Wednesday, March 1, 2006

Does Miami have alot of big houses? -

No.

Would you need mittens on a balmy nights? -

No, balmy means mild or fair.

No certainly not. Balmy is warm and humid

Are there any family friendly New Years celebrations going on in the San Diego area? -

I m looking for a clean environment to go to for this New Years in San Diego or by the beach somewhere. I m going to be celebrating with some friends for the new year and none of us drink (hard to find places without a lot of drinking on New Years though ha ha), so we re just looking for a fun place to hang out and start off the new year!! If anyone has any suggestions let me know!! Thanks:)

First Night Escondido

I want to go to big bear, does anyone know of any inexpensive hotels we could stay at? -

everything on like travelocity and hotels isn t to great. thank you for your help.

there are quite a few sites that you can search that will likely show you great hotels at the best prices available. check out the website BookMe and you will be able to compare prices on all the reputable travel sites in just a couple minutes. it s very convenient and will save you a bunch of time and money. Also, make sure you buy them online... otherwise they charge much higher fees for phone orders. good luck.

Did you check hotwire? I see hotels for around 70-80/night. Alternatively you can try staying at places a few miles away/

It s Big Bear, what did you expect? Nothing is cheap there.

What is the area code for Sharon, MA? -

02067

02067

Ooops... zip your zipper !!!

Beverly Hills High...? -

Really anxious/nervous. We re moving to Beverly Hills and I ve been thinking about how Beverly Hills High is going to be. Anyone go there? Tell me what it s like? How the schedule works? :]Thanks so much.

Guess what Aubrey? Beverly Hills High (if you really are moving there) is just like any other school. What made you think it would be any different? Have you been watching too many of those stupid (scripted) MTV television programs? You go to class, the instructors try to teach you something, and you go back home. Just like at the school you now attend. Just curious. You ve asked 61 questions , and 45 of them tend to be in the What is your opinion of my song? category. Perhaps I was wrong about you watching too many MTV programs, you re obviously watching too much of American Idol.Addendum: Gee, we all (so far) have gotten thumbs down . I guess she doesn t like hearing the truth.

I believe the other posters are pretty close to the mark. I had a friend who went there awhile back, and it s nothing terribly special, although it s certainly a BIG step above schools in LAUSD. The remark about the student cars being better than the faculty is spot on. Back then, the only place you d find more BMW s was at USC or the BMW dealership. Schedule? You go to each clase for about 45-50 minutes, just like every other HS.Really, don t be nervous. It s just like any other high school. Just find your niche and put in your 4 years.

i didn t go there but i went to another high school in OC which is also wealthy. many high schools in So Cal are pretty much the same you have rich kids with nice cars and middle class kids. you will have your drama and all that stuff, like any high school. i answered this question before and trust me no matter how many times you ask you will get the same answers. good luck

i have a friend who goes thereits a nice school, most kids there are equivalent to private school kids, very affected by moneyand even though everyone has nice cars, parking is a *****my friend has accumulated 14 parking tickets over 2 years, be careful

I went to BHS 7 years ago. I agree with above poster, there s nothing special, it s just like any other high school.

I worked with a guy that went there.. he said that there was nothing special about it, other than the student body had nicer wheels than the faculty.

BHH is just like any other school except the kids are more rich.

it wasnt as cool as i expexted

i heard it is like any other school

What is it like living in LA? -

LA still hasnt recovered completely from Hurricane Katrina. since Louisiana is in the south on the gulf coast.. it can get pretty muggy and the weather can and does change on an hourly basis

The experience of living in Los Angeles varies from person to person just like it would if you were living in any other state and city. If you ve got great friends, family, a great job and are doing well financially then it s quite wonderful. If you ve got nothing going for yourself in life then Los Angeles, like any other place would be unpleasant for you.

