Monthly Archives

January 2009

Dining, Food, Lifestyle

Valentine’s Day: How To Plan Guide For Guys

January 31, 2009

As I talked with my friends, one of the questions that I was asked was what my Valentine’s Day plans were. While a lot of guys may say that “we are still two weeks away from Valentine’s”, two weeks goes by in a flash. With that said, here is my advice to all boyfriends and guys that are planning to take out that special someone.

1. Even though the girl says that you don’t have to do something for Valentine’s, you should anyways.

Named after Saint Valentine himself, Valentine’s Day is celebrated by couples all over the world. While it’s true that girls will say that you don’t need to do anything for Valentine’s and that “being with you” is enough,  truth of the matter is that Valentine’s isn’t just any other day. Whether its a quiet homemade dinner for two or a night out, girls will appreciate the effort no matter how big or small it is. Here is a simple comparison that my female friend told me:

“Valentine’s is like another birthday for us. Everyone says you don’t need to get them something, but inside everyone wants just gifts and a party”

2. Time Management

Just like what they taught you in school on how to manage your time, it can also be applied to Valentine’s Day. Whether you are planning an all day event or dinner and a movie, it is important to have it all planned out ahead of time and not 30 minutes before you are about to pick them up. A helpful tip is to take into account the little things such as how long it takes to get ready, how long it takes to get to the restaurant, and what time or how long the movie is. Planning ahead will help make things go smoothly.

3. More Than Just Friends?

For some, Valentine’s will be just another day to share with a loved one. For others it can be much more. From telling that co-worker your true feelings, to being more than ‘just friends,’ Valentine’s is a chance to start a relationship or rekindle one. With that in mind, it is important for guys to know what type of tone they want to set for the date. If it’s telling a girl what you feel for them, make sure you actually have something to say aside from “I like you.” For the guys that are just trying to spend more time with their girlfriends here is my advice to you: turn off your cellphone. It is great that technology is at the tip of our fingers, but it doesn’t have to be 24/7. For some this is extremely hard, myself included. This Valentine’s I will at the very least keep my phone off at dinner. Yes, the score of the Laker’s game will have to wait.

4. Where, What, & When To Eat?

An essential part to Valentine’s Day is the meal. Whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner, it is important that you do it right and plan it in advance. If you try to book reservations today, you might be lucky enough to catch a table for two, but if you wait a week before, you will join the hundreds of others who will resort to ‘Standby’ at restaurants. Most restaurants now offer the convenience of booking reservations online. Not only does it save time, but you can see reviews and suggestions for restaurants as well. It’s hard to make an excuse when every restaurant in town takes reservations online.

Many upscale restaurants offer a special Valentine’s Day Pre Fixe Menu. Depending on your budget, these could be great deals. It is important to note that many restaurants that offer a special Valentine’s Day Pre Fixe Menu require a credit card along with reservations in case of cancellation. Most will allow you to cancel up to February 12 by 5PM, otherwise you would be charged a cancellation fee which is set by the restaurant.

In regards to what time to eat, that is entirely up to you. While there is no set time as to when to eat dinner as everyone has their own preferences, one should keep in mind these points:

  • Any post/pre meal activities : If you plan on watching a movie after dinner, take into account how long dinner might last.
  • Traffic : If you book dinner in downtown LA, expect traffic. Give yourself time to get to the restaurant.
  • Ambiance : If you book a restaurant near the ocean, book it around sunset time. If you want a quieter restaurant, you may want to go for an earlier or later dinner before the rush starts.

I have put together a list of Restaurants in the Los Angeles Area that might be of use for those of you still looking for Valentine’s. Please remember when calling any restaurant to ask if they have Pre Fixe Menus.

