Blog Posts

Earth Day 2020 Is Not Canceled: Here's how you can participate

Sporting events have been canceled; concerts, large gatherings, movie premiers and much more, have all been canceled due to the circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic. But Earth Day 2020 is in fact not canceled, and there are plenty of ways you can participate in the globally recognized mission of bettering our Earth from the safety and comfort of home. In fact, 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the environmental movement, making it that much more special. Typical Earth Day events and climate action activities in the previous 50 years might have included volunteering in the community, maybe planting trees or park clean-ups. But this year, we’re going to look at a few ways you can celebrate Earth Day 2020 from your Acero North Valley Apartment! Learn about the history of Earth Day. Given that 2020 is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, why not use your time at home to learn a little more about the history of the eco-friendly holiday! You can read related articles on the half-century of environmental activism here , or maybe watch a few TED Talks related to Earth Day topics here . Or, you may as well do both! The more you know about the origins of Earth Day and the decades leading up to where we are now, the more you’ll want to dive right in to Earth Day 2020 activities. Take a look around your home. After spending some time navigating the history of the day dedicated to our Earth’s environment, take a good look around your Acero North Valley home with an environmentally friendly eye. Is your kitchen full of single-use plastics, and toxic cleaning products? Do you find yourself using more paper towels than cloth towels? How about your lightbulbs; are they efficient LED bulbs that save energy? See what changes towards green living you can make with a simple stroll throughout your apartment. Start a garden. Growing your own garden at home is a beautiful way to embrace low-waste, sustainable living. See our blog on how to plant an indoor herb garden, here, and make this one of your Earth Day 2020 activities! Clean out your closet, and consider buying used. Spring cleaning can take many forms, but the one we all tend to dread is tackling our closet. This Earth Day, get rid of the clothes, shoes or accessories you haven’t worn in a while and donate them to a local north phoenix charity or donation center, like the neighborhood Goodwill or Habitat for Humanity. And when you need something, consider buying used! Commit to bringing reusable bags to the grocery store. Sometimes all it takes to make a change in a lifestyle is picking one day as your starting point and committing to your goal. In honor of Earth Day and adapting to a low-waste lifestyle, commit to bringing reusable grocery bags when you go shopping in place of single-use plastic bags! Replace single-use water bottles with reusable ones. While you’re at it, commit to replacing single-use plastic water bottles with reusable ones. This simple change can easily become a habit when you set your mind to it. We know this Earth Day is a little different than the rest, but there’s still lots you can do at home to embrace the environmentally focused holiday. Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day with us this year with some of the ideas listed above, and let us know how you’re living sustainably on Facebook and Instagram ! Have friends or family looking to partake in Earth Day? Share this blog with them! And while you’re at it, keep following the Acero North Valley blog here for more posts like this one.

