Lazy Fridays #3

Lazy Fridays #3: Griffith Park and Observatory

First off, I'm sorry this is two days late. I fell asleep on my first attempt to write this and then forgot about it for a day.

Now that that's done, Griffith Park is a staple in Los Angeles. On the south side of Mount Hollywood, the park overlooks Hollywood, Downtown L.A, and the Pacific Ocean. Not far from the park is the Hollywood sign, now closed to the public. The Observatory sits in the center of the park, serving as a launch point for the hiking trails.

The park is a great place to hike, have a picnic and hang out. Parking is free at the observatory, but getting a space isn't guaranteed (granted, where in L.A. is parking ever available?). There are several trails that lead to the top of the mountain and you are greeted with a beautiful panoramic view of Los Angeles. As with any hikes, wear good shoes (not converse, I made that mistake) and bring lots of water. At the top, there are picnic tables so if you want to bring some food, that's perfectly acceptable and highly recommended.

The observatory however, is the main attraction. Built in 1933 and opened in 1935, the Observatory was funded by the WPA as a way to bring in money through public works. The observatory features two main telescopes, several exhibits on space and astronomy and a planetarium show. With the exception of the show, everything is free. The lawn outside is lush and makes for the perfect picnic spot. You can get a view of Los Angeles from any angle of the observatory and telescopes dot the premises if you want to take a closer look.

It is a beautiful experience to come up to the mountains and do something far detached from the usual Los Angeles culture. Up on the mountain, you can be very much at peace by yourself or in the company of your friends. The sounds of traffic and busybodies is nonexistent up in Griffith. You are more likely to here a dog bark from one of the far up properties of the Hollywood Hills than the honking of a car horn.

Enjoy this wonderful piece of L.A. life!

Thursday Treats #3

Thursday Treats #3: Sprinkles Cupcakes

I would be lying spectacularly if I told you that Sprinkles Cupcakes was cheap. I would love if a dozen cupcakes were the same as buying a dozen Diddy Riese cookies. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

So why mention the Beverly Hills based cupcake shop on a blog about living a little more frugally? Because, well, even the best of us have to splurge sometimes. Take note though: Sprinkles Cupcakes are best left for birthdays, graduations, celebrations of any kind because it would probably kill you on a weekly/monthly basis.

With that disclaimer, Sprinkles Cupcakes are some of the best cupcakes around (you also have the option of Crumbles and Vanilla Bakery). The shop is special because it is an actual bakery. Nothing is being imported from some cupcake factory in the middle of nowhere. It's also special because of the variety of cupcakes it offers.

Sprinkles has its standard cupcakes: chocolate, vanilla, red velvet, pumpkin, etc. And it has its specials for holidays: key lime, caramel apple, orange cranberry, chocolate peppermint, eggnog spice. Each cupcake has a minimalist motif to it. Cupcake and icing with a single decoration on top (meaning, a heart, circle, letters, stars, ghosts for Halloween, Christmas trees for Christmas and all the rest).

On the website, you have the choice of creating cupcakes for parties, weddings, and gifts. You can design your own cupcakes or choose from a pre-decorated cupcake batch.

But be warned, these cupcakes are expensive. For a box of 12, expect to pay roughly 40 dollars or for a single, about 3.75. See what I mean about saving it for parties if you're looking to spend less money?

If you live outside of Los Angeles, there are several other locations as well as more that open this year and next, but the Los Angeles bakery is the original.

Enjoy your cupcakes!

List of Cities:

Los Angeles
Chicago
Dallas
Houston
Newport Beach
New York - Opens Feb 2011
Phoenix
San Diego - Opens Fall 2010
San Francisco
Washington D.C. - Opens Fall 2010

Los Angeles Address: 9635 Little Santa Monica Boulevard

Website: www.sprinkles.com

Quick Note

In all, I haven't posted very much in general, but I've recently started my senior year, and with my schedule, its stressful. Therefore, I will be trying to post as much as possible. You can definitely expect Thursday Treats and Lazy Fridays to continue since I have a schedule made out for those days :)

Lazy Fridays #2

Lazy Fridays #2: The Farmer's Market

The Original Farmer's Market opened in 1934, and has become another landmark in Los Angeles' cityscape. Located in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles, the simple and chaotic charm of the Farmer's Market is nestled, if not overshadowed by the Grove.

