Litter

One of my biggest complaints about living in LA is the litter. I've never been anywhere other than Mexican border towns with worse litter. Many times I've seen both adults and kids just drop something on the ground when they are done with it. I really don't understand why it is so hard to just carry it with you until you get home or somewhere with a trash can.

We've got a dead-zone outside our apartments that always has litter. It is a sidewalk in between the street and a very tall retaining wall for the apartment complex higher on the hill. The apartment complex on the hill doesn't maintain it because it is not part of access for their residents. Our apartments don't maintain it because it is past their property.

After bemoaning it's trashy state for a year and a half, I finally did a little citizen participation and cleaned it up myself. It took 15 minutes and really wasn't that bad in terms of what the trash was although it filled a large trash bag. 80% of it was disposable food containers and primarily drink containers. A surprising number of them were Starbucks cups. Seriously, if you can afford expensive coffee, you ought to know better. Clearly that isn't from the homeless people.

I will be interested to see how long it stays clean. I've heard/read somewhere that a clean area attracts less trash (can't find a reference). We'll have to see if it proves true in this case.

For more on LA's trash blight:
http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/06/20/i-see-london-i-see-france-i-see-l-a-s-dirty-underpasses/
http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/06/25/dead-spaces-make-for-dead-and-unwalkable-places/
http://articles.latimes.com/2013/oct/28/local/la-me-pico-union-trash-20131029

Balcony Garden: Closeups

Nothing but plant closeups this time.

First up, oregano:

Next, the delicious mint:

The lavender:

and the strawberry flower:

Balcony Garden: March

Since my last balcony garden post not much changed until last week. I ripped out the yellow flowers and vegetables and just had the small white flowers all winter (they kept blooming). I trimmed back the strawberry plant and potted one of its baby offshoots. I tried (and failed) to grow herbs and kale/spinach from seed.

Last week I purchased some herbs. Here is my rosemary plant from last year, strawberry plant from last year, and lavender:

And here is the mint plant, mexican oregano sharing a pot with one of the self seeded red flowering plants from last summer, and lemongrass sharing a pot with the baby strawberry plant.

The cat dearly loves to graze on the lemongrass so I doubt I will get much use from it for cooking. You can see we've got a little strawberry on the baby plant!

Thoughts on Nature in LA

The following are thoughts on the natural world in Los Angeles:

The bird life here is great. On one of the Audubon hikes, the guide said this was one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. I was skeptical. After thinking about it, she may be right. Not many places have ocean, wetlands, river, sub-tropical, chaparral, desert, and mountains all crammed into a 30 mile radius.

I have empathy for the weeds. The urban environment is rough. All that concrete. Seldom any rain. Intense sun every day. I feel bad seeing the lawn services spraying them with herbicide. All that struggle to survive cut short because they are the wrong plant for that place.

Hummingbirds are amazing. I used to just see them at our feeder, but once I started paying attention, I see them everywhere. On the bird walks, at the flowering trees at work, catching insects near the concrete channels. It is fun to watch them catch bugs in flight.

I do not care for ficus trees. As a kid, I only ever knew them as parlor trees or trees in homes or office buildings. Usually they looked sightly pallid. At some point here in LA, they decided to line many of the streets with ficuses. They are shallow rooted and tear up every bit of concrete nearby. The sidewalks are an obstacle course thanks to the ficus. They are also not favored by wildlife.

Yesterday, we say a hawk catch a mouse. It was only about 20 ft from us up on a hill right behind a tree. We heard the crash into the leaves and behind the tree just saw flashes of feathers. At first, I thought it was a pheasant because the feathers looked so long. Then it flew off with the mouse clutched in its grasp.

I have seen coots for years, but a week ago was the first time I saw their feet. They have 3 long toes with a beautiful blue hue. How do they swim so well? It seems a duck would have an advantage with all that webbing.

