I'm in La La Love

About a year ago, a friend turned me on to Rue La La, an exclusive, invite-only online shopping experience. Only available to members, emails are sent daily with links to the latest online "boutique" - each more fabulous than the next. Forget the end-of-season blowout sales, this is way better. 

Cynthia Vincent one day. Dior the next. Nanette Lepore, La Perla and Cole Haan. Everything from accessories, to handbags to suits and dresses are marked down, usually more than 50 percent off retail. AND once you're in, if you refer a friend and they sign up, you receive a discount off your future purchases. 

You should join. Seriously. It's as good as it sounds. Here's a special invitation link exclusively for WOS readers: http://www.ruelala.com/invite/westsepulveda

Down and Out

The jobless rate continues to rise across the country, with the three biggest jumps in unemployment occurring in California.  El Centro has a 25.1 percent jobless rate - the highest in the nation - followed closely by Merced and Yuba with rates of 20.4 percent, and 19.5 percent, respectively.

The national unemployment rate reached a quarter-century high, in March - hitting 8.5 percent. The recession has been the main catalyst. Reports now claim that the Swine Flu may also be to blame for current and future economic woes, as movie theaters and other public attractions close; and flights are canceled, due to the potential spread of the virus. So far 91 cases have been reported in 10 states. 

According to the CDC, most people will not have immunity to this new virus strain (H1N1) and, as it continues to spread, more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths are expected in the coming days and weeks.

The CDC offers tips to stay flu-free: 

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

• Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
• If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Wagging the Hog 

It all seems serious enough, but I can't help wonder: is this a real threat, or media hype? Will the Swine Flu decimate entire communities, killing 40 million people like the Spanish Flu in 1918?  Or is this a campaign to launch a new vaccine to combat the H1N1 strain, which is expected to be tested and released in the coming months? Certainly companies like Roche, Glaxosmithkline and Solvay Biologicals know what time it is.  Currently Tamiflu (Roche's antiviral drug) is being shipped en masse to areas where the outbreak has occurred all over the world. 

Here's a thought: does the U.S. government need us to stay put for awhile for some reason - i.e. recommending we limit travel unless it's necessary - so they can upload their new big brother GPS software that will keep tabs on all Americans going in/out of the country moving forward?  

Or quite simply: is this natural selection at work in our modern-day world?

What's scarier than a pandemic? You tell me.

Make Mine a Double Cheeseburger

Here's a new trend in restaurants across the country, particularly in Los Angeles: high-end dining establishments are going back to basics - cheap food and drinks - in order to stay afloat in today's economy.

Some restaurants are even reportedly "ripping out dining room tables in order to make more bar space," an area in which they've seen increased demand. I find this trend interesting, as many upscale L.A. restaurants for years have included "comfort" food - mainstays like french fries, mac-n-cheese, sliders and the like - as part of their menu; and have convinced diners to pay a premium for them. Now, these items are all part of the "bar menu?"

Come on. What's next? Instead of bread before a meal, offering bite-sized crackers under the guise of "appetizer?" No thanks.

Take a Dive

I've recently re-discovered and developed a deep appreciation for the Redondo Beach Pier. Just a stone's throw from the homogenous South Bay communities of Manhattan and Hermosa Beach, the Redondo Pier is a world all its own. It's a place where a variety of cultures, cuisines and customs fuse together.  Perhaps more importantly, it's home to some of the best dive bars in the city. Here's a sampling:

Naja's Place - hundreds of beers on tap, live music

Old Tony's - for an amazing 180 degree view of the Pacific and a proper drink (ask for the house special: the Firechief) 

Kilkenny's Irish Pub - lotsa' beers on tap. 40 plasma screens - great for sporting events

Starboard Attitude - three words: karaoke AND beer pong. 

The bars are all located within walking distance of one another, so there's no need for a car. They're nestled right on the water, so the views are spectacular. They have friendly, knowledgeable service staff, and sometimes the nightly entertainment's not bad either. This is L.A., after all. Even the amateur performers are good. 

I'm not suggesting taking a first date here, but when you want to kick back with good friends - it doesn't get any better than this. 

Just Do It? Already DID IT.

What an excellent concept for a web site: users review and rank different experiences around the world and encourage others to do the same. 

