Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with socal

Can I get roux taste and thickening without flour?

Mr. Gunn — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:54:57 -0800

Has anyone ever made Gumbo without a roux? So I've moved to Southern California and I've discovered that "desire to live in a dry coastal climate" and "propensity for food allegies" seem to be very correlated. If there are genes involved here, they must be right next to one another on the same chromosome or something. Anyways, we're making Gumbo for a meal during the Thanksgiving holiday and one of the people thinks they are gluten-intolerant (they've not been diagnosed or anything). My initial reaction is "let them either eat something else", but I know how much they enjoy Gumbo and I thought I would throw the question out. I don't like the consistency of cornstarch, but there may be something that thickens similarly to a roux, and perhaps I could get the toasted flour flavor from roasting rice or something, but that's all theoretical. Anyone ever done something like this?

This indecision's bugging me....

Anonymous — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:58:37 -0800

I've got some doubts about our current SoCal real estate agent. At first, there didn't seem to be a problem. But recent events have made me wonder if we're wasting his time. His typical clientele is in the $600K+ range in Pasadena, but my hubby and I max out at $300k and are looking in Granada Hills, with some fairly stringent square footage requirements. At first it didn't seem to be a problem, but a few things have stood out to me and made me believe he thinks we're wasting his time.

1. He always advises us to offer at asking price or above. This seems like poor negotiation to me, but is that what we have to do in this market? Certainly it makes it easier for him if negotiations are shorter.
2. He tends to disregard our requirements. We've been out to see properties in the wrong neighborhoods, properties that have been stripped of all their copper, and other very distressed or very wrong homes. I feel like he's being dismissive of our concerns. Is he being insensitive, or just a little forgetful of our needs?
3. He keeps bringing up a 203k loan, which is some sort of double-loan thing, one for the property and one for repairs. My husband and I are only interested in 30-year fixed rate loans. Is his tendency to hype certain loan programs a bad sign?

We brought our concerns to him last week. He basically said, "Look, I sell houses that are much more expensive than this all the time. What reason would I have to lie or push you? You can take my advice or not, and in the end I'll do what you want. But I feel like I'm acting in your best interest when I tell you these things." These statements don't sit right with me because his actions don't seem to coincide with his words.

Other than these specific concerns, we work well together, but should we continue? Are we being unreasonable with our requirements? More information available from realtorindecision101@gmail.com. I know you're not my agent.

California beach camping?

jnnla — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:44:22 -0800

Beach camping in Southern California? Myself and the girl want to go beach camping in late August. We live in LA but are not necessarily restricted to the Southern Cali area. I have never been beach camping and am looking for insight. My preferences, in order of importance, are as follows:

-Scenic (some of the beaches in Big Sur look beautiful)
-Secluded (the less crowded, the better - we are looking for a peaceful getaway)
-On-beach camping, or as close to right-on-the-beach as possible.

Secret beaches that allow overnight camping would be best, but I understand that may not be realistic. We just want to wake to the waves in relative peace while I work the backpack stove.

So far I have looked at Doheny Beach, as well as South Carlsbad beach here in Southern Cali. The girl is entranced by Pfieffer Beach in Big Sur...but it doesn't appear to offer on-beach camping.

I want suggestions to help point me in the right direction. Can anyone recommend a mind-blowingly gorgeous beach camping experience in California?

Itinerary for camping and photography trip in southern california

mamessner — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:49:03 -0800

Help me with an itinerary for a 3-day camping/photo tour of Southern California. My wife and I are taking a 3-day weekend to drive around Southern California and explore our new state. We're new to San Diego and haven't had a chance to explore SoCal. We're both photographers and are looking for some photogenic sites. We'd like to pack a few coolers full of food and car camp for three nights.

We thought we'd leave it to the hive mind to create an itinerary for us. We're open to anything. We've heard that the Salton Sea is a very photogenic spot, and some photos on Flickr confirm this, so we'd like that to be part of the itinerary.

Otherwise I'd love to hear some suggestions for places to camp/photograph/visit!

SoCal bird places

Nattie — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 20:44:38 -0800

Looking for avian resources -- vets, toy stores, etc -- in SoCal! We're moving to SoCal this week with our Congo African Grey Parrot and cockatiel. We're going to be living around Arcadia or Pasadena, but we're willing to drive an hour or so in any direction to visit places. We're looking for the following:

- Places that have a wide selection of bird toys. Usually the store will specialize in bird toys; we're not looking for something like PetCo or PetsMart.