We see lots of lizards when we go hiking. Even in the highly disturbed Baldwin Hills area which is an active oil field. I think they are Great Basin Fence Lizards. One cool thing about these guys is that a protein in their blood kills Lyme disease. It is speculated that may be the reason that Lyme disease is uncommon here. Thank you lizards! http://www.berkeley.edu/news/berkeleyan/1998/0429/lizard.html

The photo guides on this page are great for identifying snakes, lizards, and turtles in the LA area: http://www.californiaherps.com/identification/socalherps.html

The gulls here are not as annoying as along the Texas coast. They keep their distance from humans. It seems they do not associate humans with food an therefore we can live in peaceful harmony. I actually enjoy the gulls and pigeons here.

Bag Ban

As of the first of the year, LA and most surrounding cities enacted a plastic bag ban for major retailers. The ban will extend to smaller stores this summer. I am completely in favor of the ban. Too many bags just get tossed out immediately after a single use. However, stores now have to charge for paper bags too.

Ever since moving here we have used paper bags from the grocery store for our trash. On the rare occasion we shopped at Target or somewhere without paper bags, we used the plastic bags for trash as well. After buying handy reusable bags for shopping in preparation for the ban and subsequent paper fees, we realized we needed some receptacle for our trash, so we purchased plastic trash bags.

But wait, this doesn't make sense! So instead of throwing away 5 or so plastic bags a month (full of trash), now we will throw away 30 plastic bags a month and pay for the privilege of doing so (we have a cat so daily removal is a necessity whether the trash can is full or not). Granted I got the tiny 4 gallon bags and the trash can itself is only 2 gallons, but that is still a big increase in plastic going to the landfill. This article points out some good alternatives to lining the trash can with virgin plastic bags: http://myplasticfreelife.com/2010/02/collecting-garbage-without-plastic-trash-bags/. The embedded video is pretty funny too.

Back when we had a house, it was much easier. I just scooped the cat waste straight into the outside bin, composted most food waste, and we were only left with maybe 2 bags a trash a week (usually not even stuffed full). I'm sure I'll think of something better than buying trash bags for next month.

On a side note, when will people ever learn that you can't put your recycling in the bin in a plastic bag. Drives me up a tree! Your recycling should be dry, so there is no reason you need any sort of liner.

Attitude

One of my favorite things about living in LA is the attitude of many people. It certainly isn't the friendliest place on earth, but the attitude is unique.

I thought about calling it a youthful attitude. That's pretty accurate, but not quite right. I also thought of stubborn, but other cities can be described as stubborn. I'm going to go with willful. The LA attitude is like that of a willful toddler.

these are way fun!

Much like toddlers, people here can be a bit self obsessed. They want to be paid attention to. They are not always cognizant that they need to use their nice words when dealing with others.

However, the attitude comes with a lot of upsides. People try new things. They aren't afraid to look silly. Frankly they don't care what you think. I frequently see adults skateboarding and riding kick scooters. I think that is awesome. These aren't just young adults either. These include folks with gray hair. I've seen them riding for fun, riding with their kids, riding to/from work, and riding for errands. I've seen people in scrubs and guys in business shirts. My personal favorite was a guy riding away from the grocery store on his skateboard with a new frying pan in hand.

Having lived other places, I know that many other cities carry social pressures about acting "outside the norm". Despite many areas being flat and blessed with far nicer sidewalks than LA, I really can't imagine a 40 year old cruising into work on a kick scooter in other cities. Why is that? Why let social stigma affect our actions? Be like that toddler and think you're the greatest thing ever.

Areas to live in LA: maybe

This is part 3 of my entirely opinion based series on where to live in LA.

The maybe area lies within the "yes, but" category except for the desert and high desert.

Desert and High Desert: I love the desert when it is vast and empty and full of interesting geology. This area has a bit of that. However, due to the availability of cheap land, it is slowly gaining boring suburbs. It is also a transportation nightmare. Unless you live along the Metrolink line, you get to enjoy grueling long car rides through limited options into the city.

Chinatown: This area extends past the commercialized Chinatown to include several other largely immigrant communities. For many recent immigrants, cheap housing and lower crime make this a desirable area. However, if you're not a recent immigrant you may feel out of place.

Downtown: For years if you weren't homeless, there was no reason to linger in downtown after sunset. Like many American cities, downtown is slowly experiencing a renaissance. Unlike other cities, it isn't totally overtaken by yuppies just yet. Apartments in historic buildings can be had for reasonable rates. This is also at the hub of the current hub and spoke model public transport system. The massive homeless population is not to be ignored, though. They bring with them the odor of open sewers and street trash like you wouldn't believe. 

