At least 10 things according to this Time magazine article.

Fewer car accidents, more people exercising, healtheir employees…  At least there’s an upside to the recession. 

Run, don’t walk, over to the Alhambra Public Library as they are currently checking books out for 10 weeks.  This is great geeky fun!  The long time span covers the library as they move over to their new building opening September 13.  Woopie!  Summer reading for the rest of the summer!  This includes books on tape too, but not DVD rentals.

From www.alhambralibrary.org: 

ALHAMBRA PUBLIC LIBRARY WILL BE

CLOSING ON AUGUST 11, 2008.

Starting July 21 we will begin checking all books, audio materials and educational DVD’s out for 10 weeks, so they will be due on October 1, 2008 at our new site.

The New Civic Center Library will open on

September 13, 2008

101 S. First St

Alhambra, CA 91801

 To see the new library plans, visit here.

I read somewhere that one way to be environmentally conscious is to buy recycled clothes, as in thrift store shopping. Could me boycotting The Gap really make that much of a difference?  For the past week, I have been looking for inexpensive, thin, 100% cotton, long sleeved shirts for traveling to India.  I scoured many stores and came up with nothing reasonably priced.  Then it dawned on me to try the Goodwill.  Score, score, score.  Thrift stores are perfect for buying clothes that are out of season, as long sleeve shirts seem to be right now.

I was amazed at the really good selection at this Wesssside Goodwill:
8905 Venice Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 845-9327 

The fashionable cast-offs here were aplenty.  Seriously!  The Wessside’s good for something.

Right down the street from here is Govinda’s, a Hare Krishna restaurant, store, museum, and temple.  I actually stopped here first to try to find shirts but didn’t find anything I liked (the shop is nice and worth a visit).  The LATimes has written about Govinda’s food many times, and I would have given it a try, but I wasn’t hungry.  The vegetarian buffet did not look that extensive though.  It’s $7 all you can eat or $4.15 a pound.  On Sundays at 6 pm, they offer a free six course feast, according to their website.  It was very peaceful there.

Govinda’s  www.govindsla.com

3764 Watseka Avenue • Los Angeles, California • 90034 • 310-836-1269
>> DIRECTIONS <<

And while you’re over there thrift shopping and eating Indian food, might as well stop by the Musuem of Jurassic Technology which is also nearby.  It’s probably L.A.’s most unique, imaginative museum consisting of fictitious displays.  It’s a great and freaky.  So there you have it, UnHip LA does the Wessside: Govinda’s, The Goodwill, and The Museum of Jurassic Technology. You might even forget where you are.

The Museum of Jurassic Technology 
www.mjt.org
9341 Venice Boulevard
Culver City, California 90232
four blocks west of Robertson Boulevard in the historic Palms district of Los Angeles across the street from Main Street, Culver City.
See Map

(310) 836-6131

PS  The LATimes also recommends eating at Tara’s Himalayan Cuisine for their $4.99 lunch specials.  Tara’s is near the other stops mentioned above  and is number 16 on the Time’s recent Delciious Deals list.  I plan to try it someday.

Tara’s Himalayan Cuisine, 10855 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 836-9696.

 

 

Here’s a neat article from the barely breathing L.A. Times about how to be an extra at the Opera Pacific Company in Orange County, and even get paid (minimally).  You get to be in full costume and see diaphragms in action. 

 

For some reason, I couldn’t access my blog for three days.  But now all seems to be operational.

Test 1 2 3, Test 1 2 3….

 

 

This Sunday, July, 20, the City of South Pasadena will be sponsoring their 2nd Annual Clean-Air Car Show and Film Festival.   Here’s your chance to learn about environmentally friendly cars that are currently on the market and in development; over 30 cars will be there (sans pushy car sales people I hope).  The City will also be showing eco-movies at the Rialto; the 11th Hour by Leonardo Dicaprio plays at 11 am and 3:30 pm, with mini-seminars and guest speakers in between. Sounds like a good, learning time.  There’s free food and give-aways to boot. I feel so yesterday driving a gas-guzzling car.  It’s time to learn my options.