The Farmer's Market is located at the very end of the Grove, where a sudden change becomes apparent. The Grove is very polished with expensive stores, art deco style buildings and a trolley. The Farmer's Market is a collection of small novelty stores and restaurants reminiscent of food stands. Many places require you to come up to the window to order before you go and sit down at one of the many picnic style or cafe style tables. Other restaurants have you sitting right up at the counter (much like the delicious crepe place where you watch them flip crepes in front of you).

Many of the original restaurants are still there, while included in the blend are new restaurants and coffee shops like Chipotle and Coffee Bean. The shops range from the expensive to the cheap; everything from Sur La Table to Sticker Planet (a childhood favorite of many of my friends).

While you do need some money to enjoy the delights of the Farmer's Market, it is a Los Angeles experience not to be missed. Enjoy!

Thursday Treats #2

Thursday Treats #2: Tito's Tacos

Opened in 1959, and now a city landmark, Tito's Tacos is what fast food Mexican food SHOULD be about. If you come to L.A. and think you're going to get your fill of Tex-Mex at a Del Taco you are dead. wrong.

The need for a Tito's fix in my family started with my grandfather, who would go to Tito's Tacos every time the family visited L.A. Well, the family is now permanently stationed in L.A, and we try to eat Tito's once a month at least.

So what's so great about the food? Well, Tito's is obviously known for its tacos. Their beef tacos are the epitome of cheap, good and greasy fast food (which is really why you should only eat it once a months). They're made with hard shell corn tortillas and stuff to the brim with ground beef, tons of lettuce and if you want, a mountain of melted Mexican mix cheese.

There's a certain joy in eating one of Tito's tacos. The bottoms of the tortillas bulge from the amount of beef stuffed in and the tips are crisp and crunchy. They're pretty thin tacos considering, so its not that hard to pack two or three (or more) away in one sitting.

Of course, you can order anything else like enchiladas, burritos, tamales and tostadas. To accompany every meal, getting Tito's tortilla chips, salsa, and beans is almost law. I don't know how many times my sister and I have snuck a couple bites of chips before dinner time, (and it is necessary to sneak them, because you will get accused of trying to eat them for yourself :) ).

When you're going out for a monthly fast food run, there really is no better place than Tito's Tacos for your Mexican food needs. Enjoy!

Jar of Hearts and Advice

Simple Tip #10 Supplement: Jar of Hearts and Advice

A look at my jar of advice. Pretty, right?

Simple Tip #10

Simple Tip #10: Believing in Yourself

To live simply should also be to believe in yourself. Living is hard enough without putting yourself down as well.

What I've done is creating a Jar of Hearts and Advice. It's very easy to make, and has been done before, so chances are you've heard of it.

In the American Girl book Room for You, there is a suggestion to take a Chinese take out box and fill it with fortune cookie fortunes. Well, for my Jar of Hearts and Advice (further referred to as JHA), I did the same thing, just a little differently.

First off, I found a glass jar in our kitchen that was empty. It was small enough to hold strips of paper without looking totally empty. (Note: the bigger the jar, the more space there is. And a lot of strips of paper really don't fill a jar very well).

I took the jar and found a nice piece of ribbon (use which ever type of ribbon inspires you. Mine just happened to be red satin). I tied this around the mouth of the jar to give a nice effect as opposed to just an empty jar.

Next, I went on Microsoft Word and then to shapes under the tool bar, and created some red hearts. These I printed and cut out and threw them into my JHA. (It's always nice to pull out a heart when you need it).>

After that I looked up some inspirational lists of words on Google. From the list, I took each word and transformed it into a positive piece of inspiration and advice. I made two columns on each page (this way you use less paper and the strips aren't as big). I would suggest writing out the advice instead of typing them because it looks more personal and it makes you happier to see something handwritten (well, it makes me happy anyways).