Hawthorne and Torrance: These are suburbs with lots of single family homes or squat multi-family units. I have no particular love for the area nor do I loathe it. If you work in aerospace, this may be a good area to situate yourself due to proximity to jobs. What I dislike, are the prevalence of big box stores and sprawling parking lots. However, I do like the Carson Ikea better than the Burbank Ikea for the very reason of the massive surface lot. A parking garage at an Ikea is just insanity!

Palos Verdes: Unlike the others areas in this category, this is expensive. It sits on a rise on a point overlooking the ocean. The hillside homes are largely spacious and cost you plenty. There was the debacle where a developer built a neighborhood on a known landslide and then as nature would have it the homes started migrating oceanward and the area had to be razed. Load up on the insurance if you live here. Other than that, you have some stunning ocean views, a lighthouse, a beautiful chapel designed by Lloyd Wright, and several parks.

Areas to live in LA: yes, but

This is part 2 of my entirely opinion based series on where to live in LA.

The "yes, but" category forms a crescent around LA proper. The areas include:

Malibu/Santa Monica Mountains: Beautiful area, but a long drive to do anything with very few major roads in or out. There is also not a lot of commerce here, so unless you land one of the lucky few jobs or work from home, you'll spend more waking hours on the road than enjoying your home.

San Fernando Valley: This area is a collection of many different communities with widely varying characteristics. What they share in common is much hotter summers and sprawling one-story suburbs. There is a lot of work if you are in the film industry or an industry that is an accessory to the film industry. Otherwise you will likely have to go over the hills into the city proper which can only be done via 3 freeway passes or the one subway line.

Angeles National Forest: It sounds pretty cool to live in a national forest and you do have the amazing benefit of countless miles of trails at your doorstep. The mountains are truly beautiful. However, there is absolutely nowhere to work so you are stuck with frightfully long commutes.

Pasadena: Unlike it's smelly Texas counterpart, this is a pleasant city with a long history. There are many great old buildings, the scenic CalTech campus, lots to do, and ample employers. It is also connected to the city proper via light rail. There's not much separating this from a yes other than a bit less diversity and connectivity than the solid yeses.

Beverly Hills: If you are wealthy and enjoy sequestering yourself on your enormous suburban lot, this is the place for you. However, if you like reasonable prices and interacting with people who don't attend cocktail parties, this might not be your best bet.

Coastal Cities: You can't beat having the mighty Pacific Ocean as a neighbor (especially in an area with minimal tsunami and next to no hurricane risk). You do pay a premium for proximity. You also are stuck with a bit of a drive to get back towards town and the first 3 miles leaving the coastal cities is often ridiculously slow.

Balcony Garden: Late Summer-Early Fall

Here's the garden as it was in July. The red flowers died out by early August, so while the hummingbirds loved them, they won't be making a return appearance next year.

Here's the garden from last week (the glare is a little harsh). I'm not sure if the strawberry (front) will bloom and produce again, but I can't bear to get rid of it despite it not producing a single berry in months. You can't see the rosemary very well, but it is going strong. The peppers have been relatively disappointing. A mere handful  all summer compared to the endless supply I was used to getting in Texas. I don't think the peppers will be included again next spring. The basil is still going, but it has taken on a rather minty flavor.

I just ripped out the yellow flowers today and will likely yank the peppers and basil next week (there will be some spicy pesto on the menu!). The white flowers are probably going too. I'm hoping to get some native plants to see if I can attract more butterflies. I'll also be doing greens again in the big pot (the one with the saucer), but probably need to wait a couple weeks to start them.

Areas to live in LA: yes

Here is a map of Los Angeles County with categories based on whether I would recommend living there or not. This is based on my experience, talking to people, and looking at crime maps.

Because it would be a very long blog post if I described my reasoning for all of these areas in one post, I'll break it up by category. Kicking it off are the areas I wholeheartedly recommend living.

