. To Connect With The Earth The Turquoise Ledge, by Leslie Marmon Silko Leslie Marmon Silko’s memoir contains lessons about living side by side with rattlesnakes, about uranium mining and history, about the intersection of science and spirituality that summons the clouds to the Sonoran desert. This is more than connection with the Earth, it’s a history lesson, it’s a lens into one woman’s journey on it—one that honors the land it was written on, at every turn. For Some Good Nonsense The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Lee Stewart The under-appreciated spiritual cousin of A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Mysterious Benedict Society offers secret societies and brilliant children facing high stakes with a happier, goofier tone. George “Sticky” Washington, The Great Kate Weather Machine, tiny contrarian Constance Contraire, and a woman dressed like a number two pencil join Reynie on his mission: to infiltrate the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened. If you missed The Mysterious Benedict Society as a child, don’t worry; it’s a story you never grow out of. We’d love to hear some of your favorite books in the comments, as well as if you try any of these suggestions. Happy National Read A Book Day! We hope you take the opportunity to read.

Crafty Ideas for At-Home Art

Getting creative is, in our humble opinion, one of the best ways to spend some time when you have to stay home. It’s a fun way to get your hands moving and your brain working, and you might wind up with a great souvenir from your project -- or at the very least a fun story. However, we know it can be difficult to figure out where to start, especially if you don’t have a lot of artistic experience. Here’s some suggestions for fun art projects you can try out without needing a single art class! Collage Collage is a great creative outlet, especially if you have old magazines or newspapers lying around that you wouldn’t mind cutting up. It allows you to create something memorable out of already-existing pieces, and works well for people that don’t feel they have a lot of innate artistic ability -- you can make it look very much like what you’ve envisioned without needing to create each aspect by hand, the way you might with a drawing. All you really need is magazines to cut pieces from, some glue, and something to put your collage on! This can be paper, a notebook, cardboard, a poster, or whatever else you feel like decorating. There’s a wide variety of options for a beautiful artistic outcome. Box Decorating This art project is both beautiful and functional. Just about any box works for this, whether it’s an old gift box, a shoebox that needs some renovation, or the type of simple wooden box you can get at most craft stores. After you’ve chosen your box, you can create a masterpiece with just a hot glue gun and essentially anything you’d like, from plastic flowers and sequins from your local craft store, to some of your broken jewelry, to photographs or pages from books (and that’s just a few of the possible combinations!) Beautifying an old box means you get to flex your creative muscles and wind up with a new and innovative storage solution that’ll be as nice to look at as it is useful. Plant Pot Painting Potted plants can be a great way to brighten up your apartment. Unfortunately, the pots they come in don’t always match the liveliness of the flowers! Acrylic paint can be a great solution for that, and it’s even better if you can grab a paint sealer to ensure your artwork doesn’t get messed up when you water the plants. Each member of the family can pick a pot and get to work, and the end result is bound to be a fun and pretty way to keep your plants looking fresh. A fun tip is to try drip decorating, where you elevate your pot upside down, and drip acrylic paint down it from the bottom up. After you let it dry and seal it, it’ll be a gorgeous swirl of colors. Getting creative is a great deal of fun, and the end result can help liven up a wall, or even provide somewhere new to store your trinkets. It’s also a fantastic way to spend time with your family, doing something that everyone can be a part of. If you or your family have been working on a new art project recently, we’d love to hear about it! Your ideas may even inspire us for our next creative endeavor.

Summer BBQ Recipes to Make at Home

A delicious barbecue recipe is one of the staples of the summer for a lot of people. But what are you supposed to do when you’re craving that classic barbecue flavor, but can’t have a proper outdoor cookout with the neighbors? We’ve got the answer! Today, we’re recommending some great recipes for delicious barbecue dishes you can make at home on the stove. Skillet-Cooked Barbecue Chicken This recipe is great for giving you the traditional barbecue feel without any need to even touch a grill. It also can be made fairly quickly, so you’re not laboring over the hot stove for a long time in the summer heat. Ingredients: -2 chicken breasts, halved -¼ teaspoon salt -1 tablespoon olive oil -¼ cup water -3 cloves of garlic -½ cup barbecue sauce of your choice -Additional seasoning, for instance a barbecue seasoning blend Directions: Mince garlic. Rub garlic on your halved chicken breasts, and then evenly season with both the salt and the seasoning mixture of your choice. Any other spices you’d like can be added at this stage to taste -- we all prefer different blends! When your chicken has been properly seasoned, heat your olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat-high heat. Add your chicken, and cook for around four minutes on both sides. Add your water and your barbecue sauce, and then cook for a few more minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Then you can eat! Oven Barbecued Salmon This recipe is a fun twist on the usual preparation of salmon, and maintains a barbecue feeling despite being cooked in the oven! It takes a bit more preparation than the previous recipe, but should have delicious results. Ingredients: -5 salmon fillets -2 tablespoons of brown sugar -1 tablespoon of chili powder -3 tablespoons of orange juice -2 tablespoons of lemon juice -1 tablespoon of paprika -½ teaspoon of garlic powder -½ teaspoon of salt -½ teaspoon cumin powder Directions: First, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Grease or butter a pan, and then put your salmon fillets in it. Drizzle your orange and lemon juices on your salmon. Mix your spices in a bowl, and then sprinkle the mixture over your salmon fillets, seasoning equally. Bake your salmon for approximately 12-15 minutes, until the fish is nice and flakey. After that, all that’s left is to plate it and enjoy. Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob Corn on the cob is a classic barbecue treat, but you can have a wonderful version without going anywhere near an outdoor grill. Oven-roasted corn on the cob is just as delicious, and can be seasoned in all sorts of excellent ways depending on your personal preferences. We’ll provide a recipe for a Ingredients: -However many ears of sweet corn as you’d like, husked -Butter, softened -Any other preferred seasonings Directions: Husk the corn and remove as much of the silk from it as you can. Rub your softened butter on each ear, coating it liberally, and season with salt and pepper. At this point, you can add any other spices or seasonings you’d prefer, whether that’s herbs, paprika, sauce, etc. Wrap your ears of corn in foil (butter definitely required first!) and then roast them in the oven for around thirty minutes, or until tender. It’ll be tender and sweet when finished! We hope you enjoy these suggestions for at-home barbecue! We’re certainly excited to experiment with our recipes. Let us know in the comments what your favorite summer barbecue food is, especially if we didn’t mention it!

