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September 17, 2010· scvtalk.com · WordPress (SCVTalk 3.0) · Wayback capture

Open Thread – No Daily Brief

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

Mea culpa…

In the meantime, consider this an open thread to discuss whatever you like. For instance you could talk about Jackie Chan:

or, if you’re in need of some perspective on life, you could check out Big Picture’s astounding shots from around the Solar System. I’ve always like Carl Sagan’s thoughts on the matter.

Or maybe Constitution Day is more your speed. The Signal has an editorial today on the subject.

Perhaps you want to reminisce on days gone by….there’s a new store for that- Rock Candy, Music and More is opening in Saugus and will sell those funny black CDs my dad used to use. I think they’re called vinyl (actually I’ve become somewhat of a vinyl fan myself. It takes effort and a bit of knowledge to setup and play an LP, and often the reward is a rich sound we’ve missed out on since all things went digital).

Finally, I’d like to ask your help. If you could live anywhere in Southern California but not Santa Clarita, where would it be? I’ve been browsing Santa Paula homes on Zillow.com recently and it’s made me wonder: could I live and be happy in a medium sized agricultural town? There’d be a certain poetic justice to it; having deposited my share of chloride in the Santa Clara River, I could move there and reap the consequences.

Have a great weekend!

Comments (93)

  1. CastaicClaySeptember 17, 2010 at 7:52 am
    What am I doing filming in Michigan?
  2. Tim MyersSeptember 17, 2010 at 8:27 am
    In answer to your question, if we could live ANYWHERE in SoCal (and we would stay in SoCal as opposed to anyplace else in the US) and did not need to be concerned about work, etc., I would narrow it to Camarillo in Ventura County or Solona Beach in San Diego County. Since our youngest daughter started attending CSU-Channel Islands I have fallen in love with Camarillo as kind of a quirky small town close enough to the larger suburb of Thousand Oaks and the great City beyond to provide all the necessary amenities. As far as Solona Beach, it has always struck me as the (somewhat) affordable alternative to Del Mar and La Jolla.
  3. KLBSeptember 17, 2010 at 8:33 am
    My train was two minutes early this morning. EARLY! That never happens. I had to run to catch it. I don’t run. It wasn’t pretty. Why does the light at the bottom of my street never turn green when I’m running late? My new puppy has an internal alarm clock that wakes her up at 4:37 every morning to play. Praying Mantises are gross.
  4. ScottSeptember 17, 2010 at 8:37 am
    Praying Mantises freak me out to! They look like little evil aliens.
  5. mikeSeptember 17, 2010 at 9:22 am
    Are you aware that in fight between a hummingbird and a praying mantis, the mantis WINS? WTF?? Youtube that. It’s frightening.
  6. navigatorSeptember 17, 2010 at 9:28 am
    What’s up with that?? I think I’ll go outside and find a huge mantis and a hummingbird and put them in a cage to see if that’s true. I’ll name one of them Al and the other one Berta.
  7. mikeSeptember 17, 2010 at 9:33 am
    Comment of the week!
  8. Berta González-HarperSeptember 17, 2010 at 12:44 pm
    @Navigator I get to be the hummingbird and I’ll win too.
  9. dorothymantoothSeptember 17, 2010 at 9:46 am
    Ewww. Praying mantises are unnerving. Don’t the females bite the heads of the males during the act of lovemaking? I think I heard that somewhere….or maybe I just made it up.
  10. navigatorSeptember 17, 2010 at 9:55 am
    You heard correctly. Typical female!
  11. gregory molineriSeptember 17, 2010 at 10:02 am
    Yeah, but they taste just like chicken!
  12. Berta González-HarperSeptember 17, 2010 at 12:45 pm
    Hey!!!
  13. OlenkaSeptember 17, 2010 at 1:04 pm
    Typical? Yes. True female power! Wish that was acceptable in our society.
  14. OlenkaSeptember 17, 2010 at 1:06 pm
    Praying mantises are awesome!
  15. DamageincSeptember 19, 2010 at 9:03 am
    Evangelical bugs bother me, they think they are so much better then everyone else always telling the other bugs what they can do and who they can marry! Speaking of that… One of Fred Butler’s ( https://local.nixle.com/alert/3505962/?sub_id=342531 )
  16. ScottSeptember 17, 2010 at 8:34 am
    Jeff – It may be hard for you to find any hipster hangouts in Santa Paula. And I’m pretty sure there’s no gourmet food trucks. San Diego is where I would move. I have travelled all over the world, and of all the major cities I’ve been to, I still think San Diego would be the ideal place to live. Great weather, nice downtown atmosphere, beaches, and plenty of things to do.