First off is Culver City (inclusive of Palms and West LA). I may be biased because I live in this particular area. What I like about the area:

• Highway connection via the 10 and the 405
• Transit connection via the Expo line
• Relatively safe and quiet
• Ethnic mix
• Variety of local restaurants
• Reasonably priced

The only other definite yes is Los Feliz. We looked into moving here before we knew where I would be working. What I like about the area:

• Walking/Biking access to Griffith Park
• Transit connection via the Red Line
• Highway connection via the 5 and 101
• Reasonably priced
• Near LA River bike path

Hummingbirds

The best purchase I've made in several months has been a hummingbird feeder. It brings me so much joy to see the little birds out there every morning and occasionally in the evening. The hummingbirds here in LA are very enthusiastic about feeders and will let you get fairly close to them.

I believe these are Anna's hummingbirds based on their range and the song. These little guys are frequently chittering as they fly and especially when they are chasing away other hummingbirds from the feeder. They seem to roost in the large tree in the courtyard in front of our apartment (or at least use it as cover) because they dart to and from the tree to our balcony. When they are in the tree, I can hear them singing. They are surprisingly loud for such a tiny creature!

Hot!

I used to live where it would get legitimately hot. 100+ degrees during the day and barely under 90 degrees some nights. Summer in LA has been blissful by comparison. Up until a week or two ago, I needed a sweatshirt biking to work in the morning and sometimes needed a light jacket outside at lunchtime.

However, summer has hit and it is toasty now. I forgot what it was like to really sweat! Oddly enough it is only in the 80's and occasionally hitting low 90's, but something about the intensity of the sun and humidity make it seem hotter than that. I've heard we've got another couple of weeks of "heat" before things return to normal.

Because the actual summer weather is so brief and really not that intense, central AC is somewhat of a rarity in all but the newest apartments. Several buildings around here have no AC whatsoever. We have one window unit AC that is fixed into the wall. This seems pretty common around here.

inside view (we close up the cabinet in the winter/spring/fall)

At first, I thought our bills would be outrageous because I had always heard that window units were electricity wasters and a central AC system pays for itself within a few years. Ours however seems to work well for a reasonable cost.

exterior shot (it stays shaded by the overhang most of the time)

We also don't have central heat. Just some bizarre "radiant" system in the ceiling that I don't understand. I've heard of radiant heat in the floor, but never in the ceiling (someone forgot to tell them that heat rises). It seems like a massive fire risk to me  plus it is weird because it makes absolutely no sound. We've had the breaker off since March and only used it about half a dozen times during January and February.

Our only window is a large sliding glass door. It faces east-southeast so it gets direct sunshine until around noon. We added curtains with the triple purpose of reflecting light, adding insulation, and absorbing sound. The curtains are black which at first I thought would be depressing and gloomy. They really aren't and I like them a lot (and because our black cat adore laying in between the panels, the black doesn't show his fur). The side that faces out is a slightly satiny white and they have a flannel interior panel intended for sound absorption (also works for insulation).

curtains (look at all that blazing heat trying to get in!)

exterior face of curtains

North Santa Monica Bay Coast

Last week we made a weekday trip from Santa Monica on the Pacific Coast Highway up to Point Mugu with stops in between. It is a lovely drive with ample ocean views. Most of the trip goes through Malibu which stretches out for 27 miles along the coast. Despite the connotations of luxury Malibu brings to mind, it isn't all that swank. There are numerous multi-million dollar homes, but the money is all in the water-front location and less in the ostentatious lawns and landscaping. So, from the road the houses aren't awe-inspiring.

We stopped at Point Dume, but due to filming couldn't get to the actually "point". The beach along Westward (Point Dume County Beach) is quite pleasant if you are just looking for a traditional beach to go for a swim.

After that, we stopped at Neptune's Net for lunch. It is a small seafood place with mostly outdoor seating. The food is decent for reasonable prices. It is across the PCH from the water, but still has ocean views (however, the beach port-a-potties are right smack dab in the middle of the view). The crab cake sandwich I had was good with the best part being the really high quality crab meat. They also have a huge selection of bottled beer and sodas in convenience store style fridges.