South Pasadena’s 2nd Annual Clean-Air Car Show and Film Festival
Sunday, July 20, 2008
11 am - 6 pm
El Centro Street and Fair Oaks Avenue
Free Admission!

Here’s an article on the event from Pasadena Now, from which I learned about the event.  Thanks PN!

 

 

Oh dear, the recession has really hit close to home now.  I used to be able to get a pretty good milk tea for a $1 from a hole-in-the-wall restaurant called Wan Tai something in the 7-11 plaza on Las Tunas at Mission in San Gabriel.  But today my boba was $2!  Was I getting the recession price or the girl who doesn’t speak Mandarin price?

I showed the waitress the $1 price on the menu but she muttered that was no longer good.  Also, their delicious, home-style lunch specials have inched up in cost.  Boooo. 

You know times are bad when Starbucks starts closing down - 600 shops have been given the boot and 12,000 jobs will be lost, according to LA Observed.  Now I am not a big Starbux fan at all, but my sister is - big time, so this post is in honor of her. To soften the blow, Starbux will be introducing new Pinkberry-esque drinks:

"Along with the lost jobs and store closures is the introduction of something called the Sorbetto. It’s a Pinkberry-inspired drinkable yogurt that comes in three flavors - Tangy, Citrus Ice and Tangy Citrus Ice - and is being pushed as a mid-afternoon snack (keep in mind that foot-traffic slows by the afternoon). The Sorbetto makes its debut today at 313 stores in Orange and Los Angeles counties. The company is also rolling out a protein-and-banana smoothie called the Vivanno."

Also Starbux is now offering FREE wifi to those who join their rewards program.  It’s a free program but you have to pay for drinks with money you put on their card.  There are more perks  too such as free drink modifiers, refills, and beverages.

So if the economy has got you down, you can still have that Starbucks treat but just milk it for all its worth.  I wonder if they’ll be bothered if I just scoot in there to use their wifi, escape the heat, and drink water out of one of their nice clear cups.  Starbucks has never been stingy about giving out water, I’ll give them that. 

Here’s an LATimes article on the new drinks.

*** UPDATE *** 

I’ve tried the Vivanno - the banana chocolate flavor - and I love it!  I’ve also tried the Sorbetto and think I liked it.  It’s a kind of an odd drink - a Pinkberry-slushie of sorts.  I think the Sorbetto has more dairy in it than the Vivanno.  The Vivanno is very filling.  I wonder if it could be considered a meal replacement - if it’s healthy enough for that.  There’s been a lot of blogosphere ruckus about how bad the Vivanno is and that it pales in comparison with a Jamba Juice.  Personally, I love the Vivanno because it’s not as ovewhelming as a Jamba Juice drink and not as sweet.  I’ve never been a fan of JJ.

Whole Foods on Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena has some regular events that might be worth a visit.  Now that I am penniless from gas prices, I may just show up with my bowl and best Oliver Twist impression for some recession snacking.  From their website: www.wholefoodsmarket.com.  Check out the link for a listing of all their events.

Every Tuesday

A Taste of Arroyo
5:00–7:00 p.m.    Free
Each department is featuring a special product and we want you to come and sample it. Whether it’s a new product or an exclusive item, there’s a reason why we want to share it with you. Be sure to stop by every department!

Every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the Month

Eat, Drink and Mingle!
6:00–8:00 p.m.    $10 per person
Calling all singles, couples, females, males! Unite in the Wine and Tapas Bar for an evening filled with food, fun and new friends! (All guests must be 21 and over). See you there!

_____

UPDATE - We went to this.  There was hardly anything to nosh on and no staff hawking things (okay, there was one girl handing out chocolates). Where’s the Arroyo pride?  So then we ate at the disappointing hot food and salad bar ($7.99/lb).  I did see a tiny fish restaurant on the first floor that I’ll have to try later.  I wonder how Whole Foods is making out during the recession.

On July 26, 2008, the first family of Indian Cinema (the Bachchans), Preity Zinta, Madhuri Dixit and more Bollywood superstars come to Los Angeles for a song and dance concert.  Wow!  Tickets start at $59 and the show starts at 7:30 pm, at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. 

