Relationship

What happened to Westwood?

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Until a few years ago, Westwood was the place to go if you wanted to treat yourself. When I first moved to Los Angeles, I wanted to find a place where I could walk…look at stores, etc. Something, perhaps, that reminded me of New York City. LA is not a city for walking… however, Miss Susan P. from Encino told me that the best places to walk were Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica and Westwood Village. I hadn’t been there in years, however, after going to Westwood with Ron last week, I thought I should visit again…

Located about 30 minutes from my apartment, Westwood is on the west side of Los Angeles, just east of the San Diego Freeway (405). Home to the esteemed university UCLA, Westwood was once a thriving college town…with great shopping, dining, record stores, and fantastic movie theaters. Parking was a hassle and expensive… but it was worth it. One could easily have spent the day in Westwood and had a good time…not anymore.

In the past, I’d drive from Hollywood specifically to hang out in Westwood… I’d have a slice or two of La Monica’s pizza in Gayley… pop into Baskin Robbins for ice cream, check out Circuit City in Gayley, spend a year at Tower Records on Westwood Boulevard, check out an independent record store or two, and of course catch a movie…

When I first started hanging out in Westwood…there were no fewer than six individual Mann Theaters screens, a Mann 4-plex, a United Artists 3-plex, a General Cinema 4-plex, and a gorgeous owned and operated movie theater. by Pacific Theaters called The Crest. Ten different movie theaters…all within walking distance. You can see why I would love a place like this… It was like Westwood really was a real MOVIE TOWN…

On Saturday night, I visited the old Movie Town… and what I found was more like a Ghost Town. Since 2006, there has been an uneasy exodus in Westwood…everyone was leaving and no one was moving.

Before the movie on Saturday, I took a walk through the once lively neighborhood… at least what’s left of it. The 2-story Tower Records is gone…every other record store in Westwood is gone too. The Rite Aid is gone… now just an empty space. I was surprised to find that even the Gardens of Glendon restaurant (site of two dates in the past) had closed its doors for good…with nothing in its place. The streets now felt dark and lonely…although a few things remained…

The In N Out Burger is still there…that’s where I took Ron last week. And then there’s Lamonicas… Thank God, Lamonicas is still alive and kicking. I loved going there whenever I could. Great pizza…very good. On Saturday I had two delicious Sicilian slices… I wanted to have 100 more. The theme of the place is all New York… making it too easy for me to love it.

My Baskin Robbins is still there…I’ve never seen it busy, but it’s always open…even late. After my pizza, I always got a vanilla ice cream cone from Baskin Robbins in Westwood…just like I did on a Saturday night.

After the pizza and ice cream, I’d usually check out the giant kiosk next door. On Saturday, I couldn’t help but stop by…checking out the music magazines as usual…I was so glad to see that the newsstand had survived, however, other places weren’t so lucky…especially in terms of what What has happened to Westwood theaters in recent years…

Since then, the Mann Westwood 4-Plex has been closed and destroyed. It’s not a great theater, but it’s still a loss. I had seen three movies there… GODS AND MONSTERS… and the Dennis Rodman action movie SIMON SEZ… which I saw all by myself… I mean… NO ONE was in the theater except me…

The Mann Plaza has closed. I think I only saw one movie there…FREE ENTERPRISE…It was a decent single screen though…I think it even had a balcony. It was a nice old theater…

The Mann Festival has closed. The seats weren’t that great…they buckled…although I think they fixed that. I had many experiences there. It’s where I met Jamie Lee Curtis and saved their seats for GONE WITH THE WIND…it’s where I saw several PGA screenings with movies like ABOUT ADAM and PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS…It’s where I saw SNOW FALLING ON THE CEDARS. ..and where I licked my wounds watching IRON MONKEY after a disastrous date in 2004…