Point Mugu is interesting. There isn't much to do at the actual point other than stop and take some pictures. An old road wraps around the rock outcropping, but is blocked off by fences and ominous warnings about it being State property. You can see the Channel Islands from here. It was cloudy and chilly here despite being sunny just a few miles back east, so we didn't linger.

Our last stop was El Matador State Beach. This was the highlight of the trip! There are several sea caves, sea arches, and a few small tide pools. There are lots of birds that sit on top of the rocks (mostly cormorants) and light blue anemones were tucked against rocks at the water's edge.

My phone got set on black and white and I didn't notice due to the sun glare until we got home. I was disappointed because the sky and water were such a pretty blue, but these at least show the geology nicely.

Urban Bike Review

A few months back my bike was stolen from the Expo Culver City Station. It was a cheap bike, so while I was mad that someone would cut the lock and take it, I got over it pretty quickly.

Diamondback that was stolen

Bike theft is interesting because it is so pervasive. There seems to be no correlation between what size city you live in or how low other crime rates are in the area. Everyone I know who bikes regularly has experienced at least one bike theft.

Moving on, I bought a fairly cheap bike as a replacement. I kicked around the idea of getting a nice bike since I use it to commute 4 days a week. I went with a cheap bike with the idea that if it too was stolen, I wouldn't be out that much money.

Replacement bike: Thruster Fixie

After putting a few hundred miles on the new bike, I am very happy with it. If you are in need of an urban bike and don't live in an area with very steep hills, this bike is perfect.

Pros:

• Solid frame
• Tires have just the right amount of tread for a street bike to give it grip on sandy bike paths or wet streets
• Easy to maintain; very few parts
• Widely recognized as a "Wal-Mart" bike, which is a deterrent for thieves

Cons:

• Wheels/spokes seem a little flimsy. I wouldn't jump a curb with it, but then again you wouldn't with any road bike.
• Brakes are weak (both pads and the system)
• No shock absorption
• Comes in one size. Works great if you are between 5'4" and 6'; it is just a tad big for me at 5'3".

It is a single speed (hence the simple assembly and maintenance). I wouldn't consider that a negative aspect, though, since it is kind of nice to just ride and not change gears. For around $100, you can't go wrong with this model. Don't, however, get suckered into the Thruster Overload model which is $40 to $50 more. You really don't get any more for the money and based on a sample set of 1, it seems to have more problems than the Thruster Fixie model.

Check it out here: http://www.big5sportinggoods.com/product/bikes/478242-162167/thruster-fixie-bike.html and here: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Thruster-700c-Men-s-Fixie-Bike/17206771 (funny that right now the blue/green model is only $85 while the red/yellow one is $120 - same exact bike just a different color!). Notice that the reviews are pretty solid for such a cheap bike.

Trains

I have had a lifelong love of trains. I love everything about traveling by train. I am so happy to be somewhere with legitimate short and medium distance travel opportunities by train. Metrolink trains connect commuter areas in and around LA with several trains running around rush hour times. Further afield, frequent trains run between LA and San Diego and LA and San Luis Obispo. Less frequent routes connect LA to Seattle, Chicago, and New Orleans.

I love how relaxed train travel is. There are no security lines to go through, you can bring anything reasonable on board with you, you can be escorted to the platform by friends/family, and they only recommend you arrive 30 minutes before hand for long trips and 15 minutes early for short trips. They don't even check your ticket until you are sitting on the train on your way.

On the train! Nice roomy seats and it is so clean it shines!

The biggest complaints I hear about Amtrak are the delays, but I've ran into no worse delays on a train than while flying. Plus when there is a delay on the train, you can walk around, go get some coffee and a muffin in the cafe car, and go to the bathroom, unlike being stuck strapped in sitting on the tarmac for an hour.

I do love the aerial views from the plane, but trains offer unique views as well. Most trains run through areas you never see from a car. They run through remote areas with nothing around for miles. They run directly through small towns. They run within spitting distance of people's homes. You have a reprieve from billboards, fast food venues, and gas stations that line interstates and get to glimpse a better picture of the local geography and culture. And on the LA to San Diego route you travel directly along the beach!

View from train! I had to get an off center photo with the window frame in it to prove just how close the train runs along the beach.