After writing everything out, I cut out the strips and threw them into the JHA. Now, I have a jar filled with positive inspirations to start the day!

Every morning, you can pull out a piece of paper and start the day off on a positive note. It's guaranteed to make you smile (or, remind you too!).

Enjoy!

"Create the world as you want it to be!"

Lazy Fridays #1

Lazy Fridays #1: 3rd Street Promenade

What? 3rd Street is a shopping center? What does this have to do with free places to visit?

Well, I'm not talking about 3rd Street Shopping in this post, but if you are ever so inclined, go ahead and shop. I'm talking about the performers who come out everyday and put on shows for shoppers.

Street Performance is a huge thing in L.A. Go to any of the major entertainment centers and you will find a performer there. You have the options of Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Hollywood, etc. to experience the untapped talent of L.A.'s performance circuit.

On and around 3rd Street, there are at least fifty performers a day showing off what they can do. It ranges from stunning Slavic acrobats to Regina Spektor-esque singers on tiny pianos to crowd-pleasing hip-hop dancers asking for crowd participation.

If you don't have the money to shop, its always great to just sit on the sidewalk in front of your favorite act and listen to them. If you love them, then there is no shame in dropping a couple dollar bills into their guitar cases and hats.

Some of the more eccentric acts on 3rd Street include: the Slavic acrobats that I mentioned earlier (a father and son pair, although now they bring in students from the acrobat school they run); another acrobat who is a war veteran with amputated legs, his skills are brilliants as he only balances on his hands not only on the floor but on poles as well; belly dancers and traditional Eastern European dance who generally space out on each block of the promenade; and a silver/gold man who makes himself a statue to the music of the Black Eyed Peas.

Some of my favorite performers are John West (a guitarist who performs nearly every weekend), the hip hop dancers who usually are performing in front of the Forever 21, the salsa dancers (who you can join in with) on Sundays and the aforementioned amputated acrobat.

This is only a small list of performers on the promenade, but new ones come in every day, so it's impossible to name them all.

Go out and see for yourself. Enjoy a free concert, dance performance, or acrobatics show if you have a day to spend lazily. Enjoy!

An Introduction: Lazy Fridays

An Introduction: Lazy Fridays

My blog is about introducing and living in L.A, and one way I wanted to share that was through writing about great places you can visit and hang out at for free. Money is such an issue these days, and for teenagers especially, so I want to give people a chance to check out free places that they can explore.

This is not just for the L.A. resident, but for those from out of town or out of state that want to experience the flavor of L.A. life.

Enjoy!

Buying Boxes

Simple Tip #9 Supplement: Buying Boxes

Here are some links if you don't want to make you're own boxes, but are still looking for affordable storage:

IKEA

Target

Staples

Amazon

Container Store

Walmart

Simple Tip #9

Simple Tip #9: Room Storage

This is one of those things that comes from reading too many IKEA catalogues, and watching too much Queer Eye for the Straight Guy as a kid. I like the idea of organization and putting things in boxes in their proper place so you can find them.

This is always a good tip for if you're currently living in a small apartment (God knows there are MILLIONS of apartment buildings around L.A) or if you just want to put some things in a nice discrete place in your house.

Now, you can go out and buy storage units (boxes and the like) for cheap at places like Target and possibly IKEA (not too sure about that one). But I want to talk about making your own storage.

All you really need is some shoe boxes or a couple bigger boxes, some wrapping paper, and sharpies. First off, I would decide what to store. I really don't have all that much I need to put away, so I've made up boxes for my CDs and birthday/christmas/other cards.

Well, anyways. Decide what you want to store and then take a box that you think will fit your things. Try fitting everything you want to put into the box first so you know if you need to downgrade or upgrade in size.

Next take your pick of wrapping paper. Some bright in colorful is always nice. I recently used some Japanese fan print paper I had left over from a one sheet. Take this and cover the lid of the box with it. Make sure it's nice and flat when you tape it down. Cut it up in pieces and tape it if you have too (I did this, and it was a lot easier to control the bumpiness of the paper).

