Blog Posts

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!

Phoenix Fitness Brands Offering Virtual Classes

With everything going on in the world today, it’s easy to forget that we need to take care of our bodies. Staying active is essential to our health and with the closing of gyms, it’s harder than ever to stay motivated on our own. Luckily, some of our favorite Phoenix gyms offer virtual classes that can help you maintain your activity and overall health! Take a break from the summer heat and check out these virtual options brought to you by local fitness studios, from the comfort of your own home! Anytime Fitness Anytime Fitness offers a variety of workouts from their trainers streamed right to your home. They have all their workouts posted on their Facebook page (open to non-members as well!) and also host live classes for you to join in real-time! If you’re looking for a free way to continue your fitness journey from home with minimal equipment, Anytime Fitness is a great option! OrangeTheory One of the more popular fan-favorite gym franchises, OrangeTheory, offers a variety of features through their app which is available at both the App Store and the Google Store. OrangeTheory takes a heart rate-based, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) approach to fitness to get your body into its ultimate calorie-burning zone. Their one-hour workouts are great for building your endurance and tracking your progress. You can even use a heart-rate monitor for more in-depth results! If you want to see your results and improvements, OrangeTheory can do the job. Barre3 Barre3 is another fitness studio that primarily focuses on group classes and has come out with virtual alternatives. Barre3 combines strength, cardio, and mindfulness into a unique fitness approach that blends the mind-body connection of yoga with the conditioning of ballet and weight training. Their online platform is great for tracking your results and staying consistent. One unique thing about Barre3 is that its app creates collections of workouts that best fit your lifestyle. They also recently started offering instructor-led socially distanced outdoor sessions for members! Overall, Barre3 is a great resource for someone who wants a personalized workout experience. Ironwood Yoga Studio If you're looking for less cardio and weights and more full-body stretches and mindfulness, yoga could be a good alternative. In the Phoenix area, there are many great yoga studios offering online classes, and Ironwood Yoga Studio is one of them! They offer 10 free yoga videos on their Facebook page and have online Zoom classes daily for their members. If you want a great yoga experience from home, Ironwood is a great place to go! All of these fitness brands have done a great job bringing the gym to you and providing virtual classes during a time where fitness is easily forgotten about. Being able to take a little time to yourself to move around will not only bring you physical progress but will help to keep you mentally healthy as well. No matter which option you go with, just remember that staying active is an integral part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle! Which workout experience will you be trying first? Leave us a comment about how you enjoyed it!

Pamper Yourself with an At-Home Spa Day

When was the last time you soaked in a bubble bath? Indulged in a hydrating face mask? Diffused essential oils? Well, we are here to tell you that it’s been too long! There’s no doubt about it, our world has seen better days; and it’s understandable if you’ve been feeling stressed lately. All things considered, it’s important to find time for yourself amidst the chaos, and sometimes that simply looks like some much-needed pampering and relaxation. Here’s a quick guide to your very own rejuvenating at-home spa day at Acero North Valley. Take A Hot Shower or Soak in a Warm Bubble Bath Many of us stop taking bubble baths as we grow into busier lifestyles. Showers are a quick and efficient way to wake up, get clean and start your day while baths tend to take more time. Yet when it comes to deep relaxation and a feeling of serenity, soaking in a warm bubble bath or shower is just the solution. A hot shower can be similarly relaxing, with just the right temperature and steam helping to loosen your muscles and any stress-related tension. If you’re opting for a hot shower rather than a bath, try hanging a fresh bunch of eucalyptus around your shower head where the steam from the warm water can release the plant’s natural essential oils. Trust us, you’ll thank us later. And if you’re indulging in a bubble bath, add a spoonful or two of Epsom salt or a bath bomb to intensify your relaxation. Light a candle, bring your favorite book, and maybe even a glass of wine and simply enjoy the luxury of an at-home spa experience! Diffuse Essential Oils When you live in Arizona, the thought alone of lighting candles in the middle of a 100-degree afternoon might make you sweat. A wonderful alternative to candles that still bring an added sense of calmness, relaxation and mood-boosting benefits to your at-home spa day is an essential oil diffuser! You can find these magical little home additions just about anywhere, along with delightful essential oils to add to them. Depending on what you’re hoping to achieve, whether it be a sense of calming, rejuvenation, energy or even an immunity-boost, there is likely an oil made just for that. See how awake you feel with a lemon essential oil diffusing in your Acero North Valley apartment, or feel a sense of peace as the scent of lavender essential oils float throughout your home. No spa day is complete without the delicate touch of essential oils as you pamper yourself at home. Treat Yourself to A Hydrating Face Mask Fellas, stay with me here; face masks are your friend too! Pamper your delicate skin with a hydrating face mask to top off your at-home spa treatment. Find a mask that is packed with vitamins, minerals, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and all the right ingredients for your very own DIY facial. Check out this list of Cosmopolitan’s top Hydrating Face Masks of 2020 to find just the right mask for your spa day. We are all living in uncertain times, facing different stressors each and every day. Amidst all that is happening, we here at Acero North Valley encourage you to find some time for yourself this summer with a pampering home spa-day. Tag us in your DIY spa-day pictures on Facebook and Instagram , and stay tuned for more blogs like this one, here .