Activities range from run-of-the-mill (food/drink recommendations) to the more adventurous: travel/sightseeing and the great outdoors. Visitors check off stuff they've done, highlight things they want to do, share stories about their unique experiences; and in the process, can meet people and join groups with similar interests. 

Seriously, where was this site when I was single?

Visit www.diddit.com for more info.

So Cal Pet Resource

For Southern California pet-lovers, here's a great resource: The Pet Press. It includes pet adoption facilities, associations and organizations throughout SoCal. Find your new best friend today!

V Australia Takes Flight

The new Virgin Airlines spin-off, V Australia just announced non-stop direct flights from LAX to Sydney and Melbourne for under $700. The promotional fare is good for travel between March 1 and June 15, 2009. Tickets must be booked online - go here for further details. 

Photo of the Day: Mammoth Mountain, Calif.

Digital Domain Brings Benjamin Button to Life


Based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, "Benjamin Button" is about a man born in his '80s who "ages younger." Thanks to some fancy computer-generation by Digital Domain, a Venice-beach based visual effects company, lead actor Brad Pitt's 45-year old face convincingly morphs from an 80-year old to a young man. In fact, for nearly the first hour of the film, Benjamin is completely computer generated - from the neck-up.... read more.

Great for Skiiers, Bad for Motorists


Southern California was hit yesterday with an unusually strong arctic blast. Because this, our fair city and the surrounding areas are as prepared for a meteor strike as they are for the slightest fluffly snowfall, you can imagine what an "arctic blast" will do. Two-wheel SUV and hybrid vehicle-traffic came to a screeching halt as snow and ice blanketed roads, forcing the closure of several of SoCal's busiest freeways, including I-15, I-5 and Highway 14.


The storm's combination of frigid air, powerful winds and heavy precipitation dropped the snow level to an unusually low 2,000 feet, with at least 20 inches of snow in Wrightwood, 5 inches in the hills above Malibu and 6 inches or more in Palmdale, where all major routes from Los Angeles were blocked. - L.A. Times

Holiday Lights in Southern California: Festive or Tacky?

Discuss....

To Live and Die in LA


I have to believe this is 100 percent factual or a writer trying to become famous. Because people in L.A. ALWAYS seem to be looking for a place to live, one can only assume writing a post for Craigslist is as close to mainstream publishing as most people will ever get.


Either way, it's awesome.


Enjoy the latest bounty of L.A.'s Craiglist...


$400 Room in eccentric boarding house (Venice) (map)


Why would a room rent for $400 when rooms three blocks from Venice beach normally rent for $1100? Well, because the room is in a house that is nothing like any other house you will have ever lived in. Allow me to explain: I live in the backyard in a van. How's that for starters? I'm placing this ad for the loveable older gentleman who occupies the house. His name is George and he is the man you will be calling if this room interests you. I will stay out of it completely since, as I mentioned, I'm just a guy who lives in the backyard and can type. And I want to help George get some leads. The place is available right now. You could move in today if you cover the first and last month rent. It will be a share a home agreement. No lease. Just share a home. Dig? Read more....

Fire Destroys 80 Montecito Homes


Firefighters have been battling a fast-moving brush fire driven by 50- to 70-mph winds which erupted Thursday night in the hills above Montecito in Santa Barbara County. So far, it has burned 1,500 acres, and has destroyed more than 80 homes.


The blaze, dubbed the Tea fire, broke out about 6 p.m. in the coastal foothills of Montecito, where a number of celebrities live, and quickly overwhelmed firefighters with its speed. A number of evacuations have been reported.

Gen X Gives Life to Baby Boomers - Part Two

Ever one for trend-spotting, I couldn’t help but notice that there seems to have been an unusually high surge in pregnancies in the past few years. Of course it has something with the “...age we are…” (early-thirties) but it’s not just my friends who are pregnant. It’s not because I’m doing “older” things and hanging out with “older” people. These days it seems women everywhere - at Target, the car wash, the dog park, the grocery store - EVERYWHERE are knocked up.


Is this the second Baby Boom?