  17. Tim MyersSeptember 17, 2010 at 8:40 am
    @Scott: I have NEVER heard anyone articulate any downside to living in San Diego. If everyone COULD live there they would.
  18. Need for Involved CitizenrySeptember 17, 2010 at 12:22 pm
    The downside is having to get on the 5 in North County.
  19. OlenkaSeptember 17, 2010 at 1:05 pm
    Good call. I’d live in downtown LA for the streets that smell like piss. San Diego would be nice too.
  20. navigatorSeptember 17, 2010 at 9:12 am
    Anywhere?? If I stayed in California it would definitely be La Jolla although I’ve always liked Balboa Island. Since my kid is in San Diego, Mrs Navigator would definitely opt for that. Praying mantises are cool! I love rescuing the little ones and finding a leaf for them to sit on right next to the ladybug I just found a home for. Every time I head off to City Hall I catch every green light on the way……..unless I’m running late! And lastly, why is it that none of the hardware stores ever carries whatever part it is that just broke in my house????
  21. lvogelSeptember 17, 2010 at 9:54 am
    On the topic of lights….has there ever been an explanation for the flashing yellow left turn arrows on Valencia…I mean WTH! Why not just put a green light (and green arrow) like every other light with has that indicates to yield to uncoming traffic? I’m still confused on that; please someone explain to me. Oh, and hows that investigation regarding the tragic 4th of July accident going?
  22. CastaicClaySeptember 17, 2010 at 12:06 pm
    The turn lane lights here in Michigan blink a solid red during thru traffic cycles and have green/yellow arrows for turn cycles.
  23. GauchoSeptember 17, 2010 at 9:12 am
    I like Jackie Chan. Also, if I could live anywhere else in SoCal, it would be the Silver Lake/Los Feliz area. Orrr Santa Monica. Then again, I’m in my early 20s, I don’t have any kids, and I hate living here. So… yeah
  24. booknerdSeptember 17, 2010 at 2:19 pm
    I spent my 20s in the areas you mentioned and just moved here last year. So, yeah, I feel ya. We thought we could be hipster parents in Silverlake, but after spending oodles of money putting our kid on pre-school waiting lists (even though he wasn’t even born yet) and researching schools and trying to buy a house, we just didn’t have the patience or the stomach for it. I am learning to love the SCV now, but it’s because I have a family. I wish for a thread where folks could post their favorite hidden SCV gems–bars, restaurants, activities, etc.
  25. lvogelSeptember 17, 2010 at 9:12 am
    People that don’t like getting older (and perhaps have a fear of doing so) are probably some of the grumpiest people I know….lighten up, it’s going to happen so might as well make the most of it! Pulled out of my driveway, only to see there was a snake I possibly ran over; felt bad…Got out, found a stick and when I tried to lift it off the hot cement, it moved a bit! Feeling really bad now because the snake wasn’t dead but injured, I tried again to move it to our bushes. I got half way there the snake squirmed off the stick and slithered it’s way straight to the wheelwell of my tire. I think it’s dead now. I wonder what Praying Mantises pray for?
  26. KLBSeptember 17, 2010 at 9:54 am
    Speaking of snakes, I am convinced we have a snake living on our property. There was a big slither trail in the dirt next to our driveway. Hubby tried to tell me it was water runoff. Nice try, sweetie! It was a snake. I’m convinced of it. And by the size of the slither trail, a very big snake. Like an Anaconda. I exaggerate a little. Maybe more like a Boa Constrictor. Wonder if they eat Praying Mantises?
  27. lvogelSeptember 17, 2010 at 9:57 am
    Hmmm, don’t know what’s worse; snakes in the yard or rats in the attic? Just make sure you listen for that cute little ‘rattle’ sound; that would worry me!
  28. Jim FarleySeptember 17, 2010 at 10:04 am
    The Mrs. and me observed a snake cross the paseo in front of us in Northbridge last week. Not sure what kind but not a ratlesnake. Then the day before yesterday we saw a hawk take off with a large rat in it’s tallons. It was like Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. Ooops I’m dating myself with that last sentence.
  29. Whiskey Tango FoxtrotSeptember 17, 2010 at 10:46 am
    I propose that they be referred to as “Moment-of-Silence Mantises”.
  30. Mike MSeptember 23, 2010 at 4:53 pm
    Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
  31. Samuel AdamsSeptember 17, 2010 at 6:12 pm
    Hummingbirds.
  32. RokSeptember 17, 2010 at 9:43 am