The Mann National has closed and been destroyed… a vacant lot stands in its place… It was one of my favorite theaters in Los Angeles. It had a lot of character… a big theater with a giant screen… It was dirty and dated, but I loved it. I had the pleasure of seeing SAVING PRIVATE RYAN there on opening day in June 1998, as well as such films as SMALL SOLDIERS, ADAM SANDLER’S EIGHT CRAZY NIGHTS, 30 DAYS TO YUMA and THE WAR. It hurts me to think that he’s gone forever…

The United Artists Westwood 3-plex was closed and destroyed. It is now a CVS Pharmacy. Not the best theater but I loved it… I watched a lot of movies there… PLAYING BY HEART, 15 MINUTES, THE OTHERS, BOILER ROOM, RUN LOLA RUN, AMERICAN HISTORY X and more…

Once a thriving metropolis of ten movie theaters… Westwood now has only four theaters…

The Mann Regent in Broxton is now run by the Landmark Theaters and luckily it still operates as a single screen. I had seen TEA WITH MUSSOLINI there, then Landmark bought it… I saw things like PERSONAL VELOCITY and SESSION 9.

The General Cinema Avco 4-plex is now operated by AMC. It’s not a big theater… it never was. There was always something off or weird about it… I never felt like someone was directing the show… However… I had visited the AVCO on more than a few occasions to see movies like DIRTY WORK, THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR , MAN COMPANY, HOT ROD, MR. WOODCOCK, as well as TAKEN with my mom.

The Mann Bruin is still alive and well… however it is my least favorite theater in the area. The reason… amazing design and a vintage canopy on the outside, but a bland, unassuming Jane swims on the inside. I saw some things here… SPHERE, DR. DOOLITTLE, FREDDIE GOT FINGERED, CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND, plus a screening of NATIONAL TREASURE 2: BOOK OF SECRETS.

The Crest is now a struggling independent theater owned by a guy named Bob, who also operates it. A beautiful art-deco theater inside and out… sadly on its last legs. Bob’s out of money…and he’s sending desperate emails to people like me asking if anyone wants to buy him…I watched a lot of movies at The Crest…EVE’S BAYOU, JANE AUSTEN’S MAFIA!, DR. STRANGELOVE (OR HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB), LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, THE BICENTENARY MAN, THE NANNY DIARIES, THE HUNTING PARTY, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS with my mom, plus special screenings of CRASH and THE AVIATOR…

Fortunately, the premiere Westwood Theater still remains intact…the glorious historic theater of Westwood Village…site of many movie premieres to this day due to its large capacity, beautiful and glamorous old school architecture and grand balcony. Its front marquee is a site to behold. When I first moved to Los Angeles in 1998, I made sure to check out the Village right away (having seen it on one visit in 1997). The Village was the first theater in the US to install a THX sound system (in 1983). It was always a great emotion every time I went there. I watched as many movies as I could… like TITANIC, LETHAL WEAPON 4, THE X-FILES, THE SIEGE, GREASE, 3000 MILES TO GRACELAND, RED PLANET, SUPERMAN RETURNS, STAR WARS EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE, EYES WIDE SHUT, HOLLYWOOD HOMICIDE (for the premiere of my first movie), THE BRAVE ONE plus the Saturday night show…SHUTTER ISLAND. If it were up to me, I’d watch all the movies there…

What happened to Westwood? I really don’t know… Before I moved to Los Angeles, I had heard there was a gang problem… Maybe Westwood was already dying when I arrived… I was too naive to realize it. Plus, with the arrival of popular outdoor extravaganzas like Third Street Promenade, The Grove, and The Americana in Glendale…people have fewer and fewer reasons to spend time in Westwood. It still has UCLA, the Armond Hammer museum, a live theater for plays, two Starbucks, two or three gyms, and of course the many movie premieres that still happen in the Village… So… not yet is dead. I miss it terribly, at least what it once was… I have faith though… there’s a lot of empty land there. It’s time for Westwood to return, it’s been long overdue…

Gaming

Five keys to good mental health

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First of all, I want to say that I am not a mental health professional. I was a high school social studies teacher and in education for 34 years, and I have Mental Health First Aid certification, but still, these suggestions are personal opinion only and do not represent professional advice.