- A vet that is a trained avian specialist. This is extremely important. There are a lot of vets that can mostly only handle dogs and cats, but say they will see birds as well. We have had terrible experiences with these vets and our cockatiel has a long, difficult medical history with something a non-specialist would not be able to handle successfully.

No one loves me- help me get out of town.

drjimmy11 — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:52:05 -0800

Where can I go camping within a day's drive of L.A. this coming weekend? I have a three day weekend, no plans for Valentine's, and I'd like to get out of town and de-stress.

I did read the other Cali camping threads, but none were quite specific for what I want. So within the following parameters:

1) I don't mind a long drive, (I kind of enjoy them actually), but would like to leave L.A. in the morning and get there before dark.
2) it should be nice this time of year. Cold at night is ok within reason, I have a 15 degree rated sleeping bag.
3) I would like to be reasonably alone. So "car camping" is out. I am in decent, not great, shape, and don't mind hiking in.
4) I just got a new camera and want to take some cool pictures, so the more scenic the better.

I really don't know where to start, and am open to all suggestions. Thanks!

(Bonus question: What are some good camp foods for a vegetarian to cook on his little stove? not a huge Ramen fan).

Keep Me Hangin' On

roger ackroyd — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:52:14 -0800

Where can an adult get the "kid-on-the-monkey-bars experience" without getting arrested? Currently, I'm sneaking into the park at 4 am. This kind of sucks.

No back yard to speak of. Climbing gyms require a partner. Gymnastics class? I'll give it a go, but my local option seems tumbling-centric.

Best route from SoCal to Washington?

fermion — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:56:27 -0800

I'll be driving from Los Angeles to the Seattle area in a few weeks. I don't want to endure the dreariness of I-5 all the way up, but I also don't want to spend too much time on the trip. Three days would probably be ideal; four would be acceptable. What route will provide the best balance of beauty/points of interest and expediency? Routes that won't be too hard on my elderly and heavily-laden Civic are a bonus. Note: I've looked over previous threads on coastal roadtrips, but they're mostly more focused on sight-seeing than I'll have time for.

What's an affordable conference center in Southern California?

YoungAmerican — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:22:20 -0800

Affordable conference/retreat facilities in Southern California? I'm thinking about putting together a small fan-con next year in Southern California. I was initially leaning towards an urban event, but after I saw the UCLA conference center, I thought maybe a more "retreat-like" venue, that's set up for conferences, would be ideal. I'm looking for somewhere affordable, with rooms (not bunkhouses), and some larger performance spaces (50-200 capacity). Performance spaces don't have to be perfect, but we'd need reinforced sound at the least. It should be reasonable driving distance (say two hours or less, arbitrarily) from a big airport in SoCal (LAX, Burbank, etc). Anyone have any ideas?

Where can I find people who like to know 'how stuff works' in socal?

tarthur — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:46:18 -0800

Where around socal can I meet other aspiring electronic do-it-yourselfers? [backyard imagineering] I'm having a hard time finding fellow young folks (I'm 21) who read and understand the liking of MAKE magazine... people who like to take things apart and play with electronics.

Looking for others interested in figuring out Arduino boards, LEDs and automation stuff and I desperately need someone who can teach me some new tricks.

Any ideas where I can find (remotely) normal people with similar interests? Are there any user groups or something a bit less geeky?

Best economical 4WD car?

lalochezia — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:36:22 -0800

What's the best 1-2 yr old 4WD-capable car? Best for us means: fuel economy, reliability, non-behemoth-SUV-ness, aesthetic and reasonable cost (<$25k). Also: any knowledge about Subaru Outbacks and SoCal 4WD dealers. We're interested in getting a 4WD car to go to the mountains in winter and some minor desert-offroading in summer, but can also act as a daily driver in southern california. We don't need a huge (or medium!) SUV, and would like something that is economical and reliable as possible. I would think that having a selectable 2WD vs 4WD would improve fuel economy, yes?

Current frontrunner is a Subaru Outback: if you know anything about pros/cons/what to look for in these cars, please comment. If you have suggestions for other alternatives, those are welcome too. Things to look out for in general in 4WD welcome.

Suggestions for places to buy/avoid in SoCal a bonus....