    Jeff – I lived the majority of my life in Germany. I live in the SCV for 2 years now and another 6 years in La Crescenta after I moved here from Germany. I was able to travel around SoCal and I agree with many others, San Diego might be a nice place to live. But why look some where else. In those 2 years starting to love SCV more and more. As the matter of fact, the only thing I really miss here is to have my job here at SCV. But I guess I am not the only one… Looking outside of SoCal there is only one possible place for me, Munich. For me this is the greatest city, that has everything you looking for, especially the beer gardens. I miss those beer gardens. Rok
  33. booknerdSeptember 17, 2010 at 2:13 pm
    I’m just learning about commuting out of SCV. It takes me an hour to get to mid-City if I leave between 6:30 and 6:38, but if I miss this window by even a minute, I’m looking at an hour and a half at least. Any tips for a new commuter?
  34. dorothymantoothSeptember 17, 2010 at 3:51 pm
    I commuted to mid-Wilshire for two years nearly killed me…what saved the day? http://www.simplyaudiobooks.com It’s like netflix for audiobooks. Totally worth it! Other than that, don’t miss you’re window and take The Old Road whenever possible
  35. Bill ReynoldsSeptember 17, 2010 at 9:54 am
    Well, at least The Signal, KHTS and West Ranch Beacon covered this significant day… It’s “Constitution Day”! Get with the program Master Blogger and liberal commenters. Ha!
  36. DamageincSeptember 17, 2010 at 10:08 am
    Bonnie, believes he is entitled to Jeff blogging.
  37. Bill ReynoldsSeptember 17, 2010 at 10:37 am
    Back atcha Lil Natie… ha!
  38. DamageincSeptember 17, 2010 at 11:03 am
    Clearly that makes sense.
  39. scvtruthsquadSeptember 17, 2010 at 10:17 am
    Billy when is your next video, having trouble falling asleep at night so need to watch one of your videos..that will do the trick
  40. Bill ReynoldsSeptember 17, 2010 at 10:38 am
    Yawn… are how about reading one your idiotic opinions. Ha!
  41. DamageincSeptember 17, 2010 at 11:06 am
    Have you ever done anything clever in your life? You are such a dense rock head.
  42. Bill ReynoldsSeptember 17, 2010 at 11:27 am
    One thing is certain… you haven’t! But please, give up one personal & impressive accomplishment. Think hard…
  43. scvtruthsquadSeptember 17, 2010 at 11:16 am
    Ha!
  44. scvtruthsquadSeptember 17, 2010 at 11:18 am
    What is the difference btween a rock and Bill R………. some peopel like rocks
  45. Bill ReynoldsSeptember 17, 2010 at 11:29 am
    Wow… your cleverness is simply underwhelming. Ha! Ha! Here’s an idea, tell your wimpy pal to change his (or is it her) handle to Brain Damage.
  46. scvtruthsquadSeptember 17, 2010 at 12:52 pm
    Billy, at least I have pal’s … you have none
  47. Bill ReynoldsSeptember 17, 2010 at 6:39 pm
    You have no idea, son… Ha!
  48. Timothy MyersSeptember 17, 2010 at 8:23 pm
    Bill: I heard you were going to be at Buck’s Office scratching out the 13th Amendment!
  49. Bill ReynoldsSeptember 18, 2010 at 2:04 pm
    Geez, you must have read that in one of your own dopey Signal opinion columns….
  50. Mike MSeptember 23, 2010 at 4:57 pm
    Umm – I think he mentioned it? “Or maybe Constitution Day is more your speed. The Signal has an editorial today on the subject.” And I don’t need your tea-party tainted copy – I’ve got the app which has the full text and is searchable. Yep, I’m a lib and I read the constitution.
  51. alanSeptember 17, 2010 at 10:04 am
    My favorite place to live would be Coronado California, small town atmosphere, the ocean breezes, sort of isolated by the Coronado Bay Bridge just accross the bay to San Diego nighlife and culture …. it’ an amazing place.
  52. navigatorSeptember 17, 2010 at 10:15 am
    Big retired and active duty Navy community. Many old restored homes on the island dating back to before the Coronado Hotel which, in itself, is a great place to stay.
  53. OlenkaSeptember 17, 2010 at 1:07 pm
    ALAN! ALAN! ALAN! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaPepCVepCg
  54. CCSeptember 17, 2010 at 10:21 am
    Do these pants make my butt look fat?
  55. scvtruthsquadSeptember 17, 2010 at 10:34 am
    Yes
  56. lvogelSeptember 17, 2010 at 10:37 am
    What, you’re only concerned with those pants?
  57. CCSeptember 17, 2010 at 11:35 am
    Bootylicious baby!
  58. townbeetSeptember 17, 2010 at 10:35 am
    This is in keeping with exotic animal sighting comments: Yesterday’s morning commute on the stretch of the I5 between Lyons and Valencia Blvd on/off ramps included a redtail hawk resting on one of the freeway light poles intently looking northbound, and a dead coyote on the side of the freeway with only its head and torso visible. Yeah, I was planing to have a croissant and chai for breakfast but this last scene kind of ruined it for me.