• The first recommendation deals with sleep. Most professionals recommend eight hours of sleep a night for adults. More than eight hours can lead to depression or at least slowness. Less than eight hours can cause anxiety or nervousness. However, I maintain that the dream does not have to be completed in a block of time. Personally, I sleep about three hours, work on projects an hour or two, sleep an hour or two more; then I take one or two naps during the day when I’m tired. Sometimes naps last an hour, sometimes only ten minutes. I think the key is to sleep when your body tells you it needs to rest. Of course, I am semi-retired and my schedule may not work for most professionals.

• A conscious diet is helpful for mental stability. I recommend a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids. These can include most nuts and seeds, but the most useful are walnuts, sunflower seeds, ground flaxseeds, and soaked chia seeds. I like to soak my chia seeds in milk overnight and that combination ends up looking like a tapioca pudding. Cold-water fish provide substantial omega-3 fatty acids: sardines, salmon, trout, char, and herring lead the parade in this area. Avocado is another useful food in this area. Low-fat proteins are helpful, including beans, chicken, fish, and turkey. Of course, a diet based on fruits and vegetables is important, and finally, probiotics are useful for digestion. Those can include pickles, sauerkraut, and yogurt.

• Another important step includes respect: respect yourself, treat yourself and value yourself. Find a hobby like fishing; go to a nice restaurant or movie once a month, keep a journal of your thoughts or even go shopping.

• Exercise is another important aspect that boosts your self-esteem and overall mental health. A walk outside, especially in a park or in the woods, which provides fresh air, strength, and sunshine can provide much-needed vitamin D to ward off depression.

• Finally, it is helpful to relate to others face to face. The conversation can provide a feeling of value. It is beneficial to put down the smartphone and deal with people in person.

These five keys will not guarantee good mental health, but they will go a long way toward that end.

Health Fitness

Healthy Diet for Hemorrhoid Prevention

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Following a healthy diet for hemorrhoid prevention is not only great for colon and digestive health, but it’s amazing for your entire body inside and out. People who eat a healthy diet feel great on the inside while their outer appearance looks radiant. It will improve your overall quality of life.

Unhealthy fatty junk food and processed foods that lack nutritional value play a major role in poor digestive and colon health. Eating a high cholesterol diet and fighting could be setting you up for hemorrhoids to appear in or around your rectum and anus. This is a condition that people want to avoid.

Hemorrhoids develop as swollen growths caused by a swollen vein or group of swollen veins located in and around the anal cavity.

The symptoms are extremely unpleasant to live with. Hemorrhoids cause terrible itching that has been described by some hemorrhoid sufferers as constant.

Scratching irritates hemorrhoids the most, but if you’ve ever dealt with chronic itching, you can understand why people scratch and scratch. It is a desperate attempt to get a very momentary sense of relief.

I was there when I had an external hemorrhoid once and later in life psoriasis made me scratch myself bleed on occasion. It is not a very pleasant situation for anyone.

If the itching of hemorrhoids isn’t enough agony for a person to endure, add a chronic burning pain where walking, sitting, or using the bathroom can bring tears to your eyes.

Hemorrhoids are horrible and turn what used to be simple everyday functions into a painful exercise. Hemorrhoid patients hate the idea of ​​having to move around because it is so difficult when you have severe inflammation of the rectum or around the opening of the anus.

A healthy diet for hemorrhoid prevention will reduce the risk of developing this health condition that affects millions of people each year. It’s also an extremely affordable diet that will save you money while improving your overall health.

Healthy Diet for Hemorrhoid Prevention

Drink at least 8 glasses (8 oz) of water a day.

Avoid processed foods and unhealthy snacks.

Take a daily fiber supplement and a daily multivitamin.

Eat fresh fruits and vegetables.

Take Fargelin Plum Flower Pills to improve colon health (check with your doctor before use).

Eat plenty of foods made with whole grains and bran.