L.A.-area picnic spot?

drjimmy11 — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:08:11 -0800

what's an awesome picnic spot in L.A.? recommend somewhere where I and a ladyfriend can have a picnic, within an hour or so of Los Angeles. I am of course aware of Griffith Park and such, but something a little more off the beaten path would be nice. It doesn't have to be totally isolated, but the more private the better.

Bonus points for awesome views of cities, valleys, very large rocks, etc. We don't mind hiking a bit to get there, within reason. thanks!

Age, Sex, Loc... er, American Sign Language

msittig — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 10:05:08 -0800

Baby signing classes in Socal next week? We're a couple visiting the (new) grandparents in north Orange County next week, Saturday the 29th through Saturday the 6th, and would like to attend a single baby sign language class sometime during that week. Preferably we would take advantage of a "one free preview class" deal like at Gymboree but are also willing to pay a reasonable price (under $100) for a one-time seminar.

So far Gymboree has said that they don't offer free previews of their signing classes and my Google-foo is failing me in turning up anything else. Does anybody know of any specific classes, or have any leads/contacts I could follow up on?

She just wants to pay cash for a new car.

ScarletPumpernickel — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 21:41:56 -0800

Please help -- How do you buy a new car in California for cash? Dealer has agreed to a cash deal, but at 11th hour, insists on signing a loan agreement?!? Help my cuz get this guy to close a cash deal. My cousin has saved up to buy a new car for cash in
SoCalifornia. She got the deal she wanted, and they knew
from the start that she was paying cash. So they should've
gotten a deal they can live with, too.

She pays by cashier's check, signs over the trade-in, signs
all the papers, then finally comes the sales agreement...

...and it's a loan agreement.

She declines, they insist. She reads, and the contract
says:

(a) customer can choose to pay cash. Sign this form, and
you're choosing to pay by credit;

(b) oral amendments are not binding, mutual written consent
only.

She declines, they insist, complete with lies and tactics.
Around and around they go. Finally, she leaves. She has a
paper trail on everything she's given them, so she feels she
can get it back with just some hassle. Most importantly,
she'd like to buy that car -- in cash.

What tactic/consumer law/shibboleth/ninja-finger-sign can
she use to get the deal closed without a loan?

P.S. -- In between claiming that it was State Law that she
sign a loan agreement, one of them offered to make it a
"zero-dollar loan." WTF?

Thanks in advance for prompt suggestions. Clock is ticking.

where can I stay in Santa Barbara?

drjimmy11 — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 20:09:26 -0800

where can I stay in Santa Barbara? I'm taking next week off work and I'm thinking of getting out of L.A. I've never been to Santa Barbara, and I'd like to go, chill somewhere quiet-ish, and do some writing.

So I'm looking for a hotel that's nice, not absurdly expensive (would be nice to keep it under $150 a night), and will have a room on short notice. If the hotel has a cool restaurant/bar in it, that would be a bonus. Near a quiet beach would be great as well.

(I did read the other S.B. related questions, but didn't see hotels addressed in detail) thanks!

How to get the most out of driving a car regularly?

lalochezia — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 06:10:45 -0800

How do you deal with or adapt to Car Culture? Tips on driving, things to do in/with the car, strategies to deal with traffic, autos, parking, life-on-the-road in general please. Also: any specific Southern California driving/car advice. So, I'm moving to east-of-LA from NYC. I've lived without a car for nearly 15 years: in those years, I've driven, on average, one day a month, with some years where I've driven once or twice. Now I'll be driving every day, for my commute, errands, social activities, etc.

I've narrowed my list of cars to buy based on Consumer reports and trawling the web, bought a GPS that reads audiobooks to me, have my insurance lined up. I'm a confident and reasonably skilled driver, but will happily take advice from seasoned veterans about techniques for driving. More specifically:

What other things can I do now and what good habits can I get into to make driving efficient, fun, safe and a positive rather than a negative?

I'd be particularly interested if anyone knows of resources/articles on how-to-live-life-behind-wheels-nicely.

My kingdom for a horse: Trustworthy SoCal car dealers/mechanics

lalochezia — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 08:14:34 -0800

Buying-a-used-Car in SoCal-filter : I'm looking for good used car dealerships in the Pomona / Inland Empire / greater LA area. Also, for good independent mechanics to examine a prospective used car. Also: Examples of dealers/mechanics to avoid and general advice. I'm looking to buy a newer-than-2001 used car for 10-13k* at the end of July near to Pomona/Claremont, CA. I'm happy to go further afield to buy, but the nearer the better.