The U.S. is experiencing what the AP/Lexington Herald-Leader earlier in the year called a "baby boomlet," citing a reported 4.3 million births in 2006, the largest number recorded since 1961, near the end of the baby boom. (Stobbe, AP/Lexington Herald-Leader, Jan. 16, 2008).


“…Going against the trend in many other wealthy industrialised nations, the United States seems to be experiencing a small baby boom, reporting the largest number of children born in 45 years…. An Associated Press review of birth numbers dating to 1909 found the total number of US births was the highest since 1961. An examination of global data also shows that the United States has a higher fertility rate - the number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime - than every country in continental Europe…”
According to this message board, others are noticing the trend as well. (BTW, congratulations 2008 babies: the “Year of the Pig” is a great year to be born – you will be “successful and wealthy…”)


What’s more, statistics confirm that teenage pregnancies are on the rise and abortions are on decline.


This recent article also hints to a national trend of increased pregnancies.


So, if you’ve had kids in the past few years – congratulations! They’re part of what may become known as the “Second Baby Boomer Generation.” Or something more clever, like the BB2s. (Cool abbreviation, right? You heard it here first...)


Can we expect, come January 2009, we’ll see reports that 2008 surpassed 2006 in terms of total number of births? (I personally know about 10 people who have had children or are expecting children in the past six months alone!)


So, if I had to guess, I’d say yes…


Update, Nov. 13:
And what about 2009? Word on the street is that Newsweek is planning a story on a potential baby boom as a result of Americans having sex on election night... Maybe this generation should be named "Obama-babies" instead?

Credit: New York Times, Nov. 5, 2008

Mammoth Opens Early


The snow gods are smiling on the Eastern Sierra. Today, Nov. 3, marks the opening day of Mammoth Mountain ski area - 10 days earlier than planned. Mammoth Mountain is the first resort to open in California.


A snow storm dropped about a foot of snow on the mountain. According to park officials, the lower part of the mountain received 6-12 inches of snow and more snow fell at the mid-mountain level and above. Additional snow showers are expected through Tuesday morning, and snowmaking machines are also working around-the-clock.


The last time the mountain opened this early (Halloween weekend, three years ago), it was a long, fun season. Here's hoping 2008/2009 brings more of the same!

Buncha’ Slackers


For those of you who are still undecided when it comes to the presidential election, perhaps this missing link will sway you.


The Slacker Spotlight.


You guessed it: sign on to Slacker.com and you too can listen to the musical preferences of Barack Obama and John McCain. Depending on how deeply you read into stuff like this, their selections may seem surprisingly telling of how “with it” each candidate is.


Play On


There’s something for everyone: gay, straight, black, white, young, old, really old … Alabaman.


Predictably, Obama’s playlist kicks off with a song about high gas prices and all the problems in the world that he alone will fix: India Arie’s “There’s Hope.” Other favorite artists include Earth, Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow, Aretha Franklin, John Mayer, Elton John, Kanye West, Marvin Gaye, U2, Bruce Springsteen and of course the legendary Beyonce.


McCain’s playlist is equally as varied, but maybe more interesting. I’m not making this up:


Elvis Presley
Beach Boys
ABBA
Hank Williams Jr.
Chuck Berry
Kenny Loggins
Dooley Wilson
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Survivor
Franki Valli
The Platters
Queen
Osbourne Brothers
Darryl Worley
USHER!!
AC/DC
Daddy Yankee


Am I alone in having a hard time picturing John McCain EVER enjoying AC/DC, even when he was young(er)? Maybe “Back in Black” and “Highway to the Danger Zone” were ringing through his helmet while he was crashing all those planes? And who the hell is Daddy Yankee? (Just Googled him. He’s a Latin Grammy winner.)


Oh, yeeeeaaah – need to appeal to the Latinos… Score one McCain. (Quick, someone alert the Obama campaign and tell them to add Ozomatli to the list. Wait. What? Oh, it’s already on there…)


That’s our guy, always one step ahead with a less-obvious, genuine choice. At least he’s consistent.


Well-played, Obama.

Trying to stay nonpartisan for purposes of this blog... failing miserably.


Check out the latest pro-Obama movement - PSAs produced by the Malibu-based non-profit Heal This Nation.