When you're done with this, you have the option of doing the rest of the box. If its just a plain cardboard box or if its a plain color, it's not really necessary, but you are always welcome to do it. If it has writing all over it, then you'll probably want to cover it.

Once you're done wrapping the boxes, you can cut a piece of the wrapping paper (if you have left the bottom half of the box plain) or a piece of computer paper (if you did not) and write whatever is in the box.

You're done! Voila! You have easy, reusable and recycled storage boxes! Enjoy!

Thursday Treats #1

Thursday Treats #1: Diddy Riese

Diddy Riese opened in 1983 in Westwood, CA and is a staple in the lives of UCLA students, as well as Loyola Marymount and USC students that will take the time to travel for Diddy's. The store is the only one of its kind in ALL of the country, and locals are known to bring their out of town guests to experience the deliciousness of its food.

So, why is Diddy Riese so popular? Well, it has this little thing called the greatest cookies in L.A. Diddy Riese's cookies are the reason for coming; all of them are home made, and if you're lucky and get there right after they come out of the oven, you can walk away with a warm bag of fresh cookies. You don't have to worry about ever eating stale cookies either. Cookies only stay there for up to two days and people generally buy them out anyways.

Now, in addition for being a popular cookie place, it also sells ice cream. While just getting ice cream isn't as interesting, its really great to buy the ice cream sandwiches that Diddy Riese is famous for. You have the pick of 12 different ice cream flavors and any two cookies you want.

Now, if you're worried about price, that is the LAST thing you should ever worry about at Diddy Riese. It's always been good about having really low prices. How good do you ask?

Try a dollar for three cookies, a 1.50 for an ice cream sandwich, 3.75 for a dozen cookies. A one scoop of ice cream is a dollar. You will rarely find cheaper prices anywhere else.

I've been coming to Diddy Riese since I was a little kid, when my dad used to drive us down on summer nights for an ice cream and cookies. I still go to Diddy Riese with my sister to go buy a Diddy Dozen of Chocolate Chip, White Chocolate, Oatmeal and Candy.

Try it out; you won't regret it!

Address: 926 Broxton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024

An Introduction: Thursday Treats

An Introduction: Thursday Treats

The point of this blog was not only to give tips on living simply (I hope), but also to introduce people to the L.A. of locals.

Therefore, every Thursday, I will be introducing a new eatery every week which people may or may not know about, and why I love it.

Simple Tip #8

Simple Tip #8: Movie Options

Los Angeles. The movie Mecca. Movies are to L.A. what Broadway is to New York. Famous theatres are not only world renown but cultural landmarks.

The Grauman Chinese. El Capitan. Fox Village Theatre. All of them are apart of the sprawling illustrious history that is the Movie Industry.

Unfortunately, these theatres, as well as every single other theatre in L.A, have jacked up movie prices, jacked up concession prices, and if they could, they would probably make you pay to use the bathroom.

What's an average movie ticket price? Well, it varies from theatre to theatre, but I can definitely tell you how much prices are to the theatres I go to most.

1. AMC Century City: 13.50 (add about 5 bucks for IMAX and a couple more if you're seeing it in 3D).

2. Landmark Theatres: 12.50

3. Fox Village Theatre: 11.00

4. AMC Santa Monica: 11.50 (This I don't understand. Why can't ticket prices be the same for all AMC theatres?)

As you can see, this is just ridiculous. And then you have the 7.50 for popcorn and 3.50 for a box of raisinets.

Well, you have a couple options if you want to see a movie in the theatre (or see a movie a couple times). One would be going for the student discount. You usually end up paying for a child's ticket. However, if you're going to the AMC Century City, you can only get a student discount on Thursdays. Another, would be do what my friend does and order your tickets before or pay at the self purchasing stations. Here you have the advantage of buying children's and senior tickets without anyone guessing your real age.

For a really cheap option, try Culver Plaza Theatres. They show popular movies for five dollars all the time.

And if you don't want to spend money going to the movie theatre...well, you're just going to have to wait till the movie comes out on DVD or BluRay because I wouldn't suggest trying to watch a movie online. Once a movie comes out, you can get a subscription to Netflicks, which is a really really great option because you get unlimited movies for one price and there is also free streaming of certain TV shows and movies on the actual site.