Delicious Dining at Home! North Phoenix Restaurants that Deliver

Now more than ever, local North Phoenix restaurants are relying on the support of community members to continue enjoying our favorite eats. The only difference is now, you get to enjoy them from the comfort of home! With social distancing and stay at home orders, delivery and curbside pickup/takeout have become the go-to way of still getting to eat your favorite foods. Some of your favorite local restaurants are either offering their own delivery and take out options, or have partnered with GrubHub, DoorDash, UberEats, etc. So today we are listing some of the North Valley juice bars, pizza parlors, craft kitchens and more that are still open for business and serving up delicious food and drink that you can enjoy right here in your apartment at Acero North Valley. First Watch Tramonto You’re working from home and about mid-morning you find yourself hungry. Thankfully First Watch Tramonto is just up the street with a variety of breakfast and lunch options! Currently offering: Online and over the phone ordering for take out or curbside pick up. Phone: (623) 582-4442 Website: https://www.firstwatch.com/ Menu: https://firstwatch.olo.com/menu/tramonto Limon Urban kitchen Taco Tuesday just wouldn’t be the same without something tasty from Limon Urban Kitchen! To top it off, they are also offering beer and wine to go with a minimum order of $5. Currently offering: Online and over the phone ordering, delivery through Doordash, and take out. Recently launched a mobile app for ordering as well. Phone: (623) 466-7500 Website: http://limonurbankitchen.com/ Menu: http://limonurbankitchen.com/menu/ El Encanto Dos Enjoy the flavors of Mexico right at home in your Acero North Valley apartment when you order to go from El Encanto Dos! Currently Offering: Online ordering, curbside pick up, to go and delivery. Phone: (623) 780-5948 Website: https://elencantorestaurants.com/ Menu: https://elencantorestaurants.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/el-encanto-curbside-and-delivery-menu-.pdf Barros Pizza Not in the mood to cook today? Barros Pizza has you covered. Currently Offering: Online and over the phone ordering for take out and delivery. Phone: (623) 215-4141 Website: https://barrospizza.com/ Menu: https://barrospizza.com/locations/dove-valley-i-17/menu Streets of New York Pizza Again, everyone loves pizza night. So enjoy your favorite pies, pasta and more form Streets of New York pizza, with an added bonus of free delivery and daily specials! Currently Offering: Online and over the phone ordering for curbside pick up, take out and delivery. Phone: (623) 587-0177 Website: https://www.streetsofnewyork.com/ Menu: https://www.streetsofnewyork.com/menus Nekter Juice Bar There’s never been a better time to be a juice lover! Fresh juices and smoothies are packed with immunity boosters, antioxidants and vitamins that are essential for staying healthy. Lucky for you Nekter Juice Bar is your neighbor when you live at Acero North Valley! Currently Offering: Online ordering for delivery or take out. Delivery partners: DoorDash, Postmates, UberEats and GrubHub. Mobile app for ordering and loyalty points. Phone: (623) 248-6997 Website: https://www.nekterjuicebar.com/ Menu: https://www.nekterjuicebar.com/pages/menu Hong Kong Asian Cuisine As you can see, Phoenix's North Valley has a wide variety of cuisines to choose from! So when you’re in the mood for some authentic Asian cuisine, you’re in luck because Hong Kong Asian Cusine is right up the street. Currently Offering: Online ordering, take out. Phone: (623) 780-8881 Website: https://www.hongkongphoenix.com/ Menu: https://www.hongkongphoenix.com/menu.aspx Pita Jungle Norterra You know what makes for a delicious work from home lunch? A broiled chicken pita, gyro, or salad! And Pita Jungle has all of that and more. Currently Offering: Online ordering, over the phone ordering, delivery, and take out. Phone: (623) 587-5572 Website: http://www.pitajungle.com/ Menu: http://www.pitajungle.com/menu/starters/?loc=norterra (Photo by @PitaJungle) We hope this helped you settle on what’s for dinner tonight (and lunch tomorrow, and breakfast the following day). Please keep in mind that restaurant offerings, menus and delivery/to-go options are continuing to change every day, so we recommend calling the eatery prior to placing your order to confirm their current offerings. Share your at-home dining adventures with us on Facebook and Instagram , and pass this blog along to your fellow North Phoenix neighbors and friends!

A Note from Acero North Valley on COVID-19

It goes without saying that our world has experienced an overwhelming amount of change in the last few weeks. The outbreak of COVID-19 has surely altered the way we approach our day to day lives, and without a doubt has made it a reasonably unsettling time in history. We want you, our residents, community members, and associates, to know that all of us here at Acero North Valley are riding this wave with you. Now more than ever we want to assure you that your health and safety is our absolute top priority. Today we hope to address some of the questions you might currently have regarding this pandemic and your home at Acero North Valley. Questions like; what changes can I expect to see in my apartment community? What does “social distancing” mean when living in an apartment? What can my family and I be doing to stay healthy? First and foremost, we recommend staying up to date with current guidance and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). These organizations provide a plethora of information intended to help the general public understand what is happening globally, and what you can be doing to stay healthy. Wondering what the coronavirus/COVID-19 even is? Curious of what symptoms you should be paying attention to? Have you pondered wearing a face mask? Answers to these common questions and more can be found here . Please be assured in knowing that our team will also be monitoring these sites so as to stay up to date with the most recent developments and recommended health procedures as well. What changes will I notice at Acero North Valley? As you can imagine, our sanitation procedures have elevated to new heights. Due to continuously developing information regarding the spread of the virus and how long it lives on surfaces, our maintenance team is taking extra precautions when sanitizing community surfaces and common spaces. Additionally, resident gatherings and community areas are temporarily closed in accordance with the CDC's recommendations for social distancing and to help slow the spread of germs. With the safety of both our associates and residents in mind, our office is also temporarily closed to walk-through traffic. But there’s no need to worry, we will be available via phone or email for anything you might need. At this time we encourage you, your family, your friends, and your Acero North Valley neighbors to stay home, practice social distancing and only leave your apartment if you really need to. Now more than ever it is important to check on your neighbors, especially those who are elderly. Give them a call to see if they need anything and remember that we are all in this together. Thank you for being a part of our North Valley community; we look forward to brighter days ahead.

