Have you ever been driving down the road and mentally wrote the best opening paragraph for a dynamite story? Pulling over to the side of the road, only to discover you not only have no paper, you don't have even a napkin to write on. You keep thinking of the idea over and over in your head trying to remember it until you get to someplace to write it down. I've NEVER gotten it written down. Life always invades my space and "whoosh" - great idea GONE!
NOW.... ta-da! There is an answer. Your chance to write the next Great American Novel while driving a car is just around the corner.
Jott - that's the name of the company that will allow you to leave yourself a voice mail that gets transcribed into an email and sent to you (or texted). It's a voice transcription service.
You can send a message to yourself, to another, or to a group. You can set a time to send yourself a reminder.
This is a very cool service that has lots of possibilities. Right now it is a free service. Go check out their site. Let me know how you like it. Leave comments.
Right now, I am looking forward to sending myself messages about the ideas I have for my blog. You can't BELIEVE the great entries I have forgotten to write.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Great New Thrift Store in Tujunga, CA
It's not often that I find a thrift store full of great stuff that I really want.... at a great price. Usually if the "stuff" is great, the price is far from "thrift." ... or visa versa.
I stumbled into Esmie's Attic the other day and an hour later strolled out with four fabulous finds. A wonderful throw blanket, a rag rug, a coffee table book and a pair of blue jeans for less money than a manicure!
The space isn't huge, but I was there for an hour because there were so many unique items to look at. The merchandise is aesthetically displayed, so you feel that you are in a high end gift store. Everything is for sale, so if you like the display cabinet... it can be yours. During my delightful conversation with one of the owners, I was told that the inventory is constantly changing. You can bet that I will be back!
Esmie's is on the newly face-lifted Commerce Avenue in Old Town Tujunga, CA. They are not a store front, so you have to look for the appealing display on the sidewalk.
When you stop by, please tell them that you found them through Bobbi's Bargains.
The exact address is 10012 Commerce Avenue, Suite B, Old Town Tujunga, CA 818-641-8045
I stumbled into Esmie's Attic the other day and an hour later strolled out with four fabulous finds. A wonderful throw blanket, a rag rug, a coffee table book and a pair of blue jeans for less money than a manicure!
The space isn't huge, but I was there for an hour because there were so many unique items to look at. The merchandise is aesthetically displayed, so you feel that you are in a high end gift store. Everything is for sale, so if you like the display cabinet... it can be yours. During my delightful conversation with one of the owners, I was told that the inventory is constantly changing. You can bet that I will be back!
Esmie's is on the newly face-lifted Commerce Avenue in Old Town Tujunga, CA. They are not a store front, so you have to look for the appealing display on the sidewalk.
When you stop by, please tell them that you found them through Bobbi's Bargains.
The exact address is 10012 Commerce Avenue, Suite B, Old Town Tujunga, CA 818-641-8045
Elephant Artist - Get ready to have your world rocked
Click on the below link. In 8 minutes and 28 seconds you will see something that might change the way that you look at the world. Now THAT'S a bargain.
Elephant Artist
Elephant Artist
Daffodil Gardens at Running Springs - 2008
I've had sooo many people coming to my blog to find out about the Daffodil Gardens that I wrote about last year, that I thought I should do an update for 2008.
First of all, it seems that the band width for the Daffodil Garden website is not big enough for all of the traffic that it is getting. Therefore, the website is down more often than not. If you really want to get on the site, I suggest trying in the middle of the night.
Meanwhile, I was able to get through to the local Chamber of Commerce at Running Springs - 909-867-2411. Their message machine told me that the gardens opened on Saturday, May 22nd, 2008 and will be open from 10 am to 6 pm for two weeks. Yikes! You better hop in the car and go NOW!
Addition to this post: I waited til the middle of the night and got on the site. Here are directions to The Daffodil Gardens straight from their site:
Q: Where is The Daffodil Garden, you ask?