Also, there's the option of sharing movies with your friends. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, share your entertainment. If your friend owns a movie you're dying to watch, ask if you can borrow it for the weekend, and vice versa. If your friend is worried you're going to lose the DVD, then have a movie marathon with him/her.

And that comes to my next thing. Get all the movies you have, pick a few, and have a marathon of it with your friends. Look for a better description of this in future posts.

When it comes to movies, there are always great options of enjoying them at a cheaper price or at no cost at all. Just remember to enjoy the entertainment.

Good Fast Food Options

Simple Tip #7 Supplement: Good Fast Food

Here are some options for good fast food (still, try and limit how much you eat):

Daphne's

Chipotle

Corner Bakery Cafe

Au Bon Pain

Panera

Simple Tip #7

Simple Tip #7: Cutting Out Fast Food

Let's face it, L.A. is one of those cities where you live in the fast lane (unless you're on the 405 at rush hour on a Friday) and you are ALWAYS busy. You run out of the house (like I do every school morning sans breakfast and with extremely wet hair) and forget your lunch (which I've done), a snack for later (which I've done), and therefore depend on vending machines (which I've done plus depended on my school's cafe).

Then you find yourself depending on your workplace/school's cafeteria or if you don't have one, the McDonalds/Starbucks down the street. Well, if this is the case, I would 1. suggest watching Super Size Me (which single-handedly put me off McDonalds for life) and 2. look up how many calories are in a frappuccino (and quite sadly the first suggestion that comes up in google search is "frappuccino happy hour").

There are better options than running out to the nearest Quiznos for lunch. Some involve a little effort and others are just better options all around when choosing to eat out. And hopefully, by writing this I will learn to lead by example.

First, options involving effort.

Grocery shopping. The most basic thing that will get you to eat food that isn't fast. When grocery shopping, make a list of what you need and how much you need of it. Go for healthy options that you will still eat and if you're interested in saving money, go generic. Keep in mind finding healthy items does not mean you have to go to Trader Joe's or Whole Foods or Bristol Farms. Your local Ralphs or Vons will do just fine.

Just remember that the list will keep you on track, and as long as you stick to it, you won't be tempted to buy those cookies that you want but don't really need at the moment, and chances are you will be saving money (also, to save money, compare prices). Once you're good on groceries, you will hopefully have enough to last you through the week (or two).

To ensure that you don't go overboard on fast food, EAT BREAKFAST. You won't get hungry as fast so you won't have to go on a Starbucks run halfway through the morning. And when I say breakfast, I mean eat a yogurt or something, not something you picked up at Randy's Donuts. Also, making yourself a lunch is a great idea. That way you know what you're eating, you can make your own portions, and you can ensure that it hasn't been ill made by the Subway employee.

Now, options that are easy on you. I would still suggest making your own lunch and bringing your own drink, but if you really need fast food, choose a good option or limit yourself to once or twice a month. One of my favorite options for good fast food is Daphne's Greek Food, but even that you have to limit yourself. If you want fast food and you are limiting yourself, go for something like Chipotle or Panera.

The way to live simply this way is you're cutting out what's generally considered bad, replacing it with a way for YOU to control what you eat, and most likely saving money doing it.

Simple Tip #6

Simple Tip #6: Out with Old Design, In with New

If there's one thing I know from shopping for furniture with my mom, looking at prices can sometimes make you want to have a heart attack. Therefore buying new furniture isn't the best idea unless you really really really need to change it.

Sure, new furniture can change a room, but so can rearranging some things. Besides reading American Girl self-help books (Room for You was essentially the design bible to my sister and me as children), I learned a lot about rearranging from my grandmother. She had the right idea.

She had the same furniture for years, but when I was younger, every few months, she would move around all the furniture in her bedroom for a new look. She loved doing and did it all by herself. Imagine an 80 year old woman pushing a king sized bed from one end of the room to another; I respect her for that stubborn ability to do things for herself.