LOL. You found WoE s pet peeve. LA is also the abbreviation for Louisiana. He hates it when you leave out the dots.For a number of reasons, we get a bunch of questions asking what it��s really like in SoCal.First of all, I ll tell you what it s NOT like: It s not like anything on TV. People watch shows on TV and think that��s what it��s like out here. The ��Real OC��, Newport Beach, The Hills, etc. Ever wonder why people in those shows never have to pay bills, do laundry, and are NEVER stuck in traffic? Because it��s FAKE. And the news doesn��t help either, since they know that sex and sensationalism sells. News flash: There aren��t running gun battles in the street. There aren��t shootouts every day. Also, you don��t see celebrities just walking down the street, all glammed up, or sipping a cappuccino at Starbucks waiting to sign autographs. We don t go surfing during lunch hour. Some sections are REALLY nice, others are ��ghetto��. Too many people have this vision in their head that LA and Orange County are one or the other (either Beverly Hills or Compton). They either think it is a fairy tale fantasy or an apocalyptic ghetto. In fact, most of it is working class and middle class stiffs working to pay the bills. Like me.The variety of food here is incredible. New Yorkers come here and complain that the pizza is terrible (it��s not as good as NY Pizza), but the Mexican food is GREAT here. That more than makes up for it. The weather here is incredible. 340+ days of sunshine makes up for a lot of traffic.You NEED a car to live in Southern California. We don��t have an effective public transportation like New York or San Francisco. One reason is that LA is larger in area than either of those, without a central hub. Hollywood is 8 miles north of downtown, and 38 miles north of Disneyland. Average commute is 20-30 miles.. The freeway traffic is probably the worst thing about living here. The 405 is the worst. Know why they call it the 405? Because you go 4 o 5 miles per hour, and it takes 4 o 5 hours to get where you re going. Freeway Traffic is bad from 6-10 AM and bad from 3-7 PM. I don t know why they call it rush hour. It s more than an hour, and nobody s rushing, that s for sure.The gangs are the cause of many rumors. Keep in mind that there are gangs in any large town, in every part of the country. In LA, the gangs aren t really downtown, they are in South LA, East LA, and north Long Beach. And here s the deal: Mostly, they just kill each other.Gas is expensive in California. It��s about 20-30 cents above the national average. Yes, gas and real estate are very expensive in SoCal. However, this would be the best time to BUY a house because it s a buyer s market right now. There are a lot of foreclosures, and too many houses on the market. If you want to rent, figure on $1200 per month for a 1BR in a decent neighborhood. You need to make about $30,000 per year in order to do that. You can t do it on minimum wage.Yep, freeways are a drag, it s smoggy in summer, and expensive to live here. Yet, if it s so bad, why do we have thousands and thousands of people moving here? Weather, year-round activities, jobs, beaches, mountains, and deserts all within driving distance, and plenty of opportunity for those who have the skills and tenacity.However, it is not for everyone. Every time someone posts this question, you get the LA haters who post their bile and venom. A lot of them don��t know what they are talking about. Some people never even visit, and hate it on principle and stereotypes. Some actually visited once, and found out it wasn��t like it was on TV, and it certainly wasn��t Mayberry. And some actually lived here, and couldn��t deal with the expense, the traffic, or the somewhat impersonal nature of living in a large metropolis. It��s just the lifestyle here: People want their own private space. It��s sort of ��you do your thing, I��ll do mine��. To those hateful souls I would say ��good luck�� to you wherever you are, but please don��t spew your hatred in this forum.To summarize, it��s a HUGE metropolis that really defies easy description. I live in one of the nicer suburbs, but the commute is no fun, often 1-2 hours each way each day. However, 340+ days of sunshine really helps. Yeah, it s expensive. Mrs. Obviousman and I both have to work to pay the mortgage. But is it worth it? Only if you have skills and a job, which is really hard to come by these days.

Lots of traffic, very busy, stressful roads, but wonderful :)Check it out:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKDEfAu4Q��

What are the booth seats like at the Chicago Theater? -

I lucked into booth seats at the Chicago Theater for an upcoming Lady Gaga concert. But I ve never been to that theater and I can t find any description of what a booth seat is like other than it has a granite table . That makes it sound like bar seats. Am I sitting at a bar watching the concert?? That doesn t sound good.

There are 14 booth seats. They are at the rear of the mezzanine from F T. The mezzanine is a low balcony that sits below the much larger balcony section. The tables are for your use to hold drinks or play checkers. Scroll down on the seating chart below to see the mezzanine area:http://www.theatreinchicago.com/seating.��

Where are the best places to visit in California and where to book for more affordable rates? -

Going to California for a tour in Dec. 27-Jan. 2, can you please advise the best places to check out and where to book for more affordable rates? Is it better to book online? We are planning to visit Disneyland, how many days should be allocate for that trip?