Let Your Dog Run: Local Dog Parks With Great Facilities

As we continue to stay home and quarantine, it’s easy to forget about the importance of physical activity, let alone our pets’ physical activity. It’s essential that dogs get the outdoor time they need to stay physically active and mentally healthy. So, we’re dedicating this post to informing you about some of the local dog parks in the Phoenix area, how far they are from our apartment community, and why they're a great place to take your dog to run and play! Deem Hills (10.4 miles away) Located on the west side of Deem Hill, this is a great dog park to check out. It’s right next to the Deem Hills Community Park, so you have access to bathrooms, trails, and a play structure for the kids. There are benches and the dog park itself is big enough for your dog to get their running in. It’s about a 15-minute drive from our community and is a great option if you’re looking for a local dog park. Deer Valley (9.1 miles away) Deer Valley Dog Park is a straight shot down I-17 and is highly regarded for being a high-quality park. Not only is there great parking, but there are also various ramadas you can take cover under while your dog runs around. It’s also part of a bigger community park, giving you more on-leash walking options. It’s about the same driving distance as Deem Hills and is a great option if you're looking for a consistent park to let your dog loose. Paradise Valley (18 miles away) If you’re looking for a dog park that has everything for you and your dog, Paradise Valley Park is the place to be. They have chilled drinking water for both you and your dog, tables, benches, and a great 2.4-acre field of grass. With separate areas for small and big dogs, Paradise Valley has you covered no matter what size your dog is! Just a 20-minute drive, this is a great option if you want to give your dog a little treat. No matter which local park you choose, the most important thing is to give our dogs time outside! As long as they have fresh air, green grass, and a water source, you can rest assured they’re happy. If you check out any of our recommendations, be sure to let us know how your experience was and if there are any other dog parks that are worth shouting out.

Great Local Coffee Shops

Coffee is one of the most heavily consumed beverages in the world. Each morning coffee gives us that little extra boost and sets the tone for the entire day. It can be a fun challenge to try and find the best local cup of coffee, which is why we’re going to give you our top 3 coffee shops within driving distance of our apartment community. These coffee shops are unique to Phoenix and offer great-tasting drinks! Williams’s Coffee Co If you’re looking for organic coffee and not processed ingredients, William’s Coffee Company is the place for you. They have a very minimalist menu with an emphasis on quality. They also offer every major milk alternative from oat and almond to coconut and soy. Check out their website for more information on their menu. Elevate Coffee Company Elevate Coffee Company is one of our recommendations because they care for their customers as well as make great coffee. Their coffee and espresso beans are roasted in-house to ensure you are getting the freshest coffee each visit. They also donate 10 cents to Water 4 Kids International every time you purchase a latte! Carefree Highway Cafe Carefree Highway Cafe provides much more than just coffee. Specifically, they are known for their buffalo chicken wrap and having a $3 latte special on Mondays. They’re also well known for having fun drink names such as The Elvis (White chocolate, peanut butter, banana, and espresso), Al Pacino, and The Hulk smoothie. If you’re looking for an authentic Phoenix cafe to enjoy more than just a morning cup of joe, Carefree Highway is your place. If you’re tired of the corporate branded coffee and want to try something new, these three options are great. Each one focuses on something different and brings its own twist to the classic cup of coffee. While all unique in many ways, they all have one thing in common: they make great coffee in the Phoenix area. Next time you’re thinking about starting your morning off with a little caffeine, consider these shops and let us know what you think.

Local Museums with Online Learning Opportunities

As COVID continues to disrupt our lives on an unprecedented scale, there are many things that still have to continue. One of those things is the education of our children as we transition from a typical school day to a stay-at-home learning environment. Thankfully, many museums in the Phoenix area offer online learning opportunities so you and your kids can have all the materials a usual school field trip would provide! We’re going to highlight a few of the most popular local museums that are providing these learning opportunities. Arizona Science Center One of the best online learning experiences around has been created by the Arizona Science Center. What they have done is essentially created science material that can take the place of in-class experiences so your student doesn't have to miss out. With a weekly curriculum, recorded lab experiments, and engaging activities, this is a great place for your kids and even you to review scientific material. Click here to be taken to their homepage. Musical Instrument Museum The Musical Instrument Museum is nationally recognized for its collections of over 8,000 instruments from more than 200 countries. For online learning, they have created virtual field trips that provide a great alternative. Here is a list of the virtual field trips they offer which all come with hands-on activities and videos: Musical Menagerie: Asia (grades K–2) Discovery Tour: Arizona Studies Yaqui (grades 3–5) Discovery Tour: Mexican Banda and Mariachi (grades 3–5) Silk Road (grades 6–8) Heard Museum The Heard Museum, founded in 1929, focuses on the preservation of American Indian art and has some unique resources. They offer courses on American Indian life and history as well as videos that go in-depth on each of the 22 active Arizona tribes! It’s a great way to learn about our local history. With the virus keeping us at home for longer than we expected, online learning is going to be essential for the long-term development of our kids, and what better way to do it than to use local museums. These resources are at your disposal and are a great way for you to bring the classroom and the field trip right into your home!

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