Then there are also the beautiful old train stations. LA Union Station is great (just be prepared for the large residency of homeless folks). San Diego downtown station is quaint and pleasant.

courtyard at San Diego Santa Fe (downtown) station

Burbank Peak

Having a small apartment means that while I love to be at home, it is probably unwise to spend the majority of my time-off inside. We have a big balcony with a sweeping view, but it's just nice to enjoy other scenic vistas from time to time.

View of Lake Hollywood and back towards coast from Burbank Peak trail

A few weekends ago we hiked to the top of Burbank Peak. This is in Griffith Park although it is a more recent acquisition to the park purchased in the last few years to save it from development (thank goodness!). It is a steep hike, but fairly short in duration, so perfect for a day when you just have a few hours. Parking is on the road near Lake Hollywood and trail access is at the end of Wonder View Drive (check out a good description here: http://www.simpsoncity.com/hiking/griffith/burbank.html).

It is a pretty quick trip up, but you should definitely stop frequently to admire the views back towards Hollywood and the coast as you hike up. Also plan to spend some time at the top to admire the views and just enjoy the cool breeze. There is shade from "the wisdom tree" which is an interesting curiosity since there are very few other pine trees nearby.

Wisdom Tree at the top of Burbank Peak

Sadly, our hiking is probably on hiatus until Fall when temperatures drop. Summer hiking in chaparral/coastal sage scrub is not the best since the vegetation is dry and there is no shade from the sun. We'll replace hiking with bike rides towards the coast where the temperatures are nice and cool.

Shrubby vegetation along trail

Balcony Garden: June Gloom

I still have a lot to learn about growing vegetables in pots versus in the ground. In ground plants thrive with infrequent deep watering. The potted  plants seem to prefer frequent shallow watering. So far the strawberries are still a definite winner. The basil has also thrived. The rosemary oddly enough looks a little crispy. The squash has flowered so we will see how it does bearing fruit. The pepper plants are a bit leggy, but look like they are doing just fine. My poor tomato plant is resting in peace. It was still producing tomatoes, but they were tough skinned. I probably won't do tomatoes again since they are such water hogs. If I did, I would steer clear of the Husky Cherry Red (too husky for me). I am planning to replace the tomato plant with something flowery, but am still unsure what to choose.

strawberry, basil, rosemary, squash, peppers, and empty tomato pot in the far back

basil bouquet after a much needed trim

All growth has been very slow this month and I'm sure June Gloom is a factor. For those of you not from the area, June Gloom is a term to describe morning cloudiness and cool temperatures that commonly occur in late May and early June. Low clouds formed by the marine layer come on-shore along the coastal areas of Southern California overnight and typically remain in place until mid-day. Some days the overcast skies persist the entire day. Our balcony faces south-east, which means the morning cloudiness cuts out most of the 6+ hours of sunshine my plants would normally receive. It was sunny today at 9:30am, which is the earliest in a long time. June Gloom is also good to know about if you are planning a vacation to the area and want to enjoy the beach sans jacket and cloudy skies.

Cat Litter

I’m never sure whether to call our apartment a studio or an efficiency. To me they are the same thing. Is there really a difference? Some sources indicate that efficiencies are smaller than studios while others use the two terms to mean the same thing.

Regardless, our apartment is small. I love it, but combining small spaces with pets offers some challenges. When we had a 3 bedroom house it was easy to keep the cat’s accoutrements separate. The litter box was in the guest bedroom (unless we had guests). Odor throughout the house was never an issue. When we moved to a one bedroom apartment, we had an incredibly spacious bathroom with a linen closet that had a separate lower door with raised lip that was perfect for containing a litter box out of sight. Odor was never really an issue there either. However, when we moved to LA and into a studio apartment, odor was occasionally an issue. 

Our litter box is in the coat closet (which needless to say doesn't have coats since we live in a mild climate). It is the blue box right next to the front door in the floor plan here: http://laapartmentliving.blogspot.com/2013/02/our-apartment.html

Looking toward our front door. Litter box is in the coat closet to the left.

Litter box setup (Rubbermaid bin with hole cut out, hook for scoop, old shelf  bracketed to wall as divider)

Best part of the setup is that when you open the front door to come in, you can't see it. When you close the door and walk away you can't see it from the kitchen either, so it is largely out of sight.