There are literally hundreds of things to do here in LA. Here is my list of ��must sees��. Visit as many as you have time for.:Disneyland: The Happiest Place on Earth. Half a billion visitors can��t be wrong. #1 Destination. That time is one of the most crowded times of the year, especially Dec 31. (We should know, we go there each year for NYE). Figure 3 days. It is actually cheaper to book online through a travel site or even Disneyland.com, booking a la carte . Packages actually cost more, and the perks (little tokens) aren t really worth it. Stick with tripadvisor.com or travelocity.com.Universal Studios: A theme park that grew out of a studio tour. #2 Destination.Even if you don��t visit Disneyland or Universal Studios Tour, Downtown Disney District and Universal City Walk are very fun places to visit for shopping and eating. And they��re free to visit. Hollywood: Enjoy the Walk of Fame, Entertainment Museum, Chinese Theatre and more. You can see a lot for free. The Hollywood Highland complex has lots of shops and restaurants, and the Kodak Theater. The El Capitan theater, right across the street, is where Disney shows their movies. And the Hollywood Bowl is a GREAT place to listen to concerts outdoors. Olvera Street/Union Station: Olvera Street is the birthplace of LA, and it emphasizes our Mexican heritage. In addition to the Avila Adobe (oldest building in LA), you can eat at some pretty good Mexican Restaurants, do a little shopping, and taste a churro. If you don��t want to go to Tijuana, this is as close as it gets without going there. Union Station has great architecture from a bygone age. Also, you are 2 blocks from Phillippe��s (see below).Rodeo Drive, 90210: Packed with exclusive shops, full of gawkers. They all came to enjoy the excess. Free, unless you intend to buy something.Venice Beach: Los Angeles kitsch and over-the-top culture at its best. Here you ll find Muscle Beach, street performers and tacky shops galore. Fun, VERY interesting, but I avoid it after dark, when it gets a little TOO interesting for my taste. Santa Monica: Beach and Pier: Great beach scene and a classic seaside amusement park, complete with antique carousel that has been in a lot of TV and movies. After visiting the pier, you can ride a bike south a couple miles to Venice Beach. Sunset Boulevard began as a route between the stars posh neighborhoods and the Hollywood studios. It runs from downtown to the ocean, passing through the Sunset Strip on its way.Farmers Market and The Grove - A new shopping complex right next to a Los Angeles landmark, It is right next to CBS, so walk across the lot to see if they are taping The Price is Right . You might even get in.Griffith Park - Home of the Los Angeles Zoo, Griffith Park Observatory, Travel Town, the Greek Theatre, and Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage.Attend a TV taping - You can get free tickets at audiencesunlimited.com, tvtix.com, or see the booth at Universal City walk. It s very interesting to see a show being taped. The most popular, by far, is the Tonight show. Check the NBC web site for all the details there.Places to eat:In-N-Out Burger: Multiple locations, best burger in LA, ask anyone.Pink��s Hot Dogs: 709 N. La Brea, just north of Melrose. You might even see a celebrity. Maybe.Tommy��s Chili Burgers: Look for the shack, an LA tradition. The original location is at Beverly Rampart, a couple miles west of downtown.Canter��s Deli: 419 N. Fairfax, between Beverly Melrose. Near CBS, you might spot a celebrity.Phillippe��s: 1001 N. Alameda. Great roast beef sandwiches. Near Union Station and Olvera Street. Watch the mustard, it��s hot.Tito��s Taco��s: Voted best tacos in LA, even though it��s in Culver City.The Pantry: Corner of Figueroa and 9th, downtown. Huge portions, they never close, GREAT steak and eggs.Places to Stay:Since LA is so spread out, there is no single place that is close to EVERYTHING. Most people who come here tend to stay in Hollywood, Santa Monica, or Anaheim. In Hollywood, I recommend the Orchid Suites, Hollywood Celebrity Hotel, or Holiday Inn Walk of Fame, all near Hollywood and Highland. Another one is the Best Western Sunset Plaza. In Santa Monica, the Holiday Inn Santa Monica is close to the pier and reasonably priced. In Anaheim, I recommend the Howard Johnson (HoJo) Anaheim, and the Candy Cane Inn. There is also a nice place in Burbank called the Best Western Media Center, very close to Warner, NBC, and Universal Studios.Places to Shop:Third Street Promenade, Santa MonicaThe Grove, Los AngelesAmericana @ Brand, GlendaleBeverly Center, Los AngelesCitadel Outlets, CommerceBrea Mall, BreaThe Block at Orange, OrangeSouth Coast Plaza, Costa MesaFashion Island, Newport BeachSantee Alley, Los AngelesCheck out citypass.com for great deals on Disney, Universal, and Sea World.