1. Yamashiro

1999 N Sycamore Ave
Hollywood, CA 90068
Phone: (323) 466-5125

2. Lawry’s The Prime Rib

100 N La Cienega Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 91101
Phone: (424) 354-3409

3. The Raymond Restaurant

1250 S Fair Oaks Ave
Pasadena, CA 91105
Phone: (626) 768-3268

4. Moondshadow’s

20356 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90265
Phone: (424) 644-6450

5. Cicada Restaurant

617 S Olive St
Los Angeles, CA 90014
Phone: (213) 488-948

Reservations Online: OpenTable.com

While it may seem time consuming and difficult to plan out Valentine’s Day, I am reminded by my female friend that

“when you are upset about how guys have to do everything for Valentine’s day..just remember…popping out babies is left to the girls”

I’ll stick to planning Valentine’s any day.

Economy, Lifestyle, Shopping

Where Last Season’s Style Goes

January 27, 2009

In a time where getting the most out of your buck is key, shopping for consumer goods is an area that has most consumers re-thinking where they decide to shop. While malls continue to be packed, it doesn’t necessarily mean that people are spending money. On the contrary, with once dominant department stores like Macy’s and social hangout spots like Starbucks closing stores to save money, consumer spending has changed radically.

With consumers looking at how to save money, they have begun to turn toward outlet malls. For the consumer that has never shopped at an outlet mall, let me introduce you to the world of affordable prices for designer and name brand goods. While affordable is only applicable to certain situations, examples are the best way to show the huge bargain opportunity that is to be had at outlet malls.

Coach for example is well known for being a hot spot at outlets for shopaholics. Not only are their prices well below the MSRP’s but their selection is quite vast. It is true that among the plethora of bags their is a fair share of ugly bags, but the prices are the ones that dictate what is ugly and what is not.

Outlets get most of their merchandise from their affiliate stores after they either go out of season or are overstocked. Many consumers are aware of this and don’t mind wearing last seasons styles. The truth is that to look rich, you don’t have to be rich. Brands like Calvin Klein, Gap, Hugo Boss, Bebe, and even Juicy Couture have all realized this and have begun to tap the huge consumer base that shops at outlets. With small outlet stores beginning to be replaced by designer outlet stores, what was a once in a while stop for families and consumers has now become regular trips when they need to buy something.

In a way, outlet malls can be seen as the place where last season’s style goes to be reborn into an ‘affordable’ style. From electronics to clothing, it seems that you can find anything at an outlet mall. While most outlet malls may not have the ambiance or decor of most shopping malls today, they make up for it by allowing consumers to feel like they really got the most out of their dollar.

Career, Lifestyle

The Power Of Charisma

January 22, 2009

As I stopped to listen to the inauguration speech of newly appointed president, Barack Obama, the thing that stood out most about him was not the content of his speech but rather how he was able to draw the attention of millions by just the words he spoke. His words not only captivated millions but it also instilled hope and inspiration to those who listened. Obama shares a rare trait that great leaders have. That trait is charisma.

While many may be described as charismatic, true and genuine charisma is often hard to find. Charisma is often defined as a rare trait in human personality that includes charm and a ‘magnetic’ quality. Not only is charisma a rare trait, it is also by far one of the most valued. Taking a look at the famous leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., Caesar, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, and Nelson Mandela, the key characteristic that all of them shared was their ability to captivate an audience. From Napoleon’s ability to rally his troops through is powerful words to Martin Luther King Jr.’s ability to charm thousands and lead millions, charisma is a powerful tool. Anyone can become a leader, but it takes true charisma to get people to follow you. You maybe extremely bright, but without charisma, you can only go so far.

In the business world, charisma plays a huge role in the workplace. While work ethic and efficiency are both key factors in promotions, a persons charisma is also key. Someone who is charismatic not only gets along with most people, but they can also make up for areas they lack in with their charm. The goal of any company is to hire a well rounded individuals that can come in and bring value to the company. The key word out of that sentence is value. Speaking to the HR of a few companies, many agree that charisma has huge value.