Tour website: www.theunforgettabletour.com

Tickets: www.superentertainmentinc.com

This tour will undoubtedly will live up to its name.  

This week, it cost $50 to fill up my 10.4 gallon car.  Wow, that’s a record for me.  With gas being this expensive, I find my driving experience to be different now.  It’s like I am using rocket fuel and my car is a spaceship.  I look out my windows at the strange lands of Pasadena and Arcadia.  The road seems different, more like terrain. I’m trying to enjoy my driving missions now that I can’t take them for granted. My friend M and I were discussing how fuel is a luxury item today.  What other things are now luxury items due to this nasty recession we’re in?  M said rice was at a premium too.

Maybe the rocket fuel analogy came up because I just came out of Wall E.

I might have to start using this gas price tracker .  Perhaps now is the time to invest in a bike (I’m afraid of getting hit by a car though).  Or just walk more.  I’d love to take the Metro but I don’t live near a station. 

 

 

All’s been quiet on the blog front lately as I have been getting ready for a trip to India next month.  Yep, next month, I’ll be traveling up and down India, having all my Bollywood dreams come true.  Right, not quite, but still I’m sure I’ll have lots of exciting new adventures to share.  So, I’ve been on the quest for a 22" duffel bag with wheels.  I have looked online and at REI, Target, Mervyns, TJ Maxx, Kohls, Chinatown, and even the Fashion District downtown and have discovered two extremes: either a cheap-ass $13-15 duffel that a child could probably rip apart or $165 extremely rugged, well-made bag.  I need something in between.  I don’t want anything too nice as I’ll most likely be caught in some monsoons and will get messed up, but at the same time I need something that can withstand some rough terrain.  I cannot in good UnHip LA conscience buy something too pricey.  Anyone know where to buy some good yet cheap luggage in L.A.?  I haven’t really scoured the SGV yet.  When I find the place, I’ll let you know.  The hunt continues.

Luggage buying tips here.

Coupon for 15% off REI purchase. 

Here’s an online, REI-like store with a good selection of luggage www.travelcountry.com that has free shipping (for orders over $50) and no tax outside of Florida. 

I guess I’m not the only Angeleno who’s recently been wowed by Chicago.  LATimes columnist Steve Lopez opines today about how the Windy City has its act together better than us.  Afterall Chicago beat us out for the 2016 Summer Olympics bid.  Lopez writes, "So we landed in Chicago, where folks in museums, hotels, restaurants and shops seem to have formed some kind of a pact to be helpful, polite and welcoming.

If we’d stayed more than three days, I would have had to start slapping people."  Hahaha!

For more of my Chicago posts, please type in Chicago in the search or just scroll down.  Here’s another Angeleno who enjoyed his recent trip to Chicago too.

 

The San Gabriel Valley is so uncomfortably hot and muggy now.  I was in Westwood the other day and the weather was beautiful, a cool breeze all over the town.  It’s so unfair that the Wesssside has such lovely temps. 

I took a walk through the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, which opened on June 30, 2008, after a 10-year building process and a $829.3 million budget.  Wow!  What an ultra-modern beautiful space designed by I.M. Pei.  When I stepped into the main hallway, I was overwhelmed by the spaciousness and white color scheme. I thought I was on a ship in Star Wars and looked for Storm Troopers.  It was that white.  If you’re in Westwood, I suggest you stop by and see this stunning design which encompasses over 1 million square feet and can withstand up to an 8.3 earthquake.  It was utterly beautiful right down to the doors of the bathroom which blended into the walls.  The meditation room was also a nice spot, with blankets in a basket.

And if you get hungry, eat there.  Hospital cafeterias usually have reasonable prices; $6.60 for a meal including side dishes and drink.  This cafe, with a resort-like patio, is up the outside stairs and connected to the Ronald Reagan hospital.  There is also a dingy restaurant on the circular driveway of the hospital.  Skip that place; the prices were high and the food seemed like greasy hamburger stand fare.  Is it wrong to eat at a hospital if you don’t really have a reason to be there?  I admit to feeling a little guilty.

The Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
757 Westwood Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90095
(310) 825-9111
(Click here for maps and directions) 

Take the photo tour on the website.  The hospital really felt monumental and took healing to the next level.  Way to go UCLA!  I wonder if my piddly HMO insurance would get accepted there.  Probablly not!

LATimes coverage of opening day.  This article says that the 520 new patient rooms are all singles and have daybeds for overnight visitors; bow-tied waiters bring meals; children have Wiis, plenty of play space, electric cars to scoot around in, a ceiling painted like a constellation; and there are separate entrances for the different patients - children get a less initimidating entrance and don’t have to enter with adults.

 

 

 

This is hilarious.  LATimes has an interactive map which shows where single people in L.A. proliferate.  You can search by your city and age range. 

LAT I C U : Los Angeles Connections
http://www.latimes.com/theguide/la-icumap,0,2003683.htmlstory

It appears as people get older, there are more single women.  It’s a pink pandemic.  Look at the map to see what I mean.  I was actually a bit scared by it.  The site also features videos from Craigslist’s "Missed Connection" section. 

This sounds interesting and it’s in a little town called Fawnskin near Big Bear.  It’s the Fawnskin Victorian Festival on July 5th and 6th.  From their website http://www.fawnskinvictorian.com/:

July 5th and 6th, 2008

The Big Bear Valley Renaissance Society, Inc. is delighted to announce our first Victorian Festival on July 5th and 6th, 2008, at our permanent site on the north shore of Big Bear Lake!

Hosted in the lovely little town of Fawnskin, the Victorian Festival is a day in Charles Dickens’ London – a city filled with lively and colorful characters from both literature and history. Come join us for an adventure in this elegant era with hundreds of costumed players in music halls, pubs and dance parties. Explore our winding lanes, finding trinkets and treasures while surrounded by enticing aromas of hearty foods and the joyous sound of music in the air.

Some of the activities will include a Victorian Tea, Tea with the Queen, and readings by Charles Dickens, Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, and other literary artists of the 19th century. We will have demonstrations of the Gatling gun, cannon, and a battle of the Queen’s Royal Army! Entertainment will also be provided on five stages throughout the day. And, for the younger set, we will have the children’s craft & game area.

While not all visitors come in costume, a great many do. The highlight of the event, the Grand Masque Ball under the stars on Saturday night, is a costumed affair, although a non-costumed gallery is available, if you would like to witness the glamorous spectacle.

More info on their site.   Fawnskin, sounds like a magical place.  Perhaps this could be another staycation of sorts.

Try heading up into the San Gabriel mountains and enjoying Wrightwood in the off-season.  You’ll see lots of trees and nice town folk; however, it could still be hot up there.  Check the weather report.  Wrightwood has its charms and surprisingly a lot of free summer programming. It’s about a one hour drive from L.A. 

 

I killed a few hours today at the Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, IL and was so excited to see a shop called "Chill Bubble Tea."  I have gone 1.5 weeks without a honey green tea with boba and I thought this was my big chance.  No dice.  This store’s signature item seems to be smoothies with boba in them. They are obviously not boba tea purists.  My request for a honey green tea with boba was met with a blank stare.  I left empty-handed. I think mall Midwesterners could handle this drink; it’s healthier for them than a smoothie or a milk tea with boba.  Chill Bubble Tea is a franchise that started in Chicago and plans to expand to California.  Good luck with that!

Hey, if you’re in need of a really really cheap staycation, I got this from a mailing list I’m on:

"The Travelzoo Newsdesk has found this outstanding offer from
the L.A. Dodgers:

LOS ANGELES–JUNE 30, 2008– The L.A. Dodgers have slashed
ticket prices for games against the Atlanta Braves and
Florida Marlins to $3. Wow!

Tickets for games on July 7-13 are:
- Reserve seats … $3 (Reg. $16)
- Lower Reserve seats … $6 (Reg. $20)
- Infield Reserve seats … $9 (Reg. $28)
- Field seats … $18 (Reg. $50)

To book and for more information, click the link below.
IMPORTANT: You must manually enter "TZOOJULY" in the
Promotions and Special Offers field after selecting your
game date from the pull-down menu.
http://www.travelzoo.com/Newsflash.asp?429281  "

Play Ball!