First of all, it seems that the band width for the Daffodil Garden website is not big enough for all of the traffic that it is getting. Therefore, the website is down more often than not. If you really want to get on the site, I suggest trying in the middle of the night.
Meanwhile, I was able to get through to the local Chamber of Commerce at Running Springs - 909-867-2411. Their message machine told me that the gardens opened on Saturday, May 22nd, 2008 and will be open from 10 am to 6 pm for two weeks. Yikes! You better hop in the car and go NOW!
Addition to this post: I waited til the middle of the night and got on the site. Here are directions to The Daffodil Gardens straight from their site:
Q: Where is The Daffodil Garden, you ask?
A: The Daffodil Garden is located on the slopes of the San Bernardino mountains in Southern California, just below the village of Running Springs.
From the city of Highland (about 60 miles east of downtown Los Angeles), take Highway 330 toward Running Springs. Drive 14 miles up the mountain to the intersection of Live Oak Drive and Fredalba Road. Turn right on Fredalba and proceed one mile.
Turn into the parking lot at St. Anne's Catholic Church in the Mountains at 30480 Fredalba Road. From there, signs will direct you. The garden and steps follow the undulating hillsides, and benches are available; access however is difficult for wheelchairs and the walking impaired.Friday, March 21, 2008
Baskin Robbins 31 cent scoop night - Wednesday, April 30th, 2008
It's time for Baskin-Robbins annual 31 cent scoop night. Every year, Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Stores hold this event to honor America's firefighters. You can get a scoop of ice cream for only 31 cents. (limit 10 scoops per person, per purchase)
The lines can get long, so I suggest that you find out where your local Baskin-Robbins is and plan on going early.
This year the event is on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 from 5pm to 10pm. Mark your calendars now. If you are concerned that you will forget, you can enter your email address on the Baskin-Robbins website and B-R will send you a reminder email the day before the event. Boy, they sure want to help you get your ice cream. Don't disappoint them.
The lines can get long, so I suggest that you find out where your local Baskin-Robbins is and plan on going early.
This year the event is on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 from 5pm to 10pm. Mark your calendars now. If you are concerned that you will forget, you can enter your email address on the Baskin-Robbins website and B-R will send you a reminder email the day before the event. Boy, they sure want to help you get your ice cream. Don't disappoint them.
Save Paper - Save a Tree - Save Money
I hate it when I print out a web page or map and instead of getting just one printed page, I end up with extra pages of stuff that I didn't want to print. Especially that wasteful last page that only says the web address and how many pages I printed. What the heck? Not only am I wasting paper, but I am wasting that expensive ink. Also, as the good folks at GreenPrint point out.... I am wasting trees!
GreenPrint has developed patent-pending technology that analyzes each page of every document sent to the printer and looks for typical waste characteristics and gives you the option of not printing those pages and images. How nifty is that?
You can watch an easy-to-understand tutorial that shows how GreenPrint works by clicking here. You can download the free software here.
You can even generate a report that shows you how much you have saved by using GreenPrint. It's cool, it's easy, it's green. Sounds good to me. Save a tree today. Someday you might want its shade.
GreenPrint has developed patent-pending technology that analyzes each page of every document sent to the printer and looks for typical waste characteristics and gives you the option of not printing those pages and images. How nifty is that?
You can watch an easy-to-understand tutorial that shows how GreenPrint works by clicking here. You can download the free software here.
You can even generate a report that shows you how much you have saved by using GreenPrint. It's cool, it's easy, it's green. Sounds good to me. Save a tree today. Someday you might want its shade.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
LA Kids Consignment - Spring 2008 Sale - Kids are Expensive, Their Stuff Doesn't Have to Be
LA Kids Consignment is a fabulous twice-a-year sale that I wrote about last year. Kristin Nelson, the creator of this super-duper sale, was smart enough to write me a little note telling me when the next sale date was. Good move, Kristin.
If you have kids - newborn through preteens - this is the sale that you don't want to miss. Over 20,000 new and gently used kids clothes and items. You can find out more about LA Kids Consignment here. You can be a consignor, or a buyer or both. You WILL get great deals on kids items you need and want.