For many years I have used corn based litter (typically “World’s Best” brand). It clumps great, produces little dust, and was fine for odor control in the larger environments. It does tend to track a lot, so that plus occasionally failing on odor control led to seeking out other litters. Here’s what we tried:

• Clumping Clay Litter: So much dust! Epic fail for small spaces (always made me sneeze). Odor control was decent. Tracks everywhere.
• Silica Crystal Litter: Minimal tracking and minimal dust except when pouring it in the pan. I was suspicious of breathing in the dust for what it might do to my lungs. Odor control was great for solids, but since it just absorbs liquids, it gets a faint odor from that after several days.
•  Pine Litter: Best of the bunch! Good odor control. Minimal tracking. No dust. Not to mention it is cheap and they sell it at Trader Joe’s. We've switched to this litter.

Year Round School

In junior high we had one year of "year round" school. I think they were running it as a pilot to see how it went. To my knowledge, it fell flat on its face. School sports and inter-school academic leagues were likely a big reason for that at the junior high and high school levels. Unless every school in your region goes along with it, coordination becomes a nightmare. Parents and teachers alike also complained that it made planning difficult if one child was in year round school and another was not. Also, there aren't a lot of camps or other activities to sign the kids up for when they get two weeks off in the middle of a random non-summer month. Personally, I recall liking year-round school since an entire summer off got rather boring.

Fast forward to now and I feel like I have become a huge proponent of the traditional school calendar. This issue came to light recently because I ride through a couple of school zones on my way to work. Parents dropping their kids off are a rough bunch. They have little patience for cyclists or other drivers. Why they don't just let their kids walk or ride their bikes to school is beyond me (these are junior high and high schoolers). I have been eagerly awaiting the end of the school year so I don't have to navigate the maze of parents in their over-sized SUVs.

When Memorial Day came and went and the students were still there I looked up the school calendar. Turns out they are on an 11 month school year calendar (July off). I was bummed out for selfish reasons, but then I started to feel bad for the kids. Elementary age kids need unstructured play time to develop creativity and life skills. High school kids need time to decompress from the stress of endless tests and paper writing. Also, how are kids from non-wealthy families supposed to save for college if they can't work over the summer? I think summer vacation is more than just a holdout from our agrarian society days; it is an essential part of producing kids that can think for themselves and entertain themselves.

LA in a Few Words

I found this article before I moved out here: http://www.newcolonist.com/lafewwords.html.

I can't recall if this is where I found it, or even if this is the original source (no dates and no authors make me wonder if this is a "cut and paste" operation from an original source). I couldn't find it elsewhere, though, so hopefully this is legit and original. Regardless of whether or not it is based on legit interviews, I read it with eagerness while researching what LA was like before moving here. Now that I've lived here 5 months, I'll answer the same questions.

If you were to describe Los Angeles in one word, what would it be?

Large

If someone told you they were moving to Los Angeles, what advice would you give them?

Live close to where you will work and learn to embrace transportation modes other than the car. You will love life so much more for it!

If a tourist had one hour to spend in Los Angeles, what one thing would you tell them to see?

Walk around wherever you happen to be, but don't judge all of LA based on that area. Each area is unique, but since you can't possibly experience much of anything in an hour, at least savor where you are at.

What's the best thing about Los Angeles?

The creativity and wealth of ideas. Whatever your niche interest, you are guaranteed to find like-minded people here. 

What's the worst thing about Los Angeles?

The urine smell in certain areas. It doesn't rain very often, so the smell from both homeless humans using the sidewalk and non-homeless dogs all using the same green space gets a bit too potent. Litter is a close 2nd for me, but that is much more easily solved.

If you had the opportunity to move, would you? And if so, where would you go?

Not right now. If I ever did move, it would probably be to either another vibrant, large city or to a completely rural area.

For the most part, I find I agree with the interviewees. Many of my answers are very similar or even the same. While they were almost unanimous on the best thing being diversity, my answer jives well with that and is just a more specific area of diversity. The fact that I seldom if ever drive is probably the biggest player in traffic not being my answer to the worst thing about LA.