  59. lvogelSeptember 17, 2010 at 10:41 am
    We get redtail hawks behind our house and often observe them swooping down for a meal. Magnificent creatures! Now the turkey Voltures we get….not so much..:(
  60. Ex-Cali GirlSeptember 17, 2010 at 12:28 pm
    During my recent visit we filmed a Cooper’s hawk (I believe) bathing on the sidewalk under my neighbors sprinklers. Smart move on that 106 degree day and watched a barn owl be rescued from the gutter at the Aquatic Center. If I moved back to California, definitely Camarillo. My ex-Santa Clarita buddy has lived there now for over 20 years and still loves it.
  61. SamSeptember 17, 2010 at 10:45 am
    Does anybody know what is being built next to IHOP on Hamburger Hill?
  62. navigatorSeptember 17, 2010 at 10:52 am
    I hope so. I’ve been trying to figure that out for months.
  63. Samuel AdamsSeptember 17, 2010 at 6:15 pm
    IHOP waitress said office building….can you believe it? Just what we need.
  64. BrookSeptember 17, 2010 at 11:31 am
    Does anyone know when Wokano in the Patios, or Marston’s (sp?) in Bridgeport Marketplace are going to open? (or if they are?) Has anyone went back to Sprout’s since opening week – are the prices still good and cheap?
  65. navigatorSeptember 17, 2010 at 11:42 am
    @Brook – I spoke with the owner of Wokcano earlier this week and he said it should be open in 2 weeks but then he also told me he’d open it on my birthday last July. The menu looks pretty tasty and they will be open till 2 AM daily for the party crowd. Looks like the mall is the place to be.
  66. dorothymantoothSeptember 17, 2010 at 1:40 pm
    Brook-When it opens we should go on a Mall Crawl. Just one more place for me to get good and boozed up and try to avoid 21 year olds with faux hawks rockin’ a silver chain and an Ed Hardy t-shirt. Oh, but it is fun to watch the “Gym , Tan , Laundry” crowd in their natural habitat!
  67. navigatorSeptember 17, 2010 at 1:55 pm
    Super short glittery dresses and shirts open to the navel with lots of gold chains!
  68. dorothymantoothSeptember 17, 2010 at 2:15 pm
    Hold on, I’m headed out to Friday’s tonight. I have to wear my stilleto’s and my little black dress. Why go all the way to Hollywood when I can simply look like I belong on a corner there?
  69. navigatorSeptember 17, 2010 at 2:28 pm
    Friday night fever???
  70. dorothymantoothSeptember 17, 2010 at 3:48 pm
    More like Friday Night Herpes
  71. ScottSeptember 17, 2010 at 12:15 pm
    Just went to Sprout’s the other day and the prices were great. It was the first time I’ve been there so I can’t tell you if the prices went up. I do feel like I could save a lot of money by shopping there. I really liked the selection of produce and the grass fed NY steaks were off the chain!
  72. Jim FarleySeptember 17, 2010 at 1:41 pm
    My Sunday shopping routine now goes by priority: 1) Farmers Market 2) Sprouts 3) anything else not acquired – Ralphs. I almost never go into the Ralphs or any supermrket produce section anymore.
  73. ScottSeptember 17, 2010 at 4:24 pm
    If my wife could kick her Diet Pepsi addiction, I would never have any reason to go to ralph’s! At least Target’s right next door. I was previously a Trader Joe’s shopper, but the parking lot and drive is just a hassle.
  74. Samuel AdamsSeptember 17, 2010 at 6:18 pm
    Here is the question of the day: Now that Walmart on Copperhill has a supermarket section, would anyone here buy produce there?
  75. GangFangSeptember 18, 2010 at 8:38 am
    Nein.
  76. mikeSeptember 18, 2010 at 12:32 pm
    On a certain level, I get why some people might like a dry good or two from Wal Mart, especially in these times. But I’m not interested in anything fresh from Walmart or Target. It’s something where it really helps to have unionized career people overseeing who goes on (and comes off) the shelves. I’m hearing Henry’s, or some corporate sibling of Henry’s is taking the Bristol Farms space. Rumor only.
  77. Mike MSeptember 23, 2010 at 5:05 pm
    Don’t remember the name, but there’s a “coming soon” banner hanging outside the former BF store… the wife says she knows the name and likes the chain, tho…
  78. KellySeptember 17, 2010 at 12:32 pm
    Re.construction on Hamburger Hill near IHOP- it’s an office building with underground parking. The “No Photography” Signage is still up at Bridgeport Park paseos, I wondered what happened with the City having these signs removed? Anybody going to the OLPH Fall Festival? We look forward to it every year! I love SCV but would like to be close to the beach. Santa Paula has a certain “charm”, for sure.