The sale has gotten so big and has such a huge following, that there are now two locations and dates for the spring sale.
In the Santa Clarita area:
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, April 25th through April 27th, 2008. 9am - 5pm. On Sunday, most items are 50% off... but they close at 2pm on Sunday.
Location: 26346 Ruether Ave, Santa Clarita, CA 91350
In the LA area:
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, March 28th - March 30th, 2008. 9am - 5pm. Same deal as above, on Sunday, most items are 50% off... but they close at 2pm on Sunday.
Location: Seville Hall, 7963 Van Nuys Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91402
If you have kids - newborn through preteens - this is the sale that you don't want to miss. Over 20,000 new and gently used kids clothes and items. You can find out more about LA Kids Consignment here. You can be a consignor, or a buyer or both. You WILL get great deals on kids items you need and want.
The sale has gotten so big and has such a huge following, that there are now two locations and dates for the spring sale.
In the Santa Clarita area:
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, April 25th through April 27th, 2008. 9am - 5pm. On Sunday, most items are 50% off... but they close at 2pm on Sunday.
Location: 26346 Ruether Ave, Santa Clarita, CA 91350
In the LA area:
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, March 28th - March 30th, 2008. 9am - 5pm. Same deal as above, on Sunday, most items are 50% off... but they close at 2pm on Sunday.
Location: Seville Hall, 7963 Van Nuys Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91402
For more information visit www.lakidsconsignment.com or email lakidsconsignment@earthlink.net.
As was true last year, I still don't have little kids and I'm still jealous that this sale wasn't around when my kids were little. So, please, go, shop, find a great bargain and think of me.Free Museum Day - Museums of the Arroyo Seco (Pasadena & Los Angeles)
Here is a great Free Sunday Outing for the family if you happen to live in the Los Angeles area. Museums of the Arroyo (MOTA) Day is on Sunday, May 18th, 2008 from 11:00 Am to 5:00 pm.
There are six unique history-based museums that preserve and perpetuate early Los Angeles life that make up this group of museums. All of them will be open to the public for no charge on that day. There will also be free and continuous shuttle service running between the museums. Visitors can park their cars once and then shuttle to the museums of their choice.
MOTA museum members include: The Gamble House, Heritage Square Museum, The Los Angeles Police Historical Museum, The Lummis Home and Garden, The Pasadena Museum of History and The Southwest Museum of the American Indian. Click on each name above to get more information on that museum.
For overall information about MOTA day, click here or call the MOTA hotline at 213-740-TOUR (8687)
I've already marked my calendar and told the family that we are going. I love hands-on history. Maybe we'll see you there.
There are six unique history-based museums that preserve and perpetuate early Los Angeles life that make up this group of museums. All of them will be open to the public for no charge on that day. There will also be free and continuous shuttle service running between the museums. Visitors can park their cars once and then shuttle to the museums of their choice.
MOTA museum members include: The Gamble House, Heritage Square Museum, The Los Angeles Police Historical Museum, The Lummis Home and Garden, The Pasadena Museum of History and The Southwest Museum of the American Indian. Click on each name above to get more information on that museum.
For overall information about MOTA day, click here or call the MOTA hotline at 213-740-TOUR (8687)
I've already marked my calendar and told the family that we are going. I love hands-on history. Maybe we'll see you there.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Avoid Speed Traps and Fight Traffic Tickets
Now here is a nifty little site. If you tend to have a heavy foot on the gas pedal or a light foot on the brake when you come to a stop sign, then this site is your magic mirror.
Speed Trap Exchange has listed the known speed trap locations in all 50 states. I checked out their listings for the speed traps I know that are in tiny little towns... and yep, they were indicated WITH comments!
I grew up in a small town surrounded by even smaller towns. All the locals knew that the bored cops would spend Saturday night lurking just around the bend on the stretch of road where unsuspecting motorists tended to speed. We all knew to slow down, but someone just passing through DIDN'T. Almost every time I ever drove down that road, I would see the "hidden" cop car or the "unhidden" cop car and a pulled over car.
