Santa Clarita Valley Life

Enough With the Roundabouts

I drove to a friends house in Castaic yesterday who lives off Hasley Canyon Drive.  I was not particularly happy to end up in a roundabout.  Seriously? A roundabout off the 5 at Hasley Canyon.  Why?  Why not just have a regular old intersection?

The thing with a roundabout is that you kind of have to be used to using it.  Merging in and out of them can be tricky if you are in a full size SUV with less than the best visibility.  I mean whoever came up with this idea must have also had a hand in taking away the left turn into the post office off McBean and forcing us to make a U-turn, taking away a lane on Decoro and adding a bike lane and let’s not forget back in parking in old town Newhall.

I mean seriously, what are these guys smoking? How much more will it cost to take away the roundabout after they realize it was a dumb idea? Ummm excuse me traffic people, can you stop trying to change things up and just make it better please.  A simple intersection with a long left turn lane and arrow is nice.  Is that asking too much?

Flair Cleaners Having a Holiday Clothing Drive

Time to go through your closets and make room for new Christmas goodies.  Do you have clothing or shoes in good condition hanging in there that you have not worn? Any warm jackets that you might not want any more?

You can take them over to Flair Dry Cleaning by Vons Pavillion and donate to their Clothing Drive.

27011 McBean Parkway
(At Magic Mountain Pkwy.)
(661) 753-9900

I’m going to start going through my closet now.  They might need a new box just for me.

Lots of Police Action on Copper Hill

Does anyone know what the heck was going on on Copper Hill and Tesoro yesterday afternoon? After I took this picture 3 more squad cars pulled in and a fire truck.  There was only one man in the back of the car.  Just curious, nothing in the paper this morning.  How can one man require so much attention? What the heck did he do? He wasn’t fighting with them from what I could see he got right in the car quietly.

Magic Mountain Toy Drive 2009

Get in the holiday spirit and head to Six Flags Magic Mountain.  Six Flags is having its 9th Annual Toy Drive this weekend.  Head up to Six Flags with a UNWRAPPED toy valued at $15.oo for admission in to the park.  All toys will benefit the Boys and Girls Club.

This offer is only good December 5, 6, 12 and 13 2009.  For more information visit here.

Tips to Black Friday Shopping

With Black Friday days away I am sitting here plotting where I am going to go and which store I will hit up first.  This will be my third year out in the craziness of the busiest shopping day of the year.  In the past I have been to Best Buy and the mall.  This year I am revising my plan.  Here’s some tips I will use to make sure I get the most out of this day without spending money on “deals” that I don’t need.

• Make a List – Sit down and write down names and a budget for people you are shopping for.  Put that list in your wallet so you don’t forget to take it with you on Friday.
• Look Through Ads – Check online for Black Friday deals and check the paper.  With the ads and the list you can match people to gifts while your brain is calm and not in the midst of Black Friday madness.
• Clip Your Coupons -  Look for coupons to stores like Macys or Bed Bath & Beyond.  Make sure you take them with you.  Nothing worse than going to a store and knowing you have the coupon at home. Heck even take coupons with you to stores you may not normally shop at.  You just might find yourself there or maybe you can give one to a stranger. Don’t forget some stores require you to use their store credit card to use the coupon, so make sure you have the card with you if you need it.
• Prioritize - Group your gift ideas in to categories and go to the store where you can get the most gifts out of the way first.  For example if you are giving lots of video games, hit up Best Buy.  If you are giving lots of clothes, then you’ll want to be at the mall early. You get the idea.
• Dress in Layers -  When you leave the house, it will be cold, but you will get HOT with all the shopping you are going to be doing.
• Handbag - I would advise you take a purse that has a shoulder strap so you can use your forearms to carry shopping bags instead of your purse. Make sure your purse has been emptied out and only has the essentials. (Wallet, coupons, list, credit cards)  You want to do this for a few reasons.  First, it’s less to carry.  Second, this is an insane day.  You might be rushed and leave your purse behind.  Best to not have everything you normally carry in there. Third – crime typically goes up during the holidays.  Protect yourself and only take what you need.
• Feed Your Face – Take a snack with you and have a water bottle in the car.  The restaurants usually have a big line too so you don’t want to waste time waiting in that when you could be out shopping.
• Save Your Receipts – I can’t even tell you how important this is.  What you think is cool on Friday may not be the week before Christmas.  Don’t get stuck with gifts you didn’t end up giving.
• Gift Receipts – Let the clerks know BEFORE your transaction that you want gift receipts.  This can help keep the line moving along. Put the gift receipts in the bag with the items you are buying and put your receipt in a safe spot in your purse or wallet.
• Patience is a Virtue -  If you don’t have patience and a light heart on Friday you will be seriously irritable and frustrated.  The crowds are MAD.  People are in a hurry and the good deals go quick.
• Use Your Manners -  Thank the sales clerks for being there.  Most of them had to get up at 4am to be at work for you to experience the shopping day from hell.
• Wrapping - Ask for gift boxes.  Chances are the stores will be out of them later in the season.  Get extra if you can.
• Friends - Go with friends. It’s so much more fun to do this in a group. Unless of course you are all after the same item.

So, when you get home…after you nap….go through each item you bought, double check your list.  Attach the gift receipt to the item’s tag so you don’t mix them up later.  If you aren’t wrapping at that moment, use a post it to label who the gift was for in case you lose the list you made earlier.

My plan this year is to hit up Target.  They have such a variety of items, that I think I can get a good size chunk out of the way before I hot the mall.

Good luck and Happy Shopping!!

Free Thanksgiving Dinner in Santa Clarita

I received this message from Valencia High School.  If you know anyone that needs it, please pass it along.

There will be a free Thanksgiving Feast on Thursday, November 26, from 10:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the Newhall Bicycle Company. Any and all Santa Clarita Valley families are invited! Please feel free to attend and pass the word on to anyone you know who could enjoy and partake in this free, annual event.

10:30am-2:00pm
Newhall Bicycle Company
24343 Railroad Avenue
661.284.6187

Zumba at the Spectrum

You may have heard of it, you may have seen it or maybe you have already Zumba’d.  Either way, you must check out the Zumba class that is held at the Spectrum Health Club in Santa Clarita.  This class goes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 4:30.  The teacher (Marion) is awesome.  She is fun and keeps the class going non stop for a full hour.

Zumba is a blend of salsa, merengue and a little hip hop.  The music is energizing and the routines are learned over about 5-6 classes, so don’t go to one then give up.

You can set the tone for your own work our and go slow or hit it hard.  You can burn between 500-800 calories in an hour Zumba class depending on how much you are pushing yourself.  You will see for yourself that a handful of ladies are “really” in to it and leave there dripping sweat as if they where just on “So You Think You can Dance”. Seriously, nothing wrong with that, I want to be just like them when I grow up.

Sooooo if you are looking to Zumba, stop by the Spectrum M,W,F for the 4:30 class.  Whear comfy shoes (or just socks).

Not a member? No problem, the Spectrum will give you a 1-3 day free trial if you ask.  Actually if you think of it, ask for Bill.  Tell him Barbara Boser sent you.   Hey seriously I could use a few referrals to get my membership fees down a bit.

See you there!!!