  79. Linda SSeptember 17, 2010 at 1:03 pm
    Yup. I heard it was an office building on Pico too. Weird place for an office building though.
  80. ScottSeptember 17, 2010 at 4:26 pm
    Why do developers keep building office buildings? I just don’t get it. Jeff probably has the stats on vacant office space in the valley. What about the building by Magic Mountain? As far as I know it’s still completely empty.
  81. Samuel AdamsSeptember 17, 2010 at 6:20 pm
    I work in the Valencia Industrial Center and almost one out of every four spaces is now vacant. And they are building another office building next to IHOP…geesh….
  82. Berta González-HarperSeptember 17, 2010 at 1:21 pm
    If the question were changed to: Where would I like to live if I could choose ANYWHERE? My answer is: I would live in our own Santa Clarita during the fall, winter, and spring. During our usually Africa hot summers, I would travel to my papa’s ancestral home in Asturias in the North of Spain. My family’s home is in a small mountain village with a pristine beautiful river full of salmon, trout, and eels and the weather is very nice. Daytime summer temperatures rarely exceed around 80 Fahrenheit. Lots of sunny days but it also rains frequently so everything is green and lush. This part of Spain is known as “green Spain” and not touristy. The people, ambiance, food, vistas, and weather, are all great and costs reasonable. If only my darn IRA would recover and go back up!!!
  83. drive66September 17, 2010 at 1:24 pm
    Does anyone know who the builder is starting new homes where Whites Canyon turns into Plum Canyon. The project was shelved after the meltdown but they are back at it and it seems to be quite a large development.
  84. NickelDimeSeptember 17, 2010 at 1:54 pm
    The project is called “Plum Canyon Ranch” and will be built by Shapell Homes. Here’s the link: http://bit.ly/bCBT9Y . And no! I’m not a realtor!
  85. drive66September 17, 2010 at 2:03 pm
    No, you just play one on SCVTalk. Thanks.
  86. NickelDimeSeptember 17, 2010 at 3:34 pm
    Good point. We’re waiting for the real ones to stand up. And when they do, I’ll gladly stand down. You hear me knocking, Petz Sold?
  87. Mr. Head$hotSeptember 17, 2010 at 2:25 pm
    Sir, I must correct you. It’s Realtor®. Capital ‘R’, registered trademark. I studied three weeks for that test and I take offense at your attempt to commoditize my profession.
  88. NickelDimeSeptember 17, 2010 at 3:33 pm
    And a handful of my peers persist in suffixing their names with “, MBA” which ironically has the same cheapening effect!
  89. Coastal SageSeptember 17, 2010 at 3:05 pm
    Where is the best place to live in California? Look at Sunset Garden Book. Find their “Zone Number” for Beverly Hills and Encinitas. That zone is where anything will grow in a garden, from the most tender garden plants to the most hardy. It’s gardener heaven.
  90. Samuel AdamsSeptember 17, 2010 at 6:22 pm
    I lived in San Diego County for 11 years. Moved for a job. Wish I never did. No better place, now I cannot afford to move back.
  91. ScottESeptember 18, 2010 at 5:36 pm
    After growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento and the suburbs of Burbank, then moving to Santa Clarita where I’ve lived most of my adult life, I find myself (for the first time ever) considering moving closer to the city. We have our 3rd of 3 children taking her GE at COC for the next two years. After that I expect she’ll want to move out to live close to whatever college she chooses to finish up. We’ve been making nearly weekly trips downtown on the weekends and have become very comfortable navigating the area and experiencing all that downtown has to offer. I can definitely see us finding a cozy condo or loft….maybe not directly in DTLA, but in one of the areas close by.
  92. lvogelSeptember 18, 2010 at 9:00 pm
    Been thinking the same thing Scott. I’ve lived in almost every part of So.Calif, and honestly, SCV has been the closest to ‘community’ that I have ever lived. I have learned to love this city and my children have benefited from growing up in it. However, with the ‘empty nest’ now approaching, it would be nice to live in a city where we didn’t have to drive for entertainment, food or groceries. Being able to live near those that we frequent, would be a wonderful addition to the golden years.
  93. lvogelSeptember 18, 2010 at 9:00 pm
    Oops, sorry…ScottE

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