I follow this rule too. I haven't had new furniture in my room since I was maybe...8 or 9 years old. I've had the same bedstead, desk and dresser drawers for years. Having it in the same spot for those many years just gets boring. So, I brought in the bookcase from my sister's room, pushed my desk under the window, bed to another wall. I just didn't change the dresser's place because that thing is too damn heavy. It made all the difference!

So, to save up money, just change things around. It makes a real difference! And plus, after all the cleaning out you may have done, everything will REALLY look different and really great too.

:)

Food Donations

Simple Tip #5 Supplement: Food Donations

Here are some links to food banks and other services around L.A. that take food donations:

L.A. Food Bank

Westside Food Bank

Mission Lirio de Los Valles

Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition

Haitian American Food Bank

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

and more...

Simple Tip #5

Simple Tip #5: Recycling your Food

This tip isn't so much about living simple by donating what you've used and no longer need, but donating what you really have NEVER used.

I'm sure that everyone has been guilty at least once of filling their pantries with canned food, cake mixes, and other things that last forever. And I'm sure everyone at least once has been guilty of forgetting they had them there and never eat them. I know I have.

Well, sometimes the expiration dates pass because you've had something in there for years, and other times, the expiration date isn't for another couple years. Well, obviously you have to throw out the bad food, because you can never be too sure how good or bad it is, and its better not to experiment on your family or others. However, if you don't intend on eating something or you've bought way to much of something (like salsa or canned fruit), why not donate that?

There are a lot of great food banks and other services around L.A. that would gladly take that food and give it to the needy. So, why not go through your pantry every six months and decide what food you still want to eat (and will hopefully do so soon) and what food can be donated to the needy.

In a way, this is simple living, because contributing to the community always makes you feel simply wonderful.

Entertainment: Donating

Simple Tip #4 Supplement: Entertainment

Here are some links on where to donate your books, movies, and music:

Books for People

Los Angeles Public Library

Book Ends

The Wonder of Reading

Los Angeles Women in Music

Hospitals

Local Schools

If there are anymore, feel free to leave a suggestion in the comments

Simple Tip #4

Simple Tip #4: Donating, Sharing and Enjoying Entertainment

Now, L.A. essentially is one of the largest capitals of entertainment in the world. There are bookstores around every corner, hundreds of movie theatres, and famous music stores (Amoeba Records anyone?).

If you're like me, then you probably love books, movies, music and other entertainment. If you're also like me, you have an emotional attachment to all of them (especially books).

Well, the sad thing is, you can't always keep all your books unless you intend on reading all of them over and over again or you have a giant library (lucky git, but you should still go through it once and a while). Same goes for movies and music.

So, first off donating. Donating your sources of entertainment is a lot like cleaning out clutter and your clothes. Its the same basic steps: what you need, what you can donate/sell, and what you can throw away.

What you need (or hold most precious is another way of putting it) are going to be the sources of entertainment that you love the most. For me, its Harry Potter, Twilight, the Royal Diaries, and Nancy Drew. These are books that I would never give away, but I will go through my others and willingly pick out books I've never read more than once. The same for music and movies. I would give away a mixtape I got at a concert, but never give away my Panic! CDs. I'd give away Stuart Little, which I've never watched more than once, but not The Young Victoria because its one of my favorites.

The key is merely to decide which things are most important. And eventually you should be able to sort out those things that you lost interest in a long time ago. Those would go to donations so someone else can enjoy what you once did, or you can sell them, and hopefully it will be the same outcome.

What you should throw away are books that are mangled to the point that no one would want it (as much as that would hurt to through away), broken CDs and DVDs, and Videotapes that you can't watch anymore because you don't own a VCR (unless of course, you can donate those to a foundation that still uses VCRs, like schools).

Sharing your entertainment is an excellent option compared to going out and buying new items. Swap movies with friends. Make mixtapes or burn whole CDs. Swap books. Although, you should always make sure that you get your things back within a reasonable amount of time. If you don't want to donate something, see if your friends or family members (outside your immediate family preferably) want it.

Enjoying your entertainment is very important. Once all is said and done, researching events where you can enjoy the things you love is always a good thing.