Add a delicious variety of beans, lentils and brown rice as side dishes to baked or grilled skinless chicken or fish.

Cut back on red meat, and when you do eat it, choose extra-lean cuts or extra-lean ground beef.

Snack on your favorite unsalted raw nuts and seeds.

Using a natural colon cleanse maintains regular and healthy bowel movements (check with your doctor before use).

This is easy for anyone to do and will help prevent hemorrhoids from developing due to irregularity and chronic constipation. I have been eating like this for 6 months and I feel more energetic. My bowel movements are like clockwork.

One of the main causes of my hemorrhoids was constantly struggling and straining to have a bowel movement. Increased pressure in the veins located within the rectum and around the anus are forced to expand unnaturally, causing painful swelling of the anal area.

My previous diet was a Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino®, a raspberry scone, or a buttery croissant for breakfast on the way to the office. Lunch was fast food or one of the casual chain restaurants located around the office. I would drink Diet Coke during the workday instead of water.

When I got home, our dinners were based on a children’s menu. We ate a lot of mac and cheese, hamburgers, fish fingers, fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, hot dogs, pizza, and chicken pot pies. It became our normal diet routine while watching TV.

I feel like you need to eat foods that aren’t the healthiest options from time to time. I have a decadent dinner once a month to satiate my craving for savory edibles like Chicago-style deep dish pizza with extra cheese, fettuccini alfredo, cobb salad with blue cheese dressing, chiles rellenos, corned beef on rye with Russian dressing, and a tasty dessert.

The rest of the month I continue to eat healthy and continue to exercise on a regular schedule. I have had hemorrhoids once in my life and I never want to go through that ordeal again. It had such a negative impact on my way of life that I ended up depressed on top of being in constant pain and discomfort.

Digestive and colon health care starts with a healthy hemorrhoid prevention diet like this one that reduces the risk of having to experience painful anal itching. It’s not going to be easy to change your eating habits overnight, it will get easier and easier to eat healthy over time.

Legal Law

A career in law

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Essential skills for a career in law

Very often, students enroll in a law school without having a clear idea of ​​what the profession is all about. Many are attracted to a law degree and decide to pursue law school without adequate knowledge of the degree.

There are certain characteristics that one must have in order to be successful in a law career. It must be evaluated before enrolling in any institution. To get a clear picture, you can visit local courts, attend trials, talk to lawyers, and watch the legal system work. Observing lawyers and judges on the job will allow you to identify some of the skills, knowledge, and values ​​necessary for a career in law. You can even get advice from a career counselor.

The right is the field for those:

o Have outstanding and above average independent learning skills such as reading, listening, writing, speaking, and analyzing

o Have excellent verbal, public speaking, arguing and debating skills

o Have a high level of patience and confidence.

Before beginning the application process, carefully consider whether a law degree is right for you based on these attributes. You may also need pre-law courses for admission to particular law programs.

Preparing for Law School

The field should be explored through research, research of Internet resources, discussion with law students, and counseling. Joining some pre-law courses offered by various institutes will allow you to develop skills that will be useful for law school, such as the study of the English language and the principles of accounting and finance. There are many branches in the practice of law, such as tax law, corporate law, labor law, civil law, family law, international law, and real estate law, among others. You should be clear about your interests, which will help you choose the right study program.

Apply to Law School

Information about law schools that offer law programs can be obtained with the help of educational advisors or on the Internet by visiting law school websites that provide details of the programs they offer and the application process. The best sources are law school catalogs or reference books that outline law schools and their admission criteria. The Law School Admissions Council (“LSAC”) sponsors annual legal forums around the country that give interested individuals time to speak with representatives from accredited law schools.

Programs leading to the presentation of Bachelor of Science in Law (BSL), Juris Doctor (JD), Master of Laws (LL.M.), and Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) degrees are some of the common programs that the law offers. schools.

American law schools are expensive, especially private ones. The competition to get into the top-rated law schools is tough. Applications are accepted based on an individual’s qualifications.

