Friday, September 4, 2015 – Observations Along the Road

It Won’t Be 30 More…

Posted onFriday, September 4, 2015Saturday, September 5, 2015Authorcahwyguy

userpic=pineapple Back sometime in the late 1970s, my parents purchased a timeshare in Maui. This was one of the early timeshare developments, where one had a fixed interval; it was at The Whaler on Kaanapali Beach. Throughout my teen years, I regularly accompanied them to it (we had the last two weeks of August into early September) — I have distinct memories of coding for the UCLA Computer Club, listening to the Jerry Lewis Telethon, while sitting at the game table in the unit. All together now: Yes, I was a nerdy teen with no life.

As I got older, my parents continued to use the unit until sometime after my dad remarried (i.e., late 90s). The last time I was at the unit was in 1985, when we had a week at the unit as part of our honeymoon. After my dad stopped using the unit, he rented it out to friends and relatives. After my dad passed away and I inherited the unit, we did the same — my father-in-law regularly used the unit.

After he died, we started doing interval exchanges through Interval International. Partially, this was due to the fact that we had no knowledge of how to rent the unit easily. Partially, it was due to the fact that airfare to the Islands is expensive. Mostly, it was due to the fact that LA Unified shifted their schedule to start in mid-August, making going to our interval impossible.Through II, We regularly went to Las Vegas and Escondido, as well as Palm Springs. My wife did solo vacations to Sedona and Tucson.

This year was our 30th wedding anniversary. Our daughter had a car, and was back up in Berkeley. We had nothing holding us back — we bit the bullet on the airfare. If you haven’t figured it out by now, this is where we’ve been for the last two weeks. You can learn about it here (although we’re not going through Aston), and (here and here) (these are folks that sell and rent units).

After two weeks here, a few observations:

Coming back here as an adult (I wasn’t an adult at 25 when I first came; most people don’t see themselves as adults until 29), I can now see why my parents loved this place. It is extremely relaxing and laid back, and has a vibe totally unlike any other timeshare we’ve been at.
Elaborating on that last point: At the timeshares in Vegas and Escondido, they were pushing pushing pushing to sell units. Hell, you walk along the beach here and the Westins and other companies are pushing timeshares in your face. This timeshare is different. You have a closet, where you can leave stuff in a box for when you come back. Owners leave stuff for other owners. It is truly like you’re sharing a home, not renting a room for two weeks. In talking with the managing agent for the TIOA (Time Interval Owners Assn), this is because most interval owners come back each year and use their units — they become a family. This makes it feel like home.
Other vacations, I’m out and running from place to place to place. This vacation? I’ve done just a little work (checking email, a few hours of meetings on a project I’m running). Mostly, I’ve futzed on the computer reading news (perhaps you’ve noticed). I’ve read books (I’ve finished 3 so far, and am working on the 4th). I’ve gone in the ocean. I’ve sunned by the pool. The latter two are much more entertaining in Hawai’i. I’ve worked out, either by walking or in the exercise room (did an hour on the bike today). I’ve eaten healthy, having fish almost every day. I only saw one show :-). We’ve done a little shopping (I like Hawaiian shirts).
I’ve sunned, but this time I learned my lesson and used sunblock.
We found some wonderful hidden restaurants, particularly Joey’s Kitchen in Whaler’s Village; and Fish Market in Honokawai. My wife fell in love with Sugar Shop in Lahaina, a wonderful gluten-free shop. Our one dislike: Sangrita, in the Fairway Shops, whose “Grilled Ono in Anchiote” was really in a spicy mole, which created problems (as well as their continually having trouble with the order).
I’ve come to the conclusion that it won’t be 30 years before we are back. My plan, at this point, is every other year. This will still give us some weeks we can use towards going to Las Vegas in the spring (which we enjoy), while still coming back here.

Pictures, you ask? Didn’t take any. However, other’s did, and if you look at this week’s AOAO Weekly Picture Mail (PDF), you’ll see both my smiling face, and my wife’s even prettier smiling face (AOAO is the apartment owners association — the folks that either own their apartments, or the TIOA — independent of the units in the Aston rental program).