Aside from the charisma playing a huge part in the business world, charisma is also a dominant trait in entertainment and sports. When you look at players like Kobe Bryant and actors like Will Smith, aside from work on the court and on film, people naturally gravitate toward them. This ‘magnetic’ trait that they have has helped them become as popular as they are today. Even looking at our past president, George Bush, we can see the power of charisma. While he wasn’t loved by all, people would agree that part of the reason he got to White House was because of his personal charisma.

While not all of us can be as smooth as Will Smith or are able to captivate a nation like President Barack Obama, it is important to recognize those that are charismatic. Being able to identify individuals with genuine charisma can be difficult because who is to say what “true” and “genuine” charisma is, but here is a suggestion to figuring it out: Look around you and see who are the followers, and who are the leaders. More than often, the leaders have true charisma.

Economy, News

Death of The Newspaper

January 18, 2009

As a child, reading the LA Times was a big part of my morning routine. As I grew older, the sections I read also grew with age. From only reading the comic section, to reading the Lifestyle and Sports sections, the newspaper had always been a way for me to get my news for the day or week. Newspapers played such an important role in society that it is sort of odd to think that now their are talks that the days of waking up and reading the Sunday sports section or even the latest movie review maybe over.

With the Tribune filing for bankruptcy, the fall of the newspaper industry has commenced. Just the other day on my way home I was listening on the radio how one newspaper was forcing its writers to take non-paid days off just to stay in business. While it is easy to blame the economy for companies going out of business, their are many reasons why the newspaper industry is where it’s at right now.

The Speed of Information

For every newspaper, their is a website for it. With that said, who would pay for something they can get free. This is an obvious reason to why the newspaper industry is struggling to survive. With individuals being able to read articles that are in the newspapers for free online, people see no reason to pay for a newspaper subscription. Not only does it save money, but in most cases you can find out about a story even before it reaches newspaper stands. The speed of the information travels faster than the newspaper companies can put them on stands. As a result of this, fewer and fewer people subscribe to them.

While newspapers have made the transition to news online, they have entered a market where they cannot win. The reason for this is simple. The market they are trying to dominate is already dominated by other websites. For example, newspapers used to make a decent revenue from the classified section. Today, when people need to post something to the classified section, they go straight to Craigslist.org and list it their. Why? Because it’s free. The age of information has two basic elements. The first is speed. People want information as fast as possible. Even waiting 5 minutes for information is considered too long of a wait in some instances. The second element is cost. People now consider their options and weigh the cost against benefits. With information being so readily accessible and free, newspapers that charge people to post ads automatically become unreasonable.

No Real Content

Of the newspapers I still read, my local newspaper is one of them. The reason I read it, is because I want to learn what is happening in my city and because I feel like what they write about has value and the writers opinions. When you look at the LA Times or even the NY Times, you will most often find the same articles. What most newspapers do now is take articles from the Associated Press or even Reuters and just insert it into their newspaper. For them, it saves time and money. Still, for the reader it brings no real value if you can find it any newspaper or even just hop online and read it from the AP or Reuters directly. If the newspapers wanted to keep readers, they would have written ‘real content’ that would have been engaging to their respective cities.

With companies going out of business, many will now wonder if it is the newspaper industries turn. Since it is now feasible that such a collapse is near, the newspaper industry may follow the steps of automakers and large financial corporations and ask for the same kind of help that the government gave them: a bailout.

If it comes to that, it is my opinion that the government will not help the newspaper industry. The reason is this: one of the key determinants to who has been getting bailouts are those that are deemed crucial to our economy as well as to society. Carmaker’s were able to make the argument that millions of jobs and hundreds of smaller industries would fall as a result of their collapse. The financial corporations made the argument that the economy would never recover if they collapsed. So what about the newspaper industry? If they collapse, the result would obviously be layoffs, but other than that, people would turn toward the internet for their information or to watching the news on TV.

If it does come down to the newspaper industry collapsing I will miss picking up the newspaper early in the morning and reading the sports section as I get ready for my day. In the end it is not that we don’t like reading the newspaper, but that all in all, newspapers have become obsolete.