Career Options with a Law Degree: Work or Business/Self-Practice:

A law degree is extremely rewarding. It is very marketable and most lawyers manage to make a comfortable living. A lawyer in the US can easily earn more than $100,000 a year.

o Business/Self-Practice: You may have your own business setup, such as a consulting firm providing legal advice and guidance to your clients, Self-Practice: legal representation in court, drafting legal documents for clients, or simply having your own training classes.

o Labor market: You also have several options in the labor market: teaching, working with law firms and with companies and legal entities such as legal advisers and lawyers. However, your legal qualifications alone will not help. You need to market yourself and your law degree to reap the benefits of all your hard work. You must find the right job for you and then promote yourself to secure the position.

A career in law is rewarding and worthwhile, provided you have the essential skills and abilities to pursue a career in law and the willingness to meet the challenges that lie ahead.

Pets

Free Pet Sitting: Beware! What is worth a value for the care of your pets?

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This holiday season, pet owners are in a scramble to find someone to take care of their pets. The first concern that often comes to mind is cost. People want good VALUE for their dollar, but do they consider the VALUE they get from their pets?

Example: I received a call from an elderly pet owner in November who lived in a very wealthy neighborhood. She was referred by my vet. He normally used one of the technicians from our veterinary clinic to take care of his dog overnight, but they weren’t available during the holiday season. She asked me how much I charge and I told her $65 a night. She literally gasped on the phone and said she would call me back. Obviously, she is delighted that the technician takes care of her dogs at a lower cost. When her daughter convinced her to call back to reserve it because she had no other choice, she was already booked. They referred her to my affiliate who normally charges $75 a night! However, since I referred her, she would get the attention for my $65/night rate. This was explained to him. So why the price differences?

The technician who normally cares for the owners’ dog does it as a hobby for some extra money. His main source of income is working at the veterinary clinic. They are NOT bonded or insured or have a business license. They do not have a legitimate business that they operate on a professional level and pay taxes etc.

Example: I received a call from a lady on a Monday night who needed care for her dogs from Wednesday through Sunday night. She apparently, she had asked a friend to do it and they canceled 2 days before her departure. Now she is on a panicked quest to find a sitter for her dogs before she leaves. It was already booked and I couldn’t do it 2 days in advance so they again referred it to my affiliate.

The pet owner, in an attempt to save money, asked a friend or family member to take care of his dogs. That person has no obligation to her or contract, so it’s easy for them to cancel her or she may not even show up! A professional pet sitter will have a contract or service agreement that you sign. This unites them both in the care of their pets. You get the guarantee that they will take care of your pet and you promise to pay them for that care.

Example: A couple is planning several trips to Russia to adopt a baby. The wife works at home and is with her 3 cats most of the time. She is very concerned about her cats being left alone while traveling. They have to go to a seminar for 4 days as a step prior to their adoption. A co-worker of the husband volunteers to take care of the cats. Along the way, he doesn’t want to go down a spiral staircase to the basement to see the litter box area. The couple at the bottom of the stairs have to coax her down from it and show her an alternative stairway down. While they are away, several days have passed and they have not heard from the cat sitter. No text emails or calls. They finally decide to call her and she answers the phone. Tell them that she is in the house right now and that everything is fine. When they return home and walk through the front door, the smell overwhelms them. The litter boxes obviously hadn’t been cleaned in a few days. When she is asked about the litter boxes, the person says that she has cleaned them every day and even asks/offers to take care of the cats on her next trip.

Pet owners had a friend/co-worker do it to save some money and not knowing of any other options. Obviously, the person did not know how to properly care for cats. They had no idea if the person was actually there and showed up to take care of them while they were away. The person left evidence that the cat did not receive proper care, denied it, and then offered to care for the cats again. The pet owners saw a Shannon’s Pet Sitting sign near their home and realized this would be a better option to investigate.

Even if it’s a friend, family member, or kid next door looking to earn some extra cash, do you value the life and care of your pets to save a dollar? Do you want to wait for them to appear? Or do you expect them to take care of their pets properly? People forget, accidents happen and things come up. Chances are your pet is not your first priority.