3 Ways to Help Calm Your Pets During Fourth of July Fireworks

Fourth of July weekend is upon us! This weekend is sure to be filled to the brim with food, sunshine and fireworks. And while these might be a few of our favorite things, our four-legged friends tend to fear one of them greatly. As we look forward to the Independence Day celebrations, pet owners quickly realize that cats and dogs alike are not the biggest fans of the firework shows that come with the holiday. Today we are highlighting three simple ways to help keep your furry friends calm as Fourth of July fireworks get underway this weekend. Play Music or Leave the TV On One of the easiest ways to help calm your dog or cat as the firecrackers and roman candles start filling the sky this Fourth of July is by playing music or leaving your TV on. If you don’t plan to be home, this is a great way to provide additional noise that will hopefully mask the sound of the small explosions outside. Additional sounds like those of people talking on a TV show or music will make the loud noises from the fireworks seem like less of an immediate threat or sudden sound, and rather seem as though it is part of whatever might be playing that they would be more accustomed to hearing. Take a Walk If you have a dog, take them for a walk early in the day. Take a route that is a bit longer than your typical neighborhood stroll, in hopes that it will tire them out and once the evening rolls around they will be more likely to sleep. We recommend taking your walk earlier on Saturday morning, this way you are less likely to run into fireworks being set off while you and your dog are out. Once back at home, ensure that plenty of food and water is available to them (maybe even their favorite toys or a treat) throughout the day and into the night as well. If you know a long walk isn’t enough to wear your pup out, play fetch, tug of war or partake in more activities that will get them tired and wanting to sleep when the fireworks start. Make Space for Your Pets to Hide Whether or not you will be home the evening of the Fourth of July, be sure to leave a safe space for your cat or dog to hide/burrow if they do end up getting frightened by the fireworks. Maybe your dog has a certain blanket they love or favorite toy to cuddle with; or your cat likes to hide under the bed with the lights off. Allow access to these hiding spaces or comfort items so if your pet becomes distressed, they can seek their form of protection. Additional Tips: - Keep your window curtains closed, minimizing flashing lights in addition to the sound of fireworks. - Keep your patio door closed. The last thing you want is your pet scared and running out onto the patio, where the flashing lights and firework sounds are amplified. - Stay home with your pets. If you know that your cat or dog’s anxiety is a problem due to fireworks, stay home with them. This way they will feel safe and protected, more so than if you were not there! As this Fourth of July kicks off we hope that you will find these tips helpful for keeping your four-legged friends calm as the fireworks commence! If you know other cat or dog owners who would find this blog helpful, share it with them on Facebook or Instagram . And while you’re at it, keep following the Acero North Valley blog here for more posts like this one.