For book lovers, there is always the UCLA Book Festival, Borders and Barnes and Noble always have author appearances (sometimes just to do book signings or otherwise discussions), or creating book clubs, among other options.

For music lovers, finding cheap concerts or even free ones in L.A. isn't very hard. There are many concerts that have tickets for as low as 10 dollars, Santa Monica Beach sometimes hosts free concerts (a recent one was Jack Johnson), and maybe you have a friend whose in a band; attend a garage concert (or real venue if they play in one) of theirs.

For movie lovers, it can get a bit tricky, especially with the skyrocketing prices of movie tickets these days. A good option is to buy AMC movie passes at Costco for about 40 dollars; these are always perfect gifts for movie lovers too. Century City has free movies in the food court playing all through summer. Culver Plaza Theatres has movies for five bucks.

You should never not enjoy what you love, and that's part of living a good, simple life: Enjoying the things that give you pleasure without going overboard. Donating always makes you feel good, and even in L.A. you don't need to spend tons of money to enjoy yourself.

Charity and Selling

Simple Tip #3 Supplement: Charity and Selling

Here are some links on where to donate and sell clothes and household items around L.A:

Salvation Army

L.A. Mission

Out of the Closet

Buffalo Exchange

A Place Called Home (Toys for children)

Goodwill

American Cancer Society

and many more...

Simple Tip #3

Simple Tip #3: Going Through Old Possessions

Clutter can be a really terrible thing. When someone has way too many possessions, life becomes cluttered. In Los Angeles, there are really two extremes: the far too extravagant and materialistic, and a clean minimalism. Then there is the inbetweens that teeter on clean and cluttered.

Cleaning out the clutter is a lot like cleaning out your clothes. When cleaning, separation is key. It's best to create three piles: Need, Charity/Sell, and Throw Away.

The things you need should be necessary to life or things that are of extreme importance to you (importance meaning, for example, books that have been passed down, and NOT that globe you bought at Pier 1 Imports that you thought gave the house a more worldly feel).

Things that go to charity or that will be sold should be things that other people can use, but that you don't want anymore. These things should be in good condition, not something that is stained, somehow destroyed, or in otherwise questionable condition.

Things that are thrown away is anything that is in bad condition, broken beyond repair or just useless to anyone. These are things that should be routinely thrown away before it starts to gather up in your garage.

Try and avoid storage, because then you're just paying for something you don't know whether you will use or not. I think that storage should be used when you're doing something to your home, moving, or putting things (that are important) away for your kid while they're at college, etc.

When you give to charity the best is to give to the Salvation Army or other charity organizations akin to that. Thrift stores are also excellent places to donate your things to.

Selling things can be done in a few ways. You have online (Ebay, Amazon, Half, etc), garage sales (if you live in an apartment, you should check with your landlord on whether you can do this), or selling to thrift stores.

Once you clean house, everything may feel lighter, bigger, and more livable. Plus, making some money by selling yourself is never bad either. It puts a little extra cash in your pocket or your bank account, and may even start a business for you.

Clothing Stores

Simple Tip #2 Supplement: Clothing Stores

The following is a list of stores where you can buy quality items or items that have a fair price:

American Eagle

Anthropologie

Forever 21

Target

TJ Maxx

Nordstrom Rack

Nordstrom

Bloomingdales

Cotton On

H&M

Quality that Lasts:

• Anthropologie
• American Eagle
• Nordstrom
• Nordstrom's Rack
• Bloomingdales
• TJ Maxx

Fair Price:

• American Eagle
• Forever 21
• Target
• Nordtrom's Rack
• Cotton On
• TJ Maxx
• H&M

You always have to be careful in choosing items from the fair price list that aren't included on the quality list. Especially with Forever 21. You have to look at the tag to see if its made of quality material (i.e. Cotton) so that it will be worth the price. I avoided putting Urban Outfitters up, because while it has a few worthy items, a majority of what's made for the company is made from polyester or synthetic fabrics or its really just not worth the price tag.