For a professional pet sitter: your pet IS the priority!

A TRULY PROFESSIONAL pet sitter is:

1) bonded

2) Secured

3) licensed

4) Have PET CPR, First Aid, or some ANIMAL healthcare training

5) Use a service contract and pet information forms.

6) Has a website

7) Has references

8) Has a secure key system or safe deposit box

9) Has experience and knowledge in working with animals.

10) Makes a consultation to meet with you and review your pet care routine

11) Texts, calls or emails with regular updates with photos of your pet while you are away

12) Book early – A good pet sitter is in high demand!

Now look at that list and consider how much more VALUE those items have when it comes to the VALUE of life and caring for your pets while you’re away.

The fewer items on the list, the less you’ll pay and the less chance your pet will receive good care while you’re away. The horror stories I have heard and seen over the years speak for themselves. The above stories are just a small handful of recent examples within a month period that I have heard!

When you look at websites like Care.com and Sittercity.com, there are literally HUNDREDS of people posted there who want to care for pets. They are college kids, retired, unemployed, men, women, teens and they ALL LOVE PETS, HAVE HAD PETS AND WOULD LOVE TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR PET! What I’ve seen as a result of these sites: People are looking for the cheapest pet care possible. I could send them the best possible resume in terms of being a professional pet care provider! Then the minute they hear my rates, the emails and contact stops.

Pet sitters seem to be a dime a dozen. It’s a quick and easy way for a person who likes animals to earn some extra money in today’s economy. The quick, easy and cheap way could endanger the lives of your pets. Is it worth your life to save a few bucks? As a client of mine repeatedly tells me, “Peace of mind is priceless!”

Business

Custom Solid Surface Kitchen Countertop Samples

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Custom Solid Surface Kitchen Countertop

If you’re considering a new kitchen, you’re probably wondering if solid surface kitchen countertops are right for you. These surfaces are made of acrylic and come in a variety of colors and patterns. Some solid surfaces are more durable than others, and many of them are even heat-resistant, so you can even use them in areas where you cook and bake. You can find samples online, so you can get a feel for what they’ll look like before you commit to a final decision.

Custom Solid Surface Kitchen Countertop Samples are available for you to choose from. These sample pieces are made of actual countertop material and are the perfect way to get an idea of how it will look in your kitchen. You can even get some samples for your family to see if they like the color. Then, if you’re happy with the results, you can order the exact countertop material you’re considering.

Another benefit of custom solid surface countertops is that you can have them made to any size and shape. Because they’re made of resins, they can be fabricated to any size, including custom ones, which make it perfect for kitchens with unusual shapes. This type of countertop is also the only one that can be installed in a seamless fashion. It’s made of a combination of minerals, pigments, and resins that mimic the look and feel of natural stone, but are less expensive.

Custom Solid Surface Kitchen Countertop Samples

While solid surface kitchen countertops are relatively affordable, they lack the depth of real stone and quartz. Because they’re made from one piece of stone, they look more like stone than laminate. DuPont’s Corian, a company known for making high-quality plastics, is the first to create solid surface countertops. The company’s goal was to create a product that resembled a natural stone countertop, but was non-porous and scratch-resistant.

Solid surface kitchen countertops are highly durable, easy to clean, and have no seams to smear. You can create a seamless transition between the top and bottom surfaces, and can create custom colors, textures, and edge styles. For example, a solid surface kitchen countertop can be made with an organic shape and be textured. Unlike natural stone countertops, solid surface can also be customized to meet your exact specifications.

If you’d like a solid surface kitchen counter, you can order samples of the countertop material from a local store. They are available in a variety of colors and styles. Some are more expensive than others, so you’ll want to shop around for a countertop that matches your style. To make sure you’ll love your new solid surface kitchen, contact a contractor and get your free sample. If you’re not sure, the cost of a solid surface kitchen countertop is right for your home, don’t worry!