Easy Pasta Salad Recipes Perfect for Summer in AZ

If summer was a food group, we’re pretty confident it would be pasta salad. There’s just something so refreshing about cold noodles, tossed with a flavorful dressing and topped with your favorite veggies, herbs, and proteins. Here are three absolutely delicious summer pasta salad recipes that are on repeat when BBQs and side snacks are part of the conversation. Basil Pesto and Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad This pesto pasta salad is always a crowd favorite. Add this to the BBQ buffet and it will be the first bowl that is empty! All you need are a few ingredients and you’ll have the side dish everyone is raving about. The bold flavors of the basil pesto paired with the sundried tomatoes make for a well-rounded summer dish. Give it a try and you’ll see what we mean! Ingredients: - 1 pkg bowtie noodles - 1 cup basil pesto sauce (you can find this at most local North Phoenix grocery stores) - ½ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped - ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese Directions: Boil bowtie noodles according to package directions. Once cooked al dente, strain and rinse under cold water to prevent further cooking. While noodles are boiling, chop the sundried tomatoes. Combine the basil pesto sauce and the bowtie noddles first. Then add the sundried tomatoes and parmesan cheese. This pasta is best served nice and cold! Tortellini Caprese Pasta Salad Four staple ingredients are all you need for this fresh and flavorful vegetarian pasta salad. Like most pasta salads, you can add as much or as little of the ingredients as you’d like, and you can get creative with the pasta noodles you use! Tortellini is our favorite for this dish because it’s dense and filling, which compliments the other ingredients. When serving this cold pasta salad we encourage fresh basil leaves and mozzarella. You’ll notice enhanced flavor and increased quality when these key ingredients are fresh! Ingredients: - 1 pkg. cheese tortellini - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped - 1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese, ripped - Olive oil and salt + pepper Directions: Boil cheese tortellini according to package directions. Once cooked al dente, strain and rinse under cold water to prevent further cooking. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half, and toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Chill and serve! Chicken and Vegetable Pasta Salad As you can imagine, this pasta salad is exactly what it sounds like. Think broccoli florets, diced carrots, red and green bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and some grilled chicken tossed together with penne noodles and a zesty Italian dressing. That right there is the essence of this tasty and filling cold pasta salad! Ingredients: - 1 pkg penne noodles - Small head of broccoli - ½ Green bell pepper - ½ Red bell pepper - ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved - 2 Carrots, diced - Grilled chicken breast, diced - ½ cup Italian Salad Dressing Directions: Boil penne noodles according to package directions. Once cooked al dente, strain and rinse under cold water to prevent further cooking. While noodles are boiling, grill the chicken. Once cooked, dice the chicken and all of your vegetables into bitesize pieces. Toss the noodles, Italian dressing, chicken and vegetables, then top with salt and pepper. *Chef kiss* Weekend BBQs and small gatherings are in our near future here in the North Valley, so keep these cold pasta salads in mind the next time you’re deciding what to make! They are easy and delicious pasta salads that everyone will love. If you liked these recipes, share this blog with your friends and family on Facebook or Instagram ! And while you’re at it, keep following the Acero North Valley Blog here for more posts like this one.

Thoughtful Father's Day Gift Ideas

Father’s Day is this weekend, and if you have no clue what to get your dad, you’re in the right place. While most people think women are tough to shop for, we know just how challenging it can be to find the perfect gift for the special man in your life! So this year, we’re going to help you surprise dad with something a little more thoughtful than a last-minute Father’s Day card because let’s be real, your dad deserves it! A Quality Shaving Kit Among the list of unique gift ideas for dad this Father's Day is an upgrade to his current shaving situation. Treat dad to an at-home spa day with a high-end shaving kit. We’re talking all the bells and whistles; shaving cream, a quality razor, aftershave, moisturizer, etc.! Nothing compares to the clean feeling of a fresh shave. You can handpick most of these shaving essentials at local stores around town, like the Shops at Norterra, or you could find a gift box that’s already assembled for you! North Phoenix stores like TJ Maxx and Kohls are likely to have these pre-assembled shaving kits, so we recommend checking them out. Keep in mind if your dad has a special preference for a particular scent (maybe sandalwood or evergreen are his favorites) as well as any allergies to ingredients/ fragrances so you can be sure to avoid those products. Growler of Local Beer Say “cheers” to dad this Father’s Day with a growler of his favorite Arizona beer! The Craft Beer Quickstop is about 15 minutes from your Acero North Valley apartment, but it’s worth the drive when you get to sit down and enjoy a cold one with your dad. If you are unfamiliar with what a growler is, it’s a glass container that holds about 4-5 beers and is filled from a tap. Growlers are great for those one-off beers or unique craft beer blends that are not sold in 6 packs or in convenience stores. Right now, it’s even easier to gift your Dad a great beer from the Craft Beer Quickstop, because they are offering online ordering ! Not only are you supporting a small business while treating dad to some quality craft beer, but you can do all of it from the convenience of your phone and pick it up when you’re ready. Easy as that! Cheers. (Photo by @Higgspeed) A New Tool Set Now at first, you might think, “My dad is not a handyman, he wouldn’t want tools.” But we ask that you hear us out! Tools are a convenience to have not only around the house but in your car too! Does your dad still drive that old ford from the 70s that he absolutely loves? Does it break down every now and then? Then it’s likely he could use a new set of tools for those occasions. Or simply whenever he needs a screwdriver that isn’t lost or tucked away in the shed. Spoil dad with a quality toolset that he will look forward to using and think of you each time he does! A new toolset is a gift your dad will love, and can be found at the North Phoenix Lowes , Walmart, or really any home improvement store in the area. Show dad just how much you love and appreciate him this Father’s Day with thoughtful gifts that are just as unique as he is. If you liked this blog and found it helpful, please share it with friends and family on Facebook or Instagram ! For all you know, sharing this blog could help a fellow neighbor find the perfect Father’s Day gift, too! That's all for today. Stay tuned for more from the Acero North Valley blog here , and we’ll see you next time.

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