They have a few hotels in Anaheim that actually have shuttles to and from Disneyland so you don t have to worry about parking. You should try the Sheraton Anaheim Resort or Sheraton Garden-Grove Hotel. They both offer shuttle and are nice hotels. I d say for Disneyland, if you ve never been? Try 3-4 days so you can hit up California Adventure too. And since you re in the area try out Medieval Times and Pirate s Dinner Adventure! Both are great and gives you a show AND delicious dinner. Hope I helped.

Rates are unlikely to be affordable near Disneyland over Christmas - that s the most expensive/popular time of year. The question would be whether you can find any vacancies at this late date. You can use the usual on-line travel sites [Expedia, Travelocity, etc] or see your travel agent.

If you have family/friends in the LA/Orange County area then I HIGHLY suggest that you go crash in with them because the rates of a hotel during that time is NOT going to be cheap.

Would you rather live in Phoenix, AZ, or in Chicago, IL, and why? -

PHOENIX#1 in my book!The weather is always great, and there is always something going on!if you like the out of doors, there is hiking, and mountain walks,and the cost is all most nothing!!I wish I could leave Monday am, to go back!

Phoenix, better weather, everything is newer and cleaner, great cultural diversity and the one thing nobody ever tells you is that since everyone is from somewhere else, almost everyone is friendly. They have to be or they wouldn t know anyone. Very few people are from here as a percentage of the population thus people s families are back in Chicago.

I m from Toledo, OH (ew, I know) and I m considering moving to Phoenix. I just refuse to have 6 months of hell and miserable cold for my entire life. My car actually wouldn t start this winter because it FROZE in the below 0 weather, literally.Anyway, my sister, a lawyer, lives in Chicago. She loves it and it s very her. If you don t mind the cold weather in the winter and humidity in the summer, go for it. It really is a fun city and a mini-version of NY, NY.

Phoenix cause I m from Mesa,AZ (480 baby) but it s right next to the PHX and my GF is from Chicago and she said it s gay over there cause it s really cold and really ghetto:( Oh and Scottsdale is close to it too and there is a lot of high end clothes there and really cool clubs with hot girls/guys (no homo)

Definitely Chicago. I grew up in Phoenix, and trust me people it is NOTHING special, at all. It s just hot and boring, pretty much. Chicago has many different sights to see, and the weather is amazing. In the summer, not too hot, and in the winter, it s cold and snowy which is perfect. (:

Chicago.I ve lived in Phoenix my whole life, and although I love Phoenix, and its really nothing special. I d love to live somewhere that has 4 actual seasons. Plus Chicago has more diversity than Phoenix, more types of people and ideas.

Phoenix for deffo. I live in London but LOVE Phoenix :D Great City, great weather great people :D

Phoenix because it is warmer and has way, way less humidity.

Phoenix. I love big cities and hot weather, so it s both.

Is Las Vegas Nevada going to have a cold winter? -

I ve heard from many places that Nevada is going to have a colder winter this year. People are expecting snow. Is this true. What do you think?

Winter is always cold in the high altitudes of the desert. Cold air, lots of wind and no protection. The wind makes it seem worse than it is. It snowed here last year for 1 day. The valley for got a whopping 1 inch of snow. That s a rarity as any kind of precipitation is rare in the desert. You ll see snow on the mountains, but, it rarely reaches bottom!

Some will tell you yes, where others will say no. People that have lived here for years, find winters out here cold. This will be my 4th winter, to me winters out here are a joke. And if it does snow, like it did this pass winter. It won t last, will be gone within a number of hours.

im from orlando moving to vegas soonit will be cold compared to what im normally used to lol im used to the 80s in teh day 60s at night, vegas is usually in th 50s during the day and 30s at night, thats icy cold to me

I just got back and it was about 65 during the day and in the 40s at night.

not compared to other cities

Why are hotel mini bars so expensive? -

Because they have to make money somehow.They want you to go out and get drunk elsewhere, maybe in the lobby bar/restaurant. And when you return to your room, you will them continue drinking and when you wake up, you will owe them a nice sum of money.And they cater towards certain hotel customers who are willing to spend money on the mini bar, and by doing this they never leave their room.

You are a trapped market. It s like going to an NFL game and spending $12 on a paper cup of beer. Where else are you really going to go, especially if you re half-looped and don t want to drive?

Because they are so convenient.