Does anyone have (or know of) any good / bad experiences with a particular dealership? Reputations of said dealers?

Bonus if you or someone you know bought a car in the last 3 months and had a good (or bad) interaction with a particular salesman / F&I office / post-dealer experience.

After I test drive the car, I'd like to get it examined by a mechanic to make sure it's kosher. Suggestions in the Pomona / Claremont / inland-empire areas? What's the going rate for an examination? Any joy in persuading/not persuading dealers to let you have the car examined?

Any other advice on buying a used car in SoCal gratefully received.

* I'm currently narrowing my choices from the standard Accords, Civics, and their import clones (nissan, mitsubishi hyundai, etc), as well as thinking about off-the wall cars like the Scion xB, VW cabriolet, Mitsubishi Eclipse Spider, Toyota Matrix and some others. Criteria: reliable, automatic, economical, 4-seater commuter car, fun. Any advice on these would be appreciated too!

San Diego, tell me more

Belle O'Cosity — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 21:56:25 -0800

Does anyone know how/ where to have fun in San Diego? I am going to San Diego in May, from the 9th to the 13th. It's not a lot of time and I am going to be in conference for a good part of that time. Can any tell me some good places to go and things to do there? I have looked in google for info, but I would love the small and interesting rather than the tourist stuff. I like the unusual. Just as an example, the mustard museum in Wisconsin was rad! Thanks for any info.

Coyotes in our Midst

maryh — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 05:36:21 -0800

There are a lot of coyotes in our nieghborhood this year, and they're less shy than in the past. In the past I've had coyotes follow me and my dog when we're on our evening dog walk, but the coyotes seemed to be young and fairly small. This year there are coyotes all over the place, sometimes even during the early dusk, and they aren't shy about tailing my (50 lb) dog and I when we go for our evening walk.
Should I be wary of this behavior? Is there a safe way to shoo them off? I'd like to hear your coyote stories, too, mefites.

I need to buy some cool, cheap clothing in the Inland Empire/LA area

HighTechUnderpants — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 19:51:47 -0800

[SoCalShoppingFilter] I'm a broke grad student, and I need some new clothes, and am looking for good stores in the SoCal area. Some specifics... I'm mostly a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy, cargo shorts and t-shirt kind of guy in the summer. In terms of style, I like a lot of the shorts and jeans found at Urban Outfitters, but don't like to pay $80 for a pair of cargo shorts. I could just roll down to Old Navy, but I'd rather avoid sweat shop stuff, if possible. I'm hesitant to buy stuff online-I'd rather be able to try it on, as I have a slightly funny shape, and like big pockets.

So can anyone recommend some stores in the SoCal area that carry nice casual stuff at a reasonable price? A place like H&M seems ideal, but it seems like the Pasadena store only carries women's stuff? Good thrift stores, or affordable vintage stores would be great too. I live in the Inland Empire, but for a cool store, would be happy to leave it. (Actually, I'm usually happy for any excuse to leave it, but I digress...) I am most desperately in need of shorts, closely followed by jeans.

Looking California, feeling... California

rkent — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 19:37:50 -0800

I know nothing about Orange County, but I need to live there for 5 weeks. Help! I agreed several months ago to spend part of my summer internship at an office in Irvine, CA (on Main St, just across the 405 from John Wayne airport). It finally hit me tonight that this is really soon and I need to get stuff sorted out.

But I know nothing about that part of California! I need to live somewhere between May 15 and roughly the end of June. I imagine this would entail paying someone 2 months' rent, and I'm fine with that. But where, geographically, should I look? What's commuting like there? Where will I actually be able to find something for this short duration? Anything else I should know?

Honeymoon destinations

RakDaddy — Thu, 17 Jun 2004 16:10:16 -0800

HoneymoonFilter. I'm getting married at the end of July, and I'm in charge of the honeymoon. I've been thinking of a nice, week-long getaway for us, one that involves cycling and good food and is within a day's drive of SoCal. I've thought about Napa and Sonoma, but my initial research made my bank account scream in terror. Any of you frugal and romantic MeFites got any suggestions?