How to Make "Work from Home" Work for You

If you’re like most of us these days, it’s very likely that your living room or kitchen table has turned into your new office. As stay at home orders and social distancing have become recognized nationwide, working from home has become a new reality for a lot of us! This can impose a big change to your daily routine and workflow, so we’re here today with a few tips for staying productive and making “Work From Home” work for you. Have a Designated Space An important part of settling into a new routine, especially one that is related to your career, is a quality workspace. In order to stay productive throughout the day and achieve tasks that you usually would in an office, you’ll want to have a designated workspace in your Acero North Valley apartment! Whether that ends up being your favorite spot in the kitchen or maybe at a desk in your bedroom, have a spot where you can mentally “clock in” and “clock out” each day. This sense of routine and familiarity in relation to your workload will help you stay productive and focused while working at home. Take Breaks Some people like to joke that working from home isn’t really working; it’s just checking emails while sitting back and relaxing. You and I both know (along with most remote workers) that work from home just means you’ve brought your office tasks, meetings and agenda to your home life. This can also mean you've invited a source of stress to your apartment! So as you are adjusting to a new work environment, be sure to take the breaks you usually would while in an office setting. Stand up and stretch now and then, step outside for a breath of fresh air, make yourself a cup of coffee. Taking a break now and then-- and we mean really taking a break, not staying at your computer while checking your phone, will help you to stay concentrated when you return to your work! Step away from your workspace for your lunch break, listen to music, and let your mind rest for a few minutes. Avoid Distractions Yeah yeah, we know. Easier said than done. But don’t be fooled! There are some essential tips for avoiding distractions while working from home, and here are a few of them. 1. Use noise-canceling headphones (or really just any headphones). This way when your phone vibrates or you hear something in the other room that you might usually respond to, you will instead continue working. Listening to your favorite playlist can help also! 2. Set your phone face down and away from you. Treat your new workspace with the same rules you would at your main office. It’s likely that you are not encouraged to scroll on your phone while on the clock (for various reasons!) while at work, so treat your valuable time the same way while you are working from home. Leave the phone time and notification checking for your lunch break. 3. Do not have the TV on “in the background.” This is just added noise, and even if you say you aren’t paying attention, your brain is not able to dial in and focus as much as it could if the TV stays off. Additionally, the background noise can become a problem if you are on conference calls or a video chat / video call with other remote employees. 4. Communicate with anyone you share your Acero North Valley apartment with that you will be working from home and that you will be available at certain times (before work, during breaks, after work). If your housemates, partner, children, etc. know that you are unavailable ahead of time, they are less likely to interrupt your workflow, allowing you to stay productive. We hope these tips will help you settle into your new work from home situation like a boss. Share with us how things are going in your new home office on Facebook and Instagram , and be sure to keep following the Acero North Valley blog here for more posts like this one!