It's refreshing to see even the most steadfast Obama supporters take an inspiring, aboveboard approach to endorsing their candidate. Unlike the GOP, which counts on their herd-mentality supporters blindly believing (and parroting) any negative, slanderous mis-information they concoct and spoon-feed to FOX News.


The Heal This Nation :30, :45 and :60 second segments are scheduled to run in key battleground states in the coming weeks. (If you're in one of them and you're still not sure who you're voting for - you need to make up your mind and fast!)


Here's hoping these PSAs, coupled with this Friday's release of Oliver Stone's latest satirical biopic "W" - not to mention McCain's sloppy, erratic campaign in its own right - should seal the deal for this election.


Fingers crossed.

Generation Y Not?


Christine Hassler knows twenty-somethings. And a whole lot more.


As a best-selling author, counselor and motivational speaker, she’s in very high-demand.


Based in Santa Monica, Christine has made a career of researching and understanding issues that twenty-somethings commonly encounter. Now in her early thirties, she credits that understanding to her own experience with many of the same issues she faced in her twenties - everything from love, to heartbreak; career choices to body image issues.


“As a counselor, I ask the questions I call ‘The Twenties Triangle:’ Who am I, what do I want and how do I get it?”


Adept at spotting trends, especially as they relate to the 20-something sect, Christine has written not one, but two best-selling books, Twenty-Something, Twenty-Everything: A Quarter-life Woman's Guide to Balance and Direction (New World Library) and The Twenty-Something Manifesto (New World Library). She’s also a regular contributor to the Huffington Post, where she proffers advice on everything from relationships to adults who refuse to grow up (a phenomenon she's dubbed "adultolescence"). As a professional speaker, Christine leads seminars and workshops to audiences around the country.


Most recently Christine has formed a program for companies regarding the unique challenges that go along with hiring, attracting and retaining twenty-something talent – a common issue many businesses face today.


Generation Y, those born between 1978 and 1999, now make up over one-fourth of today’s workforce.


“The work ethics and attitudes of (Gen Y) are exponentially different from the Gen X’ers and Baby Boomers who are hiring and working with them,” she said. “The generational dynamic in the workplace today is increasing frustration and decreasing productivity. Employers and corporations are struggling to attract, motivate and develop Gen Y’ers who fuel aggravation due to their sense of entitlement and desire for instant gratification.”


Christine is confident there are ways to motivate these individuals. She said her program "empowers managers and executives to unlock the talent, loyalty, and work ethic of this emerging workforce."


“With the appropriate leadership and reinforcement, today’s twenty-somethings can become the type of employee who is vital to the success of a company,” she said.


For more information, visit http://www.christinehassler.com/

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Seventy three percent of 18- to 25-year-olds have received financial assistance from their parents in the past year, and 64 percent have even gotten help with errands.

JACK FM's "Jack's Third Show" Brings Together All Kinds of Awesome


Billy Idol stole the show on Saturday as "Jack's Third Show" took the stage in Irvine. The second-to-last perfomer had the aging crowd on its feet as he belted out old favorites: "Mony, Mony," "Rebel Yell," "White Wedding," and "Dancin' With Myself."




Many fans left before the headliner, Devo, took the stage.




Other acts in attendance included the Psychedelic Furs, who opened the evening promptly at 5 p.m. Second on stage was a spirited Twisted Sister, with frontman Dee Snider looking and sounding pretty much the same as he did when he burst on to the scene in 1982 (for better or worse.)




The token female act - Deborah Harry, of Blondie - wore a keyboard-inspired number that matched the pattern on the overhead video screen. Throughout her set, she only forgot the words once - which resulted in a repetitive, unintelligible ending to "Heart of Glass" (much to the confusion of the audience and her band alike).


Kevin Cronin and the gang sang with all the gusto of a show at the height of their career, as REO Speedwagon brought the crowd together with an emotional "I Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore," and other favorites.




But the real entertainment of the evening had to be the crowd. There's nothing like reprising familiar classics amongst old-school "rockers" with their mustaches, parachute pants and do-rags... And I can't quite explain what's it's like to see a 40-something woman take off and toss her bra on stage. You just have to experience it for yourself.




I think Dee Snider said it best when he proclaimed: "There are a lot of fine lookin' MILFs out there tonight..."




Truer words were never spoken.