Simple Tip #2

Simple Tip #2: Cutting Down and Buying Essential Clothing

Los Angeles is a beautiful city, but does have a reputation and taste for the superficial and materialistic. People always want the best of everything, even if it means getting everything.

I find that life is easier when you cut down to what you really need. Every three months at least, I go through my clothes and pick out what I never wear anymore and what I wear the most. I through out clothes that are ripped or worn beyond ability to wear. When I'm done, I give the clothes I don't want to the Salvation Army or to the L.A. Mission. That way, I'm left with clothes I like and it leaves room to buy any necessities for the coming months. It's also a great way to help out people that don't have the advantages you do.

Another important thing with clothes is buying according to the season. For example, if summer is almost over, would you really buy another spaghetti strap top or pair of shorts when fall is just around the corner? Granted, when the Santa Ana Winds come rolling in, you're going to want the shorts and tanks because it gets pretty hot, but that's why you have your clothes from summer.

So, if fall or winter is just around the corner, it makes sense to buy clothes for that season instead of another summer dress. When buying for the new season, this is another opportunity to go through your clothes and decide what you don't want anymore.

Thirdly, when buying clothes, you really have to pay attention to fit and quality. This guarantees that you can keep those clothes for a long while and you don't have to buy more clothes.

What should be splurged on are jeans. I've bought jeans from Forever 21 that have faded quickly and ripped easily or had the stitches come undone. Even though these jeans are the cheapest, they aren't the best quality. I also own American Eagle jeans. Sure they cost more, but they last a lot longer and retain their color for a lot longer too. AE jeans also have the advantage of fitting better and there being a wide variety of styles to choose from. The same goes for jean companies like Levi, Lucky, J Brand, 7 For All Mankind, etc. So, if you want to save on jeans, splurge on the best pair. You cut back on how many jeans you buy, so you really save some money.

This ideal of fit and quality (not necessarily splurging) should be the same with dress shirts, dresses (Always check the tag for materials used. If you're buying a formal dress for say, prom, you don't want the 400 dollar polyester dress. You want the silk gown. If you buy polyester, you're cheating yourself out of a quality purchase. Although, even then you can find quality dresses for far far cheaper), and shoes.

If you want to save on underwear, regular shirts or other such things, always look out for 3 plus packs (You can buy a three pack of white Hanes v-necks at Target for 5 dollars), 5 for 25 or 20 sales (such as at Victoria's Secret and again Target), or Semi Annual Sales (Victoria's Secret, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom for the finer things in life (JEANS AND DRESSES!)). For other cheaper items, Forever 21 always sells good shirts and sale sections in places like AE offer good prices (but check for any damage to the clothes, because there is the tendency to hang the damaged goods).

The most important thing would be to have decided what you need and how much you are willing to spend on something. To do this, make a list before you go out, look up items online and approximate the cost of it all, and carry a restricted amount of cash on you (i.e. try and avoid using your credit card if you've allotted yourself a certain amount of cash).

Only ever choose what you need, not what you want.

Simple Tip #1

Simple Tip #1: Putting aside money

Saving money is always a problem, especially when you're a teenager and the minute you get your hands on twenty dollars, you want to go and spend it immediately.

I've found the best way to remedy this is to put away some money when you're paid or receive money in any fashion.

Whenever I receive money for a birthday or holiday, I set aside 100-200 dollars, so that when I run out of money, I have a back-up stash. It also helps regulate how much you spend, because when you don't have all the money you own in your wallet, you are less tempted to buy unnecessary things.

Try it and you may find yourself proud that you have some left over money long after the time you received it.

An Introduction

Living simply in Los Angeles is almost like saying pigs can fly. A lot of what you do in Los Angeles is only possible when you have money.

Thankfully, I'm a teenager and have to learn the value of money before I am awarded it. There are little things you can do that mean priceless enjoyment in a simplistic way. Hopefully, I can introduce you to the joys of Los Angeles through simpler eyes.

A lot of what I want to talk about has to do with saving up, finding free enjoyments (or at least inexpensive enjoyments) and giving you a look into the beautiful city in which I was raised.

Enjoy.