Welcome Spring into your New Home with an Indoor Herb Garden

Spring is on its way to Phoenix’s North Valley, and what better way to welcome the new season into your new apartment than with a homegrown herb garden! While there’s plenty of recreational enjoyment that comes with gardening, there are also some overall health benefits too. It may go without saying, but above all, one of the best parts of having an herb garden in your Acero North Valley apartment is when you get to enjoy the fresh herbs in your favorite dish! Don’t worry about not having a green thumb, today we’ll guide you through what you’ll need and how to get your North Valley herb garden started and keep it thriving. What you’ll need Lucky for you, your new apartment is located just minutes from all of the supplies you’ll need for your indoor garden (and really there isn’t much). The garden center at Home Depot is a short drive from home and will have everything you need and more to get started. Here’s a pro tip when it comes to a gardening project on a budget: see what you already have at home before you head out shopping! Put your old mason jars to good use as your new herb pots, or upcycle any coffee tins or cans around the house. Home Depot, Lowes and really anywhere you shop will have terracotta pots and fancy herb displays, but it’s up to you to decide what your herbs will live in. Supply list: Gardening Gloves Nutrient-rich indoor potting soil A small shovel 2-5 containers (Depending on how many herbs you will be planting) Seeds or young herb plants of your choice (such as Basil, Cilantro, Sage, Mint, etc.) Getting Started Once you have all of your supplies, it’s time to get to work! Lucky for you, your new Acero North Valley apartment has a nice large patio where you can bring this project outside (and your plants can get plenty of sun!). To get started, put your gloves on and gather all of your pots/tins/jars. Using your small shovel, fill your tins about halfway full with soil. If you’re using young herb plants, gently remove them from what you bought them in, careful to not damage the roots, and add one plant per container that is half full with soil. Then, fill the remainder of the container with soil, using your hands to pat the dirt firm. If using seeds, fill your container of choice with potting soil, stick your finger about 1 ½ inch into the dirt, add a few seeds, and cover with dirt. Dampen the soil with water and you’re all set! Repeat with each of your different herbs in their different pots and let them soak up some sun outside for a bit. A few helpful tips: Avoid overwatering your herb plants, be sure to let the potting mix dry between waterings. If using seeds, once planted, cover your container with plastic wrap or a plastic bag and leave in a warm place for the seeds to germinate. Once you see sprouts, remove the plastic and move to sunny location. If keeping your plants outside, keep them out of direct sunlight. If keeping your plants inside, make sure they are getting plenty of sunlight. Water the base of the plant, avoiding getting water on the leaves. Enjoying your Fresh Herbs There’s something very special about using your own fresh herbs in a recipe. Making spaghetti? Add a few leaves of fresh basil to elevate the flavor. At home happy hour mojitos? Muddle your fresh mint leaves in with a bit of rum, simple syrup, ice and sprite for a refreshing cocktail! Not only will you enjoy watching your herbs grow, but you’ll surely love the way they taste too! Hopefully after reading this you are ready to get started on your own indoor herb garden at Acero North Valley. Once you’re all planted, be sure to share how your project went with us on Facebook and Instagram , and keep following our blog here for more posts like this one!

Your North Valley Neighborhood Coffee Shops

There’s nothing like having a go-to coffee shop near your apartment. A place where you can walk in, smell the sweet aromas of coffee beans and espresso shots, while being greeted by a barista who probably already knows your drink. That feeling is what you can find all around Phoenix’s North Valley, with plenty of coffee roasters that will make you feel right at home, even on your first visit. Join us as we introduce you to a few of our favorite java houses near Acero North Valley. The Carefree Cafe The Carefree Cafe is a treasure trove nestled along the Carefree highway. Serving up hot, iced or blended coffee drinks along with breakfast and lunch, this cafe is only a mere 8 minute drive from your new apartment. A welcoming and cozy atmosphere greets you as you make your way to this neighborhood favorite to sip coffee and grab a bite to eat. Caffeine-lovers rejoice at the Carefree Cafe as the coffee beans are purchased and roasted locally, providing a unique, award-winning flavor. Since 2011 this local coffee shop has made a name for itself, and after just one of their breakfast sandwiches and a cup of joe, you’ll see why. Elevate Coffee Co. Each coffee shop and cafe tends to have their own character and ambiance that makes them special. The Carefree Cafe (mentioned above) for example, boasts a hometown, local coffee house feel. At Elevate Coffee Co., not only are the drinks of the highest quality, the coffee beans roasted to perfection, the latte art impeccable, and the atmosphere warm and welcoming; but Elevate Coffee Co. focuses on building community through coffee. Their website sums it up quite nicely, “But what’s good coffee without good company?” When you stop by Elevate for a velvety latte or one of their fresh espresso drinks, you’ll find yourself in good company with even better coffee. (Photo by @Elevatecoffeeco) Amped Coffee Company Maybe you’re in the mood for an iced coffee; maybe your in the mood for coffee and beer. Or heck! Maybe you just want a glass of wine. If that’s the case, then Amped Coffee Company is like your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Amped Coffee Company is just a short drive North on the Black Canyon Freeway; and is worth every minute of the drive. Yes, you have plenty of Starbucks’ near your new home at Acero North Valley, but we’re telling you now; the quality espresso drinks, the food, the craft beer, the wine and the rock-your-socks-off entertainment you deserve is just minutes away. Amped has live music every week, an impressive menu boasting everything from coffee and tea to cold brew and wine, and overall just a great coffee house vibe. We saved the best for last with this one and definitely recommend you check it out. (Photo by @AmpedCoffeeCo) The next time you find yourself in need of a caffeine boost, keep these North Phoenix coffee shops in mind! Give them a try, and let us know how you liked them on Facebook or Instagram . And if you like what we covered in today’s blog, keep following the Acero North Valley blog here for more just like it. See you next time!

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