Chum Locally: Southern California News Chum

Posted onFriday, September 4, 2015Friday, September 4, 2015Authorcahwyguy

userpic=los-angeles This collection of news chum (perhaps the ultimate for this trip, or the penultimate) all relates to Southern California:

Adaptive Reuse of the HeraldEx Building. Whereas other cites let decaying buildings rot, Los Angeles turns them into film sets. When the only real competition to the LA Times — the Los Angeles Herald Examiner — closed down back in 1989 (I still have copies of the last issue), the architectural gem that what the HeraldEx building in downtown (designed by Julia Morgan, the same architect behind Hearst Castle) shut down as well. It has had an active life since then as a filmset — not only serving as a newsroom, but as a prison and number other locals. The site has finally been sold by the Hearst Organization, and is slated to become a mix of creative offices and mixed use, preserving the architectural quality of the building and the ornate lobby.
The 213 Expands. The area code 213 is just a shadows of what it once was. In the early days, it covered all of Southern California. Nowadays, it just covers the downtown core. But no more. The 323 area code is running out of numbers, and with 213 projected to be good until 2050, they are expanding 213 to be an overlay for 323 as well. Me? I’m in 818, although when I was much younger I was in 213 (but that area is now 310).
Are They Building It With an Allen Wrench? The first Ikea in Southern California was in Burbank. We’re in there regularly; it is across the street from the Colony Theatre and their restaurant makes a great grab for dinner before the show. But that Ikea is a dead furniture store walking. Construction workers have been issued their hex nut wrenches, and America’s largest Ikea is being assembled a miles way in Burbank. The new 456,000-square-foot store will be twice as big as the original 242,000-square-foot location built in 1990 located about a mile down San Fernando Road from the new site near the 5 freeway.
The Worm Capital of the World. When you think of Compton, what comes to mind? The recent “Out of Compton” movie? How about the worm capital of the world? Compton is home to Rainbow Mealworms, one of the largest suppliers of mealworms. Worms and crickets are being touted as “the next sustainable protein source“, although it may not be as eco friendly as is being touted. The LA Times has an article on the growing use of edible insects, and Rainbow Mealworm’s part in it.

ETA: Some sad news:

The End of the Line. Allied Model Trains used to be a great store on the Westside, with not only trains but loads of books on train history. Around 1990, it moved to Culver City, in a building that was modeled after Union Station downtown. In 2007, the long-time owner sold the business and moved it down the street (the Union Station-model becoming a Samys Camera). Business continued to dwindle, and in July, Allied Model Trains (now owned by The Whistle Stop in Pasadena) closed its doors for good. There was going to be an auction of the remaining stock. Now that’s on hold, as a fire last night damaged the store and stock. After 69 years, there is no longer a train store on the westside.

Unintended Consequences

Posted onFriday, September 4, 2015Sunday, September 13, 2015Authorcahwyguy

userpic=im-with-stupid The process of clearing out the accumulated links continues, although I’m getting close to caught up. This groupa-three deals with some unintended consequences:

Unintended Consequences of High Definition. Bloomberg has an interesting article about how the growth of high-definition video has made the prop master’s job harder. Simply put: the detail now visible means that props have to be stunningly believable, although that can create problems with things like realistic fake money. Wood has to look like wood, not plastic. Words on printed items need to be sensical. Logos of products need to be believable. What used to be visibility to a 2″ circle is now down to a ⅛” circle. Dust, dirt, and paint chips are visible.
Unintended Consequences of Answering Your Phone. Have you ever gotten a phone call, answered it, and … nothing. NPR explains how this simple act of answering your phone can be the start of phone fraud. This is how fraudsters determine there is a human on the other end and the number is a valid number. From there, it escalates…
Unintended Consequences of Conserving Water. The LA Times has an article about how all the water saving during the drought is creating a big problem. Sanitation districts are yanking tree roots out of manholes and stepping up maintenance on their pipes to prevent corrosion and the spread of odors. And when people use less potable water, officials say, there’s less wastewater available to recycle. Water suppliers, meanwhile, say the dramatic decrease in consumption has created multimillion-dollar revenue shortfalls. Shorter showers, more efficient toilets and other reductions in indoor water usage have meant less wastewater flowing through sewer pipes, sanitation officials say. With less flow to flush the solids down the system, those solids are collecting and can eventually damage pipes. [I’ll note there are similar problems with power districts as people move to self-generated solar: suddenly, they don’t have the revenue to pay for all their power plants.]