The folks at Speed Trap Exchange, sponsored by the National Motorists Association Foundation, just don't think that this is right. They have set their sights on having a site that lists all the known speed traps and also helps motorists fight speeding tickets. Guess that they just want to live the fast life.
Another great site for help on how to fight a traffic ticket is Ticket Assassin. This is a fabulous site. There is quite a bit of free information, however, the really meaty information (like forms, examples, guidelines and personalized help) are available only after you agree to pay a $25 membership fee. I assure you that the information available for $25 is well worth it if you are trying to fight a traffic ticket. The fee is substantially less than the traffic ticket fine and raised insurance rates due to points you will get if you don't fight the ticket. This site focuses on the laws in California, but has useful information if you live in other states as well.
Now, I'm not telling anyone to speed (especially not my 16 year old just-learning-to-drive son) but, I don't like traps. They just don't seem fair to me.
So, check out the sites. Take a stroll through memory lane and revisit the places where you have gotten speeding tickets. Perhaps it will be a relief to you to know that you were trapped into that ticket. Check out the known traps in your area. Drive wisely. Drive safe.
Speed Trap Exchange has listed the known speed trap locations in all 50 states. I checked out their listings for the speed traps I know that are in tiny little towns... and yep, they were indicated WITH comments!
I grew up in a small town surrounded by even smaller towns. All the locals knew that the bored cops would spend Saturday night lurking just around the bend on the stretch of road where unsuspecting motorists tended to speed. We all knew to slow down, but someone just passing through DIDN'T. Almost every time I ever drove down that road, I would see the "hidden" cop car or the "unhidden" cop car and a pulled over car.
The folks at Speed Trap Exchange, sponsored by the National Motorists Association Foundation, just don't think that this is right. They have set their sights on having a site that lists all the known speed traps and also helps motorists fight speeding tickets. Guess that they just want to live the fast life.
Another great site for help on how to fight a traffic ticket is Ticket Assassin. This is a fabulous site. There is quite a bit of free information, however, the really meaty information (like forms, examples, guidelines and personalized help) are available only after you agree to pay a $25 membership fee. I assure you that the information available for $25 is well worth it if you are trying to fight a traffic ticket. The fee is substantially less than the traffic ticket fine and raised insurance rates due to points you will get if you don't fight the ticket. This site focuses on the laws in California, but has useful information if you live in other states as well.
Now, I'm not telling anyone to speed (especially not my 16 year old just-learning-to-drive son) but, I don't like traps. They just don't seem fair to me.
So, check out the sites. Take a stroll through memory lane and revisit the places where you have gotten speeding tickets. Perhaps it will be a relief to you to know that you were trapped into that ticket. Check out the known traps in your area. Drive wisely. Drive safe.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Find Cheap Gas
All right, I don't know about you, but my budget is starting to get impacted by the price of gasoline. My normal, "don't worry, I'll just buy it secondhand," doesn't seem to work for gasoline. It's kind of hard to find "used gas" or "gently used gas."
However, with the help of a nifty little website called, GasBuddy.com, you can find the cheapest gas available in your area. This site will, at least, keep you from experiencing buyer's remorse when you pass a station (a quarter of a mile down the road) that is selling gas at 10 cents less than you just paid.
Gas Buddy is really pretty neat. You can put in your zip code and find your local area. There are maps to help you find the stations nearest you. I was surprised to see the big difference in prices in my area. I will certainly be using this site.
However, with the help of a nifty little website called, GasBuddy.com, you can find the cheapest gas available in your area. This site will, at least, keep you from experiencing buyer's remorse when you pass a station (a quarter of a mile down the road) that is selling gas at 10 cents less than you just paid.
Gas Buddy is really pretty neat. You can put in your zip code and find your local area. There are maps to help you find the stations nearest you. I was surprised to see the big difference in prices in my area. I will certainly be using this site.
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